Facebook Made Me Do It: Shoot Girls in Bikinis

This wasn't in the plan.

The purpose of the trip to Minna Jima was to shoot the lagoon.

If the tides and lighting wouldn't cooperate, birds were next on the list of things to do.

The way things turned out, birds and lagoons weren't worth my time, today.

A friend over on Facebook gave me this idea.

Shoot photos of girls in bikinis.

Cute.  Ain't they ?

Thanks gals !

Chasing the Blue Lagoon or Birds--Whichever Shows First

Weather Permitting Get on a Boat

 

This time of year the weather can change quickly in Okinawa, Japan.

As long as the skies are blue and seas stay fair, it's best to catch a ferry and travel.

There's a rumor going around that we might see a typhoon soon.

Over two years ago, we went chasing the blue lagoon on Minna Jima.

What I'm hoping for tomorrow is a better shot than this one.

There's not much else on that island that interests me.

They have some birds.  And, sometimes gals running around in their bikinis.

Probably, if the lagoon doesn't look right, I'll just come back with photos of birds for you !

Related Post:  One Good Tern Deserves Another.

On the Way to Zamami Island: Lookout for Flying Fish

The Kerama Islands Were Just Ahead

 

So, I figured everybody hanging over the side couldn't wait to jump ship.

That's when I started noticing the fish

They weren't just jumping out of the water.  They were flying, like birds.

 See that little guy, down there ?

Danged if I didn't leave my big lens down below, in my backpack.

Knowing, they'd stop flying if I went to change lenses, I shot with what I had, an 18-250mm.

 The next time I go out on a boat, I'll be ready to catch better shots of them.

It got me thinking.

Do you suppose they taste anything like chicken ? 

In Japan It's Tanabata---Tonight Is a Special Night !

Call it the Star Festival

 

It almost slipped my mind, this year.  July 7th, is Tanabata.

On Okinawa it isn't one of those festivals where everyone goes to celebrate and party.

Only one house, that I know of, goes hog wild decorating for the event.

A sweetheart of a gal named, Nakamoto, in Nanjo City, hangs up all these decorations.

She has been decorating her yard with all these bright colors for over 20 years.

The star festival comes from a Chinese legend.

It seems, this young couple (We'll call them stars) fell in love.

 They got fooling around, too much and forgot to do their jobs.

 So, the big guy in the sky separated them.

He stuck them on opposite ends of the Milky Way, astronomically speaking.

That way, they could only get to see each other, once a year.

Some people decorate for the event, others, just look up at the stars.

Tanabata, meaning the night of the seventh, you should look up there.

Tonight is the only night of the year those two wayward stars get together.

See if you can catch them fooling around !

MORE ABOUT TANABATA


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Brilliant Colors at Tanabata Festival in Okinawa

Tanabata Decorations in Nanjo

Wondering About Your Anus Since the Star Festival

Have You Heard of the Ghosts at UNESCO Sefa-Utaki ?

Kudaka Island from Sefa-Utaki

Everybody Loves a Ghost Story

 

Just a few days ago I was there taking photos with Map It Okinawa.

There's no telling how many times I visited this site not knowing about the ghosts.

Now that I've been enlightened, this place deserves several more visits.

Sometimes a Slippery Trail

 Going up the hill to the sacred site (Utaki) it pays to walk with caution.

Your Choice, Sandbags or Stone

Even on a hot, dry day the stones can be slippery.

Short people can get away with just looking down at the ground.

Tall people, have to look up and down.

It's not the ghosts, I worry about.  Banana spiders are what I don't like running into.

The spiders, I don't mind.  It's the sticky webs that get mangled in my hair; I don't like.

 There's almost always travelers looking out at Kudaka Jima.

It's the island, where most Okinawans believe life originated.

This World Heritage Site is rated #3 out of 20 attractions in Nanjo, Okinawa.

Can Anyone See Ghosts ?

Today, when I went to TripAdvisor I learned about a ghost.

It whispered in somebody's camera microphone.

There has to be some way we can document these sorts of things.

It only costs 200 yen to get in there.

If I can catch a ghost for you with my camera, I will.

Then, I bet Sefa-Utaki becomes the #1 attraction in Okinawa, Japan !

Related Post: 

Travel Photo: View of Kudaka From Okinawa