Cherry Blossoms

Back to Ginowan

Today was cherry blossom day, but first we put Grant on the bus back to Ginowan because he forgot to pack his meds. Four days without them seemed just too long. With ¥5,500 in his pocket and the apartment’s location programmed into his phone, he headed south. I cross my finger

Nago Park

First stop on our itinerary was Nago Castle Park. A group of Japanese high school students oohed and aahed over Bella and Remi as we climbed the steps through the rows of cherry trees. At the observation tower, she joined older tourists for their photos. I think they were looking at cherry blossoms then writing haikus about them, if I understood the explanation one of the ladies told me.

British Tea

Lunch was at the hidden British Wine and Tea Room, tucked away down tiny almost-one-lane roads. Mary had thought “hidden” was part of its name, but it’s a description of the location. Quiche, salad, hot Earl Grey tea and a scone for dessert, sitting on a deck overlooking cherry trees. Absolutely delicious. Plus we saw a hawk of some sort. Perhaps a Eurasian kestrel. At the end of March, the tea room is having a concert by an Irish lyre player and a woman singing traditional songs from Osaka. I guess both pentatonic scales. I hope we can make it back.

Mount Yae

Up and down more curvy, narrow roads to get to Mount Yaedake Sakuranomori* Park for more cherry blossoms and the extra treat of huge fruit bats, which explained the netting over the orange trees I saw on the way in.
 
     Pink blooms against gray skies
     Cherry blossoms at their peak
     We stay far too long

Bella tired, and all of us hungry, we go home and eat pasta and meatballs prepared by Mary’s friends to help with the new baby.

* ”Cherry Blossom Woods”