MALLET FINGER! Yes that is what I have apparently! According to my quick internet search anyway. So if you remember (and if you don't you only need to scroll down and look at my post on the topic) I cut my finger while bashing a shellfish out of a rock about a month ago. I thought it was just a cut and naturally didn't want to be a big baby about it and a band aid and a bit of iodine splashed on was all the treatment I gave it. In fact if Kelly had not been there I doubt it would have even got that treatment! It was a little crooked at the time but I didn't think much of it and assumed it was because of the swelling at the top my finger, around the cut. But one month later the swelling had much reduced but the crick was much more pronounced. It was also still slightly sore so when it was suggested to me that perhaps I should see a doctor I did so fearing perhaps there was infection. It turns out I severed the extensor tendon of that finger! The tendon is cut almost exactly at the end joint of my finger so only the tip is crooked, if the cut had been higher up the situation would have been much more serious. It may be fixable; I gather from my limited research, that if left for a long time the tendon my cause bleeding and scarring further up and along the tendon sheath making it unusable in which case it won't be very fixable. Also it was not cut with the knife but on the slightly rougher edge of the shell. It is not a bit deal, I can live with it! The finger is still functional as the flexor tendon is still intact so I can exert downward force with no pain but in case of further complications I do want to have it checked out. Luckily the Ryukyu university hospital here in Okinawa is renowned for hand surgery according to my island doctor so I will go there. Enjoy the pics! The other picture if of Teru and company working on a new Izekaiya on Izena which will be opening tonite! Exiting!

Evening all. I would like to use this post to tell you how undeniably great otters are. That's right you heard me, OTTERS! So after getting home at about 9pm from my English conversation class I threw together some victuals (literally) and feeling too tired and brain dead to even read I turning on the goggle box. The program was about otters. First of all I was entranced at how cute and friendly they were. Running around in their group/extended family; playing in the water and rolling around together in sand bands. Then we see their hunting prowess, flashing around underwater in hot pursuit of elusive aquatic prey which when caught they would share with the other member of their romp (yes that is what a group of otters is very appropriately called). Now for the best bit! A large African crocodile slides into the water; the otters suddenly get agitated craning their long necks to spot where the now submerged crocodile has gone. I prayed that the romp (I like that word) would escape with all fingers and toes intact. I couldn't have been more wrong. The delightfully rascally and audacious otters (not to mention brave!) took the crocodile head on! First I though why aren't they swimming away, why are they getting so close to that rather large and toothy reptilian? Then they started attacking it! Even nipping in to bite the croc around its jaws. The best bit was when after the croc had retired to a sand bank a particularly cheeky otter snuck up and bit the tip of its tail! Bear in mind this is a 4 metre African crocodile and the otters can only have been a couple of feet long. Anyway, there you have it, otters rock and don't you dare say otherwise.

I have returned from my trip to mainland Japan! And now I will relate it to you!



The first thing that struck me about Tokyo was the people or more precisely the number of people. They were everywhere! Vast hoards of them all rushing about in immaculate designer clothes and more than likely clutching a Loui Vouton bag (they seem to be all the rage in Japan right now). It could not be more different from my small rustic island! The above picture is of the busiest intersection in the world at Shibuya, one can probably see more people in this picture than live on my whole island...perhaps.

The first Shrine we visited was Meiji-Jingu in Harijuku. We had the good fortune of being shown around by a group of Japanese university students who wanted to practice their English. Among other things they showed us how to properly purify ourselves with the spring water found at the entrance of all Temples and Shrines in Japan. This served as well as we visited many, many Temples and Shrines throughout the course of our trip. Meiji-Jingu boasts the largest wooden Tori gate in the world and a building especially dedicated to people want to bless and purify their cars.

Many unusually dressed individuals inhabit Harijuku, amung my favourites where a group who dress in black leather and danced energetically to rock and roll music. The picture shows one member of the troupe taking a rest. While watching the performance I was kindly informed by an elderly Japanese gentleman that rock and roll music came from America.

Most of the 'crazies' as I affectionately refer to them do not dance or perform but just sit and be admired by the crowds. They will also pose for photographs if you ask them nicely. I do wonder why they do it.

Our first Temple was Senso-ji. As a side note a Temple is a place of Buddhist worship while a Shrine in a place of Shinto (native Japanese faith) worship. It was a very lively place compared to Meiji-jingu (everywhere the sound of chanting and smell of burning incense). There was also a cute little garden in the complex, We found that the Shrines and Temples made for a good way to escape the noise and bustle of the city around them. Afterwards we took a boat ride down to Ginza and had a wander around a park which had been in previous times the duck hunting ground of the Shogunate. From there we went to the Imperial Palace.

At the Imperial Palace! Very expansive and impressive but one cannot get inside to have a closer look. Understandable as the Emperor and his family do still live there. It is like everything else in Tokyo mostly a reconstruction. The city was quite comprehensively flattened during the war.

A pleasant view of one of the gaurd towers which punctuated the outer wall of the Palace. I found Tokyo to be a very exciting city, lots of hussle and bustle, something grabbing your attention all the time. We managed to see every major district of Tokyo even if it was only for an hour or two. Each one had it's own distinct feel and often as not it's own particular type of crazy. Shibuya for example plays host to the tanned and bleach blonde variety.

We took the shinkansen to Kyoto, a journeyof 8hours by regular train but only two and a half with the Nozomi super express. The Nozomi super express is the fastest of the skinkansen train services and the trains reach speeds of 300 km.hr! The Shinkansen typify Japanese attention to detail and desire for perfection, there have been zero fatalities in the 42 years of service (despite one derailing due to an earthquake) and during 2003 the average lateness was only 12 seconds . Boarding the train is also a very precise operation, one must wait at the designated stop on the station platform according to your car and seat number and when the train stops the door you need to enter via is exactly in front of you. The above picture is of Kiyomizu Dera in Kyoto, one of the two temples we saw there. Kyoto has many, many temples but we had a tight schedule and lots of see and do!This picture is slightly out of chronological order. We went to see kabuki in Tokyo (at the Kabuki za theatre in Ginza). It was interesting and visually alluring but not gripping, the English language headphones did help immensely, I would have had no idea what was going on without them. What was unusual was the cat calls (kakegoe) from the audience. The cries are of encouragement or appreciation and there seem to be particular points during the performance when these calls are acceptable.

We took a day trip north of Kyoto to a Holy mountain and town which share the name Kurama. It was easily the most pleasant day of the whole trip. A gentle hike took us to the top of the mountain, along the way we passed many beautiful temples and shrines before we got to the main temple at the top which was bathed in sunlight (after the shade of the wooded mountainside) and surrounded by Cherry blossoms (sakura) which were in glorious bloom. Unlike in Tokyo and Kyoto there were very few westerners about and the place felt less 'touristy'. This photograph was taken near the bottom; I was attracted to the sunlight on the red of a Japanese maple tree.

Sorry, another out of order photograph. This one of a pretty little street in Kyoto, such a contrast to the towering glass and steel of Tokyo!

Taking a photo break during the accent of Mt.Kurama. One my favourite things about Japanese gardens and landscaping are the elegant bridges. I think they have a very natural shape to them.

At the top! This was my first experience of Japanese Sakura, the okinawan variety is somewhat different and I am sorry to say not quite as pretty. The Japanese Sakura manage to be both more delicate and more richly opulent.

Nestled at the foot of Mt.Kurama is the village bearing the same name. The buildings were all wooden and very traditional and the main road (only road) had a stream running along it. Kurama has a natural spring and therefore an Onsen (Japanese hot spring bath). I have wanted to visit an Onsen since visiting Japan and I wasn't disappointed. Lying naked in the hot spring water surrounded by the beautiful mountain scenery, what could be better to sooth a footsore and tired soul. I think on future trips to the mainland of Japan I will give the big cities a miss and seek out places such as Kurama.

The final picture shows a 700 series Shinkansen, the type we used to and from Kyoto. After Kyoto we returned to Tokyo and pulled an all-nighter before returning to Okinawa. This was not planned but our digs in Kyoto turned out to be a bit pants so we decided to be adventurous. Okinawa did seem like another (poorer) country upon returning from mainland Japan but it did feel good to be back to nice friendly relaxed Okinawa.