Okinawa Trip Part 2

The next day was Sunday but we skipped church and went to a different Base for brunch at the Officer's Club then took a drive around the immediate area. "On Base" is laid out like any other U.S. military base. We could have been on Malstrom for that matter. Only much larger, of course......and with a Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Starbuck Coffee......and a Base International Gift Shop, which I found out was a great shopping experience. Each Base has one and each brings in different shipments from different countries and it changes each month! During the time we were there we went to 3 Bases/3 Gift Shops (there is a different name for these....I'll have to ask Pam again)and I don't remember exactly which countries were represented. dang! (help Pam!) oh, guess it doesn't matter......Thailand? Hong Kong? Philippines? China? or Africa? Russia? It is like going into an Import Depot.......only more reasonable.

Drive out 'the gates' to get "Off Base" you are in a different world...... crowded busy streets running every which way, 'New York City' feel of buildings meaning close-to-the-street storefronts that have metal garage door closures for nighttime security. But COLORFUL......everything is so colorful! and BUSY! busy meaning not only with people but the streets and buildings are 'busy' with billboards, flags, banners, tinsel-town with pom-poms and Las Vegas style blinking lights! Well, guess it is like Chinatown, right? Maybe that's the way to describe it. and CLEAN. no litter to speak of. people out on the streets and sidewalks with little brooms and dust pans.

I didn't get a feeling of people being in a great hurry. Tons of traffic and people but no honking, shoving, pushing or grabbing. Lots of nodding, greeting and smiling. hmmmmmm interesting what vision passed through with that memory. an Epiphany!