A Trip Down Route 58

     I have been battling a cold.  Why could this not happen last week when the weather was bad, or the week after when it was too windy to get in the water.  Oh well.  Of course today was spectacular and this weekend is supposed to be more of the same.  


     I am, for the record, felling better today.  I spent the morning in shock over the shooting at Ft. Hood.  I don't know of anyone there, but I feel for everyone involved.  Marc came home for lunch and we talked about it.  Then, he talked about the trouble maker he is having to deal with at work.  


     After he went back to work I decided that I needed to go to the commissary to get some items to make a pumpkin cheesecake.  So, with my list and reusable walmart bags in hand I grabbed my camera and off I went.


    I was only planning to go to the commissary here on Kadena.  At the last moment, while sitting at the stoplight I thought.  Turn left and go to the Kadena  Commissary or, turn right and go to Camp Foster.  I really need to go to Camp Foster to get Marc's birthday present.  So, I flipped my signal and went right!

     Now, don't freakout!  We drive on the left side of the road here.  I know, it just looks strange.  Oddly enough, it's easy to get used to.  

     This building over to the left is one of the 3 Chapels on base.  This is really a cool building.  Maybe one day I 'll get a photo coming from the other direction!

       That right there, my friends, is a F-15.  They have a really cool display of aircraft right outside the Legal Office here on base.  They just finished repainting the jets on display.  Since it is unlawful for me to take any photos of the planes out here this is probably the only photo you well ever see of a F-15.  Well, unless one is airborne and it sneaks into one of my other photos.  

     So, once off base I made another left and now I'm on Route 58.  

     
     Space is at a premium in Okinawa.  This building houses an Indian restaurant on top and a Mexican restaurant on the bottom.  

     Blue Seal Ice Cream.  Blue Seal started as a dairy plant for US Military members right after the end of WWII.  Dairy products are not traditional in the Okinawan diet.  So, they had to bring milk to Okinawa for the US Military.  Good thing too. They eventually started making ice cream and now they are famous all over Okinawa for it.  I agree.  This is some good stuff. Oh, for an interesting twist, they sell in on the side of the road during the summer.  I'm not kidding!  They will have a person sitting under an umbrella at various bus stops up and down Route 58.  You just pull over and let them know what you want and then you are on your way ice cream cone in hand!

     While sitting at the stop light I noticed this guy walking around with his pointy hat on.  You never know what you will see.  

     So, the light turned green and I was on my way again.  

The speed limit is 60 KM - right on the nose!

     Yep, there's the Mc Donalds.  Their lobby is very strange.  A few tables on the bottom floor but most of them are on the second floor.  Oh, and they have a very high tech bathroom.  Don't press any buttons on the toilet, I'm just saying!

     Okay, this photo was taken on Camp Foster by the Sada gate.  I think they still call it that.  To the left, at this intersection, is the road that leads to the Globe and Anchor.  Some people call it the Hook and Jab.  Basically, it's the enlisted club and it can get pretty rowdy on a Friday night.  In addition to the bar and club area, they have a restaurant in there that serves really great food.  

     Okay, for those of you who always want me to take photos of hot Marines, here they are!  I can guarantee they are hot as it was 86 degrees today.  I'm not sure where they are going as it was about 1500 on a Friday afternoon.  For those, non-military people, that's 3 pm.  


While I was on Camp Foster I went over to Tsunami Scuba to get Marc some  purple tanks.  We saw these tanks a couple weeks ago.  He has been dreaming about them ever since.  He even sings about them.  Think Prince and Purple Rain, except replace Rain with Tank.  I know, it's crazy.  But, it's total Marc! 

     Here's Marc posing with his new purple tank!  He still can't believe that I got them for him!  He was sure they would all be sold by the time we decided to get them.  

     He is trying to demonstrate the beauty of the purple.  It really just looks like dark blue with only the orange street light and the flash from the camera.  

Here they are in the back of my Pajero next to the brilliant blue tanks we got from Blue Water Divers in OKC a couple years ago.  


I also made a stop in the commissary and picked up a few items.  The bagger guy acted confused with the Wal-Mart reusable bags.  He put just a few things in each bag.  I wanted, so badly, to tell him to stuff those babies full!  But, I didn't want to come off rude.  Well, and I don't think this guy could speak a word of English.


As for the pumpkin cheesecake...it's in the oven.  I've been taking photos.  As soon as I take it out of the oven I'll post a blog with the photos and recipe.  I can tell you it smells phenomenal!  Oh, and I substituted the sugar with splenda.  More on that later!