Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Mini-break from mini-work

I want to wish you all a very happy Vernal Equinox Day!!! I think you are supposed to be eating some traditional foods, visiting with your long-lost stepaunt, and toasting the changing seasons. Get to it!

While you do that, I am going to relay how I celebrated my day off school. You're going to be jealous.

It all started a long time ago when I mentioned to Taiko-sensei that I wanted to visit a resort and was wondering if they ever have off-peak rates. The next day she hands me a coupon that her husband had received for the Kariyushi ("Happiness") Ocean Spa Resort in Onna Village. Essentially four people could stay for only about $25 each, plus discounts on the hotel amenities. Amazing deal! Since the weekends were booked for the time given, I grabbed up the 20th thanks to another pointless Japanese national holiday. Before I knew it, I was traveling up Rt. 58 with Bridgit after skipping out of school early and meeting up with two Nago-ites, Amy and Juhi.





We had a lovely time. Bridgit started off the festivities with an in-room massage and then we found ourselves sitting outside in the hot tub for over an hour. A typically overpriced hotel meal was consumed and then samples were devoured in one of the many hotel gift shops to serve as dessert. (Yes, we are "those" people.) After a couple of drinks in the room and inhibitions gone (for the most part), I led the brigade to the public bath house where once again, everyone got naked. This time it was unbelievably busy, but there were numerous hot tubs to soak in after our showers. I believe despite the initial "Am I really doing this?" moment, everyone enjoyed the time to just relax surrounded by mothers/daughters, friends, grandmother-types with all sorts of conversations going on around us. I am becoming a bit of an addict to this stuff, I must admit. I'll devote more to why some other time.

This morning we checked out of the resort and grabbed some food before parting ways. Bridgit and I headed to Cape Zanpa since it was a beautiful day. There wasn't much to do or see there, but as always, a pretty nice view.





I have my last class of the school year tomorrow and will be spending my time packing up my desk. Sometime next week our teacher room will be relocated to the "barracks" and our school will be invaded by 20-something newbies. The times they are a-changin' at CHS.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I saw something on the news yesterday about some big earthquake in Japan. (It was on an airport TV with no sound, so I didn't catch many details.) Was it near you?

Unknown said...

hi rach! nice blog! amy and I ended up going to the nakijin castle ruins and the ostrich farm that day. but have I already told u this? have a sudden feeling of deja vu!