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The Warmth of Okinawa
If it weren’t for Okinawa, my visit to Japan would have been a depressing one. Okinawa, while still a part of East Asia was different in that in general, the people were warm. When they smiled, it seemed genuine. While not everyone was all smiles, the majority of the people I encountered seemed friendly, open, less judgemental and welcoming. It was what I needed and wanted from a trip.
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Nagasaki’s Chinatown
If you’ve been to a decent Chinatown, whether that be somewhere in Asia or California, you’re not going to be all that thrilled with the Chinatown in Nagasaki. People seem to rave about it, yet it was just another Chinatown to me. Perhaps, I didn’t care for the “upscale” authentic Chinese food and modern buildings infused with Chinese architecture and decor. That or the fact there was no special event going on which made the Chinatown area look rather bland, save for its neon entrance sign.
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Nagasaki’s Megane Bridge aka Spectacles Bridge
There’s a popular bridge in Nagasaki, called Megane Bridge or Spectacles Bridge. While it may seem like just another bridge, there’s a reason why this specific bridge is popular. The bridge has been around since 1634 and actually looks like spectacles. As long as you view the bridge from a place where the river shows a clear reflection of the bridge, you’ll be treated to the sight of spectacles. It might not seem like a biggie for us, but it probably was a big deal to people in the past.
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Manko Waterbird and Wetland Center
I like free so when I learned that I could visit the Manko Waterbird and Wetland Center for free, I went for it. The thing is that it required a bit of trekking, sidetracking and cautious crossing to get there. If you have a car, you can be there in a jiffy. If you’re going by the Yui Rail, it might take some time to get there, but it’s do-able, nonetheless.
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Beppu’s Hells
Beppu is known for its “hells”. These “hells” aren’t as scary as they sound as they’re just eight of the most touristy hot springs of Beppu. As mentioned in my previous post, I didn’t get to visit all 8 of the “hells” but something is better than nothing, right?