LONG LIFE TO DUGONGS!

THANKS to Sadako-san today me and my friend Tomomi made it! When I arrived by Naha’s prefecture there were no more bus tickets available (10 buses, 60 passengers each, already full)… Then an angel came with TWO tickets!

Soooo, following the perfect Japanese organization, we reached Camp Schwab, by Henoko Bay, where Abe’s army is helping the U.S. troops to destroy the habitat of dugongs in order to make a bigger military base. Even if last winter the local popolation voted for Susumu Inamine as Nago mayor: his manifesto, NO base.

Abe is rushing the destruction works before November elections, when a new governor against the bases will have good chances to win. In Okinawa 74% of the population is against the bases, but Tokyo’s prime minister is doing what he wants, it doesn’t matter what Okinawan people think.

Today, in the usual pacific, civilized and very organized way, 3.600 people gathered at the entrance of Camp Schwab, protesting firmly under the nose of the Marines. As most of the times in these situations, I was one of the very few gaijin. Going around with a camera and a Marines haircut some people must have thought that I was a spy…

Inamine-san spoke covered with a very cute and symbolic blanket decorated with paper dugongs. Here’s my photo-story of today, I hope you’ll enjoy it as my little contribution to November elections. I cannot vote but, at least, I can photograph.

And few days later, at the beach...

MATSURI LATINO!

Sooooo… Yesterday it has been good beyond expectations, at IRESCO. Planned since a long time, we formed a group of foreigners living in Okinawa and organized a nice party in the name of a common thread: belonging to a Latin community, in its very different aspects. We were able to put together people from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Mexico, Colombia, U.S.A. and, last but not least, Italy and Japan.

Yesterday it has been an opportunity to meet new, nice friends. And I was very happy to see that several students of my basic English classes at Okinawa Times Culture School came to enjoy the party.

Once more the gasoline of the party came from countries as Mexico and Brazil, Peru and Argentina, with their happy and colorful dances. Muchissimas gracias and Obrigado mesmo viuuuu to Juan Carlos Lugo, Luzia Miyuki Teruya and Oswaldo Castro for dancing!

A group of capoeristas made a great ‘roda’ and everybody enjoyed it.

Food and drinks were another Big protagonist of the party. I started cooking in the morning a ton of pasta (1kg of penne al ragù + 1,25 kg. of caserecce al pomodoro and basilico). I will never thank enough my dear friend ‘Mabuya’-Tatsu, who helped me as a superhero: he brought me and my hundred heavy bags to the party location, he helped me in the kitchen cutting and washing everything cuttable and washable, he took care of my ‘restaurant’ and of the neko-charity corner while I was busy somewhere else. GRAZIE MILLE x 1000 Tatsuuuuuuu!!!!

Another superGRAZIE to my dear friend Tomomi, who helped me very much during my slideshow on Italy taking care of the computer and translating my Italianenglish into Nihongo. She also washed a bunch of plates. Every plate also says GRAZIE to you, Tomomi!

Pietro 2 - helped by his superson Vito - came too, and even if for a brief moment he gave an Italian cuisine show with his delicious torta di ricotta e pinoli, panini and caffè espresso. His coffee brought me back to life (in the morning the alarm didn’t work and I had to run without drinking my vital caffelatte). Chiaki and her kind husband made yummy Bolivian plates, including a dessert of sweet rice (Japanese people usually don’t like it, as Japanese people like sweets… unsweet!, but everybody else enjoyed it).

A real Latin party needs a good amount of alcohol, even if usually Japanese people don’t drink much (they cannot drive afterwards, or the police puts them in prison forever & ever). I served Spritz and Italian wine from Veneto, but also the other tables weren’t just watching: Caipirinha, Kalhua, Tequila and much more. The Peruvians sold also the terrible Inca Kola, the yellowest artificialest soft-drink available on this planet.

Me, Ariana and Maria Soledad offered a slideshow on our countries (Italy-Mexico-Argentina), even if not too many people watched them: dancing Salsa, in the other room, was much more fun… Some Italian friends came, but they quickly snobbed the party and left. Europeans, you know…

Some good soul donated money to the neko-charity corner. That money will be used to help cats shelters in Naha. Okinawa cats say MEAOW to you!!!

Well, at this point I can only THANK all the friends that contributed to the good realization of the matsuri, particularly to Shimada Buichiro, manager of IRESCO, and to Sesoko Akemi, JICE’s school (where IRESCO is located) manger. ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU for hosting the party! Let’s do it again, next year!