Miyakojima Paradise Blog

For some reasons, I will have to spend a few days in Tokyo. Moving back to the city always means tremendous changes in my habits. Some things that may be daily routine for you feels to me like challenges.

As the city is supposedly a little bit more “civilized”,  I first have to swap garments.

Here in Miyakojima, my daily costume wraps up with tongs, a short and a tank top.

In Tokyo, these might not fit (well, maybe in Summer …).

Some people in Tokyo must wear neckties. I must don socks, the very meaning of I had forgotten for well over two months (socks with tongs are not to my taste …).

I waited until the airpor to change clothes in the washroom, switch for a jeans (happy to see my waist somewhat floating in it), a shirt and shoes (no Weston but standard sport shoes).

You may think I must be crazy to write about wearing socks, but you should understand that this mundane act makes me think deep about my very own daily life style in Miyakojima.

In a previous life, I craved for brand clothes, spending time in the dressing room choosing the best match for my shoes.

All this sounds so far remote now …

I don’t despise other life styles because I loved and still love the varieties. But living on a small island devoid of massive shopping centers allows over time to enjoy what is essential.

To quote what my wife often says : here we have nothing but what matters.

Should not be complicated! It’s “coco”! Right “coco”! (“coco” means “here” in Japanese).

I have been away from the computer these past days. Maintaining this blog takes quite a lot of time while we have received many reservations for our studios accommodation. It is hard to manage both sides.

But I pledge I will rite more soon.

This is both my work and afterwork outfit. I still have lingering memories of shopping in Tokyo where I would spend hefty amounts of money for brand clothes (GUCCI, Prada, etc.)

This period of my life is now far away even if my current wears are branded, but of lesser prestige.

I wear most of the time the following:

Short,  tank top from UNIQLO (JPY500 a piece bought by three), tongs (JPY300, usually good for a week), and cap. I have several sets of these as wit the local heat, the sand and the sea, one must change clothes two to three times a day (more if you get out at night).

What you definitely don’t need :

Jeans (you’ll melt in 30 minutes)
Socks (unless you want to jog with sport shoes)
And of course any overcoat or anything beyond a teeshirt or short sleeves shirt

I was invited summoned at an evening event pretty hype (somewhat not top) where I had to swap tongs for “serious shoes” (my wife was worried because I had not weared anything but tongs for the past four months). To sum up, it was an elite soirée of Miyakojima high society (they were in needs of foreigners props but the six other Westerners in the island somewhat escaped).

Now I was standing in front of Miss Miyakojima and two things came to my mind :

1. I was in front of a Michael Jackson sort of clone (see the glove?)

2. I was standing in front of the alien character in Luc Besson’s movie “The Fith Element” (the one who sings on a boat)

When she asked me: “Do you go to the beach from time to time”, I could not find a proper answer …

One sacred thing here is the BBQ. There’s always a good reason to make a BBQ, on the parking near our home, or on the beach (more often on the beach).

This time it was an improvised BBQ held by the landlord next door. The cause for celebration? She had the mail boxes replaced! 8I told you, any reason is a good reason for a BBQ).

It was very nice as usual, and the scallops were HUGE! Compare the size of that mussel with the hand of my wife.

These meetings around a BBQ are always fun for the kids as well, and my baby daughter loves to be passed around and cooed in the arms of people around.

Following the huge success of the Apple Store in Miyakojima, phone carrier Orange recently open a boutique on the island Sorry for the poor picture but the weather was too hot for me to clean the window.

Note: it is by no mean an antiquary shop.

Tanabata (七夕, « The Seventh night [of the Seventh month] ») is a Japanaese festival dedicated to stars originating from the Japanese Obon tradition and the Chinese Qi Xi stars festival.  The festival usually takes place on July or August 7th. It symbolizes the meeting of  Orihime (Alpha Lyrae/Vega) and Hikoboshi (Alpha Aquilae/Altaïr). The Milky Waykeeps the lovers apart but they are allowed to meet once a year.  That special day is the Seventh day of the Seventh moon calendar month. .

Nowadays, Japanese people celebrate this festival on the 7th of July or August, wearing Yukata and using bamboo leaves decorations. They write down their wishes, sometimes in verses, on a tanzaku they hang on branches. It is said that Orihime and Hikoboshi shall grant worshippers’ wishes. Once the bamboo tree has been decorated, it is thrown into a rive or burnt around midnight or the following day for the wishes to come true.

Faithful to the tradition, we did it with the family.

(Source Wikipédia)

Je n’en avais jamais vu avant au supermarché. Pour être franc, avec ses gros yeux globuleux, je n’avais pas trop envie de le gouter.