Adult Five-Lined Skink: Plestiodon Inexpectatus

A Five-Lined Skink with an American Cockroach almost as big as itself. Keep in mind, Maejima is an uninhabited island about 15 miles (25 km) off of the coast of Okinawa, Japan. Since Okinawa has a large US military presence, this roaches ancestors likely hitched a ride inside an Americans household goods and then flew or were blown out to Maejima Island.   

Maejima Island, Okinawa

Maijima Island II

Maijima, Okinawa

Shikinaen Royal Garden

Okinawa, Japan

Tokyo Trip

Going back and looking out of this window was rather strange. Back in my unemployed student, days I'd stare out into Tokyo thinking how I too was going to tap into all the money and success flowing below. Guess I forgot how good my eyesight was, because it seems I was looking all the way to Okinawa.

Ostrich Tamagoyaki (Japanese sweet egg) served at a members only restaurant near Roppongi. I had the privileged of having dinner with the celebrity chef owner and eating half the restaurant.

The view of downtown Yokohama from my friends apartment. This too was another view I used to stare out into in my younger days. Yokohama is growing, because every time I look out this window there's a new building.

Yokohama

Yokohama, Japan

Uni 雲丹

This is what a Sea Urchin looks like, minus the real wasabi, if you were to trim its needles and chop off its shell in half. This was the first time I had ever seen Sea Urchin served this way and it was absolutely the best I have ever had.

Thanks to my good friend Koji who introduced this to me. 

Naha, Okinawa