To Qingdao Shokudo, a slice of Taiwan in Okinawa, on a night alone [2024 Okinawa Reflection Diary 09]
▼ Stories so far
01■I can feel every cell in my body rejoicing; I'm home, Okinawa
02■Please forgive my 35 years of neglect
03■Life is a journey of connecting, spreading, and nurturing the love and peace of each individual
04■Okinawa Ichiba Monochrome Sketch
05■People with common interests will always meet someday
06■What's important isn't time, money, or things, but 'feelings', I suppose
07■The reality of being enveloped by the overwhelming solemnity of Terushino Island
08■Feeling a connection to the name 'Terushima' on my own, I pushed my way here
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I returned to the main island from Iheya Island.
I was so hungry that for the first time on this trip, I bought a pork-egg rice ball at a convenience store, got on a local bus, and headed back to Naha.
When I arrived at the inn where I stayed a few days ago, it felt like 'I'm home'.
The front desk staff remembered me and handed me my guitar, saying, 'We kept your precious item safe for you.'
It's nice to have a place to return to.
Well then, let's go for a stroll through the night in Naha.
Kokusai-dori, the public market, and Sakurazaka have all become quite polished.
Missing the old chaos and the intense Asian feel might just be the ego of an outsider. Saying things like 'there are more similar shops now' or 'it was better back then'.
However, both people and towns change.
Nothing stays the same.
Everything in this world is impermanent.
Wandering through the small alleys while mulling over such things is the beauty of traveling alone.
The scent that occasionally hits my nose, typical of the back of the market, reminds me of those days.
That kind of thing is nice, isn't it? Very nice.
And
I found it, I found it: the 'Water Dumpling Qingdao Shokudo' sign.
It's probably been about 15 years, all things considered.
The surroundings have changed quite a bit, but here, time still flows slowly.
A regular customer quickly called out to everyone, made a seat for me, and I sat at the corner of the counter.
First, a toast with an Orion beer—cheers! It's the best.
Regulars, first-timers, and long-time travelers—everyone is 'ichariba chode' (once we meet, we are siblings).
With the nostalgia and the myriad feelings of a traveler, I feel incredibly at ease.
The chewy, thick-skinned water dumplings are as plump as ever; oh, how happy I am... it's the best.
The inside of the shop is chaos. High-energy tourists and even higher-energy regulars talking noisily is just like a real Asian street stall, and it's fun.
The mapo eggplant was also incredibly fragrant and delicious. My sense of happiness doubled.
Every now and then, someone would say, 'Try this!' and various things would be passed around—a night where I didn't have to worry about the time to head back.
This is why traveling is great.
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