Ishigaki Island

Roo and I returned to Tokyo tonight from a four day holiday to Ishigaki Island, Okinawa. It was nice to get out of town, but the trip was not without it’s bumps. The most amazing thing was the ocean. I have never seen such brilliance in nature the way the sunlight sparkled off of the aquamarine water. Here it is, late October, and the ocean water was so warm! Our beach was shallow and we could see tropical fish and coral in the sand beneath. We went on a short glass bottom boat tour to see additional species at greater depths. We stayed at a Club Med resort where the friendly staff originated from many countries, and the food was fabulous. At least for me it was fabulous. Roo ate pancakes and rice. And, he enjoyed the always present ice cream machine. One downer of the trip was the spa. I love spas! My main reason for selecting a resort such as this was the spa and the child care available for parents who want to visit the spa. Unfortunately, this spa refused me as a client because of my heart pacemaker. True, I can’t take part in the treatments using micro currents, but they refused me for even regular hand and oil treatments because the micro current equipment is still in the room. However, they could give me a facial. Apparently that room was OK. Hooey! I guess it was too much of a stretch in thinking to ask them to do the massage in the facial room. Needless to say, I left in a bunk. Oh yah, they also commented that they can’t have clients with pacemakers because they are not doctors and could not respond in an emergency. This rationale coming from the same resort who’s employee in charge of the child activities tried to convince my four year old that he should try the flying trapeze at the kid’s club on the next day. While Roo was telling me he would be “very brave“, I still said “no, I don‘t think so“ and I kept my kid with me the whole time. This trapeze was real circus size and even though the participant wears a lanyard and there is a net below, I wasn’t going to risk my preschooler rag dolling in the air! It goes without saying why I lost confidence in the “child care” aspects of the club. I left thinking we probably won’t visit again, but I did gain an appreciation for vacationing in an all inclusive family resort. Things were easy, well organized and not only do they tolerate children, they seemed to enjoy and cater to the children. The next resort location I have in mind is the Philippines!