Shirahama: Day 2

So, day 2. How can I describe it... powerful, dangerous, and beautiful.

We woke up in our youth hostel in Kii-tanabe... it was very hostile. So, I escaped from the compound alone and made my way to Ohgigahama beach. I spent some quality time by myself and Jesus. This is the same beach my beloved sister and I visited in the summer of 2006.



(Ohgigahama Beach on the morning of May 6th, 2008)

Then, I met back up with the crew and we walked down marshmallow lane near Kii-tanabe train station.



(Marshmallow Lane - it looked way better in person)


After squishing our way through the path, we went to the station, and took a taxi for about $45 to these awesome cliffs:



(awesome cliffs - named Sandanbeki)



(awesome us at Sandanbeki Cliffs in Shirahama on May 6th, 20)
(awesome us = Daniel, Lainey, Mike,  Jacob)

And... we took more pictures of more cliffs:


(Me with my new shirt standing near the edge of a cliff that was hundreds of feet high)


(Daniel - insert funny caption here, such as: I wonder where they put my shoes?)




(Mike, Jacob, Lainey - we snuck up on Daniel and and gently "escorted" him to his shoes...)


On a more serious note, I was both greatly saddened and encouraged to see the following sign. It was a sign that told people that Jesus loved them and that they could call a number and talk about stuff. I was saddened because it reminded me that many people have committed and will commit suicide from this cliff. Reminds me of why I came to Japan. I was encouraged to see that there was a church reaching out to people at the end of their ropes.

 

("Life Line" sign for those contemplating suicide)




(Fishermen on the rocks... I thought of my dear father - Fisherman Fred)

After we pushed Daniel over the edge, we were surprised to find him meditating on the top of a rock in the sea.


(Daniel - meditating)



(awesome-ist picture in the world from my favorite spot on the globe. Power, danger, and breath-taking beauty combined in one photo)


Finally, Daniel and I ventured into a real pirate cave (not even kidding) at a high price to our personal bank accounts. Pirates still rob you. $12 to take an elevator to the pirate cave.


(a picture from the pirate cave)

After the fall and the meditation, Daniel started acting a bit strange...


(the other greatest picture ever: Daniel and Seaweed and Gollum)

So, we decided that, like the sun, we'd leave too...


(Sunset over the Pacific)

 

(Jacob and Mike - pleasant train ride)



(Lainey and Daniel - pleasant train ride)

(out-of-hand Jacob - lassoed)

(defeated ninja)

 
(sunset viewed from a mountain orchard near Tanabe City, Japan)

(bff - Mike and Lainey)