Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rock Climbing at the Beach
Despite having a cold during our vacation last week to Amami (a southern Japanese island in the East China Sea), I somehow found the energy to take a few pictures. 🙂
I'm busy now with other things lately (have you done your taxes yet?) so I haven't had time to go through our photos from the trip, so here are a few from the beginning, of Anthony playing on the beach in front of the hotel.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1/5000 sec, f/3.5, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm — 1/250 sec, f/10, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
There was a bright overcast with only the occasional bit of sun peaking through, so there wasn't much color in the water.
Our hotel was located near the north-east portion of the long, oddly shaped island (there's a map on my intro to Amami post), so we could see parts of it extending down to the south...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 35 mm — 1/500 sec, f/9, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sea Sponges Are For Kicking
Well, I don't know whether it's a sea sponge or some kind of plant, but either way, Anthony found it eminently kickable.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 44 mm — 1/100 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Wet, Squishy, and Smelly
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1/1000 sec, f/3.2, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
I Like “Wet, Squishy, and Smelly”
(and Daddy likes how a thin depth of field can isolate the subject in a photo)
Ah, but those rocks in the background were just waiting to be climbed...
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 44 mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm — 1/750 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
The seashell necklace was a gift from the hotel, given to Anthony at our welcome dinner the previous night.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm — 1/800 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
View of the Hotel From the Rocks
Our hotel was the Bashayama-mura Resort, which was wonderfully low key and not at all like the high-end glitz that I imagine something like Club Med would be.
Nikon D200 + Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8 @ 55 mm — 1/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
At the far right you can barely make out the ropes of a couple of swings hanging from a spooky-type tree near the hotel. This was perhaps Anthony's favorite attraction of the entire trip.
I’ve noticed a style you have been using where you use a wide angle setting like 17mm and Anthony appears in the middle of the wide setting. It’s working! Love those shots.
I’m from Seattle, Washington but I live here in Amami Oshima. I just wanted to mention that I enjoy reading you blog posts. My wife and I were married in 1997 and had our wedding reception here at Bashayama.
There is a story behind Bashayama’s name. The name Bashayama originates from an old Amami dialect which translates to “Ugly Girl”. I heard this story from my mother-in-law and I’m not exactly sure how accurate it is.
There are 2 types of banana trees here on the island. One is used for producing deliciously sweet bananas and the other is used for it’s leaves for making fabric. A long time ago, the Bashayama area was filled with the type of banana trees used for making fabric. It’s my understanding that the people who made fabric from these banana trees were poor. The story goes, there was a girl who was very ugly and her parents found it impossible to find her a husband. As a last resort, they brought her to the mountains just above Bashayama and left her there hoping someone from that area would “receive” her. I’m not sure about the rest of the story.
As I said, I don’t know how accurate this story is, but the name Bashayama means “Ugly Girl”. I’ve heard this from many of the locals here.
I have enjoyed imensely your story. please if could tell me how much they charge at bashayama hotel i like to stay 2-3 weeks. and also i see you do not mention of seafood for the locals diet. i love seafood. my best wishes to you. antonio
I don’t recall how much it was then, and it may well be different, so you should just check with them directly, or via travel sites. The food there and all around is great… of course, it’s heavy on seafood, being an island. —Jeffrey