Joy to the World

Merry Christmas!!!

I've included a few pictures we've taken during the holidays this year. I have to admit I was surprised by the amount of Christmas decorations, trees, lights, etc... displayed by Japanese families and businesses. Apparently it's becoming more and more popular here as a commercial holiday - decorations and gift giving aren't uncommon, but believing in the real reason for Christmas is pretty rare. We are lucky to have found a church outside the Navy base - the video is from the Christmas service - like so many things here, it's familiar, but with a Japanese twist! It was wonderful to worship God at a Christmas service like no other I've ever experienced and I truly have a new perspective to the song Joy to the World!

Our Christmas tree!

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73)

My Japanese sensei (teacher) - Nobuko and I

Street decorations in Odawara

Krispy Kreme specialty donuts (I just think the sign is funny)

Queen's Mall

Jingle Bells!!

Fun in Hakone

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!! I realize it's a little late since it's already December, but Shane made it home a few days before Thanksgiving and I haven't had a chance to post. Since Shane was gone for the holidays last year we were extremely thankful for just being together on Thanksgiving! We definitely missed being with family but made the best of it by spending it with friends! It's interesting to celebrate Thanksgiving here since it's a 100% American holiday. It's strange because outside it was just another day, but inside our house it still felt like Thanksgiving. I can't fully explain it, but I guess it was just one of those days that I felt very American, and very thankful to look at the US from an outside perspective and still be incredibly proud. So, in addition to my family and friends, the yummy turkey, green bean casserole and pecan pie - I am also thankful for being an American!

Shane was off Thanksgiving weekend (yay!), so we decided to spend the weekend in Hakone. It's a cute little town near Mt. Fuji (about 2 hours from Yokosuka by train) tucked in the mountains with tons of trees and beautiful views. It was the perfect time to visit as the trees were changing colors for fall. We had a fantastic time and some much needed relaxation for Shane after a long deployment!

Beautiful Lake Ashi - on a clear day you can see Mt. Fuji just behind us over the mountains. See the red torii gate in the water? The torii led to the shrine pictured above, and we really enjoyed walking through the forest between the two on a perfect autumn day.

Meals can be pretty interesting in new places here - we went to several restaurants before we found an English menu! Actually, the restaurant from the left pic only had a Japanese menu, but they had a window display and we brought our waitress outside and pointed! The food was excellent - I think we could live on Japanese curry!! Oishii des! (delicious!) Oh and the bulldog sauce in the picture tastes just like A1! On the right was our huge meal from a chinese restaurant that we stumbled upon and absolutely LOVED! Shrimp in chili sauce, fried rice, egg drop soup, pork dumplings and beer! We were extremely relieved to find it because the area we were staying in basically shuts down in the evening and we were beginning to doubt if we would get any dinner!

One of my least favorite (but funniest) parts of the trip...Owakudani is an area we reached by cable car that has hiking, steam vents, and sulfurous fumes. Let me repeat sulfurous fumes that are by far the grossest, overpowering smell that I have ever encountered! (The sulfur fumes in Hawaii didn't even come close to this horrid smell!) Apparently the big draw to this particular spot is the black eggs - they put normal eggs in the naturally boiling sulfur water and it turns them black. The sign on left says "Danger: 80 degrees celsius of temperature of the pond" which is 176 farenheit! They say that eating a black egg will add 7 years to your life. The little boy above might gain those years, but we will not get that benefit! The fumes reminded me waaayyy too much of a ROTTEN egg which prevented me from eating ANYTHING much less an EGG!!

Hakone is known for amazing onsens (Japanese natural hot springs). The minerals in the water are suppose to be very relaxing and have healing qualities - but the rules are a bit different than a spa in the states. Men and women are separate, you must shower first (and not just a bird bath - soap, shampoo, the works), oh and then of course clothes and tattoos are STRICTLY prohibited! I was not thrilled about the nudity and Shane has tattoos so we were beginning to think we would have to skip this Japanese experience. When we got to the hotel and asked about his tattoo they said it was okay! We dressed in our yukata (robes) and slippers (that were probably half the size of Shane's foot) and off we went! Our hotel had both indoor and outdoor onsen for men and women with beautiful garden views and luckily there weren't many people! It was a lot like a mineral bath and very refreshing sitting in the warm water with the crisp air outside!

See the resemblance? Goofing off at the Hakone Open Air Museum.

We decided to go with a very Japanese lunch...hot dogos! :)

Mmmmm coffee!!

One last story (that's completely unrelated to these pictures): we were on our way home on the train and saw a guy sleeping. We've realized sleeping on the train is pretty normal, but the unusual thing about this guy is that he was standing!!! Okay he was leaning I guess, but trains are not the most stable and it's pretty necessary to hold on to something otherwise you can go flying. Not only was he not holding on, he was in a head bobbing, shoulder slumping sleep...to the point that he hit his head on a bar...repeatedly! I really wish I could have recorded it, but we were laughing wayyy too hard to get away with recording it without being noticed. The best part is the guy woke up right on time, rubbed his head, and got off at his stop! Have I mentioned that I LOVE Japan?!

USS George Washington and USS Connecticut

PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 17, 2009) The aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) and the Seawolf-class attack submarine USS Connecticut (SSN 22) is underway in the Pacific Ocean as an HH-60H Sea Hawk helicopter from the Chargers of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 14 hovers nearby. Ships from the U.S. Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force are participating in Annual Exercise (ANNUALEX 21G), a bilateral exercise designed to enhance the capabilities of both naval forces. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Adam K. Thomas/Released)

Shane is on his way home - woohoo!!! It's a great feeling to see the carrier at the pier - it means all the waiting is over and I finally have a husband again!!

Hong Kong 10/28-11/2/09

Another incredible experience in Asia - Hong Kong! The USS GEORGE WASHINGTON had a port call in Hong Kong so I flew over to meet Shane for a few days! It was nice not only for the experience, but it also broke up the time that we have been apart. Since we arrived in Japan five months ago (can't believe it's been that long!), Shane has only been home for six weeks of it! So it was really nice that this trip (like Singapore) has allowed us to see each other at least once a month. Fortunately he's coming home soon and will be around for a while! Anyway, back to Hong Kong! I snapped the picture above when I took my first step outside our hotel and it's very representative of Hong Kong...crowded, shops on ground level, apartments above, and crazy signs that I can't read!

See the resemblance? This is the Giant Buddha on Lantau Island and yes it IS giant! It's the largest seated Buddha in the world - made of bronze and 26 meters (85 feet) tall - an incredible sight to see!

At Po Lin Monastary, Shane fought the dragon and the dragon won! We had a vegetarian lunch here that we were both a little skeptical about but it was actually really good - noodles and spring rolls were yummy! Dessert was interesting - chewy, dough balls of different flavors - we had one with bean curd, one covered in sesame seeds that's filling reminded me of dirt, and one with sugar and coconut.

Even though we didn't do anything to celebrate, I was happy to find that Hong Kong is into Halloween!! It was fun to see all their decorations. This was my favorite - it was in the mall by our hotel in Kowloon - a huge Pacman haunted house!!

A picture at the Golden Buddha in Wan Chai. HK is different from Japan in a lot of ways, some I expected and some that I didn't. I had a hard time with what I viewed as a lack of consideration for others. In the states and Japan people are generally pretty considerate with strangers - they wait their turn in line, try not to stare, try to walk with the flow of pedestrian traffic, and will generally try to make you feel comfortable...so it seemed a little chaotic at times when things didn't go as I expected. Looking back on it, I realize the things I was bothered by weren't intentional or personal - just different, which took me out of my comfort zone. It's one of the things I'm continuing to learn during our time overseas - it's THEIR culture, not mine which means I'M the one who has to adapt!

It was incredible seeing you Emily!!! For those who don't know, Emily is from east Texas too. Her Mom cut mine and Shane's hair for years (and still does when we go home sometimes!) It was incredible to connect with someone from back home and to share stories about our crazy overseas adventures!! Emily gave us a unique opportunity while we were there - a day in the life of a "local". We went to church with her, had a traditional Chinese meal (complete with yummy Dim Sum!), and then she gave us a walking tour around her area. I can't say thank you enough for such an amazing experience and hope we'll be able to return the favor one day!!

Construction was pretty interesting...this wasn't the only bamboo scaffolding I saw while we were there. Actually, I never saw any that WASN'T bamboo! On the right: hundreds of GOLDFISH!!! I've never seen so many in my life! The Goldfish Market was exactly as advertised...shop after shop with thousands of goldfish. I have no idea what they do with all of them - I can't imagine that they actually sell mass quantities, but who knows! We went to several markets while we were there and I even learned to haggle. Shane was a trooper and survived the Jade market with me, but after that we were both done with markets!

Since Shane was gone for his birthday, we decided to celebrate early in Hong Kong. His choice - an incredible steakhouse (surprise, surprise). This place was unique because you pick the steak, salt, mustard, wine, and steak knife from different countries around the world. A wonderful meal for a wonderful man! I love you Shane!!

If you'd like to see ALL of the pictures from our trip, click here.

Two Happys

Happy Veterans Day and Happy Birthday Shane!

They aren't on the same day, but the way I see it, it's still Veterans Day in the US right now and it's already Shane's birthday in Japan so I can post them together! Since Shane is at sea, his birthday is just another example of a sacrifice he has made while serving his country. A huge thanks to all Veterans for their service to our country!

I hope you're having a good day wherever you are Shane!!! I miss and love you - happy birthday!!

Mikoshi Parade October 17, 2009

The Mikoshi Parade was one of my favorite Japanese experiences so far. I'm a sucker for a good parade and the Japanese do it right! The only thing that would have made it better is if Shane could have been here for it!! Their version of a float - the Mikoshi - is a portable wooden Shinto shrine carried by volunteers. My understanding is that local communities each have their own Mikoshi and carry it through the streets chanting and dancing to ward off evil spirits.

The parade was really long - 75 different community groups with either Mikoshi or Dashi (wheeled cart that holds musicians playing drums, flutes, and traditional music). On the right is the base mikoshi representing!

This picture looks kinda boring right?! If you take a closer look you may see some very interesting clothing choices (or lack there of!)

This was by far the largest mikoshi - there had to be about 50 people carrying it!!! Even the smaller ones appeared to be really heavy - you could see the strain on the carrier's faces! The girls on the right are just beautiful!

The parade is an open base event with festivities on and off base. This picture is priceless - the Japanese seemed to really LOVE pizza and McDonald's, this guy had both!

Last but not least, a little video of one of the mikoshi - complete with chanting AND dancing!

If you'd like to see all of the pictures from the parade (trust me you do!) click here. Disclaimer: some of the outfits are pretty skimpy!!

Happy Culture Day

Today is Culture Day in Japan. A national holiday established in 1948 to commemorate the November 3, 1946 announcement of the Constitution. It is recognized as a day to celebrate peace and freedom and promote culture. Sadly the only culture I got today was from the comfort of our house! I just made it back from Hong Kong last night though - Shane's ship pulled in there for a few days so I flew out to meet him! It was an amazing trip and since he's been gone for the last 3 weeks it was nice just getting to see him! I will post more about Hong Kong (with pictures) soon, but I'll just say we got a heaping spoonful of culture while we were there!

Shane's out with the ship again now and I'm back in Japan...doing fun stuff like laundry and trying to figure out the most effective use of our heaters since it's C-O-L-D!!! There was sleet last night as I was walking home from the train, SLEET!! Oh and yes, of course I forgot my umbrella, ouch! Sooo, in addition to doing laundry today I made it a priority to dig out every piece of winter clothing I own. Yay for wool socks and sweaters!!!

Since I didn't get a chance to write on the 31st - I hope you all had a great Halloween and have a wonderful Culture Day!!!

SUMO - September 26, 2009

Another fun experience in Japan - SUMO WRESTLING!!!

Sumo is the national sport of Japan and it is taken very seriously here! Tournaments are held 6 times a year and last about 2 weeks. The tournament we attended was at Ryogoku Kokugikan Hall in Toyko. The bouts begin with lower division wrestlers at 8:30am and continue until the highest division, Makuuchi, start around 3:30. (We didn't go for the entire day, just for the Makuuchi division.)

Getting set...or are they? One of the #1 things I learned about sumo is that it's verrrry ceremonial and bouts don't last very long. Soooo, wrestlers set up a MINIMUM of 3 times before they actually wrestle. There is lots of thigh slapping, salt throwing(to purify the ring), leg raising, stomping and going back to their corners to start all over again!

On the left is one of the Yokozuna's (grand champion) - making his ceremonial entrance with two attendants and the gyoji (referee). At right - dohyo-iri(entering the ring) ceremony in kesho-mawashi(ceremonial aprons).

All I can say about the actual wrestling - just picture 2 trains colliding. Two 300 pound men hitting full force is no joke...and just imagine what it's like for the little photographer sitting in the front row who gets crumpled when one of them goes flying off the platform!

Fuji pictures

I just found out that I can share pictures from facebook!!! Sooo, if you' like to see all the pictures (hundreds, literally!) from our Fuji trip, click here!

Mount Fuji - September 12, 2009

One of the #1 things on our to do list in Japan has always been to hike Mt. Fuji. We weren't sure if it was going to happen though, because the hiking season is from July to August and Shane will be at sea every summer. When we found out you can hike in September even though it's technically "closed" - we decided to go with an open mind, plenty of warm clothes, and the option of turning back if the weather got too bad.

It was a BEAUTIFUL day and great for hiking! About 200,000 people climb Fuji-san each year and the majority of them do so during the climbing season which makes it very crowded - 2000+ people per day. On our day the hikers were probably in the 100s - as you'll see it wasn't crowded at all!

Wow was it tough though...by far the hardest hike I've ever done! The summit is at 12,388 ft so the air gets very thin. The temperature is 40 degrees or colder at the top. The wind made it feel even colder (and is the reason for the bandana - my hair was everywhere!) Oh and the terrain was pretty crazy too...stairs, and rocks, and slippery dirt oh my!

Fortunately it didn't rain and we just paced ourselves and took lots of breaks! The pictures just don't do it justice, but you can see on the left the switchbacks that we weaved alllll the way up to reach the summit. Along the path are a number of huts with food, bathrooms, lodging, and STAMPS for your hiking stick!

This guy is burning a stamp into our sticks at one of the huts. The room also happens to be a "lodging" area - for a fee you can pay to sleep on the tatami mat floor. Many people choose to start hiking in the evening, sleep for a few hours, and then hike to the summit to watch the sunrise. We weren't sure if the huts would be open though, so we chose to get up really early and hike during the day.

It took us 6 1/2 hours to climb to the summit and 2 1/2 to come down. Believe me, it was a verrry long day! Fortunately there were plenty of photo ops - great pictures AND a good excuse to take a break!!!

Oh and in case you were wondering how cold it really was....that's snow on the left and icicles on the right!!!!

Once we made it to the top it was all worth it though!!!! We might have been just a little bit happy....

It's such a great feeling to accomplish something this difficult...and to share the experience with the love of my life...words just can't describe how amazing it feels!