March is already off to a fantastic start! Especially in comparison to the drab of January and February.
The first weekend in March, we traveled to Sasebo where a Navy base is located for the Seabee Ball. We spent the weekend exploring Sasebo and even made it a little further south the Nagasaki before coming home.
Here's a map to help you visualize where everything is.
So Sasebo is famous for "Sasebo Burgers" which is a recipe that was introduced by American troops located at the nearby base in the 60s or 70s (or something). So, what is special about this burger is that it is especially Amercian. Or that's how the story goes. More on that later. We got in late on Friday night and wanted to try one of these Sasebo burgers ASAP! So after we checked in at the hotel, we set out to find one that was supposed to be right next to base. We saw it ahead! But then we made a wrong turn that lead us back on the expressway and ended up costing us~500 yen in tolls before we could turn around and by the time we made it back, the restaurant had closed. Boo!
Out first thing planned for Saturday morning was a 99- island tour on a yacht, We get to the marina and what's the first thing we notice? Jenkins here, offering us a Sasebo burger! Oh the irony. We had a boat to catch so we decided to try his burger out later.
Our boat! I mean ship, er yacht...dingy.
Fellow Iwakuni Seabee friends on the island tour with us!
Nick's a real live sailor x2!
That business in the water ahead is a fish farm.
There it is at long last- the Sasebo burger!
And the verdict? Oishii! minus the GOBS of mayonnaise.
"I am a penguin wearing a polar bear hat because that's cute and we're in Japan."
All dressed up
Taiko Frum performance at the Ball!
Lookin' dapper.
Of course they bring out the cake on that, they're Seabees. They build, they fight!
Happy 74th birthday, SeaBees!
Singing Seabee songs or something...
The next morning? More Sasebo burger!
Here is their Memorial Peace Park.
(This one's from St. Paul, MN!)
Aaaaaand the epicenter of A-bomb #2.
China town! A really dinky China town
But look what we found there- another Log Kit! So naturally, the boys got burgers. Again.
Found this dispenser in a 100 Yen store. If you look closely, this candy dispenser features cups with lids to hold your candy in case, you know, a whole $1 worth of candy is too much for one mouthful- I mean snack!
Pizza toast!!!! LOL (You all should read Will Ferguson's Hitching Rides with Buddha and then laugh with me!)
Cat.
Cat in Khakis.
The next weekend we hiked up the mountain on Oshima Island (where we stayed last Labor Day). First we ate at this Hawaiian restaurant where I found this sign hiding in the garden.
Then it was through the Torii and up the mountain.
Chopsticks Bridge!
Goose has become decidedly antisocial lately. We had some people over one Saturday and she hid most of the night up on top of the fridge. Do you see her?
LOL there she is!
At the grocery store: Is a regular sized grocery basket just too large for your shopping needs? Why grab a whole basket if you are only going to fill it part way? Well, this Marukyu has a solution for you! Introducing small and mini sized baskets for your (in)convenience. ;)
Driving home from furniture shopping in Hiro and this is the smoggy view of 'Kuni.
Speaking of pollution, Yellow Dust is coming in from China.
It rained on my way to work and yup, the dust sure is yellow!
Ok! That is quite enough bloggin for one night. I do believe I just put up 5 new posts for your perusing and it is past time for me to get to bed. Stay tuned for the March part 2 post coming soon for it will cover our fabulous trip to Tokyo!
