September 2013

September was a very busy month for us! We had something going on each weekend which made the month seem to fly by.

First was Labor Day weekend for which we went back to Oshima Island with the same crowd as last year. This year we spent 2 nights instead of just one. We would have stayed 3 nights but September 1 (the Sunday of Labor Day weekend) was the last day of the season to rent cabins. (The Japanese think summer ends September 1?! If only the weather complied with that.) There was also a typhoon that hit Friday night and stayed all of Friday. This meant rain and lots of it plus extreme waves. Our beach vacation was once again spoiled by the rain. We had a good time nonetheless.

 The last 4 km or so of the drive to the cabin. REALLY curvy!

 

I had found this Super Kawaii floatie at Nafco and was really anxious to use it. Just because Hello Kitty.

So Saturday we made one attempt to go swimming but at the time it was pouring and the waves were huge, strong, and full of rocks, sand and seaweed so it was not pleasant to even try getting into the water. The first time I tried, I got knocked on my butt.

So we spent Saturday in the cabin. By Sunday, the rain had stopped and the sea had calmed. It was still raining- and just a tad chilly without the sun- but I was going to use my new innertube, gosh darn it! So like true Minnesotans, we swam.

 The storm had washed in lots of great shells and beach glass for the collecting.

 All too soon it was time to check out of the cabin. On the way home, we all stopped for lunch as this terrific sushi restaurant. The fish tanks out back were filled with what was on the menu = super fresh sushi! It was almost too fresh in that it was practically still moving... (see the videos)

 Octopus tentacle- we finally gathered up enough courage to try one. It was surprisingly good! (Tastes like chicken, I suppose.)

 Fish tanks out back.

 Nick's parking job: when we arrived, it was the only place to park. By the time we left, it looks like he parked in the middle of the driveway.

We laid low the following weekend but the weekend after that, Nick went on a Boys' Trip to Tokyo and Mt. Fuji. He did not take a camera with him so I have no pictures from it. There was another typhoon so he was unable to make it to the top yet again and they went to a really wacky Robot Show. This just means Round 3 of Fuji next summer and he'll have to take me to the Robot Show so I can post pictures here! Stay tuned for that!

 Oh, saw this van at the grocery store. 

I think September is a little early to get your skis ready, especially considering it was still 90*F and humid during the day!

The weekend after that we had more visitors!! Yay! Brittany and Sara (stars from the Seoul trip and Thailand adventure) came to stay with us for 4 days!

They arrived Wednesday night. Thursday Nick and I still had to work so they explored Hiroshima on their own. When they got back, we had an early "Korean Italian Thanksgiving in Japan." (Brittany and Sara were on break for Chuseok, aka Korean Thanksgiving.) 

That night was the Summer Solstice/Harvest Moon celebration- the largest and brightest full moon of the year. There was a celebration taking place at the Iwakuni Castle so we headed to Kikko park by night to check it out.

 Iwakuni at night

Nick took the day off on Friday and showed the girls Miyajima.

The next day they had fun combing through the convenience store on base for a few American products they missed in Korea. Afterwards, we went back to Kikko Park to see it by day. We, of course, got ice cream!

It was really quite hot in the sun so we then headed to Yuu Beach for a dip in the Inland Sea. That was followed by dinner at the Sushi-go-round.

Then, we took them to YouMe town (a mall) for fun at the arcade. We showed them our favorites: the photobooth and Taiko drum game!

 Too funny!!!!

Sadly, they had an early flight the next morning. Their trip was short, sweet, and jam packed! They plan to come back to Japan to see the rest of the sites- namely Tokyo and Kyoto.

For the last weekend in September we went to Okayama and Naoshima but I took enough pictures for it to merit it's own post. See my subsequent post for the story of that trip!

The happiest cat finds the cleanest sheets to sleep on. 

March Part 1: The Seabee ball, Sasebo, Nagasski & also hiking Oshima

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!

 Then on to Nagasaki.

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!