Family Friday: Sept 20

If you follow us on Instagram, you'll know that I went on a trip this week :)  Some of my friends and I took an impromptu trip to Japan!  We flew Space-A which means we got a free flight abroad a cargo plane that was headed to Japan.  Space-A is the privilege of flying on a military craft that has any extra space available for military (or other eligible) passengers.  Flying Space-A is an adventure for which you have to be extremely flexible.  You don't know if you actually have a seat until right before the flight leaves.  You also don't have a guaranteed flight home and may end up waiting for days/weeks or having to buy a commercial ticket.

We flew on a cargo plane which was not the most comfortable flying experience but it was free so I can't complain.  We strapped ourselves into the cargo net seating along the sides of the plane until we reached cruising altitude.  For the rest of the flight we were able to sit or lay wherever we wanted.  This was my first Space-A experience and I was not prepared for how cold it was!  I had a coat and extra socks but other passengers were prepared with sleeping bags and blankets... I'll keep that in mind for next time.

I got to sit in the cockpit for the final approach and landing!  Looking out of the front of the plane while soaring above and through the clouds was an amazing experience and having a front row seat for the landing was definitely a highlight of the trip.

I was in Japan for five days and then had to buy a commercial flight to get home in time for Johnnie to leave on a trip.  Yes, we do travel a lot :)  My friends and I were on the go constantly in Japan so the trip was physically exhausting.  However, being away from the responsibilities of a baby was incredibly mentally rejuvenating which is something that I really needed!  I really loved experiencing Tokyo but to be honest - some of my favorite parts of the trip included reading an entire book on the flight there, getting long nights of uninterrupted sleep, not having to constantly worry about another tiny human being, and watching two movies on the flight home (with a nap in-between).  I am very thankful to Johnnie and his parents for looking after Cameron while I gallivanted across the ocean on an adventure :)

We had a fantastic time in Tokyo!  We filled our days with as much as we could, taking the subway and walking everywhere we went.  At night we slept soundly, recovering and preparing for the next day.  I hope to get some separate blog posts done about some of the places we visited but with my current long list of blog drafts, it may take a while.  Here are the highlights of our trip...

We went to the Sensoji Temple...

and to the Tokyo Skytree for a panoramic view of the city at night.

We walked through many shopping areas and found some "not quite right" things :)

We spent a day at DisneySea theme park which was more of an adventure than we planned it to be.

On the day I flew home, my traveling companions went on a day-long tour so I went to the Shinjuku Gyeon national garden by myself

and also to the Meiji Shrine.

I was very excited to get home to my baby girl!  In a few years she'll be old enough to come on adventure trips with me - I can't wait to show her the amazing world that we live in :)

The last couple weeks Cameron would play with an empty bowl and spoon, pretending to stir something up then have a taste, it is so funny watching her!  This week I decided to let her try it for real and see how she does.  I gave her some plain greek yogurt in a bowl with a spoon.  She actually did pretty well!  The yogurt sticks to the spoon so there is nothing to scoop - she simply dipped the spoon in the yogurt and then ate it.  Johnnie captured some video:


She switched hands often and did well getting the spoon in her mouth.  She was ready to stop eating once her hands (and face) got covered with yogurt.

A yogurt covered baby - that is the normal life that I came home to, the normal life that I desperately missed while I was away.  It's good to be home.  No matter where I am, Johnnie, Cameron, and Dulce are constantly on my mind and in my heart.

*******

"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm,

and adventure. There is no end to the adventures that

we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open."

~Jawaharlal Nehru

Treats from Japan

I didn't buy many things while I was in Japan but I did pick up a few fun things.  First of all, Kit Kats!  Did you know that Japan has made Kit Kats in over 80 flavors?  There are crazy flavors such as soy sauce, sweet potato, earl grey tea, lemon vinegar, watermelon, and grilled corn... just to name a few.

The name "Kit Kat" is similar to the Japanese phrase "kitto katsu" which is a good luck phrase roughly meaning "I hope you win."  Because of this, Kit Kats are especially popular as a gift given to a student before an test at school.  Hmmm... eating Kit Kats for good luck?  I think I could do that :)

I found two different flavors of green tea Kit Kats: Uji Matcha and Sakura Matcha  The Uji Matcha (on the left in the photo) is my favorite.  It tastes like a Starbuck's green tea soy latte in a candy bar form!

Wasabi Kit Kats ~ they have a very weak wasabi flavor.

Strawberry Hazelnut Kit Kats ~ they were extremely sweet

I strolled through a grocery store while in Japan and bought some Japanese chocolate and treats and also found green tea noodles.  Green tea noodles are available here in Korea but I wanted to try the Japanese version.  Turns out that they are thicker and less sticky than the Korean noodles that I've tried.  Green tea noodles do actually have a slight green tea taste and they're green!  How fun is that?

Another great item that I saw in many places is Japanese Washi Tape.  This is a thin, semi-transparent, printed masking tape that is perfect for crafts, scrapbooking, homemade cards, etc.  You can buy it in online stores such as cutetape.com.  It's so fun and inexpensive that I found it hard to limit myself to just a few packs.

Related Posts:

Weekend in Japan - Part 1

Weekend in Japan - Part 2

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"My favorite thing is to go where I've never been."

~Diane Arbus

Weekend in Japan - Part 2

The Dai-to Pagoda or "Great Pagoda of Peace" at the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple was built in 1984 for world peace.  There is a time capsule beneath this pagoda containing messages and prayers for peace from various world leaders.  The pagoda is 190 feet (58 meters) tall.  To put that in perspective, the Statue of Liberty from base to torch is 150 feet tall.

Inside the Great Pagoda of Peace was this alter with a statue of Acala, or Fudo Myoo.  Acala is not Buddha.  He is one of the Five Guardian Kings usually invoked for spiritual protection.  He is the "destroyer of delusion and protector of Buddhism."  He's just a little scary looking!  

In front of the Great Pagoda of Peace is a fountain park with pathways leading through the woods around three large ponds.  It was a very peaceful place.

Shaka-Do Hall was built in 1858 and was the original main hall of the temple area.

I took the "No Photo In Room" sign to mean that I could take photos from the outside looking in :)

There were places throughout the temple where people hung or tied prayers and messages that they wrote on little wooden plaques or on paper.

Storm clouds started to roll in on my way out.  It didn't rain but it did make for some neat photos!

Sanju-no-to is a three-storied pagoda that stands 82 feet (25m) tall and was built in the 18th century.

Related Posts:
Weekend in Japan - Part 1
Treats from Japan

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"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to

mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles

but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."

~Buddha

Weekend in Japan - Part 1

This past weekend, Johnnie had to work (boo!) so I decided to take a short trip to Japan by myself.  It was a quick flight, just over 2 hours, and relatively inexpensive.  I flew on Japan Airlines into the Narita International Airport near Tokyo and stayed in the small town of Narita for two nights.  Johnnie and I are planning to do a longer trip to Japan later this year and see much more of the country.

The town of Narita a relaxing, easy-paced place to spend some time.  My favorite part was strolling down Omotesando Street.  This street is "the main pathway" to the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple.  The street starts in front of the JR and Keisei stations and is a 1/2 mile walk to the temple.  There is a walking/biking path on both sides of the one-way street that is lined with shops, restaurants, and inns.

The Daihonzan Naritasan Shinshoji Temple was a large area made up of many temple buildings, statues, fountains, and gardens.  The temple was founded in 940 AD and attracts about 10 million visitors a year!

  

This dragon fountain was outside of the entrance to the temple area. People were using the water from the fountain mainly to cleanse their hands but some were drinking it as well.

A turtle-shaped rock covered with turtles :)

Before going up to the temple, people stopped at this giant incense burner.  They put a few sticks of incense onto the burning pile and then wafted the smoke toward themselves with their hands.

This temple was rather plain (compared to the Korean temples I've visited) but it was HUGE!

There is one highly decorated pagoda in the temple area - more pictures of that tomorrow :)

I assume that this is a memorial wall.  I loved the flower engravings.

There was a section of smaller and much older-looking wooden temples.  The wood carvings were amazingly detailed.

Related Posts:
Weekend in Japan - Part 2
Treats from Japan

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"The world is a book, and those who 

do not travel read only a page."

~St. Augustine