A Good Navy Day!

Doug and I had the honor one afternoon to board the U.S.S. Shiloh for a day cruise into Tokyo Bay. Our day started at 9:30, wandering around the docks trying to find the ship. We finally found the ship wedged between the dock and the U.S.S. John S. McCain. The day was slow to start as it seemed we did nothing but wait: wait for all the guests to arrive, wait for the commencement of the tour as everyone had something to say, wait for the word for the tug boats to pull us out. But once we got going, it was Fair Winds and Smooth Seas! Thank goodness too. All week, the weather was cold, windy and rainy. I had my reservations about going out and had even anticipated sea sickness by taking half a tablet of benadryl just before pushing off.

I appreciated the Ward family's hospitality by letting us tag along for their tour. LTjg Paul Ward took us along with his wife and several children, grandchildren and a few of their Japanese friends through the bowels of the ship including the command center, bunks, mess and engineering to include a fire drill demonstration. Our cruise included a fantastic lunch featuring homemade hotdog buns, some phillipino dishes, (yum!) and of course, really huge hamburgers.

What a wonderful adventure we had. Thank you to the crew of the U.S.S. Shiloh for a really nice navy day!

Dao Xiao Mian

One of our favorite places to go on a lazy weekend day is Chinatown in Yokohama. I guess because it's not too far from Yokosuka, about a 30 minute train ride away. I've been there enough times to know what the different shops have to sell, (pretty much the same things), and since it's a small neighborhood, its easy to walk around. It is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world and one of the few spots in Japan where you can eat your food in public.

Yes, we do have a favorite restaurant. It's not on the main strip so how we came to find it is still a mystery to me. Several years ago, while walking about the streets and alley's of Chinatown, hungry and with an even hungrier toddler crying on us, we came upon a restaurant with a red facade. The display of food in their window showed several different noodle dishes which seemed unusual since most of the other restaurants did not display noodles or if they did, they were typically ramen type noodles. So we went inside, and were seated immediately. We were offered a menu written in engrish, (robster??), thank goodness and ordered our meal.

Why should I tell you about all of this? Because of their noodles, those wonderfully chewy, yet light noodles, resting in a rich, sweet and spicy beef broth, topped with chunks of tender beef and leafy green vegetables. Oh Heaven! Dao Xiao Mian! That is what the noodles are called. They are one of the delicacies originating from Shanxi provence including black vinegar which is drunk as well as used as a cooking ingredient. Why should I mention the black vinegar? Because that is how I find the restaurant. I walk along the main strip of Chinatown and make a left at the place where they sell the black vinegar and coconuts. I can also keep walking until I get to the toy panda bears and make a left there too.

Here a few links I've found that might be interesting to you noodle fans. One is about a noodle master in Boston and another is an indietrekker video blog on Beijing Noodles. Should you come to visit us in Japan, we would certainly take you to Chinatown and of course our favorite restaurant, Kyokarou Honkan.

Now let me show you some of my favorite photos of Chinatown, Yokohama, Japan.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

What is art? Is it just something to be observed? Or something to be created? Or how about eaten? I encountered this little exhibit at one of the local department stores off base. I was in the basement of the store and part of the sausage vendor's booth was this zoo scene. Now Mom's, if you have any reason to believe that food cannot be fun, well take a look at these pics!

See the little hippo talking to the squirrels? I think they're squirrels. Their ears are small enough but I can't see the tail. But their little hands are held up just right. I think they're squirrels.

Some Yokosuka Friends

I've been meaning to put this pictures up and now I found this neat little slide tool thanks to such a technology advanced friend, Diane.

The photos are from a bittersweet day in late May. Our first friends in Yokosuka, Michael and Kristin Johnston and their two little girls were leaving for Portsmouth the next day. We've been through a lot together and had a lot of fun while we were at it. Remember Nikko? I don't!

Homes and the rainy afternoon

If you can't tell now, I have some time on my hands. Actually what I'm trying to do is procrastinate which I'm doing very well by slamming out blog posts. I have these photos I took one rainy afternoon, part of my "day in the life" series. These photos were taken sometime in June, well into rainy season. Rainy season this year was really wet. Our spring was mild and the first few months of summer including most of July was exceptional! I was really hoping that the hot, humid days of Yokosuka were going to elude us this year. Unfortunately that would not be the case and instead, Tokyo had seen some of the highest temperatures since recorded weather keeping.

Well, I had Zelig with me that afternoon so we went out in the downpour and headed to Homes. Homes is a department store, something like Target, perhaps a little more rough around the edges. Upstairs is the furniture department and now a Uniqlo. The furniture store at Homes is really the only option to get "quality" furniture in Yokosuka so of course the prices are steep for a lot of the items. Yes, we've bought a few furniture items from Homes and I just hope they last longer than our IKEA pieces!

One of the reasons why we like going to Homes is to see the pets. It's such a cheap thrill for Zelig and for me too. It's like going to the zoo or aquarium or better because we don't have to drive as far or pay as much. So of course, while we are there and with my camera tucked away in my purse, I headed to the toilets and took some photos to share with you. Why would you want to see a Japanese toilet? To see how clean the facilities are and to see some of the amenities that are included in some of the stalls.

This is the toilet cleaner. You take a few pieces of toilet tissue, spray cleaner on the tissue and wipe down the toilet.

This is the sound effects machine. This is a sensor so when you enter the stall, the sound of running water will start and finish when you leave the stall. It's to mask those embarrasing noises.

This is the actual commode. There is a control panel off to the side of the seat to allow you to adjust the bidet option. You can direct the stream, which by the way the water is heated as are the seats, alter the pattern of the stream such as a soft or hard spray and a few other things that I'm not privy to since I don't read kanji or hiragana.

After the washing of the hands, you'll need to dry off of course. These are automatic. Just place your wet hands inside and jets of forced air will blow the water off your skin as well as a few skin cells and some hairs too!

A Good Old Fashioned Bon Odori Festival!

Sometime between mid-July through August, the Japanese will close up shop for several days, maybe weeks, and head back to their hometowns to honor their families ancestors. The O-bon is a 500 year old Japanese Buddhist holiday where families get together, clean the graves of their ancestors and do what they really like to do...party.

The Japanese love to party. Any excuse to throw back a few chu-hi's, eat some meat on a stick is well worth marking red on the calendar. Just recently the Japanese took the day off for "Respect for the Aged Day" and I believe today is "Autumnal Equinox--Observed". The date is marked red in my Japanese calendar so it must be important to the Japanese. I just don't know if school is closed for this auspicious day as it was for the "Aged." I do know that "Sports Day" is coming up soon which unfortunately coincides with our Columbus Day Holiday. It's going to be a busy three day weekend in Japan. I think we'll avoid going to costoco that day!

Well, back to the O-bon Festival: These pictures are of mikoshi, a portable Shinto shrine which confuses me now since I thought the O-bon Festival is a Buddhist holiday. I guess the Japanese are not opposed to combining the two religions to which I say, "good for you!" The shrine holds the spirit of a diety which is then paraded through the neighborhood streets. Sometimes the shrine is left in a designated place, such as this one on the left, before it is returned to the shrine. The mikoshi can be of an elaborate design, gilded and painted such as the one on the right or like the shrine on the left, adorned only with carvings, banners and lanterns. The shrine is set atop two poles of which are carried on the shoulders of men and women, who rhythmically bounce and chant along the streets. As you can see, there is also the manner of dress which is proudly worn by men and women although I seriously doubt any American male would be caught dead wearing unless they are in college and are pledging to a fraternity.

Note the "gentleman" on the far right. He's packed with neccessities to get him through this day, including the lit cigarette dangling from his lips and what you can't see in his left hand, an opened can of beer.

Just to let you know that a Bon Odori is not just about mikoshi, it's about the fun and games. Zelig and his new friend, Mrs. Fitzgerald, tried to play the games but were quickly frustrated after realizing that these games were not designed to let you win.


Mrs. Fitzgerald not winning

Zelig and Mrs. Fitzgerald display their "prizes." It seems that everyone who plays this game walks away a "winner." Zelig's little fish are alive and well. They are now Goldmember and Dr. Evil. I don't know about Mrs. Fitzgerald's fish. I think they might be dead by now.

Huh? What did you say? costoco? Oh, you mean "Costco!"

I love Costco. I really have a lot of fun at that store. You'll just never know what you'll find there. There is a really good selection of wine and I like the cheeses. I would really like to indulge in the fresh produce but what am I going to do with a large box of erengi mushrooms? Now really!

What I think is so intriguing about this Costco is not only is it in Japan, where it's very popular, but the majority of the produce and merchandise sold are western items and brands. I'd say a good 80% of products sold are Western items and brands. That includes clothing, (sold in U.S. sizes but of course all petites or smalls), six packs of cream of mushroom soup and large boxes of Dreft laundry detergent! There has even been available an incredible playground set, wooden with a climbing wall, a six foot slide, two swings and monkey bars. This thing was huge! Now who in Japan would buy that? Back in the States, I would probably buy it, of course after Doug has the heart attack when he sees the price.

I also like their food court. This food court is very popular and fills up fast with shoppers. A popular lunch item are their hot dogs, (all pork product of course). The Japanese are not shy when it comes to topping their dogs. They load up on relish, onions and mustard and ketchup. Some would say "sacrilege!" but since the Japanese don't follow Christian religion they don't really care about the sanctity of the dog!

A popular dining spot--the Costco food court!

Doug and Zelig enjoying their Hokkaido softo cureemu!

After a successful day at Costoco, we head out with all the other shoppers on the escalating slide. Pretty nifty!

Hayama--my kind of town

I have had this idea for sometime now. I wanted to mark a day in the life of Zelig so I took the camera with me where ever I went for several days. Sometimes Zelig was with me, sometimes it was just me or a friend. I ended up spending a few days in Hayama with Nicki, either with our kids or without. The days were hot, there was no Fuji-san in sight, but the memories were still grand.

I start off with my friend, Nicki, in Hayama, which is a sea town on the west side of the Miura Peninsula. It is the location of the royal family's summer home, safely tucked away just north of this view above. Do you see the little red Torii gate off in the distance? By the way, Nicki and I were sitting on the balcony of a very popular restaurant called Ottimo. The food served is fancy Jatalian, tasty but oh so haute! Actually, the prices were reasonable which means that I've been in Japan for too long!

Fancy food!

Fancy drinks!

Good times with Nicki, Joshua and Zelig

Then sometime later in the week, Nicki and I and our two cute little boys went back to Hayama and spent the morning on the beach. I must say that this small stretch of beach wasn't too exciting but it was cleaner than some of the other beaches I've been to on the peninsula. The boys had a great time and so did the moms, considering what Nicki and I went through to get the car parked. Do you remember the scene from the first Austin Powers movie when Austin, driving the little golf cart, needs to turn around in the narrow hallway? Little by little, he backs up, then pulls forward, backs up, pulls forward, backs up...you get the idea. Well, that was me trying to pull into a drive way with Nicki running back and forth checking for clearance on the narrow street. It was really funny as I look back on it.

Kannonzaki Nature Center

The Kannonzaki Nature Center, situated along Kannonazki Park, is this areas natural museum, exhibiting living creatures and plants found in and around the rocky beaches and Laurel forest of the Miura Peninsula. The natural landscape and coast line of this point on Tokyo Bay made Kannonzaki an important strategic zone in national defense since 1854, when the Tokugawa government opened it's ports to foreigners.

The Nature Center has been a favorite of Zelig's ever since we went several months ago and we've been back many times since. It's a small museum, exhibits are sometimes nothing more than plastic bug boxes with crickets or preserved fish in glass jars. However Zelig's favorite exhibit is the "fish touches pool", two boxes laying close to the ground, filled with a sampling of sea life. I think the exhibit is changed out frequently and I can only imagine the volunteers of the museum wading out into the tides and taking large scoops from the sand to bring back. Zelig just loves this pool and he specially likes to touch the octopus. Today, he touched one of the sea slugs which really is as slimy as one would imagine and kept on picking up the star fish.

Zelig with new friend, Sara Fisher

Just outside the Nature Center is a spot that marks a significant historical and cultural event for Japan. It is said that on this spot in 1954 in Kannonzaki, Gojira, or Godzilla, rose from the sea and set upon his destructive path towards Tokyo. To mark this event, his foot prints have been preserved in cement, like Grauman's Chinese Theatre! Only there is no signature.

Gojira was here!

A day in blue

I love hydrangeas! I have been enamoured with them since I first went to Japan many years ago with Doug. It was late June and we were on our way to Hakone to see the sulfur springs. As the tram zigged and zagged its way up to the top of the mountain, I could see large, blue balls covering the face of the mountain. What a site! Since then, my appreciation for this beautiful bush has grown.

Perhaps rather innocently or more ignorantly, I did not realize that my love for the hydrangea had competition. The Japanese too appreciate the beauty of the large purple or blue flowers, some as full as soccer balls, some spread out like a ballerina's tu tu. The Japanese will flock to gardens during the weekend to walk amongst nature, admiring all the different types of hydrangea blooming all around them. My first attempt at Hase-Dera and hydrangea viewing were foiled by such an occurance. One Sunday, all of us, Doug and Zelig and the rest of the Kanto Plains, came to Kamakura and Hase to spend a lovely day outdoors. Towards the end of our trip, we went to Hase-Dera to see the hydrangea show which I was told is spectacular. After I bought our entry tickets, (for the shrine), I found out that the wait to go on the upward looping path through the garden was 80 minutes! And those that were already on the path were not moving at all! DRAT! So my day in blue would have to wait for another day. And so it did.

Right here in Yokosuka, in Kannonzaki, a small neighborhood just south of the navy base, is a beautiful park set all along a small mountain or a very large rock. At the top of this mountain is a hydrangea garden, a microscopic display if you compared it to Hase-Dera, but still fine in it's own way. Actually, there are hydrangea bushes all throughout the park, lining streets, tucked away among dense brush. Actually, all of Kannonzaki park is very pleasant, even for kids. So one afternoon, I went to Kannonzaki with my friend Nicki, her little boy Joshua and of course my little sunshine, Zelig. Our goal was to take the boys to the roller slides and burn them out for a nice long nap later in the day but of course, we were also there to see the hydrangea. It really is a beautiful sight to behold! And some of the blooms were so large and full!

After we got our eye full of hydrangea, the four of us made our way to the first play area in Kannonzaki. It's not my favorite play area for Zelig but there was a roller slide there and the kids needed to be placated after all the picture taking that Nicki and I did. So we had our boys climb along one of the play structures to the roller slides. Now for those that don't know what a roller slide is, it is downward succession of rollers, much like a factory assembly line but not covered in canvas. The rollers are exposed so it's best to go down the slides on something like a piece of cardboard, plastic or foam pads. Nicki and I did not have anything like that with us nor did this play area provide foam pads like the other play area farther up the mountain. No problem, we all just went down the slide commando style! Well, we didn't see it coming until it was too late. The slides were covered in blue berries. Some were still intact, others had passed through birds. But they were there on the slides, waiting for us to go over them. There was nothing we could do about it. We couldn't stop to get off and we certainly couldn't back up the slide. Now, since Zelig and Josh had very little butt area and were light, they were hardly marked by these berries. However, Nicki and I were not saved. Nicki says she could feel the berries popping underneath her and I could feel the berry juice sticking to my pants! Ha! Ha! Ha! Actually, we did laugh about it as did other people that saw us. And we did make it over to the better play area where Zelig and Joshua went down the slides twice.

So I did have a day in blue and that is how it ended too!

Good-bye old friend!

I sometimes think my son is the reincarnated soul of a shinto priest who died sometime in old age. There is no evidence I have of this theory, just something that Zelig does every now and then that makes me wonder where in the world he got it from. When he was first walking, mostly between year 1 and 2, he would walk down sidewalks with is hands behind his back. I don't see very many children doing this but I do see many elderly Japanese walking this way. They have a little forward shuffle going on and their hands are held behind their back as if there were no where else to put them. Zelig would do this you see and I had no idea where he got this shuffle from. Of course he could have seen it while we were out and about but at such a young age...

But then we went to Kamakura several weekends ago. Now this is where the intrigue lies. I had been to Hase to see the Daibutsu twice before with Zelig but he was younger then. Of course he could have remembered coming to Hase I don't doubt his memory skills, (although he still forgets to start counting at one). I am just amazed at his exhuberance of the Diabutsu. After all this time, which was around one year ago, he remembered going inside the Big Buddha which is what Zelig calls it. He even calls the Diabutsu his "Friend." He was so excited to go see his "Friend" that that was all he could talk about. It was as if we were in Florida and he was going to see Cinderella's Castle.

So maybe Zelig is remembering his old friend and is happy to be back to familiar haunts, or maybe Zelig just sees the compassionate face of the Buddha and is not afraid of him. I'll never know. I just have to wait for Zelig to tell me about it some day. But for now, I don't think I can go back to Hase to see the Big Buddha. I want to preserve as much as my reverence towards this amazing statue before I run out of it completely and I must say, I am almost nearing the end of it. So dear "Friend", until we meet again, farewell!

Cheese Crisps

1 wedge of parmigianno reggiano cheese (6-8 ounces)
2-4 tablespoons of flour
black pepper (optional)
parchment paper or silpat
cooling rack
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Grate the cheese on the large holes of a grater. Mix with enough flour to "just coat" the cheese. Add black pepper to taste. Drop 1-2 tablespoons of cheese onto parchment paper and spread out to form flat, lacey disks. Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Remove pan from oven and let the cheese crisps sit in the pan for about 1 minute until transferring to the cooling rack. Crisps can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days.

These are great for cocktail parties, wine and cheese parties or just for snacking on.

Project Izabella!

We are suckers, Doug and I. If someone asks for help, we'll most likely give it to them. We don't do the handout thing, we are a little more thoughtful about where we put our good works. I wish we had given a little more thought about our latest help project: IZABELLA!

Izabella really is a sweet dog and she could be a lot easier to love if she didn't have such bad manners. If we are eating food in the living room and if we're not careful, she'll attack our food like a great white shark eating a seal. I swear I've seen her eyes roll in the back of her head! Izabella is very gassy! She had not been housebroken, only using wee wee pads. I've been trying to get her potty trained but there's only so much I can do in such a short amount of time. She's not been socialized properly so she plays rough with us and with our other dogs, Max and Penny. She has been learning to defer to Max and Penny around meal times but when it comes to snack time, look out! Here comes the Great White Shark!

On the other hand, Izabella is a very good walker and does love to play--she is just over 1 years old, a puppy still in my eyes. She is very affectionate and is a good cuddler. She hardly barks which is great and she loves sleeping in her kennel--fantastic! She even does this cute stretchy thing with her short little legs when she first comes out of her kennel.

If Izabella were 100% ours, I could really love her. But she goes back to her family in a few weeks so I can't love her. Doug agreed to help out a young family when they learned they had to leave Japan suddenly and not take their dog with them. Doug said he would find a way to bring Izabella back to them. So we will. It's been over a month but it seems longer. We leave Japan for a trip back to the States in a few weeks and the days loom over me. I will miss Isabella and I will pray for her happiness.

Zelig Updated

Making Christmas muffins with Mommy!















Zelig looking for more presents under the tree!









With his best friend, Max











A Monster Tea Party!

Zelig's other best friend, Daddy!

Japan Survival Guide, (the real low-down on living in Japan) Volume 1--Food and Drink

There is a universal code of conduct that we all live by; respect each other's space, mind your own business, and cover your mouth when you sneeze. This is true in Japan as well but there are other rules and codes to living in Japan that no one would ever tell you about until, well, until it's too late. Some of these rules are to avoid losing face, some to save your life. Some may seem absurd but they are all real.

The following codes of food and drink conduct are based on personal observations and first hand experiences. Maybe my Japanese friends might disagree with me but they weren't with me when we were politely kicked out of a restaurant because the kids were disturbing the other diners!

• When you want to buy a banana in Japan, you must purchase the entire bunch of bananas. The produce in Japan is exceptional and that includes the bananas, most on the brink of ripeness, hardly a bruise or mark on them. I think in order to maintain that quality, no one is allowed to "man handle" the bunch.



• The Japanese find it rude to eat and drink out in public, even on the run. The exception to this are festivals, Chinatown and other touristy areas where street food is often served from open window stalls and street carts.

• The Japanese generally do not accept silly behavior unless you are 1) paid to do it, 2) if you are under 7, or 3) if you have been drinking.



• The Japanese really love children but not in nice restaurants. Unless the restaurant is a family style restaurant such as Fujiya or loud yaki-nikus and sushi-go-rounds, find a sitter and keep your little ones home.



• If you do take your little ones with you, do not be surprised to see booster seats and high chairs without appropriate straps to keep you babes in the seats. I suggest you carry an extra belt in your diaper bag for such occasions.



• It's yaki-niku, not yaki-nekko!

Next on Japan Survival Guide, "How I crossed the street in Japan and lived to tell about it".

Cherry Blossoms

Spring is one of the more magical times in Japan. The contrast of the soft pink petals of the Cherry Blossoms against the dry, grey bark of the tree is a lesson in life itself. Ying and Yang! We can exist in harmony with one another, we just need to accept our differences and realize that without the ugliness of life, we cannot appreciate the beauty of it.