It had been two years since our last trip to Japan. Our son was three at that time and didn't really remember anything besides Baba and Gigi (Grandma and Grandpa) live there. Oh, and Power Rangers, Godzilla, Hello Kitty, and Anpanman all live there as well. This trip, we thought, should be an opportunity to share the experience with more than just us (my wife, son, and I). And so...we invited my familia (two sisters and one nephew) to join us on the first leg of our trip.
Seattle to Tokyo...In Just Under 11 Hours
The hardest part of a ten-plus hour flight is not killing the loved ones next to you. No matter how much you love someone, no matter how cute they are, and no matter that tis the season, they will drive you nuts after takeoff. Don't believe me? Put any loving family in a confined environment for more than...let's say 4 hours...and every time they move while you're trying to sleep, every time they need a potty break, and every time they open the window shade to reveal the full brightness of the sun, you will be reminded that you still have another 9 hours left on the plane.
Stay Towards the Left!
Ten-plus hours and about $1500 per ticket later, we arrived in Tokyo! Yeah! The best part about bringing family with us to Japan for their first time, was seeing everything through their eyes. One sister was impressed with the transportation system. Another sister was mesmerized by every train station housing all sorts of dining, shopping, and entertainment. I remember my first trip to Japan with my wife and that she reminded me to stay towards the left when walking or riding the escalator. I was now in turn doing that to my sisters and nephew.
Gundam Style
Before leaving on our trip for Japan we had all watched Pacific Rim. It's a movie about giant robots protecting earth from invading monsters. That it seems was the perfect prep to make the boys fall in love with Japan. These robots in Japan are called Gundam and they have a giant 60-foot Mobile Suit Gundam in DiverCity (a shopping area of Tokyo). For the boys, this by far was the best day of the trip!
A Real Ninja Restaurant
Visiting Tokyo would not be complete without dining at Ninja Akasaka. It's a ninja themed restaurant that caters to everything dark, mysterious, and of course deadly. All food is mysterious, the hostess leaps in to greet us at the door, and you dine in a cave next to a hidden river. Basically, it's a tourist trap and we fell for it. Awesome!
Goodbye Tokyo...Hello Ehime
After spending one week with our posse in Tokyo, they returned to Seattle and we headed to Ehime to spend the rest of our trip with my wife's family. Where they live is a fishing community and it's right on the ocean. If you want to eat dinner, you essentially have to catch it first. This was the complete opposite experience from our time in Tokyo. Needless to say, the biggest fish got away but here's one of the many that was to later become dinner.
Saying Sayonara
Saying goodbye each time gets harder and harder. Our son falls in love with Baba and Gigi all over again, with every visit we take. They in turn have a very limited amount of time in which to laugh, tickle, and love him. This bond, with each set of grandparents is very important for us and we will keep taking trips like this one to make it stronger. Between trips we take advantage of Skype, FaceTime, and constant emails. Until next time...sayonara Baba and Gigi.
I Tried...I Tried
Folks usually ask how I was able to handle eating with chopsticks for the entire trip. The truth is that I've gotten quite good at using chopsticks. The other truth is that sometimes, no matter how healthy or unhealthy food is, you just have a craving for something from back home. I tried to resist. I really did.
hermosos recuerdos para Hiro, saludos
ReplyDeleteExcellent!
ReplyDeleteGracias Señor Andy y Señor Ruben! It was so much fun!
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