You're Not Welcome

I joined a gym recently. The cheapest option was to elect to go during weekday mornings/afternoons. At this time the gym is full of retirees. During my first visit I got a few dirty looks. After working out I went into the hot tub and everyone made a point of going to the opposite end. They don't like me intruding on their space but they sure are interested in checking out my 'jimbrowski'.

Aila's first Girls Day

March 3 is Girls Day(aka Doll Festival)and May 5 is Boys Day. April 4 is for everything in between. All the decorations in the background were originally for Ayumi and her older sister but are now dedicated to Aila.

Holiday in Cambodia

I loved Cambodia! Amazing sites, fantastic food, friendly people, great weather, cheap beer ... what more can you ask for?

Two weeks flew by but it was enough to see and do what I wanted to.

We're Back!

We arrived back in Japan on February 19th. The kids were pretty well behaved on the flight. Leo had jet-lag for a while but eventually got back into his old routine.

Because it's winter, and the house doesn't have heating, it's bloody cold! It's so cold that you can actually see your breath in the mornings.

In a few days I'll be having a "Holiday in Cambodia". I'm really looking forward to that! I'll post a report when I return.

Back home

I was dreading the flight back but it was much easier than I expected. Leo was a star and got lots of compliments for being so quiet. Customs and Immigration was a breeze in both Canada and US - they were actually friendly!

Now that we're back, I'm exhausted! Jetlag sucks! Leo's internal clock is all messed up which complicated everything.

It's good to be home.

You know what they say about guys in the navy...

This is an actual navy recruiting ad from the 1980's

"I'm going to Disneyland!"

The Japanese are CRAZY about Disneyland. You'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't visited at least once. The weather was great and we managed to avoid the insane crowds by visiting on a Monday after the Golden Week holidays. Leo really liked the country bears and danced on my lap for the entire performance. I'm a bit worried that he might be a country music fan.

Photo Shoot

First Birthday Walk

On a baby's first birthday the family buys 1.5 kilos of pounded rice cake, tie it up in a cloth and sling over the baby's back. Then they see how far the baby can travel with that weight on his back. The distance covered is supposed predict whether or not the child will move far away when he grows up. Being my son, Leo kept on walking and walking. He covered the length of the room about three times. Good job Leo!

Happy First Birthday Leo

Boys Day

May 5th is Boys Day in Japan. The flying carp and miniature samurai helmet are meant to be symbols of a strong and healthy boy. On the table there is a chocolate cake shaped like a helmet, chimaki (a kind of "sweet rice paste," wrapped in an iris or bamboo leaf) and some other traditional Japanese food. Leo seemed happy but then again he's usually quite pleased about almost everything.

More flowers

To see more pics click the link - http://picasaweb.google.com/105716986107783837301/Flowers?feat=email##

Onsen

Leo pointing out his name sake.

Mt. Fuji hiding behind some clouds.

Leo disguised as a giraffe.

Hanging out at the onsen.

Wasabe ice cream. Not as good as you might expect...

We spent the weekend in an area famous for wasabe (horse radish) and onsen (hot springs). On the way home we stopped at a safari park near Mt. Fuji.

Kawasaki Fertility Festival

There are lots of tasteless photos that go along with this but I don't think this is the best place to post them. If you are interested in seeing them, leave me a comment and I'll send you a link.

Saipan

Where is Saipan? Here

Lots of WWII relics on the island. There's a place called Suicide Cliff where hundreds of Japanese, mostly civilians, leaped to their deaths to escape being captured by the Americans.

We visited Saipan last week in order to escape the miserable weather we were having in Japan ("According to The Guinness Book of Records, Saipan has the world's most equable temperature, averaging 27°C year-round. "). Leo liked the pool but was kind of freaked out about the beach. Everything went really well and for me, escaping Japanese food for a little while was a real treat.

Cherry Blossom Season

Cherry Blossom season is the best time to be in Japan. A park full of blossoming trees is unbelievably beautiful. Unfortunately, they only last for about ten days.

Photos - Part 5

"More beer please, Daddy!"

Photos - Part 5

Photos - Part 4

Bowling with Leo on my back.