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Wherein we visit “Jason”, find the happiest cat in Japan, and see Heather almost fall down a flight of stairs after being frightened by a large rodent
We are now up to Saturday, Dec 9 in my ongoing Japan Trip Travelogue, and today we are taking the train into Kamakura for a little sightseeing. UltraGirl, very wisely, as it turned out, declined to join us on this little outing. I guess after so many sunny, beautiful days, we were due for a little cold, drizzly rain, which perfectly describes the weather we had that day. The three of us; Heather, UltraBob and I, had umbrellas, but I don’t remember those youngsters even opening theirs. I used mine a lot, but as I’m a bit shorter than they are, my companions were sometimes jabbed a bit about their faces by my umbrella ribs. The little train upon which we rode into Kamakura apparently has some history behind it, and locals petitioned to keep it after it was slated to be replaced.
Enoden Electric Railway
Our first destination was the Daibutsu, (or Giant Buddha), Kamakura’s most famous tourist attraction. We took our time getting there, stopping at interesting shops along the way. Our first stop was at the 100 yen store, comparable to US Dollar Stores, but with much more varied and interesting merchandise. Here UltraMom indulged in a variety of one-time use chemical handwarmers. They weren’t as good as the ones UltraGirl had supplied us with at DisneySea a few days previously, but better than nothing. UltraBob generously went without so that Heather and I could have one in each pocket; he even had the brilliant idea to stick one on our necks, which helped for a little while, after which it was just lumpy and uncomfortable. The touristy shops were fascinating to us, and we took a lot of pictures. One store sold nothing but different statues of cats, particular those with the waving paw. But it was in another store, where we saw a living cat contentedly lying next to a lighted brazier, soaking up the heat. “That,” declared Ubob emphatically, “is the happiest cat in Japan.” Indubitably
Lots and lots of cats
The Happiest Cat in Japan
Mounted on a nearby wall are the Buddha’s sandals, and as may be expected, are quite large. But I never saw the Buddha wear them; in fact I really couldn’t see his feet at all! See
Daibutsu for more and better information on this sacred Buddhist architectural marvel. For a nominal fee, you could go inside the statue, and we did. I guess you used to be about to climb some ladder/stairs up into it, but now we could only stand on the ground and gaze up at the rather ugly bolts and seams. I asked UltraBob a lot of questions about the Buddha; his size, history, etc. and he very sweetly bought me a little booklet to inform me. Of course right now the booklet is misplaced.
As we made our way back down the street, we saw a sign proclaiming “English Tea and Scones” in an upstairs shop. We decided that sounded like just the ticket, so we climbed the steep, rickety stairs. Just as Heather reached the top of the stairs, a squirrel ran past her (nearly into her), causing her to scream and almost lose her balance. Inside the rather quaint, charming little shop, we settled in a corner and placed our order. We were a bit disappointed in the hard little biscuit-type scones, but then I realized that these probably were English scones; what I had wanted was a big American scone, like those ones they sell at all the county fairs. You know what I mean. Gradually we became aware that, although we were the only paying customers, we were sharing the shop with some unusual patrons. In the doorway, on the floor, on the countertops were: squirrels! The proprietress was feeding them fruit and nuts, and, as Ubob translated for us, calling them her ‘children!’ Thoughts of “health inspectors’ went through our head as we each took about 20 pictures of the squirrels as they dashed in and out, on and off the counters and up and around the doorframe.
UltraBob and Mom nibble on scones and watch the squirrels
The Shop Owner feeds “her children”
Our next stop was Hasedera, or Hase Temple
Hasedera The grounds here were stunning, and UltraBob informed us that it was one of his favorite places to take photos. There were Koi ponds and beautiful tiered garden levels. This time of year, the leaves were a riot of red, orange, yellow and green. Also, from this height, you can look out at the rooftops of Kamakura and see the ocean in the not too far off distance.
Looking Down on Kamakura
Part of the temple grounds
Fall Colors and a Sea of Umbrellas
The first thing we saw when we entered the temple grounds were the Jizo statues. Distraught relatives purchase these for aborted or stillborn children, and they are somehow supposed to get these spirit children into a better afterlife. Some of the statues wore knitted caps, and there were toys available to purchase for them in a nearby temple shop.
Jizo Statues
The Kyozo or Scripture House is a big wooden revolving structure that holds all of the scriptures covering Mahayan Buddhism. If you grab one of the handles and turn the thing one full time around, you gain the same benefit as if you had actually read all those scriptures!
UltraBob getting smarter
After looking around and becoming thoroughly cold and wet, we went through the red tori gate and entered the caves. This was a bit surreal; statues are carved directly into the cave walls, and candle-offerings provide the ghostly light.
The Red Tori Gate
In the Caverns
As you may have realized, I just did a bit of research myself; there is NO WAY I actually learned and remembered all of this stuff, but it is interesting, no?
I believe it was after Hasedera that we ate Japanese Cheese Currie, and I’ve gotta tell you, this was one of my all-time favorite meals. Japanese Currie is different from the hot, hot Indian cuisine one usually thinks of when they hear the “C” word. All I can say is “Yum, Yum.”
UltraBob had planned on taking us to “ChinaTown” (yes, a China Town in Japan; not so unusual), but we ran out of time, plus we were wet and freezing. So, on to Yohohama to visit a giant electronics store (maybe the world’s largest!) so that UltraMom could buy a new computer mouse and headphones. I think it was on the 9th floor that we located the computer mouses (mice?) Six rows of mouse-perusal and 1/2 hour later, a selection was finally made. Nothing fancy, but a comfortable grip and cordless.
At last it was time to catch the train back home where, exhausted, we were soon all in bed.
Tomorrow (or some day soon): Motoji’s garden and Karoke!
UltraMom
Hi UltraMom Fans. Lately I have been trying my hand at a couple of different writing millieaus, and since I don’t feel like tackling the Kamakura day right at this moment, I am going to “treat” you to my attempt at free form poety.Comments, either good or constructive appreciated.
Loneliness
When have I spent time alone with no distractions,
With no demands on my time,
Without the company of others?
Alone is not hard for me…...for awhile….
for a few hours, for a few days…
Then I begin feeling disconnected,
As if my emotions and conclusions
Will turn out to be flawed when exposed.
Innately, I don’t think we are meant to be alone too long.
Or, why would something in my soul
Cry out for another voice, for a touch?
For validation.
And yet, I know I’ve never truly known it.
I hope I never will.
Okay, Boys and Girls, its time to get back to my wonderful Japan vacation. By the time I finish blogging this one, it will probably be about time to go back again! (at least I hope so)
I think we are up to Friday, Dec 8th. Well, I think I can actually dispatch that day in just a few sentences, though you may doubt that is possible for the oh so wordy UltraMom. You may recall that UltraMom had been the lucky recipient of a Mini-Mac computer from her generous son and daughter-in-law? It was time to try to teach an old dog (UltraMom) some new tricks (how to use a Mac when she had only ever used a PC). And that was pretty much mine and UtraBob’s day, as he patiently explained things to me and we decided what else I might need to acquire to make this thing work. I wrote stuff down in a little notebook that I promptly misplaced once I got back home, ordered a few peripherals, and played around on my new computer, which UltraBob assured me I would not be able to ruin. When I became frustrated, out came his favorite line: “Just remember what it says in ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’: Don’t Panic!.” Good advice. I think we did take a short break to bike down to 7-i holdings, but that was it.
UltraGirl was still under the weather, and Heather had kind of a boring day, but we got together for some dinner and games that evening. I taught the kids my favorite dice game; it is UltraDad’s current favorite; and Tomoko promptly took us to school, so to speak. Day over. See? I CAN write a post that is shorter than War and Peace, Johnny.
(Btw, this day was also Jimbo’s 23rd birthday.)
Tomorrow, probably not so short: Kamakura and the Giant Buddha!
UltraMom, (Typing this post on her Mac)
A Guest Post
Panther, back from her honeymoon sent me this little journal kept by our niece Linda, who house-sat for her while she and John were at the Oregon Coast. I present it here in its entirety with explanations.
THIS DAY WAS OSTENSIBLY WRITTEN ABOUT BY JASMINE, PANTHER’S OLD, RATHER OBESE, BUT VERY SWEET BLACK LAB. FATZ IS THE VERY OBESE SIAMESE CAT, AND ANYA IS THE SPOILED LITTLE DACHSHUND.
Monday February 19 2007
Linda and her parents arrived after nine in the morning while Sara, Jason and Julie were still here. They all had smoothies and eventually everyone but Linda left. Jason came back once to get his sunglasses but after that it was just the four of us. Linda did all her laundry and folded it up and left it on the couches for us to sit on. She also left her crocheting out a lot for us to sit on too. We all sat on the loveseat with Linda downstairs (well, mostly Anya and me, but sometimes Fatz would join us) while she watched the entire Back to the Future trilogy (on her laptop), and ate wedding leftovers. Linda played on the piano all the time. She found Phantom of the Opera book and has been trying to learn songs from it all week. (see aboveI think the TV upstairs wasn’t quite working right for Linda or something). Linda put me and Anya (who for some reason Linda is always calling “fathead” and “cheese”) out in the garage around eleven, but we could hear her moving around and playing the piano until one or two in the morning! I can’t wait for you both to come back!....Love Jazzmine
P.S. Some roses came for you Monday and Linda took pictures!
WRITTEN, AGAIN OSTENSIBLY, BY THE CAT
Fatz Tuesday (February 20, 2007)
Linda took Anya and Jazzmine for a walk when she finally woke up and they came back with the mail and newspapers. Linda did a good job cleaning my litter box, mostly, and even found my food and a place to put it (but that was on Monday, with Sara and Julie helping). She eventually got all my stools back around the bar with my cushions on them. But she forgot to get me water! So I tried to remind her by meowing at the bathrooms and she eventually caught on. I think she felt really bad for forgetting on Monday because she has changed it faithfully every day since.
I’m so glad you’re coming home soon. Maybe you’ll let me stay outside all night. Linda won’t.
Yourz,
Fatz
THIS ONE APPARENTLY WRITTEN BY LINDA HERSELF
Ash Wednesday (February 21, 2007)
Remembering that Wednesday is garbage day, I set my phone alarm for 7:30 so I had time to get the trash out by 9. After going to bed late on Tuesday, I was surprised to wake up on Wednesday before the alarm went off. I reveled in my earliness for a few moments before picking up my cell phone to see what time it was. Much to my dismay, I read 9:03 on the cell phone. I had forgotten, after setting it dutifully to 7:30 am, to turn my phone’s alarm ON! Whoops. So though I perhaps could have made it, I gave the garbage up for lost and took the girlfriends for a walk instead. Most of the day went much like the others: I spent a lot of time lazily watching movies and trying to improve my piano-playing skills with the Phantom of the Opera, ate lots of food. Around six I put the girls up in the garage and drove off to the seven o’clock Ash Wednesday service at my church in Caldwell. I was trying to acquaint myself with the Avalon and get comfortable driving it as I accelerated along the Emmett highway (always with the speed limit, of course) with a faster car tailing. I was just starting to feel pretty good a short way out of Emmett when the steering wheel started pulling back and forth and then I smelled rubber as I maneuvered the car to the right side of the road. I crawled over to the passenger seat and got out to discover that, indeed, the front passenger tire had blown out and was now fairly shredded. I climbed back in and called my mom before getting on the phone to AAA. The Northern California branch was transferring my call to Idaho when I remembered to turn on my (your) emergency flashers and just as the AAA people who could help me picked up, a Gem county sheriff car pulled up behind me. The officer seemed to know how to help, so I hung up with AAA and he started working on changing the tire. He got one of the nuts off, but on two of the others he snapped off part of the bolt with the nut. By this time it was dark and cold and he went and called the AAA emergency roadside assistance guy in town. The guy and his wife came down in a work truck but couldn’t get the other nuts off safely, so they had to go back and get the tow truck while the officer and I waited (semi-awkwardly, but mostly fine). They towed the Avalon to Les Schwab and took me home. Shawn commented that he recognized your house, and we pieced together that he had jumped my parents’ car there a few years before (I remember the incident!). He offered to drive me back down to Les Schwab in the morning, and I watched a chick flick before going to bed. Needless to say, no Ash Wednesday service for me. I love you! Linda
THIS ONE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY LINDA’S FRIEND RACHEL
Thursday (February 22, 2007)
Hello! I’m here, in your house I’m sure you knew I’d be staying here with Linda, but, if you didn’t, now you do! I’ve been told Linda got the car fixed during the day, but I can really only testify to the night events I was around to witness and experience.
She very bravely drove out to pick me up from the airport at not quite 7 pm. I returned from Mexico very tired, and still kinda dirty, emotionally exhausted too, but it was such a welcome sight to come out of the big glass exit and find my group of companions gathered around a brightly smiling Linda. Oh, sweet loveable Linda!
While waiting for my luggage she regaled me as to her adventure of the previous day, so I am very thankful and impressed she still drove out to get me. That’s Linda, brave, confident, and committed to her friends!
I made a terrible navigator, getting lost in my struggle to depict my days in Mexico to her, but she, of course still managed to find Emmett and your house.
Once home, the dogs happily hopped around us, and even Fatz came out to sit on the couch with everyone. Linda drew me a deliciously hot bath; I called my parents, etc. She showed me the roses, which are very beautiful. I’m sorry they didn’t arrive in time. Sad!! But not too sad, of course. There’s too much happiness for that.
There isn’t much more to say except that I was really tired, got most but not all of the remaining paint out of my hair and off my arms, and soon went to bed. But I also want to take a moment to share in your joy. I’m so glad you found someone to keep you company to comfort and support you, challenge and defend you. I’m thankful God shared this blessing with you, so that you can share the rest of your life with a man you love, who loves you. I wish you both the best of luck and congratulations (It’s a wishing card after all!) Love, Rachel
AND HERE ANYA HAS HER SAY
Friday (February 23, 2007)
Linda and the new girl got up around 8 or 9. I think they were still tired because Linda let us in and into Sara’s bedroom with them, where they sat around petting me and talking about how adorable I am. They were really slow moving around, especially the new girl, but thankfully they knew what they were supposed to do and sat on the couch petting me for a while. Linda even gave me a tiny bite of good food, but she should have given me more. It was only a crumb and I very sweetly hopped about and wagged my tail to let her know I was hungry too! So they were a little rude, hogging the food to themselves, but I’m nice and forgive them.
We went for a walk this morning too. Jazzmine and I were so excited!! We jumped around a lot and I really told off these mean ugly dogs along the way. I’m so brave and smart and pretty! The people of course wanted to keep spending time with me, so we went even a bit further than Linda had been taking us. I let Linda carry me a little even though I wasn’t tired at all, because I’m sure she wanted to hold me.
At night they sat on your bed so they could hold me in their laps. But a very terrible thing happened!! I jumped off the bed to kiss Jazzmine and I hurt my foot! It’s very terrible. It hurts a lot and I have to put my let out in the air. They checked it and moved it around, but I wish you were here. They pampered me, Linda petting me to sleep, but I’m sure you would have known what was wrong and made it all better. Please come home soon! These girls sing all night when they should probably be showing me how much they love me. I’m sure you and John will know just how to take care of me and make me feel better.
Love, Your Darling Anya
