The Dynamic Duo

Japan, the Saga Continues
Okay, its high time I got back to my Japan posting series. First a little picture viewing to refresh my memory. That was how I started the last three times I tried to do this, and never got past the picture part. But to be fair, I have over 2000 pix on my computer from this trip; a combo of 4 or more cameras, so its easy to get lost in the visual memories. They say a picture is worth 1000 words, so just imagine how much I would be able to write if I wasn’t afraid of boring you to tears and of losing the functionality of my hands to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Anyway, as promised, oh about 7-8 posts ago, UltraMom and Heather’s Big Walking Adventure:
Wherein UltraMom and Heather have a big walking adventure and attend a special party.
It is the day after the UltraKid’s wedding. They have gone off to a hotel to be alone and get some much needed R & R after all the wedding stress. UltraMom and Heather have the run of the house and have royally slept in. Somewhere around 3 P.M. UltraBob will show up to collect us and we will go to UltraGirl’s parents house to celebrate Motoji’s birthday. But our two intrepid travelers decide not to waste a precious Japan day sitting in the house. After all, they know how to walk to the Train Station in Zushi, having done it three times now. And Heather is having fantasies about the wonderful grocery store pastries filled with cheese and spices. So, armed with cameras and yen we start the half hour trek.
We reach Zushi station without incident; past the park, turning as directed by the 7-11 store. I’m not sure if I would have noticed this if UBob hadn’t pointed it out, but the sign doesn’t read 7-11 any longer. It says something like 7-(letter i) Holdings which is apparently reflects the name of the Japanese company which bought the franchise. We stop and take pictures of each other at every opportunity: in front of an animal hospital, by the Post Office (Heather’s BF Heath works in a Post Office), of the ubiquitous vending machines. We are particularly amused by the cartoon-like signs picturing adorable blue, pink or yellow puppies posing with a pile of poop. The image is surrounded with one of those big red circles with a line through it, the universal sign for “don’t do it.” Ubob tells us the signs are a warning that owners should not let their dogs “relieve themselves” in that location. People sometimes steal/borrow the signs to post near their homes when this type of thing is a problem from neighboring animals.

When we reach the station, Heather is confident that we can find the grocery store next to the Starbucks where UltraBob had treated us to lunch pastries and coffee a few days previous. We take a street and find a grocery store. It even has a pastry section, but Heather is adamant. “This is NOT the right one. Do you see a Starbucks around here?” so we keep walking. We pass lots of other little shops. Some, like the vegetable or fish market are obvious. There is the shop where my favorite pigeon cookies are made. Other stores mystify us a bit, and of course we cannot read the Japanese marquees. You may be shocked to learn that UltraMom’s sense of direction can be a little shaky. As we turned this way and that through the crowded streets, I became a bit turned around. Thank goodness Heather is a little more directionally-savvy. As we retraced our steps, my instincts would invariable have led us the wrong way, and Heather, for some good reason, refused to listen to me. Back at the station we discussed again finding the elusive grocery/bakery/starbucks. “Have we tried this street yet?” I inquired pointing down a road just past the station. We looked, and there it was! The object of our quest. It had been there all the time, right under our noses, but we couldn’t find it until we really needed to, until we wanted it SO badly that…oh sorry. Got a bit carried away there. But UltraMom was the five-mintute hero for the find, which she always enjoys. Anyway, the upshot was we bought 3-4 different pastries and some Starbucks and pigged out.
Now to get back to the UltraKids house. Should be easy. It wasn’t. Somehow we missed the turn at the 7-i Holdings Store and had to retrace our steps once we finally admitted to ourselves that nothing we were now seeing looked familiar to us. Back at the store, I was sure I knew the way now, and set off confidently. Heather kept wanting to stop and reason it out, but I knew which way we should go , and she was just wasting walking time. Finally she more or less commanded me to stop, and sure enough, I was going the wrong way. When you approach a landmark from a different direction, it casts a magic spell over you making you turn the wrong way. Heather, it seems had built up an immunity to these spells, and at last we were on the path back home, well Ubob’s home, actually. Heather kept admonishing me “Now remember, we knew exactly where we were at all times. Don’t tell Bob we got lost.” Don’t worry, Honey. I won’t.
UltraBob was home when we arrived, and seemed a bit put out to have found us away, but got over it quickly. It was time to go to the Suzuki house in Yokuska and do some relative meeting and some celebrating. Motoji was having a birthday.
Next time join us for Motoji’s birthday dinner. Hope I remember how to get there..
UltaMom

The Wonderfully Addictive Bakery Bread

Corn Soup, anyone?

Don’t even think about it

Who do You want to vote for? Probably the one that drives around your neighborhood early in the morning blaring political announcements from a loud speaker.