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Happy Birthday UltraGirl!

Happy Birthday UltraGirl! May 4, 2008

I know in Japan we have already moved on to May 5th, but here in the USA it is still UltraGirl’s birthday. UltraAuntDebi, whose birthday is on May 3rd, and I were discussing the different time zones and decided, just to be safe, that we would celebrate our own birthdays for a week before and after the actual day. I think UltraGirl should do the same!
I know you already have what you have hoped for above all else, that perfect, adorable little Link, but I hope you also got some extra spoiling.
I’ve had a busy week, as usual, but I only have two more weeks of school left, so it should slow down some after that. I went to work at a different prison store on Friday, filling in for the regular storekeeper who is recovering from a knee replacement surgery. It was a 14 hour day, including the driving, and was the 3rd Friday I have done this. I probably have one left to go. Ironically, two weeks ago while working there, I hurt MY knee, and it is still giving me problems. I also have to check the MacGallery and Dynamic Duo website every hour or so (when a computer is available) for any updates or new pictures of Link, which takes a lot of time! Saturday, I drove to UltraDad’s house in Ruby Valley. UltraJimbo was already there, having driven up Thursday night. The guys spent Friday at Ultradad’s sister Kathy’s place (a ranch about 45 minutes away) hunting gophers. Per UltraDad’s request, I printed out an album full of Link pictures for his brag book.
Thinking about UltraGirl brings to mind the great time Heather and I had on our trip to Japan a year ago last December. The best part was getting to spend time with UltraGirl and get to know her a little better. As I was looking at some posts I wrote about our Japan adventures, I realized I never finished the narrative. So, in honor of UltraGirl’s birthday, I will write about one of the trip highlights I never got around to writing about, though I had good intentions: Hakone. But first, a disclaimer. I cannot seem to find any of the notes I wrote about the trip. I just reviewed my photos and did a little research on the web, but what you are mostly getting here are impressions and snatches of foggy memory. Feel free to correct any glaring inaccuracies, but also, cut me a little slack and creative license!

Hakone: Land of Hot Water and Black Eggs

We made the drive by car with ultra capable UltraBob at the wheel. The scenery was interesting and varied and I took a lot of semi-blurry ocean pictures out of my back seat car window. Perhaps some of you can recognize this and tell me what it is:

I don’t know what town we were passing through, but a couple of building particularly caught my eye. One was the KathyMom Quilt shop. It would have been interesting to take a look inside.

The KathyMom Quilt Shop

This is, of course, the Merry Chapel Christmas Hotel. I don’t think I have every seen anything quite so garish.

I’m not really sure how long we drove, but I remember the road being quite steep as we drove up and up and up. And now we were seeing gorgeous hillsides in hues of red, green, yellow and orange. It definitely looked like Autumn, though the month was December. Perhaps that IS Autumn in Japan?

We walked on Owakundani Trail (at least that is what the sign in one of my photos calls it), winding along through an otherwordly sparsely forested hilly scene of bubbling hot pools and steam rising out of the ground. The signs instructed us to ‘keep left’, which I had a hard time remembering to do at times. In America, of course, we drive on the RIGHT side of the road. As we walked and climbed, I became aware of a whirring sound. I turned around to see that UltraBob had whipped out his razor and was shaving. It’s nice to have such an accommodating razor that will let you shave anywhere, but I still found this an odd choice of time and location for this grooming activity.

Be careful if you have a medical condition!

An other-wordly landscape

Time for a Shave?

Our destination was the hot spring shack to get some hard boiled eggs. These special eggs were boiled directly in the hot springs in special vats. The minerals in the water turned the egg shells quite black. At this very touristy location, we joined a long line of folks waiting to buy 6-packs of these eggs, the eating of which was said to increase your lifespan by 7 years. We joined the crowds cracking our eggs on black-shell-shard littered tables and passed the salt before consuming our, hopefully, life-extending eggs. They were quite good.

Egg Boiling Vats

Not really sure what they’re trying to tell us here…

Let’s go for 14 years!

Extending our lives

After some lunch, we made our way to Yunessun to sample for ourselves the delights of the hot springs. At Yunessun, we were issued a wrist band and an assigned locker, where we stashed our clothes and belongings as we changed to swim suits. The wrist bands could be used as credit cards of sorts, and eliminated the need to carry cash for purchasing snacks from vending machines or food stands. As one site put it “spending money was never easier!” You just settle up and the end when you check out. I didn’t actually take many pictures here, and I have lost my cheat sheet telling me how to insert links, so I suggest you check out this website by the cut and paste method.
http://www.yunessun.com/english/location.html

We had a wonderful time sampling the themed, outdoor hot pools. One was filled with red wine, another with green tea. Heather and I enjoyed laying out on heated stones. I had to get my courage up to leave one pool long enough to walk to the next one. It was a little chilly out of the water. There were some gigantic pools inside, Mediterranean in style, complete with jets and musical light shows at intervals. After we had our fill of that, it was time for the Onsen, or more traditional Japanese bathing, without the cumbersome swim suits. I believe this part was called Mori NO YU (from the website) and featured (thank goodness!) separate bathing areas for men and women.
UltraBob had to go it alone as Heather, UltraGirl and I made our way to the women’s side. Heather and I were glad we had UltraGirl to show us how it was done. First we washed ourselves completely, including our hair, in special outdoor showers. Then, armed with a small hand towel, we were off to the baths. The towels, UltraGirl showed us, could be used to cover strategic body parts while walking from bath to bath. While in the hot pools, you could tie or lay the towel on your head, but you were not supposed to get it wet. Of course that was one of the first things I did as I tipped my head too far having already forgotten the soft terry cloth rectangle balanced there.
I found this experience to be relaxing and invigorating at the same time, and is one I would not have liked to miss. I found one spot I especially liked where I could lay back, feeling the cool nighttime air on my face while my unencumbered body soaked in the stony pool’s hot mineral water, The dimmed lights and soft music helped in creating this peaceful atmosphere. I even kind of forgot about UltraGirl and Heather for a few moments as they moved on to try out other pools.
In time, we met back up with UltraBob, whom I assume was having a relaxing time of his own. UltraGirl and I got completely dressed, but UltraBob and Heather seemed loath to part with their stylish spa robes.

I really like the way many Japanese restaurants graphically display their menu choices in the window, complete with prices. You can see just what each menu option looks like and what it will cost you before deciding what to order. Another good thing: no tipping. After another, in a long line of, delicious meal, we headed back to the Ultras home. In just a few days, it would be time to leave.

UltraGirl, I hope you have enjoyed seeing Japan through my eyes. The next time I come, I will have something even more exciting to see and get to know: my little grandson, Link. I know you and UltraBob will be wonderful parents. Happy Birthday, my sweet daughter.
Much Love,
UltraMom