In preparation for our trip to Nagoya I had read a travel tip for jetlag. So I thought what have I to lose? About a week before leaving I started to stay up later. Went to sleep around 2 am and after a coffee and everyone had left for school I went back to sleep for a couple more hours. Not hard to do when one doesn't have to go to work!
Brent dropped us off in Cranbrook at the Best Western. Weather was starting to warm up to a balmy -5....he drove back home to 15 cm of snow! That was in the time it took to drive to Cranbrook and back! Happy that he made it home safely :-)
Yuna and I had pancakes, yogurt and granola for breakfast in the hotel. Had reserved the shuttle bus to the airport but they were running 15 min late so we called a cab....same price...$20 each. We checked our luggage at the airport and met most of Yuna's classmates...2 were coming from the Island. Miu caused a little scene at the airport as she squealed with delight upon seeing Yuna! Security was not very cool about this and asked us to keep it down. Lol...
The plane was a small one but the trip to Vancouver was good. Found the last 2 classmates as we stood around thinking about food. The kids had to have the last mozzarella/prosciutto sandwich, the last A&W burger, the last Tim Hortons wrap, etc....so funny.
The flight from Vancouver to Narita was delayed but we still managed to make our connection to Nagoya
Here the boys are lending a hand to push the electric car up the ramp as the battery had died!
Yasu met us at the Narita airport and flew with us to Nagoya where we were met by happy parents and teachers. It was so good to meet Yuna's family face to face. With another 30 min in the car we finally arrived at our destination and I am totally wide awake! No jet lag!
After dropping off our luggage we went out to have a bowl of Ramon noodles. Very good! I really enjoyed the noodles...
Met Yuna's grandparents
Yuna had an appointment to have her hair cut
and she had arranged a shopping surprise for me. Across the street from the hairdressers was a store filled with fabric! I was in heaven...unfortunately I did not have enough time to explore everything...only made it to the 3rd floor. How many more? I will never know. On the 3rd floor was some very, very expensive fabrics from Italy. Not in my budget but nice to see.
195,429 Yen = $175.00 Can
We picked up Yuu at the train station....oh what a wonderful sight! She is so poised and grown up. I missed her so much. We then travelled to their school where I met the teachers and some of the students heading to Canada, including Urara who will be coming to Nelson.
Photobombed...
Then we went out to dinner and had the best chicken wings ever! Nanako is one of Yuna's classmates and her parents own the restaurant.
Left the house in Nisshin-shi and headed for Shuzenji. I loved seeing the countryside and seeing the differences from Canada.
It is so clean here in Japan and the people care about the cleanliness. We made a stop at Shizuoka where there was a fire that had just started nearby. Created a stir....never did find out what was burning.
Arrived in Shuzenji around 2:30 and to use up some time before meeting our friends we went to a science museum. Very interesting....I did not know that Izu peninsula was created from 3 layers of lava rock moving together and joining up with the mainland. Thus creating this peninsula. Continued on to the temple and there we met Yumi, her daughter and Minako! Oh what a beautiful sight! Yumi and Minako were dressed in the beautiful traditional kimonos. Then came Michiko....hurry...hurry! Lol....
We met the rest at a restaurant....Atsumi, Yuko and her family, Toru....I seem to have more friends in Japan than Canada ;-) there was lots of eating and merriment to be had and we had a hard time leaving. But Akiko was so patiently waiting her turn to meet me. We had another 1 1/2 hr drive on very, very narrow and winding roads. The view in the daytime was spectacular. Unfortunately it was dark on the way there.
We finally arrived and what a wonderful Onsen/Royaken! Kumommien is the name and I loved everything about it. Especially Yuu's family who are very warm and welcoming and could not do enough for us. Once settled into our rooms we had a great visit in the lobby with some green tea. Akiko closed the bath upstairs to the guests so that I could have the place to myself. What a treat! I slept so good...
I love my room!
8:00 am
Rrrring, rrring...moshi moshi...Ohio gazymas....breakfast is ready! and what a breakfast!
After breakfast Yuu took me on a quick tour of the bay so I could take pictures of Mt. Fuji and the surroundings. What a beautiful place. It reminded somewhat of Ucluelet in the way that it was totally deserted with the exception of a few people.
Akiko, Yuu and I made a trip to the market to buy ingredients as I promised I would make them all chili for lunch. Taking more pictures along the way too.
Right to work in the kitchen. We had until 2:30 to be out of the kitchen in order for Yuu's father to start preparations for dinner. So chop chop! It was a lot fun and very easy. Akiko didn't think we had bought enough, but in the end there were leftovers...and it was a huge success!
Yuu and I headed out for another walkabout and we walked up so many steps to the first temple. Gorgeous view!
She points out another set of steps with a questioning look....I groaned and said no way...I did not see the end. Apparently they go to the top of the mountain. Perhaps in another life!
It is a good thing we did some walking. Dinner was a feast. Everything was done to perfection and so many dishes! So delicious. Dieting is in my very near future.
After dinner I snuck off and had another bath then joined Yuu and her mom in the lobby for a bit. What a wonderful day.
This time I was already awake and investigating the kitchen before the 8:00 call. Had my coffee and watched as breakfast was prepared.
I
When Yuu's dad finished cooking he took me out to see Mt. Fuji in the early morning light. So cool.
I ate breakfast very quickly so that Yuu and her dad could take me on a short tour. Got to see the grandparents garden....still growing winter crops. Continued up the mountain to a spectacular viewpoint. Like wow wow wow!
On the way back we met with a friend who apparently when together with Yuu's father were quite the troublemakers!
Minako baked this beautiful cake....so good...
You can find several of these gorgeous flower arrangements around the hotel. Done by Yuu's Baba...
It was sad to say goodbye...we had such a good time.
Dropped off Yuu at the train station:-(
Made it back to Yuna's around 6ish...she and her mom and brother headed off to volleyball and I headed off to bed. It was starting to catch up to me.
The rest of the week was filled with laundry, Yuna's friends and their moms came over for a visit, visited a shrine and castle in Nagoya, went out for dinner with Sarah, Trevor and his family. Spent a night with Yasu and his family. Another feast...Yasu took me to a busy section of "downtown" so I was able to take some crazy pics .... It was so much fun.
Yuna visited her elementary school....here is her handprint from when she graduated from here..
Students dismissed for the day. Yuna says she used to walk home and it would take her 1 1/2 hrs!
Dinner at Yasu's
Okinomiyaki with Trevor and Sarah
Another favourite...
Also got a chance to make a Japanese sweet...Wagashi. And of course test tasting was the highlight.
Yuna and I got to try our hand at making these....so cool...
Our last meal at the airport....
Time to say another goodbye... the time spent in Japan has gone so very quickly and I enjoyed myself immensely.
What do you do with 7hrs in Vancouver airport?
Bye bye Vancouver
Thank you everyone for your generosity and opening up your homes to me. Forever grateful.
I have so many more pictures that are more creative and I had fun working on. These I will post on my monabugretires.blogspot.com if you are interested in seeing them...come on over,
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