Sunday, March 21, 2010

Hiroshima adventures

I really don't have anything special to share with you. I just thought I would take the time to post a quick note since I have been neglecting my blog as of late.
I have been to Iwakuni and the Kintai bridge and should get some pictures up for you soon.
Yesterday a friend and I spent the day in Hiroshima, just on a whim. It was really nice.
We decided to go shopping and enjoy the day.
We started off in search of a Japanese burger joint her friend had told her about (she is also an ALT and from America). We asked the information center at the train station where said burger joint was and went to where the lady told us to go, we walked and followed the map she gave us. Well, it wasn't to be. There was no burger joint, only a Mister Donut. So we left the well trodden path and went off in search of a place to eat.
We soon gave up and ate at McDonald's. I tried the California burger... it really didn't taste like California, more like a weak Texas, but that is just me. It was supposed to be a "big American" burger, but it turned out to be the size of a small burger you would find in America. Oh well.
We found a nice seat to eat our lunch on the second floor by the window. We sat there for almost an hour just people watching. It was a lot of fun, though the best thing we saw all day was a lady who looked like Izma from Emperors New Groove. She even had a funky hat on I am sure Izma would have sported, though I don't think Izma would have sported the camouflage pants.
We ended up in at the Hiroshima Peace park and just enjoyed the peaceful serenity found at the park. We wondered to the museum, but it was just closing as we got there, so no crying for me. But we had a good time perusing the park grounds.
Finally we found our way to do some shopping. We went here and there and enjoyed the shopping district of Hiroshima. When we finally decided to go we found that it was raining out. I was glad I had decided to bring my umbrella along in my bag. It was just a light drizzle when we set out walking toward the train station, but all of a sudden it turned into a downpour! We found ourselves in the middle of a thunder storm complete with lightning and thunder! It was great! Funny thing is that my umbrella was not up to the challenge of protecting me from such a storm and I had to do some creative maneuvering to keep my umbrella from being inverted. It made for a fun adventure to end our day in Hiroshima.
Well, that is all for now. I will try to get some pictures up of the Kintai bridge and Iwakuni castle before I move out (which will happen this week) and start my touring before I leave.
Celestia, Over and Out.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Chinese Zodiac

While at Miyajima we found these cute little guys
with the Chinese Zodiac. I just had to take a pictue of them all!
I hope you enjoy!




























Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Miyajima

haha! Look! I finally updated!
Here is my lovely trip to Miyajima, What a lovely day it was.


This is Miyajima from the ferry.
It was a rainy day, but lucky for us the rain stopped just as we got there.

This is the first thing we saw when we got to Miyajima,
deer. Japanese are quite enchanted by these furry friends,
All they have to do is spend some time in Utah and that will cure them.

Oh, aren't I so cute?


The famous Tori gate!



Tori gate with my lovely friends, Ashley and Seiko.




I thought this looked cool.


Oh how fun.
Me, Ashley, and Kaori.



ATTACK OF THE KILLER DEER,
RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!
so, these deer will eat from your hand,
whether you want it or not...

Here I am trying to get my fortune
(Well the stick with the number on it so I know which fortune to take..)


Here is my fortune, I am being told that it is a bad omen...
Well, it isn't a bad fortune, but it isn't a good one.


We both got defective fortunes,
so here we are giving them away.


How fortunate! We were just in time to see
a traditional wedding!
Aren't they lovely?
They were so happy they didn't mind all of the tourists taking their picture,
See? He even smiled for me!

Cool picture.


Tori horns!
Don't you wish you were me?


Here is the whole group.
Look at those hot chicas!
Best looking girls on the island!

This is one steep bridge.
I thought it looked cool.






Seiko showing that she can tough it out and make it to the top,
Funny thing is we went a different rout, I think the other
route was easier.... and it had a lot of cool things we would
have missed.
For example, this little guy. He and others
were hidden here and there along the other route.
There were also a bunch of little men statues.
Oh! Here is another one. They were sooo cute!


Drunk raccoon dog thing...


Here is a temple we went to. We even risked our lives and climbed to the top!
And out the window!
It was great!
He was just in front of the temple.
I think he is trying to tell us something.
Well, what ever it was I am sure we didn't listen.
Oh, isn't he so cute?
He reminds me of my brother.....

Oh what a fun game!

The view from the top of the temple.

Another view...

And another....

Seiko climbing back in the window.

The shrine in the temple.
It is nice having Japanese people with you,
Then you know what you can take pictures of.
Our lunch menu

Lunch.
Oh how yummy it was!

Ok, we are almost done, bare with me a moment longer

Oh, isn't she so cute!

Oh how lovely...
If only that little deer know how much I didn't love him...

Look! Another raccoon dog thing with booze!
This time he is smoking a cigarette!


Then again with aliens as my neighbors I would probably
drink too.
Well, not really...

This statue is right outside the ferry station.
I thought it was pretty cool.

And here is dinner. I am not
sure what it is, some sort of Korean food.
Kaori treated me to dinner. It was really good!



Celestia Over and out!
P.s. Soon to come, pictures of the cute little statues we saw all over the place