All Things Tokyoian

On Sunday August 16th, Gina and I spent time looking out the windows of Tokyo Tower with the Murtha Family (we ran into them at our hotel!). Standing 333 meters, the Tokyo Tower is taller than the Eiffel Tower's 320 meters, making it the world's largest self-supported steel tower. It boast a weight of only 4000 tons--3000 tons lighter than the Eiffel Tower.

The following day, we visited Tokyo DisneySea. In all my life, I had never seen so many people. Japanese people at that. Boy do they love Disney!!

Cool translator for the shows!

Our final destination was to the Sensoji Temple on Tuesday August 19th. Completed in the year 645, Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon Temple) is Tokyo's oldest temple. We first entered through the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate), the outer gate of the Sensoji. Continuing down towards the temple was as market area where we enjoyed Melon Slushis and we each purchased several souvenirs.

Before the temple, we reached the (second) Hozomon Gate.

Out of respect for those worshipping there, we did not take pictures of the actual shrine and alter, but we did get take pictures of the gardens, spent time cleansing ourselves in a fountain, watched people burn incense and received an omikuji (fortune). You are supposed to tie your paper fortune up to wooden poles in front of the temple so that your fortune will come true.

Gina's fortune was prosperous. Mine was not so great.

It read: "Bad Fortune Lack[sic]. Although you work hard, your family business will not yet be propserous. Obstacles and damages are coming over continuously. Whole situation will be really dangerous. Just like black clouds cover moonlight, many accidents will happen. Also it looks like a beautiful lady burning purfume in her bedroom, suffering from anxiety. Your wishes will not be realized. A sick person will not recover. The lost article will not be found. The person you are waiting for will not come. Building a new house and removal should be stopped. Marriage, making a trip, employement are all bad. Everything will come out to be bad, so you should be patient."

Yikes! Good thing I kept it and did not tie it up--I don't want any of that to come true!

"One who never climbs Mount Fuji is a fool, and one who climbs twice is twice the fool..."

Mount Fuji is the second largest mountain in Japan with an elevation of over 12,000 feet. After a crazy trip to mainland on via a SPACE-A C-130, Gina and I headed up the Kawaguchiko Trail to do a night-climb to the top on August 14th.

We started around 10 pm, which was a little later than we had hoped, but to be expected during the ever-busy Obon week. The purpose of doing a night-climb was to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain around 4:45 am.

Gina's body hit a wall around the 8th station. After being tested at the First Aid Station, her oxygen levels were really low and the volunteer doctors recommended she head back down the mountain. Since we had previously discussed what would happen in the event one of us was injured or sick, Gina allowed me to continue, guilt-free to the top, while she was a trooper and headed down the descending trail.

The sunrise was beautiful! The view from that point forward was simply heavenly.

Except for when you look up and you still have a L O N G way to go before hitting the summit!!

A Sengen shrine, dedicated to Princess Konohanasakuya, the Shinto deity of Mount Fuji, sat at the top of the mountain. Another Sengen shrine sits at the foot of Mount Fuji. Some hikers chose to leave the bells from their walking sticks on the torii poles, and other chose to slip coins in between pieces of split wood. I stuck two lucky 5-yen pieces in the wood for mine and Gina's sake!

After getting the summit stamp burned into the wood from my walking stick and taking pictures of the volcano crater and collecting "samples" of the dirt for Jared's collection, I headed back down. But not before making a stop at the 9th station bathroom. Yes, I paid nearly $2.00 for the privilege of urinating in a hole, and squirting my waste down it with a water gun.

The descent took me 2 hours and 49 minutes, but if I could go back, I would do a more leisurely pace on the way down... I was mostly hauling myself down as fast as I could go in order to ensure Gina was alive and well.

The little ants below are people on the trail ahead of me!

I am so grateful to Heavenly Father for the beautiful things He has created for us to explore and enjoy here on Earth!

Hiji Falls

My girlfriends Gina Higgins and Lindsey Borjas hiked Hiji Falls with me this morning in preparation for our trip to climb Mt. Fuji next week. After leaving Camp Foster around 8 am, and mostly driving the speed limit on the expressway, we were able to make it to Hiji around 9:45. It took us approximately 75 minutes to hike to the falls(taking pictures all the while), and after relaxing for 15 minutes by the water, it took 35 minutes to hike back to the car. We ate lunch at Okuma's Surfside restaurant and after a leisurely trip back to base (we stopped at one of three fruitstands they had on the side of the road on the route we took up to Nago), made it home by 4pm.

Hiji Falls is open from 9am-4pm and it costs 300yen per adult and 200 yen per child. Children under 3 yrs old are FREE.

"Master" Jared

Congrats, Jared Daniel Cocker Spaniel, for completing your comprehensive exam this past week for your M.S. in International Relations. Here's three cheers to hoping you passed. HipHipHooray!

And even if you didn't pass, to celebrate, I purchased you a gift that celebrates your core values and aspirations. Perhaps I should have got it for you prior to the exam?! At any rate, I am proud of you and glad to have my husband back.

(http://www.snorgtees.com/ushistorycheattshirt-p-361.html)

Happy Birthday Rachael!

Make a Smilebox free ecard

Mrs. Higgins is 26

What a fun evening we had last night at Mike's Tex Mex, celebrating Regina's birthday. "PRICE DOWN" chips and guacamole, Supreme Chicken Quesadillas, $2.00 sides of sour cream and "La Bamba" playin' in the background. What more could you ask for?

Oh, yeah--Funfetti cupcakes with Rainbow Chip icing!

Happy Birthday, doll! Can't wait to climb Fuji-san with you!

Veggie Market

Thanks to Leeanne who pulled a few of us out of bed early on Saturday morning to go to a Japanese vegetable market.

Here are a few pictures of my spoils.

With the exception of the watermelon, which was only 600 yen (it was already scooped out prior to this picture being taken, as I couldn't wait to eat some of it yesterday!), all other packages were 100 yen each (beans, green peppers x 12, carrots x 4, cucumbers x 4, passion fruit x 5, tomatoes x 2).

This dragon fruit, which has a white middle (up until this point, I had only eaten ones with red middles), was all of 100 yen, too. That is a great price! They are easily 500-800 yen at places such as Jusco and the like.

Red pitaya "insides" look like this:

Scooping the insides out and eating it is always fun with this unique fruit, but this looked like a yummy recipe to use with the dragon fruit; I think I am going to try it:

http://www.melissas.com/recipes/index.cfm?recipe_id=1790

So, for all of $15, fresh healthy veggies are taking over The Blake Fridge, and we were able to support local farmers. Way to go ladies!

**To get there, take 330 North, past Gate 2 street (Kadena). Turn LEFT onto "Ageda" Road (there will be a blue KUMON sign on the left-side corner). Follow this street over the first little bridge, and park on the left side of the street, just over the second big bridge. Happy shopping!