Misc. stuff/ Kamakura and here

This house is up on the hill above us and for sale for only 2,000 man. (Japanese money would be about 200,000 dollars in USA. But very cheap for here. We looked inside and completely redone and lovely huge garden and at least 6 parking spots, 3 under cover and 1 or 2 in the garage.
The above house is where my son lives in Kamakura and it is also for sale for 5,000 man. But the house below is kitty corner to his house and remodeled but not so nice or new for 3,200 man but it must have sold because this week when we visited the flags were gone.

A flower salesman with his donkey walking the streets of Kamakura

Below a sample of Japanese English on the sign in the bus to Shinjuku.

Reiko's photos showing in Shinjuku

Reiko Shibata spent 4 years traveling all over Japan and photographing women from many countries who are making their lives in Japan with Japanese husbands. Above is a British friend who lives in Kyushu and yes she is a priest.
I am on the top right and just below me is another British friend who lives in Hokkaido.
Left is a Korean lady who lives near us and we called her over to our place for the photo shoot. Top left on double row is my dear friend who has left Japan.
This is my friend of 34 years who visited the showing with me. We met in California when Jack was a student there and I was teaching Japanese housewives.
Here I pose with Reiko. Above is my photo and below is my Hokkaido friend again.

Ema again!

Ema is developing quite an interesting personality. Lots of new expressions.


Her first new taste besides mother's milk is licking on an apple.
She fell asleep so daddy could eat.

Goodbye Epson/ last of skiing

My Epson digital camera I used for so many years took the last photo of the Benz above. Jack wanted to take another photo and I handed him the camera thinking he had ahold of it and he thinking I was still holding it. It dropped on the cement and bent the pop out lens. So it is now garbage. Andy and Waka gave me their old one which is much better so after today the photo here will be from that camera.
I just can get over the penguin style of the young snowboarders! Of course with their feet both stuck on the board, I guess they don't need long legs!
Ema with her mommy and below with me. Notice how our colors match! Pink and Brown!

Our men loading up the van to return home.

Marunuma Kogen cont.

Here we all are at the top. The little yellow house behind is where we had lunch.

The red roof is where the gondola brings us up.

Jack, Steve (Andy's doctor friend who went with us)and Andy ready to ski down.

Lunch time on the top!

Instead of fighting the crowds down at the main lodge we came to the top for lunch. I walked around with Ema and was quite a hit!


This little nook behind our booth was the perfect place for Ema to get her lunch!

Old stuff misc.

Ema likes to sit on her daddy's lap and see what is going on. No way will she sit in a baby seat to watch us eat. She still doesn't want to eat anything except suck on an apple occasionally.
Andy trying to ski with Ema. It was hard on his back and threw his balance off.

Sad moment at Narita when we said goodbye to Nami, Koji and Ka-chan. Next time we see them will be at Koji's graduation the last week of May.

Ema with Sweetheart

Ema isn't sure what she thinks about my jumbo Sweetheart Orangatang. When I bought all my beanie babies and buddies, I got a lot of raised eyebrows from the family. However now everyone admits my granddaughters are going to enjoy my collection.

Tunnels finished.

A nice view of Mt. Fuji at sundown time.
This door behind the guy in the black jacket is the only hint that you don't just have a mountain of rock behind.
Have to bend down to keep from hitting your head...but we have to realize the Japanese men of over 60 years ago were shorter than the men of today. Below is the only door in the tunnel system. All the rocks they took out of here are what went into the bay to make the flat area where many of the Navy base activities are.

Tunnels cont.

These walls show what a task it was for those Japanese to make these tunnels.

I understand all of the rocks taken out of here are what made the housing and commissary area of Yukosuka Navy base.

Water undergroud?

This is how Ema was carried in the underground tunnels
Why is everyone going up these steps and then what are they looking at?
There were two places where they got their water in the tunnel. Above was the hole and below was the hole on the rise that everyone was walking up to peer into.
Looking down into the raised hole. The water looks so clean, but we didn't dare taste it.