We started off the day with putting up our Christmas tree! We are having Thanksgiving dinner at our house with 3 other American families on Monday, so we wanted the house to be decorated. Our tradition, ever since our first year of marriage, is to decorate for Christmas Thanksgiving day or that weekend (depending on how busy we are turkey day).
As soon as the tree was done, Curtis was itching to go bike riding (imagine that). We rode our bikes to the highest point in our area to get a view of Mt. Fuji. This time of the year is a great time to view Fuji from a far, because the skies are very clear. Most of the time you can't see it due to the smog. In the picture below, Fuji is about 50 miles away (as the crow flies). You might think...it's just a volcano...big deal, but when I walked up the hill and turned around to see it..it took my breath away. I had never seen it with snow on top. It is so massive and really quite breath taking. Our God is so amazing to create the things He does.
Then we were off traveling through Yamashita Park and on....
Everyone was intrigued by our trailer for Avery. They don't have these in Japan. I rode my bike behind Curtis which was a bad idea. Everyone we passed were so busy staring at the trailer that they didn't pay attention to the fact that I was coming to. But it was fun to watch their reactions. They seemed to really like it.
We came up to the Red Brick Park in Yokohoma where a festival was going on. I found someone who spoke English and asked what kind of festival it was. Come to find out, it was the Festival of Modern Art that only occurs about once every 3 years. How lucky were we to come across that. There were some crafts, food, and dancing. Avery and I sat and watched several Japanese dances, Hawaiian dances, and a Hawaiian band that consisted of all females. I loved the Japanese dancing...it was really neat. One of the dancers tried to get Avery involved, but Avery would have nothing of it. So she just gave Avery a hand clapper thing to shake while they danced.
Then we biked home. Overall we biked about 12 miles and my rump is SORE!!! and my legs are aching. I need a lot more practice.
3 comments:
How lucky are y'all? One day you will look back on this & know it was a great choice to take this job/adventure. I was hoping you would pack all the sight seeing in you could while there & I do believe you're doing a pretty good job of that...lol! The tree is real pretty, do they observe Christmas over there? Would be cool if you could get each of you a Japanese ornament for a momento.
I've always marveled at their writing & how that works. I'll be expecting you to tell me about that. Can you write anything, like your name? I think I would have enjoyed watching the dancing stuff too. Did Avery get to keep the clapper thingy? OK, y'all keep on having fun & have a wonderful Thanksgiving day with your friends! See you soon...
Christmas is a kind of funny story for Japan. They don't celebrate it, but all the stores decorate for it - big time. Since they don't have a Thanksgiving Holiday, they decorate for Christmas the day after Halloween (so we are a couple weeks late). The girls at teh local grocery store were wearing Merry Christmas hats on Nov. 1st. Deana is on top of the ornaments too - we already hance them...
Writing is complicated over here. They have three different styles. The one you are referring to is by far the most difficult (Kanji). One symbol can mean a word or even phrase, where the other two styles are similar to the alphabet (one symbol is one sound). I'll explain it when I come home. I am learing to write it, but it is HARD!!! I'll be doing good to be able to write my name by Christmas.
That's awesome that you all were able to see Mt. Fuji! I'm sure the pictures don't do it justice! We miss you!
Ed, Corynn, & Cambree
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