Ueno Zoo.

Today is the day we go back to Tokyo. We decided last night it would be a good idea. Let's see how this goes....

The train ride would have been better if Mama and Daddy hadn't forgotten Mama's PASMO card along with the rest of her wallet. This has happened one other time when we bring Daddy's backpack instead Mama's purse, nuts. After 8 different atm machines and 3 different banks, Daddy  finally pulled out some money, so we could make it home (and eat and play). With the stress relieved, we continued on to have an amazing day in Tokyo.

Ueno Park is much like Balboa Park in San Diego. It is full of culture, arts, museums, and tourists. There is a shrine and a temple, a zoo and an aqua center (aquarium), multiple playgrounds, live entertainment, street vendors, a little pond (like Green Lake in Seattle) and the best people watching besides an airport. We enjoy live music while I am on the swing and Mama and Daddy were breathing a sign of relief.

Lunch! Somehow we missed it! "I hungry. Noodles? Snacks? We eat now?" We find a suitable restaurant after passing windows of what we could only imagine is dog food. Well, there were windows of Ramen, but we wanted a new experience. Here, we find the menu on the wall like in many Japanese restaurants.

So hungry! We dig right in. Mama's favorite are pot stickers. Everything else is good too! I eat the whole egg mixed with noodles from Daddy's Ramen-ish dish. These noodle are spicy, but I've always liked spicy. I also finish all of Mama's soup. She shared with me and the next time she looked over, it was nearly gone. I love the kale and seaweed in most soups here. I could stay in Japan forever.... "Soup here. Kami's bowl here. More noodles, Daddy? Here, please. Egg too. This egg, this noodle. I eat them. Noodles for you? More soup. Mmm mmm. Water too. Spicy noodles hot. Water please. More rice, too."

Museums, temples, and the shrine are all fun to see and not as busy as the rest of the park.

There is a celebration going on today! While Daddy is out hunting for an ATM, Mama and I see a mini parade. 20 men with no pants on are carrying a box like the arc of the covenant. 10 men are in front of them with a huge drum and a few other instruments. A few women and more men with no pants (only white underwears) follow silently. They leave the temple and we follow them as far as we could. Looks like the are going up into a restaurant. I look at Mama for an explanation and she has none. She just shrugs her shoulders and says, "Those were some big drums." Maybe they have a picnic in that box? Daddy has the camera, so we can't ask for second opinions about the situation. Oh well.

Despite the loud celebration down at the temple, the shrine is very serene. The big pillars look like bird houses. I wonder if there are any babies in there?

Finally, the zoo!!! It is only an hour until closing. Mama and Daddy decide to do it anyway! I'm taking a snooze so they know they can book it through. Did Daddy forget deodorant today?? Or maybe he has a salmon in his pocket? This polar bear is looking and sniffing around....

Cool elephant map! Mama wanted to go back, but we didn't have time. "This would be cool for homeschooling," she thinks out loud. 

Monkeys mountain! These ones were wrestling and causing a ruckus.

Ebony the hippo! She is so cute. The animals were being moved into their indoor enclosures, but Mama and Daddy still made it around to them all. 

I wake up in time for the Jackass Penguins. It's on the sign. Is that a strange translation? Nope, apparently, they can make a noise like a donkey. "Jack box pengin? More pengin. Jack box pengin right there!"

See, right on the sign...

We take a family photo by the elephant picture. The man who took it was pretty funny about the whole thing. He took one, then got down to a low crouching position to get a better angle? Well, his dedication definitely made Mama laugh. "More pengins, please."

Mama asks Daddy to take one of us. This is the best one. "Oh dear," Mama says.

"More pandas! Nother picture? Camera here. I sitting here. Ready."

Before the train, I get to play. Mama tells me to go get my wiggles out. Japanese mommies are so helpful and they all want to see me have fun. This caterpillar moves kind of like a rocking horse. They spot me carefully even though I can do it myself. Silly mamas.

Wait, today is not complete, yet! I wanted to see some arm wrestling! Oh, here it is. Of course there is just random arm wrestling tables set up in the park. Hilarious! "Wrassle? They ok? Mama, ok?" Daddy assures me they are just having fun. I don't like it when people look like they are hurting, like when Daddy picks up Mama, when Mama goes to the chiropractor, or when somebody winces or says ouch. "You ok?" I ask and nod my head hoping they do the same.

Alright, we feel like we REALLY experienced many sides of Tokyo today. We will never see it all, but this was a great start. Goodbye Tokyo.... until next time.

Verny Park.

Today is the day we find a secret entrance onto base.

Verny Park= A memorial built for Leonce Verny. He is remembered in Japan as a symbol of modernization and friendship with France. 

"Verny was appointed chief administrator and constructor of the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal in 1865. Yokosuka was chosen because it was a well protected inlet, in close proximity to Yokohama and Tokyo. Verny also helped in the negotiations for the First French Military Mission to Japan, consisting of military advisors under Jules Brunet to help train and re-equip the Tokugawa army from 1867, and to assist it in theBoshin War against the Satchō Alliance." -Wikipedia 

Mama and I ride the JR today. It is different than the train we most often ride. They all look the same to me, though. "Train! Train! People on the train. Boy on the train. I see over there. This train? I on it. Own seat? I sit here."

Verny Park is right outside the Yokosuka JR station. The park is blooming with roses right now and it's a popular destination for native Japanese, military personnel, and other expats alike. Mostly, it is a nice park to walk through on your way to another destination. 

Mama sees water, ships, and roses as soon as she steps foot out of the station. There are plenty of people to take our picture. For a while, I enjoy a light snooze.

Mama is negotiating with a man on where to stand for a picture. I wake up to see if I can help. He positions her, then snaps a photo and directs us to another spot. "This better here," he says. "No, wait, turn from the sun." He speaks enough English that we understand, but his mannerisms are 100% traditional Japanese. Mama giggles a little but lets him carry out his task with our camera in hand. Here are two of his perfect pictures. These took four minutes a piece. Not knowing what time is it, we are not in a rush. 

The pictures turn out well and it was a fun interaction. Japanese are usually very helpful and go out of their way if you ask them for help, well, most of the time. 

I spot the playground from here and go from groggy to hyper in two seconds flat. Mama releases my wiggling body and I run ahead. "I fast. You comin? I see the park. Kids at the park! Friends? Let's go!" My arms swing back and forth so fast that I'm twisting side to side as I run. I think I am faster when I do this. Daddy says my form needs a little adjusting. 

"Friend! A boy. He ride too? Kami's seat. Your seat."  

Immersing myself in the swarm of playground kids, I get a little stuck on the ladder. Luckily, everyone is moving as slowly as I am. Eventually, we all sort it out. The mamas stand back and watch. 

Back to the modified see-saw. This thing is great! Mama tries it out too.

Back and forth to the different structures for a while. Every playground here is just a little bit unusual. I love learning to climb here!

Miss Brittany told Mama about a new gate onto base. We march off in search of it. Found it! So much closer than we expected. "Bye bye mall. Bye bye water. Look, a baby. Baby eating. I hungry. Goldfish? Apple?"

During our snack, I find lots of ants. "Ant here. Nother ant here. More ants! I pick it up. Wait. Moving fast. Ant fast. Hold still. No ants, too hard." Then, we sit on one more playground ride before the bus.

I love Yokosuka playgrounds!

Hiroyama Park.

Today we get to go on the bus and the train to see Baby Sally. Sally!!!

Mama knows we are walking lots today, so we take a bus to the JR station. "Flowers! Lots of flowers. I see them there. We can look at flowers?" 

"Train, I on it! Here, we go now. Ok, I ready. Not moving? Go train. Go train." 
"The train will move in a minute, Kami Pie. Let's take a picture."

Zushi station comes fast. I see baby Sally! She is in a backpack with her Mama. There is another baby. His name is Kato and his Mama speaks three languages. Kato says one word, ba. Ba is for ball.

We walk and talk. Well, the mamas are talking and I add a few words here and there. The babies fall asleep. "Stairs. I see stairs on mountain. Up the stairs? Down, please." Mama chooses to hike the stairs on her own despite my request. Secretly, I am glad. The playground comes much faster this way! Kato and Sally want to play!

I meet a new friend and hold her hand. The mamas ooo and ahhh while they snap a million pictures. My new friend likes the slide, so I follow her for a little bit.

"Look ducks! I go there. Quack, quack, quack. Mama, I go in there." I try to climb over the barrier to get into the duck enclosure. Mama decides this is not a good idea so she scoops my squirming self up and plops me over by the rooster cage. "Doodle-do, doodle-do. One, two, fee, four, five, six, seven." I count seven roosters, but I counted one of them three times. Mama says there are only four roosters. Learning to count is hard.

Monkeys are next. I run the direction Mama points. Eventually, she catches up. "Monkey mama, monkey baby. EEEE eee oooo. Monkeys!" I'm looking at the monkeys running up and down their logs. The baby monkey is on the mama monkey. The big monkey comes up to us to see what we are doing. I keep looking back for the babies. Sally and Kato just want to walk, they don't care about monkeys.

I try to show them what I see. "Look, there is one. Nother one. Monkey is jumping! Jumping monkey! Sally, see? Kato, here. I stand here. Kato standing here. Sally, come here."

"All done. I see stairs. I climbing stairs. You coming?" I run toward the huge stairs and try to figure out a way down. Each stair is up to my belly button. Mama leaves me to figure it out while she looks out over the water. Beautiful views are everywhere here and Mama tries to show me. "No tink you. I climbing!"

Down LOTS of stairs and to the train we go. When we go hiking in Japan, it always includes stairs. I'm glad Mama is strong. I see the train coming. "Here it comes. Okey dokey. I on it. Own seat? Own seat, Mama?" See opts to stand with my in the backpack. The train is vibrating and bumpy. I hug Mama from behind. My eyes close.