… the same places over and over again!
I had 9 days off in a row one after the other consecutively: like a row of dominoes, each day fell quickly and toppled in to the next … and were rectangular, white, and had assorted black dots on them … unless you have those black dominoes with assorted white dots on them … then it was just like that!
My snake wrangling sister and her son came: so I polished off the bells and whistles (they were a bit dusty … and quiet), pulled out all the stops (hidden behind the Christmas ornament in the closet), and gave them the planetross super deluxe grand tour de forcefulness.
It’s kind of nice revisiting places, especially with people who haven’t been there before.
It makes me look like I know something!
… and we had a rubber chicken which always comes in handy.
In Nikko, I know that the chance of actually seeing the “sacred white horse” in it’s stable is slim; I know what shrines and temples are included on the one day ticket; I even know where the monkeys are! (usually)
In Matsumoto, I know the castle has a secret floor, all the staircases are in separate locations on each floor, and the staircases rise at angles between 55 and 61 degrees.
I knew that if I didn’t take pictures of the old guns inside Prairie Flounder and Turkish Prawn would be disappointed.
I also know that taking pictures of things in glass cases doesn’t usually work too well for me.
I know cicadas are noisy little bastards everywhere! (random fact … consider it a bonus)
In Hiroshima, I know that I took the right exit when I see the “Boo Foo Woo” supermarket sign and the “Gush” sign … that I still have no idea about what they are selling.
Possibly there are other “Boo Foo Woo” supermarkets at the other Hiroshima exits, but so far I’ve been lucky.
I know it’s the #2 tram that takes people to the ferry going to Miyajima; I know the seats on the trams make me bounce up and down in a silly way; I know that I really should start checking when the damn tide will be in!
I know the A-bomb dome is pretty hard to miss at night too!
It’s amazing to think that I feel more comfortable driving in to Hiroshima than cities back at home: Vancouver is still a mystery to me.
I know that something in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum will make me think about the bigger picture and how lucky I’ve been … and that life is fleeting and you better enjoy it while you can because you never know what card will be dealt next.
In Kanazawa, I know that the same staff will be sweeping the same paths at the Kenrokuen Garden.
I know I will stick my head into this thing outside the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art on every visit.
I know I sweat a lot and am possibly getting a bit thin up top! Thanks for mentioning it! (the sweat is real, but the thinning hair could be a trick of light possibly)
I know I will see cool art/statues/posters around the city … that I didn’t see the last time.
I know that if a family member is with me, I’ll probably have to ask random people to do random silly things in front of the camera … and they will say yes.
I know I know I know. I’ve been there before.
note: If you come to Japan keep a bit of bread in your pocket because you’ll probably come across hungry carp in ponds somewhere when you least expect it.
double note: we also saw the Nagaoka fireworks and the Numata Matsuri … but I always go to those things … so I won’t mention them here. I think the “snake wrangler” and “son of snake wrangler” had a good time: typhoonish weather, a little earthquake, a 5 hour traffic jam, and enough lightning to power a lightning storm rounded out the trip.
I Am The Cheese 
I haven’t commented for ages (probably cos I’ve got no idea what half your posts are about!), but I’ve been reading from afar.
Everywhere you go looks brilliant.
What I want to know is…was there a little man ( or a bug like creature) underground playing that pipe/trombone/tuba/metal tube? The blogging community need to know…
Some great photos of a beautiful country. When I went to the Peace Park museum in Nagasaki I saw a soldiers helmet, or was it a soup bowl, like that one & it had the top section of the wearers skull fused to the inside from the intense heat. It was such a moving & sad place. War really sucks.
That tricycle needs a serious dose of KIllrust.
The rubber chook was a nice touch, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen one with a head & not all chewed to pieces, lucky for the chook you didn’t have Dixie visiting. Your lucky the two Samurai blokes didn’t use it to lop off your head. Isn’t it a Samurai tradition that if you draw your rubber chook from it’s scabbard you must draw blood with it before you put it away???
I hope the underground tuba player didn’t blow it while your head was in there.
Goodness me this comment has turned into it’s own blog post
Glad you had nice trip. It’s good to take visiting family to places where you have already been. No surprises except for the tide being out.
The rubber chicken was an added touch. Otherwise, your photos would have looked very touristy.
all I got to say Ross, is… I want to hold your rubber chicken!! lolz
*ahem* sorry…
The pictures are cool. the story about the boy on the tricycle, so sad. I’m glad you had a great time, I know your family was happy you pulled out all the stops for them.
Who knew there were so many rubber chickens in Japan? Are they indigenous there?
Not surprised you found something to stick your head into. Perhaps that’s why your hair is thining a bit. Oops. Did I say that out loud?
I heart the “Boo Foo Woo” sign. I think I will say that next time somebody is groaning and whinging to me.
Thanks for all the comments.
Cynical Scribble: Thanks. The horn like things are scattered around outside of a museum. I think there are little men inside that repeat what you say when you talk into them! My sister found one with a woman inside!!!!
…Maybe “Echo and the Bunnymen” are inside! … or “Bunnywomen”.
Tony: I visited Nagasaki about 8 years ago, but the museum was closed because it was around New Years.
It’s my sister’s rubber chicken. I think it is work related and goes with people on holidays. Dragging silly things around the world, taking photos of them, and writing stories about their adventures sounds really strange. hee hee!
Tammy: I even have secret parking spaces at a few of these places!!!
The rubber chicken was almost on its way to Newfoundland, but my sister tracked it down just in time!
sweetiegirlz: hey! it’s not my rubber chicken!
I think my nephew is planning to come back again next year for “The Numata Matsuri/Festival”. That was his highlight.
S. Le: yes you did! I’m working on a video and my principle photographer/director keeps informing me to keep the top of my head out of the shot. World premiere coming soon … hopefully. I kind of want to keep my whole body out of the shots. hee hee!
“Boo Foo Woo!”
Thanks for all the photos. I love the rubber chicken. What a great idea, so good an idea that I might just steal it.
Every time I see the A-bomb dome it reminds my of the first I went there. I’d been hitch hiking all night and was dropped off at Peace Park just outside of the A-bomb dome just at the very first light of the day.
It was a little misty and a bit eerie. On the grass under a shrub was a tatami mat that was covering a guy. At first in the distance I couldn’t really make out that it was completely covering a person but as I moved in closer I noticed a fast repetitive beating motion in the middle of the mat.
I guess he figured that if he couldn’t see anything, nobody could see him.
It was all too surreal and sometimes I wonder if I actual saw it or it was a dream. Actually, that would be a disturbing dream, I think I prefer that it was real.
razzbuffnik: maybe he was making paper cranes! hee hee!
How’d those guys at the end get hold of your chicken? Did they chick-nap him?
I love your travelogues. The tricycle part is so sad, though. Like you say, we don’t know how lucky we are.