Osaka Day 1: May 14

We left Tokyo this morning and boarded a 3 hours train ride to Osaka. By bus the trip would take 9 hours, but the bullet trains can reach almost 300 miles per hour so we quickly made our way to Okasa. The trains or Shinkasen travel so fast that you can easily get motion sick just looking out the window if you don't focus on an object in the distance. The trains in Japan are so clean and nice. It's a great way to travel around the country.


All over the train and metro stations you'll find kiosk selling snacks and bento boxes. A bento box contains an assortment of food and treats organized in a little box. Here's the one we shared. The most unique item to us in our box was octopus tenticles.


After we checked into the Hotel Nikko Osaka my the daughter, Yaku, of a friend of my grandma's friend met us to give us a tour of the city. She was so kind and gracious even though she said she has never walked so much in one day. We went all over the place and a few times back and forth to the same places. Our first stop was the Osaka Tower where we got a 360 degree view of the city.


Here is the tower behind Katrina and Me.


After the tower we went to the Doguyasuji shopping area which is like an indoor market with shops and booths doing countless alleys. The alleys connect to the larger shopping centers and malls as well as the famous Dotonbori street where you are supposed to eat until you drop. This is where you can order large crab legs from street vendors and try some puffer fish. We didn't have time tonight, but hope to make it back tomorrow.






Around 9pm we found a restaurant where we could order modanyaki and okonmiyaki. Cooked right on the table in front of you, similar to tepanyaki, I had pork modanyaki. It was so yummy and must be slightly healthy considering the majority of the meal is cooked cabbage. Although, the likely unhealthy sauce on top does make it taste so great.

Tokyo Day 2: May 13

Mt Fuji & Hakone Tour:
We started our tour going to Mt. Fuji where we stopped at the 5th station which is the highest point you can drive up the mountain. I think it's about 7000 ft in elevation. We learned that you can only climb Mt. Fuji in the summer months from July through August, but the climb only takes about 6 to 8 hours and can be completed in one day unless you want to see the sunrise which you would need two days.


Traditional Japanese lunch with our suprise box full of an assortment of Japanese delicacies. Here we tried jelly fish for the first time and it wasn't bad. A bit crunchy and I thought it was cabbage at first.




After lunch we took a cable car up to the hot springs to see the current volcanic activity in the area. The springs are heated by the steam from the active volcano.


Boat ride to Hakone on Lake Ashi. We saw a Shinto Shrine on the waters edge and enjoyed the scenic ride across the lake.




From Hakone we took a Shinkasen or bullet train back to Tokyo and finished the night in the Harajuku District. This is where you'll find all the young people of Japan shopping and hanging out late at night. It was a great place to people watch and you'll find girls dressed up in all sorts of Harajuku costumes.

Tokyo Day 1: May 12

Tsujuki Fish Market:
We started our morning at Tsujuki Fish Market. A series of warehouses line the streets with alleys of shops, sushi and delicious food.


For breakfast we had an assortment of sushi including sea urchin, eel, scallops, shrimp, tuna and a few things we didn't know what they were but they were delicious none the less.


After the fish market we walked to the Hama Rikyu Gardens. They were once the Imperial gardens that also served as a vacation spot for the Shogun and his family during the Edo period in Japan.


The grounds of the garden was full of beautiful bridges, tea houses, a mini Mt Fuji, a 300 year old pine tree, cranes, and a moat. It was a nice place to stroll and enjoy a peaceful, relaxing part of Tokyo.


We finished our day on Ginza Street. This is like the Rodeo Drive or Chames Elysse of Tokyo with countless high-end clothing, jewelry, and accessories. It was a lot of fun, but after a day of non-stop walking we were exhausted.

Christmas Card 2010

Our 2010 Christmas card. We tried to send them to everyone, but if it didn't make it to you please send us your address. We had several returned to us and would love to send you one next year.

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

Powerful Beyond Measure

I came across a list of favorite quotes today and I really like this one from Mandela. What a self-esteem boost.

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

-Nelson Mandela

ARMENIA 2010

For the first two weeks of June Brennan and I studied abroad in Armenia as part of a Global Health Program through the U. It has been an intense couple of months between course work before and research papers after the trip. We have loved every minute of it and hope to have a long-term connection to the program and to Armenia. I secretly hope we can go back to the country several more times over the course of our lives. The people we met and built relationships with were amazing. I put a video together for our families to sum up the trip and thought I would share it here. On our way back from Armenia we spent 2 days in Paris and actually managed to fit in all of the major sites. Then we were off to San Diego 4 days after we got back. Traveling for an entire month with Brennan was wonderful. I can't wait for our next adventure.