Traveling to Japan is a big trip. Similar to going to Hawaii but you are stuck on a plane for 11 to 14 hours, which would be fine if your legs didn't hit the seat in front of you.
Japan can be thought of as opposite world. The maps in English are made by people to don't understand the difference between the true map and a mirror image of the map, so everything is the opposite of what it says. You drive on the right side of the road. You read from right to left, so you start a book from the back. Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world and shops are closed at 5:00 pm. Not only that but they open at 10 or 11 in the morning and many restaurants are closed from 2 to 5.
This is Hiroshima before 8:15 am August 6 1945.
This is Hiroshima after 8:15 am.
This orange place is Miyajima Shrine, it would look pretty awesome at high tide because the water comes in under it and makes it look as though it is floating. You get the idea with the group picture in front of the torii gate.
Gabrielle is pretty cute except when she rides in the car for 6 hours. Strangely her head is smaller than Makili's. I was expecting her to be bigger than she was because the last time I saw her she seemed so huge compared to Makili. Now that I am home Makili's head seems even bigger. I was taking a picture of him and his head takes up half the frame and then the rest of him takes up the other half. I guess we can make jokes about him being big headed or full of himself later in life. Soon they will meet again, and it will probably end up with more crying like the first time.
Tokyo vending machine
Gabe says that one thing he really likes about Japan is that you will almost always be given a picture or visual representation of what you are going to eat when you order it. The thing is when the food comes to you it looks that good, sometimes better. Presentation is important no matter what restaurant you go to.
Tokyo lights
