Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel

... and headed to a bar named Dukes afterwards. A lot of S@Sers were already there when we arrived and we had a great time hanging out before they kicked us out because they were closing. I met up with Andrea at the bar and when we were leaving Duke's I got separated from the twelve I came with and didn't see them till I got back to the hotel. They ended up going to Denny's for a late night snack but Andrea and I headed out to another bar. Andrea went to the ...

... animal seems to be the mascot of the park, and had a fair crowd around it, but I couldnt see the attraction. The only other animal worth mentioning is the Mongolian Wild Ass, but only because I like the name. The actual animal is just a donkey. From there we made our way to the exit. We could have taken several of the nature walks, such as the rainforest walk, which would probably have been very nice ...

... skills gradually. To be honest I don't know what to expect next. We leave to seto in 5hrs. I think we may stay in one of the rooms in the church but am not quite sure yet. We are so grateful for whatever we can get though. I know that we have been pretty spoiled in Becky's house. She gave us our own room, fed us food (great cook by the way) and taught us the basics about teaching. I feel a lot more ready to teach a class. Seto here we come! You better watch out:) Michael

We interrupt this Kyoto travelogue for a brief foray into the world of Japanese textile arts! Last Friday, I went to the Tokyo Quilt Festival, an annual event at the Tokyo Dome. It was my second time attending, as I went with my mother last year while she was visiting. I think there were fewer people this year (on the day I went, at least) but that impression may simply be a result of my having become inured to Tokyo ...

... every homeroom and every student contributed something to a time capsule. The capsule was buried on the school premises and would be unearthed twenty years later. Huh? Was my initial response. I did not remember that we took part in such an event. I telephoned an old classmate and friend of mine, Yuusuke. I asked him about the time capsule and if he would be willing to come. "Don't you remember when our teacher ...

... was Rock Flower Road, or as I like to call it- Gamblers Row! There were rows of what looked like huge arcades with gads of people waiting outside them. I finally saw a sign that said Pachinko, and we knew what we were seeing. I'm starting to wonder if they have purposefully delayed the opening of businesses to allow the Japanese to "invest in the economy" through gambling before facing the day of work. Our next destination was Kappabashi. This ...

... mini police huts all over with a single police man just standing outside. They don't have weapons, just nightsticks, and they often ride bikes instead of having cars. Apparently most crime in Japan is attributed (without any real basis) to foreigners and they like to bother you if you are out late or riding a bike that may be stolen or something. But nothing really to worry about they are just bored and may want to practice English. 8. Most buildings aren't actually very ...

... 200 per person a night. We splurged and ended up paying about $50 per person. A super deal if you have heard how expensive Tokyo is. We raided the hotel room mini-bar and went out to see the city. Tokyo never goes to sleep! We arrived at Shibuya, the "Time Square" of Tokyo. It was full of people and midnight. Furthermore, we got to go thru the busiest train station in the world and it was swamped with people (oh, and it is all under ground ...

... photo of two Israeli soldiers and a tank were seen. The photo was striking in that it looked as if it was coming right at ya, and the Israeli flag commanded your attention on the screen as it dominated the image. *** My camera will do most of the talking today. My brain is mush after trying to understand the 27 different plans and options and exceptions for my new cell phone while at the electronics store today.

It's cold here today. It's as cold as it gets in our winter and yet it's only autumn. It snows here in winter and while it would bring a very magical feel to the place, it would be very very cold. I think I would need to wear Eskimo clothes if I were to visit in the winter time. Today we ventured once more to Ginza but with more of a purpose this time around. Wako, a small yet expensive department store, had an exhibition on that Mum and Auntie were keen to see. Unlike the ...