What do you eat at a Cat Cafe?

You eat pizza, it turns out. Or curry, or rice, depending on what you’re craving. There are even more choices for drinks. With many iced choices on the menu, it is a great place to visit on a hot summer afternoon. One can order tea, coffee, soda, or food, or simply forget all that and […]

Tara in Iwakuni and Sanzoku (Chicken Shack)

On Sunday my T was still dealing with jet lag and reluctant to get out into the heat again. We made easy plans to go shopping in downtown Iwakuni and then to watch movies (Best of Monty Python’s Flying Circus) and have some mother-daughter bonding time. Again, we enjoyed finding grocery stores to wander through, […]

My girlie comes to Japan

While waiting for her bag, she walked up to her side and put her hand on the glass, and I put my hand over hers on my side of the glass.

Route to Fujisan

I have wanted to climb Mt. Fuji for many many years. I don’t know how it got into my head.

Kiyomizu Temple made me late!

It’s not my fault: Japan is too beautiful and amazing to take a quick look then scurry back to the bus.

Sagano Romantic Train and Arashiyama

Nothing says Japan like a row of overweight raccoons in sombreros.

Kyoto temples and city culture

I just can’t get over the perpetual “cuteness” permeating Japan. Street signs are cute, construction barriers are cute, billboards are cute, and middle-school girls are made of pure confectioner’s sugar.

Kintaikyo Bridge and Iwakuni Castle

How did I accidentally get in a tour group? By not understanding Japanese, that’s how.

Shinkansen from end to end

I hadn’t even time to settle into Iwakuni when it was time to hit the road again. Or, should I say, hit the rails, because I traveled by train. The Shinkansen is called the bullet train for good reason. It’s FAST! I envisioned spending my day leaned back in a comfortable seat, gazing out the […]

Shinjuku, then Iwakuni

I was never so glad to have an actual bed, rather than trying to sleep upright in cramped airplane seats.