tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206949212024-03-07T01:54:56.735-08:00Debi Stitchesdebijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.comBlogger941125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-30004969562348083272018-03-10T18:13:00.001-08:002018-03-10T18:13:24.471-08:00Memories<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E2pAslx5az8" width="480"></iframe><br />
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I loved this when it first posted and love it just as much now. Have to watch it every time it rolls around again.<br />
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This time I realized that the only one of the composers I didn't see live was John Denver. I saw Dolly's first ever concert (to see if she was up to doing live shows; sheesh) and saw Willie at the Santa Barbara Bowl when we still sat on the cement.<br />
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Fun times. Long past.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-83926288446074955262018-03-06T22:07:00.000-08:002018-03-07T17:03:31.212-08:00Whale Waves.Getting my mojo back.<br />
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Things are coming together for my surgery two weeks from today, so I decided I could take a day away to decompress. There was a time when I would head to Disneyland for any much needed R&R, but while I still enjoy the place, it doesn't refill my spirit the way it used to.<br />
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For that, I head to the sea.<br />
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Not the beach. Sticky sand has no appeal. But to board my little yacht friend, the Azure Seas, at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara causes an immediate reduction in my blood pressure and a spike in my happiness.<br />
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Today was especially gorgeous. I could see the islands clearly the entire route along the coast. I got a parking place right next to the ticket kiosk, bought a ticket for a whale watch, then strolled down to my favorite gift shop, The Devil in the Deep Blue Sea, to pick up odds and ends (lovely ones, of course) for my family room renovation. The owners of this little shop are delightful conversationalists and I love to visit.<br />
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I've been on several whale watches with the crew of the Azure Seas, but have seen whales only once. Pods of dolphins, herds of sea lions, sea gulls, cormorants and pelicans, but not usually whales. I don't mind. I just love being out there. The little yacht holds only 42 passengers but today there were far fewer. Santa Barbara businesses are still hurting from first the Thomas Fire and then the hideous mudslides that crashed through Montecito. so they were at fewer than half capacity today.<br />
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It was a relaxed, happy party rather than a crowd that left the wharf for a couple of hours - we thought - of scanning the horizon for spouts.<br />
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Actually, it took less than half an hour to spot our first, and then they came constantly for over an hour.<br />
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Gray whales.<br />
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The Azure Seas now has a naturalist on board, a young man who once worked for a whale research facility and shared just the right number of interesting facts. Not so many as to destroy the blessed quiet of our little voyage but enough to enhance our understanding of the significance of our experience. We learned...<br />
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There are about 26,000 gray whales currently making their way up the coast from Baja to Alaska.<br />
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They are shy and cautious, much more so than the hunchback who are more playful and acrobatic.<br />
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They usually travel alone, except for the mothers with their calves.<br />
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Which is why the rest of our trip was so magical.<br />
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We learned that what we were seeing was not one solitary gray whale, but one adult plus one mother/calf pair. Traveling together. Which is unusual.<br />
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Another thing that was unusual was that while our boat was traveling quietly at only slightly more than an idle and maintaining a parallel to the shoreline, the whales were getting closer and closer.<br />
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Finally, and much to the delight of the crew (especially the naturalist) and passengers, this trio "chose" to cruise along with us for a while.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The white "shadows" just under the surface are the whales.<br />
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Such a thrill. They stayed with us for several minutes. As soon as the captain announced that since the whales were being so cooperative we would stay with them, they disappeared and didn't rejoin us.<br />
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But wow, we had such a moving hour of watching them.<br />
debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-27545198028663802132018-02-27T09:30:00.002-08:002018-02-27T09:44:21.468-08:00Damage<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ROt9hElCgXI" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Can't shake this.<br />
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Having a rough time shaking this funk. So unusual for me. I don't think I can remember a time when I've been low for more than a day or two or maybe three, but I'm an optimist most of the time and have always managed to step into the sunshine pretty quickly.<br />
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Apparently this week I get to wallow in damage for a while. Yesterday the damage I've done. Today the damage done to me.<br />
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So exhausting. What a waste of time.<br />
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All conditional. And pointless to dwell on. If I could apologize for childhood damages, I would. Apologies for damage done to me are out of reach.<br />
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Fortunately, I do have a helpful Universe.<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Ready, Freddie</span>.<br />
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And <em>Coco</em> was released today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafui63Wx4LCXKJYqakF6yKBuxjMCyoH_whussUr_YAw4l-tklHvyMHp33LAo10N3v9PtbVRgwagS34eU388nRQyy8Wlgzq0NqIXdlouHemyTSTYDBlm45RKoj-wSxaSeS34YsDQ/s1600/28378456_10215598202327059_8181055059081431698_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgafui63Wx4LCXKJYqakF6yKBuxjMCyoH_whussUr_YAw4l-tklHvyMHp33LAo10N3v9PtbVRgwagS34eU388nRQyy8Wlgzq0NqIXdlouHemyTSTYDBlm45RKoj-wSxaSeS34YsDQ/s320/28378456_10215598202327059_8181055059081431698_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Jerrod Maruyama. LOVE his stuff. Have quite a lot, actually, including a couple of signed prints. What a delightful guy!</span></em></td></tr>
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And chocolate. And if it warms up by this afternoon, the garden.<br />
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For now, it better be the gym and errands after a phone call.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-9507850893047910552018-02-19T16:20:00.000-08:002018-02-19T16:20:22.541-08:00Stress......is all about the ouch.<br />
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I have a tall, slender friend who is, most of the time, vertical. But then, there are times (often right around tax time, actually) when he assumes a more angular stance. Like, 45 degrees or more from the waist. He says stress always settles in his back.<br />
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For me, it's the TMJ.<br />
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My jaw locks up.<br />
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The last time I had issues with the joint it took a year before I could enjoy a good yawn.<br />
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<img alt="Image result for woman yawn clip art" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcT0WFfC1QC3yhOmbKst6QJClf-lCSmTKurGrtC09u_TKMc7R9__Jw" /><br />
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Last week I was feeling sorry for my single self come Valentine's Day (not that they were that great when I was married), and treated myself to a bag of Dove chocolate hearts. I enjoyed some of them the day before Valentine's Day, planning to enjoy the rest on the actual day. But on Valentine's morning I couldn't even brush my teeth without whimpering, much less chew down on a stiff piece of chocolate.<br />
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The fun just never stops.<br />
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I was supposed to get my teeth cleaned this week. That can't happen.<br />
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I'm also in the midst of pre-op appointments for surgery scheduled March 20. Total knee replacement. And I live alone. Haven't quite figured out how I'm going to "do" this, since by all reports, I may not be able to drive for six weeks but will have to have physical therapy two to three times a week for several weeks.<br />
<br />
Hello, Uber?<br />
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Had my first bone density test and it found weak bones (not uncommon for my age, actually). Blood tests for same, that Medicare did not pay for. I had to buy supplements and am supposed to up the exercise.<br />
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Meanwhile, my younger son and his wife had their offer accepted on the house they wanted, which was good since their baby is due in just a very few months. It was an older home, so they were having two inspections last weekend. I haven't heard the results.<br />
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My older son posted pictures on facebook of him and his two boys in Japan, dressed in the colonial costumes I made for all of them to celebrate international culture day at their school. It was gratifying to see how much they enjoyed wearing them and how adorable they all looked in them. Of course, my spirits plummeted again as I dove into my pool of self-pity that I have to live a whole ocean away from them.<br />
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And then, as if, I didn't have enough on my plate, I got an email from my real estate agent in Utah.<br />
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In 2002 we bought a condo in northern Utah. We fell in love with the place and three years later bought a lot upon which to build a retirement home. By 2008 we were trying to sell the lot for the first time. After a year we gave up, only to try again a couple of years later. No luck then, either, mostly because my then husband refused to take a loss (even though the money we could get would have helped with some financial issues he was experiencing.). After his death, I listed it again and although it took months, it did finally sell for about half of what we paid for it.<br />
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Last summer I spent three weeks in the condo, and started thinking about selling it on the drive home. I can't see myself up there more often than once a year, and for what it costs me in one month of mortgage and upkeep payments, I could rent it for a month for that visit. Which would leave eleven months worth for trips to Japan (and Tokyo Disney Resort) and actually anywhere else I want to go. I was about 80% sure I wanted to sell when my real estate agent up there sent out an email to the owners of condos in my development. Short on inventory, big on interest. Selling high. Anybody want to sell?<br />
<br />
I took a couple of days to think about it, then wrote her a yes. I'm supposed to get the listing documents sometime this week, but there is already interest in it. Which means that sometime in the next couple of weeks, I have to drive two days (PLEASE no blizzard!) up to get the stuff I want to keep and bring it home.<br />
<br />
I may never yawn again.<br />
debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-81197520882559694192018-02-16T11:48:00.000-08:002018-02-16T11:48:15.344-08:00PowerWhen words slice<br />
Music may feel the pain<br />
And move in to comfort<br />
But only new words<br />
can bind the wound.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-8015733611296070932018-02-07T17:30:00.000-08:002018-02-07T17:30:02.075-08:00Sigh.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I had lunch with a friend today who reminded me I'm not dead yet.<br />
<br />
So encouraging.<br />
<br />debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-70104741684177948112018-01-31T06:33:00.000-08:002018-01-31T06:33:12.505-08:00From my pillow......through the trees with a hand-held snapshot camera.<br />
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I'm pretty pleased.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-16193968304958632672018-01-22T07:57:00.005-08:002018-01-22T07:57:53.228-08:00Concert Update<span style="color: #cc0000;">"<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">One of the single most moving concerts of my life. Incredible. Thanks, mom."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">And a photo with members of the chorus.</span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #1d2129; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Yeah, I did something right.</span></span>debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-39038953182871453172018-01-21T18:41:00.000-08:002018-01-22T07:59:27.113-08:00Parental RewardsSometimes you wonder...<br />
<br />
Did I do anything with or for my kids that had an impact?<br />
<br />
Oh, sure. I kept them fed and sheltered and chauffeured decades of sports team and music competition trips. Braces, uniforms, instruments, tuxedos and Grad Nite tickets would not have happened if I hadn't gone to work (pretty much against my desire, if not my will). <br />
<br />
And university. Yikes.<br />
<br />
It was good times, well worth the effort and money, for me. And I'm sure for them, too.<br />
<br />
But today I read the most heartwarming and validating posts from my son on facebook.<br />
<br />
He and my new daughter-in-law are on a weekend trip to Seattle. (I'm doggy sitting Dodger, who is now nine years old).<br />
<br />
#1 - They are there to see these guys.<br />
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Ladysmith Black Mambazo.<br />
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I don't remember who actually bought the <em>Graceland</em> vinyl in which Paul Simon introduced this family to this fabulous chorus, but since I had been a Simon and Garfunkel fan since the early days and continued to be a Paul Simon fan after the break-up, I suspect it was me. I know I was the one to buy the Shaka Zulu album.<br />
<br />
My son is SO excited. Even his 6-7 English teacher remembers what a huge fan of theirs he was lo, those many moons ago.<br />
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#2 Now, they are there for four days, so posted on facebook a request for recommendations of other things to do or see. I've never been there, but when I go, I look forward to the Chihuly studio and garden installation. So that was my suggestion (which was made by another friend as well.) <br />
<br />
They checked it out.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1i2aNA2CeHpVO4Du2I16Mkr2KPGbW86w7xUQhYec8qMQbRc_1KJDYVqEkL8MWKXwwnVF1sk71aMWixvdT7u9VdvfyAoFdj0lzxvbFZLfevbctB5qnjgZ7oPOAas6KeErBn2pNg/s1600/34987582-ab5d-4e14-a6ec-4d64f4a6a575-COVERChihulyGardenandGlassbyMelanieBiehleforSeattleRefined.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="986" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1i2aNA2CeHpVO4Du2I16Mkr2KPGbW86w7xUQhYec8qMQbRc_1KJDYVqEkL8MWKXwwnVF1sk71aMWixvdT7u9VdvfyAoFdj0lzxvbFZLfevbctB5qnjgZ7oPOAas6KeErBn2pNg/s320/34987582-ab5d-4e14-a6ec-4d64f4a6a575-COVERChihulyGardenandGlassbyMelanieBiehleforSeattleRefined.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Melanie Biehlel,<a href="http://seattlerefined.com/lifestyle/a-visit-to-chihuly-garden-and-glass" target="_blank"> seattlerefined</a> </td></tr>
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My son was so impressed and excited, he said he wants to design a drum corps field show inspired by what he saw. Highest praise.<br />
<br />
#3 This is the one that made me tear up. Again.<br />
<br />
This son couldn't have been more than three when I fell in love with the little paperback books by Stephen Cosgrove, illustrated by Robin James. I bought several and read them to the boys. When I could get them to be still long enough. And with this kid, that was pretty seldom.<br />
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Well, today he posted excitedly that he found a copy of <em>Wheedle on the Needle</em> and bought one for his son, due in May. And he asked how old he had been when I read it to him.<br />
<br />
He remembered that I read him this book when he was very, very little. And bought a copy for his own child.<br />
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Sigh.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-48968434583603947462018-01-08T22:28:00.001-08:002018-01-08T23:07:33.029-08:00A Saga of SudsAnd water.<br />
<br />
Lots of water.<br />
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This is my new washer/dryer suite.<br />
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<br />
I was not planning to buy a new washer or dryer right now. Taxes and taxes and neither Medicare nor Blue Cross seem to be able to get my Newly Retired Person billing straightened out. Still...<br />
<br />
At the beginning of December I went into the garage (yeah, my laundry area is in the garage ick) to move a load into the dryer and discovered a new spring had sprung up under my washing machine. I checked the hoses, but I've had that adventure a few times over the decades I've lived in this house and now I tend to keep a pretty close eye on their wear and tear.<br />
<br />
It wasn't the hoses.<br />
<br />
No, I concluded that something inside the aging machine must have given up. So I had The Debate. Do I bring in a repair person - at a starting hour of $100 plus parts and maybe plus more time - or just apply that to a new machine? Meanwhile, my vintage Maytag dryer (less than a year younger than my oldest son, who will be forty in July) has been limping along for some time, now. My younger son has repaired it and kept it going, but its arthritis has been developing about as fast as mine and was down to handling only one pair of jeans and a couple of tee shirts at a time. Laundry time (which had to be strung out over several days) had become a stress-producer. Would THIS be the load that caused the final gasp?<br />
<br />
I decided not to put any more money into these machines and instead invest in some peace-of-mind. I shopped the models and Costco and concluded a new suite would probably cost around three grand. I asked for input from friends with new machinery and even got some great advice from a gorgeous, about-my-age fellow at the Laundromat (who, I figured out in about ten minutes, was gay, as are most of the men I attract into my life. They make delightful friends, but fall short as romantic companions). Deciding on this Samsung pair, I headed to Lowe's on December 23 (hoping to miss Mercury in Retrograde) and lucked into a HUGE sale. Total price about a third of what I'd planned. <br />
<br />
Happy Dance Day.<br />
<br />
They were delivered last Friday.<br />
<br />
Now, my entire neighborhood has a rat infestation problem and I have been fighting the buggers in my attic, garage and occasionally house for years. See, my late husband was a biologist. A cheap biologist, but it was the whole biology professor thing that was the bigger problem. I will never forget the day I caught him, face aglow, getting ready to climb into the attic to release two Madagascar cockroaches into the attic. "They had extras at school," he chortled.<br />
<br />
Have you ever seen a Madagascar cockroach? <br />
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Yeah. That big. TWO of them, I assume male and female, but just in case they didn't fall in love, she came with some kind of special body part that I assumed was nurturing eggs.<br />
<br />
I raise butterflies and so do not allow pesticides around my yard. Consequently, I have lots of spiders, who I welcome with psychic hugs because they keep my house insect free. But even my biggest, most beautiful black widow could not handle these monsters. So, no, they did not get released.<br />
<br />
Maybe I should have been more cooperative. Maybe they would have ganged up on the rest of the wildlife that has taken shelter up there over the years. They would have been welcome to the feral cat that found its way in and decided to use the space above my entry as a litter box. And one night I watched a raccoon crawl out of a space near the kitchen (which I have since covered over with galvanized steel aviary wire, but I think one still makes her way up there every spring and gives birth over my bed). And certainly they could have taken care of the generations of baby roof rats and squirrels that sometimes sound like they are having soccer tournaments up there.<br />
<br />
The garage has the worst problem, though. When the house was built, the sideyard door was installed with a good inch of space between door and floor. The rodents found us after we got our first Lab. We were storing his dry food in a heavy vinyl trash can, which they ate through in one evening. One morning The Biologist came in, again excited, holding a food bowl full of baby rats. Eventually I naively screwed a 2 x 4 to the bottom of the door to keep them out, only to come out the next morning to find they'd chewed a 2" entrance. I kind of gave up at that point.<br />
<br />
We tried a number of things to get rid of them in the garage. One summer my son caught and released 42 live rats. Three were captured immediately by hawks. The rest (maybe another three) made their ways back like homing pigeons to be caught over and over. I hope. We probably should have tagged them and kept track. The most effective traps I found were the rat zappers. They most always work. I've caught and disposed of dozens over the years. I don't like killing things, but they have destroyed so much in the garage that they just can't stay. Not to mention how filthy they are. And, of course, the Hanta Virus.<br />
<br />
Anyway, The Biologist died three years ago and once I had my finances under control, I handed over about $5K to an exterminator who started the work, then sort of disappeared. I mean, he is either attracting the worst run of bad luck ever or he is a con man. Either way, he never finished the job, I am out the money and blah blah blah.<br />
<br />
Which brings me to the washer.<br />
<br />
The lovely Lowe's guys (probably gay) delivered the appliances Friday. They set everything up for a test run, then stuck around to make sure there were no leaks as the washer filled and started the wash cycle. Satisfied, the lead installer had me sign and initial, shook my hand and then warned: If you see water now, it's probably your drain clogged.<br />
<br />
And they left.<br />
<br />
And I knew that I had not needed a new washer, that my drain was clogged.<br />
<br />
I "have" a plumber. He had been a good friend of my sons' in high school, and has been My Plumber for several years, now. Do you know what a gift that is? To have a plumber that likes you enough to assure you that night or day, even on weekends, he will come take care of your issues?<br />
<br />
So he came today at 8 AM. I was ready to head to my Mom's for a visit after the quick visit during which he would find and clear the clog in the drain. We got the washer set to drain and trained our eyes on the hose where it entered the drain pipe. "Don't worry," he comforted. "I'm going to catch it before it makes a mess." We could hear the water draining, but nothing was coming up to the top of the pipe.<br />
<br />
It was flowing down around our feet.<br />
<br />
"This isn't good."<br />
<br />
He pulled the washer and dryer out to create a space to work. I had noticed when I was cleaning the space on Friday that there were rat holes in the wall where the pipes came into the garage and had three packages of brillo steel wool pads to stuff into them until the exterminator - if I ever connected with him again - could get there. Super Plumber reached into the lower one and kind of felt around, then took out his phone and snapped a picture.<br />
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"You were having a problem with rodents, right?"</div>
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He had reached in and stuck two fingers into that hole in the drain pipe. That had been chewed there. By at least one rat.</div>
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Then he cut a hole in the wall and was blasted backward by the rat urine stench from the nest that filled half that space. </div>
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"I wasn't expecting that."</div>
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He had another appointment and had to run to the shop to pick up the parts to repair the drain (after all, we were expecting him to pull out a stray sock or something out of the drain pipe.) While he was gone, I cleaned out the mess. I pulled out most of the nest and bagged it, then pulled out the stuff stuck around the pipes and thought I should take a picture of this for the exterminator. (Or the small claims court judge if I need to take him to court.)</div>
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When Super Plumber got back and got to work, I turned my attention to the <a href="http://www.victorpest.com/rat-zapper-classic-rat-trap-brzc001promo?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzvq9tpHK2AIVnbrACh0VNAyrEAQYBCABEgILSPD_BwE" target="_blank">rat zapper trap.</a> I changed the batteries and baited it with a chocolate and peanut butter snowman left over from Christmas.</div>
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At that point, the adventure part was pretty much was concluded. He replaced the pipe. I turned on the trap.</div>
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And headed to my Mom's for a visit. And stopped for dinner.</div>
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When I got home, the trap was flashing, but was empty. I re-baited it and turned it on again. Within 30 minutes I had caught a very fat - possibly pregnant - roof rat. I'm really hoping she was the nester.</div>
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My first load is finished. It is probably a sad statement on the quality of my current life that 1) I was so excited about the new drain pipe and 2) I am so excited about the HUGE load of clothes I just washed and dried WITHOUT A FLOOD.</div>
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Fear not. I do not iron.</div>
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Things get much better tomorrow. My Massachusetts family is at Disneyland and I join them tomorrow. I was very spoiled by my stay at Tokyo Disney in November and so have reserved a room in the Grand Californian.</div>
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So there may be a better narrative in the near future.</div>
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debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-55034548504932996102018-01-05T10:49:00.001-08:002018-01-05T10:49:12.389-08:00The Greatest Showman | "This Is Me" with Keala Settle | 20th Century FOX<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XLFEvHWD_NE" width="480"></iframe><br />debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-80016658874839693362017-12-31T21:29:00.000-08:002017-12-31T21:29:14.952-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
I just walked to the front door to lock it before heading to bed and found it still locked from last night.<br />
<br />
I had no reason to unlock it, no reason to go outside for anything. I showered, put on sweats and spent the day working on a planning/craft project that covered the entire (large) dining table. I ate inappropriate foods and made my usual frequent checks on facebook.<br />
<br />
It was a great day.<br />
<br />
2018 feels like it's going to be a great year.<br />
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Happy New Year, y'all.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-46733995606691703182017-12-24T12:59:00.001-08:002017-12-24T12:59:07.405-08:00Little breaks in the cleaning ritual...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nr0_gondEzUpAIFX_XwgQ87Wgtp7LXv046KU1Urym7HS_4HpLlHS4JkST2uUPq0asMZy1V3cGMaHogyqSPGjiXAikIqkuA8DO67B6r4A6hnOhEqFc-mUrg-Ti0Xmgqz8iROh1w/s1600/25591871_1951339481575406_4716212442436344091_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-nr0_gondEzUpAIFX_XwgQ87Wgtp7LXv046KU1Urym7HS_4HpLlHS4JkST2uUPq0asMZy1V3cGMaHogyqSPGjiXAikIqkuA8DO67B6r4A6hnOhEqFc-mUrg-Ti0Xmgqz8iROh1w/s320/25591871_1951339481575406_4716212442436344091_n.jpg" width="234" /></a></div>
<br />debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-82788124785545832942017-12-24T10:09:00.004-08:002017-12-24T10:09:59.098-08:00ResolutionsGetting warmed up.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3dqgsCCtA5lxaCutE6i0GtgRvN6NB1b4raRJ-Lg10OmCAS85YAP2VV_a9qgnNzj9hKXD9bmnC7g6VZM6JKBpX2FYBSi8yimEZ6CruobfZJX6rIuEX7un5q-Jcs23sHFxZnnMHw/s1600/25994893_10155334311683510_3828043272306566377_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="636" data-original-width="475" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY3dqgsCCtA5lxaCutE6i0GtgRvN6NB1b4raRJ-Lg10OmCAS85YAP2VV_a9qgnNzj9hKXD9bmnC7g6VZM6JKBpX2FYBSi8yimEZ6CruobfZJX6rIuEX7un5q-Jcs23sHFxZnnMHw/s320/25994893_10155334311683510_3828043272306566377_n.png" width="238" /></a></div>
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debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-72548762999289717982017-12-20T17:09:00.001-08:002017-12-20T17:09:20.438-08:00Fortunately...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gdjR2lvIfJ4" width="480"></iframe><br />
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... they figure it out.<br />
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Life's too short.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-2641392312492861382017-11-23T10:20:00.001-08:002017-11-23T10:20:39.483-08:00When you're broken on the ground...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fjmwAwMUID8" width="459"></iframe><br />
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Reach out and rise again.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-78727274924002728592017-11-21T19:28:00.000-08:002017-11-21T21:44:54.153-08:00When Perfect Days......go bad.<br />
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Well, we won't focus on the bad.<br />
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Mom and I did have a nearly perfect day at Disneyland Saturday. It ended with me walking through my front door very ill. I won't go into the gory details except to say that the fever didn't break until 3:30 am the next day, I had to cancel today's visit with my Mom and I was only awake about three hours between 11:00 PM Saturday and 7:00 AM this morning (Monday).<br />
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I think I made it through.<br />
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To focus on happier memories...<br />
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A normal trip to Disneyland means breakfast at the Rancho del Zocalo, a ride on the Mark Twain and/or the DLRR, a few merchandise stops, the Laughing Stock comedy show, ice cream for lunch at the Coke Corner with fingers crossed for a good ragtime piano player. We stay through the Mad Hatter's Musical Chairs set (if there is a piano player and if the Mad Hatter shows up), then get dinner somewhere before heading home.<br />
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Sometimes we get lucky and get to make changes.<br />
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Saturday we made it to the park in about an hour. Lines at security and admission were long, so we braced for big crowds, but for what we wanted to do, it wasn't bad.<br />
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We had breakfast at the Rancho, as usual. I haven't returned to my no carb/no sugar food program yet, so indulged in the biscuits and gravy. Afterward we boarded the train at New Orleans Square, planning to take in the first Laughing Stock show afterward. When the CM asked how far we were going, I replied "around the circle," meaning we wanted to get off at New Orleans Square again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCxANzKJHGW3Ig46gYlbJvnTJxW7ran5GgGcDsHWHK1Ul_cBpLpTKkcGoC2NC7YIxG6SAvxlqvtH0lcQBPky8gn9jRnCJOcM-6wFjhBYk6Ia0VtB3zmTAiXDCZjSx20KB4m2ATg/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRCxANzKJHGW3Ig46gYlbJvnTJxW7ran5GgGcDsHWHK1Ul_cBpLpTKkcGoC2NC7YIxG6SAvxlqvtH0lcQBPky8gn9jRnCJOcM-6wFjhBYk6Ia0VtB3zmTAiXDCZjSx20KB4m2ATg/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I do love the new train route. I think when the trees grow in it will be really lovely.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46LZSLBvketapBBh6do-yQGCtSgAFCCm7OBwGc3VfyFEFuF-jKvd4O8jETxsZVAsmYoRjvpRwp9YRRf0R8ukr5866eJqfkKRtAeUWTqHsCLd4K60yLzvxiwLzVgVrKJlonrYkSA/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj46LZSLBvketapBBh6do-yQGCtSgAFCCm7OBwGc3VfyFEFuF-jKvd4O8jETxsZVAsmYoRjvpRwp9YRRf0R8ukr5866eJqfkKRtAeUWTqHsCLd4K60yLzvxiwLzVgVrKJlonrYkSA/s320/025.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeDPn0HRORRMtSAbWPP_IstDRdb8BucpmvkBmtimruzy7cMuhT9kaqESuqhoVZp-a8c5h3rk6m29RPRMx-YFhoKf_Xn9zQQ2c6hl91OulEzn6MpV36whW-ZBm-9EXj_xb10gbLw/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkeDPn0HRORRMtSAbWPP_IstDRdb8BucpmvkBmtimruzy7cMuhT9kaqESuqhoVZp-a8c5h3rk6m29RPRMx-YFhoKf_Xn9zQQ2c6hl91OulEzn6MpV36whW-ZBm-9EXj_xb10gbLw/s320/028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall color! </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I especially love all the new waterfalls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxRQycY5Rj31c3WENKYuwEc6ppg9hPEZ3UiYG3gjvs_ESeOsRJDijAMSjhiAVlHwJ6LsHjLXrh8L0tlEcOSMKbd4mu21gINaTWjYEeDDvSQnr4dpRAiv66LuY8v08IHfME0E7JQ/s1600/082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhxRQycY5Rj31c3WENKYuwEc6ppg9hPEZ3UiYG3gjvs_ESeOsRJDijAMSjhiAVlHwJ6LsHjLXrh8L0tlEcOSMKbd4mu21gINaTWjYEeDDvSQnr4dpRAiv66LuY8v08IHfME0E7JQ/s320/082.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning the settings on my camera. Actually got a halfway decent picture...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdUQxObpm-nhuf5SY3n-qDndkiiDg-GciAwcZ28Zsyy7NWNImyKynwuULKmgP512mAwMnXcINs9207Mbk4qVeg1SkFh3DbLXu3tzAuyrOwZ6F1ZwclX9PwRR4nS0D60T2YGLc_A/s1600/093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdUQxObpm-nhuf5SY3n-qDndkiiDg-GciAwcZ28Zsyy7NWNImyKynwuULKmgP512mAwMnXcINs9207Mbk4qVeg1SkFh3DbLXu3tzAuyrOwZ6F1ZwclX9PwRR4nS0D60T2YGLc_A/s320/093.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and one of my favorite scene!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5ZFPIckvdlXgpglpdu39TH8B9EPZ0qd75r2lXGI9lMJx7caTTTWvgwOlQ8Tn4JsX9yBmULBwBgCgg0RnGAfVuE9kQtFC0LaXq1nQCDqK4z3_IfYBeSdHiEmyBYghQmO9U8O58g/s1600/115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ5ZFPIckvdlXgpglpdu39TH8B9EPZ0qd75r2lXGI9lMJx7caTTTWvgwOlQ8Tn4JsX9yBmULBwBgCgg0RnGAfVuE9kQtFC0LaXq1nQCDqK4z3_IfYBeSdHiEmyBYghQmO9U8O58g/s320/115.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "sport" setting works for a rolling train, too.</td></tr>
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The CMs forgot to let us off at New Orleans Square, so we went on to Toon Town. That worked OK for me since I wanted to look for something for my grandsons for Christmas there. We ended up with this year's purchase-with-purchase tote, instead, so that was OK. I had never been to Toon Town for Christmas and thought the colorful, silly decorations were marvelous.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIWx747FckUpegSdi3Qf6t2shfphQox6SvEgL7lT9Rf8FvWOrhq1e6_8mJhHkVj1k810EswQlO5MPLtD3ZsDS01OKeXrW4RLRWmMcxH_7-8DSfzAVvTIgk93G1TySw3O3Xppmxg/s1600/245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHIWx747FckUpegSdi3Qf6t2shfphQox6SvEgL7lT9Rf8FvWOrhq1e6_8mJhHkVj1k810EswQlO5MPLtD3ZsDS01OKeXrW4RLRWmMcxH_7-8DSfzAVvTIgk93G1TySw3O3Xppmxg/s320/245.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3H9Y5n3KEXFGR9iCfaN1j5jeJbvdjwAThUIG6KIpAOKIENdWcMNRb-XCYO_Pc665zYIywNxEMnt_xa5UR-WLeIpi3wrELU3JQR14lmvFV1g4PLVnvZoWDA_gLyDgMHJlrjIh47A/s1600/120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3H9Y5n3KEXFGR9iCfaN1j5jeJbvdjwAThUIG6KIpAOKIENdWcMNRb-XCYO_Pc665zYIywNxEMnt_xa5UR-WLeIpi3wrELU3JQR14lmvFV1g4PLVnvZoWDA_gLyDgMHJlrjIh47A/s320/120.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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We made the trek back to the Golden Horseshoe for the Laughing Stock show, but they were halfway through and the theater was jammed. I decided, crowded as the park was getting, that we might be better off moving on to the Coke Corner and trying to get a table for the Mad Hatter's appearance, if and whenever he might show up.<br />
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And we learned we had totally scored when we got there.<br />
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Our favorite ragtime piano player has always been Ragtime Michael, and he hasn't played there regularly for years. But, on Saturday, there he was! He took a minute to explain to us that the holiday schedule was different from what it had been for the last few years and that this early afternoon set was his first, with his last not ending until close to 9:00. Tough for him, I'm sure, but how delightful for us. I love to sit at the Coke Corner with terrific piano music (and Michael is the best) people watching while the lights twinkle. As Michael was finishing the first set, he suggested we stick around for the Dapper Dans who were coming up in the next set.<br />
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It was a great set. I really wish Blogger allowed larger video files. I got some darling video of all the acts that evening, but all of them are too large to put in this blog.<br />
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My mom and I have two favorite castmembers at this Park. (Well, we had more, but a lot of them are gone.) Ragtime Michael is one, and a particular Mad Hatter is the other. So it made us both smile to see them sharing this set on Saturday.<br />
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Musical Chairs ran into my absolute favorite time at Disneyland. Twilight. When things start to get mellow and the lights come on. Especially at Christmas.<br />
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I've never really mastered taking pictures at night with any of my last three cameras. But a friend on facebook challenged me to the black-and-white photo journal meme and I had to figure out how to take monochrome. Homework. It turned out that the monochrome setting was in the same heretofore undiscovered set of settings as the night photo setting. I was excited to give it a try.<br />
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And, frankly, delighted at the results.<br />
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I was even able to capture the "snow" falling when the castle was lit. Now, if I can only manage to get the camera straight...<br />
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I would have stayed all evening, but I've been really tired since I got home from Japan and decided we should probably leave a couple of sets early. (This was the first time in months - actually, probably years - that we've left after dark.) I'm glad we did leave early. There was an accident in LA that caused a long-lived snarl, and then we passed a full car burn after that. The trip that took us an hour in the morning was more than twice as long on the way home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another limo-tram ride. Funny story. Just as they got Mom buckled in - crooked in the car - another family came up the ramp. The CM asked, "How many in your party?" and they answered, "Seven." He looked at Mom and me and said, "Oh, OK, we'll get you on the next tram." And off we went. I'm sure he realized that to fit in their wheelchair he was going to have to undo Mom's crooked one and straighten her out (and there was a tram right behind us), but it struck me as hilarious that he said that with a completely empty tram behind us.<br />
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A perfectly delightful day. I plan to bring her again in a couple of weeks (the 2nd, I think), before our passes go on blockout.</div>
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debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-82014287415195054412017-11-21T19:25:00.000-08:002017-11-21T19:25:08.243-08:00Always.You're gonna see...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gRBIMTK73wY/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gRBIMTK73wY?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-75982146183777128222017-11-20T17:13:00.000-08:002017-11-20T17:13:04.466-08:00Just kept...<span style="color: #cc0000;">... getting better.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tokyo Disneyland Hotel from the Mahaima Station/Ikspiari pedestrian walkway.</td></tr>
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This is the second installment post about my fabulous trip to Tokyo to spend time with my son, daughter-in-law and grandsons age six and two. Because of my son's school schedule, the second week of my stay was a school vacation week for him, and he used their resident status and booked two rooms at the glorious Tokyo Disneyland Hotel for a three-day, two-night stay at this fabulous resort. In this post I'm going to kind of mash together Day Two and Day Three experiences. I'll note which day if it seems significant to the story. And to make this easier on me, I'm going to refer the members of my Japan family as Dad, Mom, Six and Two.<br />
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To recap, after a week-and-a-half of delicious family time, we were bringing my visit to a close with our trip to Tokyo Disneyland and Disney Sea. I think we were all pretty clear that the grandchildren's first visit was our focus, although they were all patient with their starry-eyed American visitor. The end result, though, of having the littles as our focus was that we all enjoyed a very relaxed sightseeing visit with limited queue experiences. And lots of time for Grandma to dawdle to take pictures.<br />
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We arrived on Halloween, and I'm not going to repeat the events of Day 1 (See <a href="http://debistitches.blogspot.com/2017/11/masteryear-highpoint.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>) except to say that it was a delightful shock to come back from Halloween...<br />
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...to CHRISTMAS!<br />
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We had 12:20 reserved seats for one of the shows at Disney Sea, so our plan was to pick up on some of the things Six had asked to do at Disneyland before heading to the other park. Top of his list was to see Critter Country. I'm not sure he was thrilled with what we found, be it was a pleasant walk and I was delighted.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguo8KWKqYX9Ns4fMOA40hUT5TgOvyFDxtRW7TBFi1NKrlSxpdmocsy4dKvx9fbPfP1K3GN21b_C3U0e5iUWn6JyFr2I9D5Gf8DGKg2cKQeUsmEKIPqyheo56_iHfm0iaM7FbXn/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguo8KWKqYX9Ns4fMOA40hUT5TgOvyFDxtRW7TBFi1NKrlSxpdmocsy4dKvx9fbPfP1K3GN21b_C3U0e5iUWn6JyFr2I9D5Gf8DGKg2cKQeUsmEKIPqyheo56_iHfm0iaM7FbXn/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+663.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I found one! A Disneyland sparrow! Not the same markings as ours, but definitely a sparrow!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ke19Ug0ajcSDSUPzitXw8nJtrKjfYLpz5pA-Oty2ctoNY_KkJ_VgoHLMXdSJNVy7K5rAZKWDHOKJqhf2uU9J4RlmeGuAuN6bohgAqEUk6j_DvSZsJA9q4Y85uyxT6Kv48Z2d/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2ke19Ug0ajcSDSUPzitXw8nJtrKjfYLpz5pA-Oty2ctoNY_KkJ_VgoHLMXdSJNVy7K5rAZKWDHOKJqhf2uU9J4RlmeGuAuN6bohgAqEUk6j_DvSZsJA9q4Y85uyxT6Kv48Z2d/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+666.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chrysanthemum topiaries are big in Japan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGthc9cUm5tt_OfSwLpAoE2k5rmSEKojPaWmbN0GvADIX8h62MZjm87YysHdZ7f9zpeQ2FddhnsjKx3PIZy8qTMYovCkyFTXJd8SvJwkbbZqKuyMTwup94WmkqDjU8Qnqix1sR/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGthc9cUm5tt_OfSwLpAoE2k5rmSEKojPaWmbN0GvADIX8h62MZjm87YysHdZ7f9zpeQ2FddhnsjKx3PIZy8qTMYovCkyFTXJd8SvJwkbbZqKuyMTwup94WmkqDjU8Qnqix1sR/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+670.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking through Western Land and a tad bummed that we didn't get to stop for the Country Bear Jamboree. I really miss it in California.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihM16OLaoeGkovpg4YBuSjHHGm2Pp_MAb3W-JULelUisX4NW5vbHJlGzxndygqFGFSDlz1uBJDuvi_EIVgdIcIjn8b2miqSIpNTcb3PP4_gq9Pqw7fUwRkWCdPBqBMu2eII1Ig/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihM16OLaoeGkovpg4YBuSjHHGm2Pp_MAb3W-JULelUisX4NW5vbHJlGzxndygqFGFSDlz1uBJDuvi_EIVgdIcIjn8b2miqSIpNTcb3PP4_gq9Pqw7fUwRkWCdPBqBMu2eII1Ig/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+672.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A relative?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrm2Pp7VsrCLicGwyb85Xh0kQcVn51mUGUjylsunaOJgRCy9Z933Ulfh9WeOMZVvZcYnBDXkDcR_dFt1Ce6_dmeVulmj9qtHdlqXUbd35BwdpMBt622AX8ThYpCoYN5YHg5bw/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+679.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxrm2Pp7VsrCLicGwyb85Xh0kQcVn51mUGUjylsunaOJgRCy9Z933Ulfh9WeOMZVvZcYnBDXkDcR_dFt1Ce6_dmeVulmj9qtHdlqXUbd35BwdpMBt622AX8ThYpCoYN5YHg5bw/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+679.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One natural thing Tokyo Disney has that Anaheim does not is fall color. I could not stop taking pictures of the trees in autumn color, and was impressed with how they were used as landscape art throughout the park.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFm12oZReUzKtJTv86kZw6VbflnHbVwSh85htEDS0-YE66flNW3BmjIh48VaqhdH_F7YighjTLJAUCDZUjkVtLrondnsjiL3buTB4ttY0P0lmVle8i3Nhh2RK-W5WirPwwqtpT/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFm12oZReUzKtJTv86kZw6VbflnHbVwSh85htEDS0-YE66flNW3BmjIh48VaqhdH_F7YighjTLJAUCDZUjkVtLrondnsjiL3buTB4ttY0P0lmVle8i3Nhh2RK-W5WirPwwqtpT/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+705.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOTS of theming in this Critter Country. LOTS of little critter houses.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UgCiPRSKQPdZ14jwPBJc0Ak5WrH_uKdMruwNzFYG6B9cLyI8X1J5YdkHmlhpjdDEdY1nibF_4oP2OBHRnshlbpdtl3Lga_YZiVefRBCCFp7sO40maAWdbFC5iYkvQ00DNIPt/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UgCiPRSKQPdZ14jwPBJc0Ak5WrH_uKdMruwNzFYG6B9cLyI8X1J5YdkHmlhpjdDEdY1nibF_4oP2OBHRnshlbpdtl3Lga_YZiVefRBCCFp7sO40maAWdbFC5iYkvQ00DNIPt/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+706.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHMQcR9sPxIzbKW2b-75TLvqvkH7lQsFYcKh875Nt27hZNWnz7QZhhmE_dGOw0EvWGKV_esx7E-j8zVD-59EKY5wDk4EC9ZZHS2mouGYf-Xt-9-B_QDEsrySbyHRCqcxqvfWJ/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQHMQcR9sPxIzbKW2b-75TLvqvkH7lQsFYcKh875Nt27hZNWnz7QZhhmE_dGOw0EvWGKV_esx7E-j8zVD-59EKY5wDk4EC9ZZHS2mouGYf-Xt-9-B_QDEsrySbyHRCqcxqvfWJ/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJJUtS0LaUsKr6AA7FLJ4XkagAHwlHiylmYsmZxQsWSknBF_Nv-PXm0A94HYV7sgcgLTm4YxdoLqpV2ZVDFPv1FqChNbWlI4dhiTRHv_eJdtexh8qztbUtLQannWOoj4-b4HD/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+711.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpJJUtS0LaUsKr6AA7FLJ4XkagAHwlHiylmYsmZxQsWSknBF_Nv-PXm0A94HYV7sgcgLTm4YxdoLqpV2ZVDFPv1FqChNbWlI4dhiTRHv_eJdtexh8qztbUtLQannWOoj4-b4HD/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+711.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfebtdW6be_9kmeKL_RNEE2BjSk3LWEk1uhhVIuBOfZs_Rb3VVC0MwXeOd1qs6ti5PCCp6-VhYfTvNSSCjb19C4O2GrHLMuT8Abzb4nzpr402yZr_TV4iFNgQIBCoj4pDcVNv/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIfebtdW6be_9kmeKL_RNEE2BjSk3LWEk1uhhVIuBOfZs_Rb3VVC0MwXeOd1qs6ti5PCCp6-VhYfTvNSSCjb19C4O2GrHLMuT8Abzb4nzpr402yZr_TV4iFNgQIBCoj4pDcVNv/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+712.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Splash Mountain. My favorite ride at Anaheim Disneyland, but we didn't try it. This time.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCXcFu90HLXzT5WUB6NG4xnuMrTCEnV4CE-kRTKojgDoAr3VoC7p9PdqCI_c5YrLpDFJWkZys3FqMWnd-qrZ915_dvouxD0pEbK7eSHHFCWLjYi2r0zD87oHKuHdv5yU8N8XI/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+730.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCXcFu90HLXzT5WUB6NG4xnuMrTCEnV4CE-kRTKojgDoAr3VoC7p9PdqCI_c5YrLpDFJWkZys3FqMWnd-qrZ915_dvouxD0pEbK7eSHHFCWLjYi2r0zD87oHKuHdv5yU8N8XI/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+730.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foot bridge and wishing well. And color.</td></tr>
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We hung out in Critter Country for a while and took pictures before heading back to Fantasyland for Grandma's second big wish.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EvwDBbTA6DXUk8ZqpjU6inx_PhGSRKnshieJKq8hmZ2loP5BTXqxfNB3k03imtwdZyTQfuguXIyd5Tgdmi-eTFYBlQYQDY9vYD4WdAirN52MO84uMFN42F9BDirSdEg74-6k/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+735.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-EvwDBbTA6DXUk8ZqpjU6inx_PhGSRKnshieJKq8hmZ2loP5BTXqxfNB3k03imtwdZyTQfuguXIyd5Tgdmi-eTFYBlQYQDY9vYD4WdAirN52MO84uMFN42F9BDirSdEg74-6k/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+735.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There's a tribute to an old friend. Didn't see any walking around characters in either Tokyo park, however.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbyyY07mx-hzlbJX3HPTdsyUZTtwOwL1-9nRPzEm1WSiwqzrd5497lFbn_Cge0NPAIz5Wtp_96KctMphJ77fk8rQCUICorDBFRC5D8XoW4TzLkFo4RCPyiucoux04BXzL5mLg/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAbyyY07mx-hzlbJX3HPTdsyUZTtwOwL1-9nRPzEm1WSiwqzrd5497lFbn_Cge0NPAIz5Wtp_96KctMphJ77fk8rQCUICorDBFRC5D8XoW4TzLkFo4RCPyiucoux04BXzL5mLg/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+739.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pooh's Hunny Hunt. Big Thanks to<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQruq4MXJv0" target="_blank"> thisNatasha</a> for her high recommendation on this ride. Absolutely delightful from queue to Pooh Corner shopping on the way out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVi5Zzlkrb1xsrbZQCFUxony88RZcNikocHoL6GsdoCT0Gxbg1JthwmuZI7RfNZUy1safw2uVP9I6XwzW2Md24BiGEqsNKJi-WoUOTThDdTa9sZ4JzEiWgpqngom2BkziR1tS/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiVi5Zzlkrb1xsrbZQCFUxony88RZcNikocHoL6GsdoCT0Gxbg1JthwmuZI7RfNZUy1safw2uVP9I6XwzW2Md24BiGEqsNKJi-WoUOTThDdTa9sZ4JzEiWgpqngom2BkziR1tS/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+747.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewd2ddW7_q7rSfR-jptUZMkHeeGLsAlKVdT_XHMFzebvpzGLTtv7epVUFWn59V5rwc6zVFm7lv_MyUVZJkVtOHOr1I0tlse-UkUuXYB_RtdxeQo7Hj8j7ZenZgn37FHI2BnRP/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiewd2ddW7_q7rSfR-jptUZMkHeeGLsAlKVdT_XHMFzebvpzGLTtv7epVUFWn59V5rwc6zVFm7lv_MyUVZJkVtOHOr1I0tlse-UkUuXYB_RtdxeQo7Hj8j7ZenZgn37FHI2BnRP/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+774.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GASP! Lotus.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4wui6uHAIT-G4QD6RCVM1WZ3hELyiuF64BzkrLNV2F4V3TfVQHOavzB4Y4UOHgtj97GdTW6WzFYpQ5s1ZqBBRijM3z8g_L1EPf1xmMF524kjNUFCsDKoDuxznp6FjFIgFTSa/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+785.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ4wui6uHAIT-G4QD6RCVM1WZ3hELyiuF64BzkrLNV2F4V3TfVQHOavzB4Y4UOHgtj97GdTW6WzFYpQ5s1ZqBBRijM3z8g_L1EPf1xmMF524kjNUFCsDKoDuxznp6FjFIgFTSa/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+785.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, what a thrill.! Winnie the Pooh HIMSELF greeting guests in the queue. Pooh says "Hi" to Two.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uaPjv563UaSgkr1fSLaJGKmbe_Fuhu0zSJWoIJsymFJ04i4IRhtsI5R8cOHxVmwz0lCQZGBi4xc7VK2Qs68BsEk7CsAbgI6fQF3NnChjx4ZoU3xnhP6hUZzqchuZgNcasguJ/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8uaPjv563UaSgkr1fSLaJGKmbe_Fuhu0zSJWoIJsymFJ04i4IRhtsI5R8cOHxVmwz0lCQZGBi4xc7VK2Qs68BsEk7CsAbgI6fQF3NnChjx4ZoU3xnhP6hUZzqchuZgNcasguJ/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+794.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of course, I was taking pictures of everything, but on this ride (and one the next day) I was asked to put the camera away, so I did. Such a rules person. It may be a new rule, as I have seen POV (point-of-view) videos of the ride on youtube. I couldn't decide my favorite scene. The </div>
Tigger area was a crack-up, but there is swing music in the heffalump and woozle area, which was also a crack-up.<br />
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After this ride, Six wanted to go to Tomorrowland but we were cutting it uncomfortably close for the show we had tickets for so we headed to Disney Sea and</div>
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<a href="http://www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/show/detail/str_id:aw_band/" target="_blank">BIG BAND BEAT!</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuMzyL0kq9hdT0FOF3TwtAIAlOyVOB53vEtvI-6VJwqO1uvnR4ZyiTkjurcncnPa0fvEIVtn_aEwwS_pW_oaV12u8_P9Y8KfYf12yI63ZSS6cvCYrA-Gd0cvWrYlHtqdifdJd/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiuMzyL0kq9hdT0FOF3TwtAIAlOyVOB53vEtvI-6VJwqO1uvnR4ZyiTkjurcncnPa0fvEIVtn_aEwwS_pW_oaV12u8_P9Y8KfYf12yI63ZSS6cvCYrA-Gd0cvWrYlHtqdifdJd/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+828.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TXOJOH9wh-uFnHJB6yVc4HO-Lh2WJmg0BYPzCJmjakiZx8xgDAjpNYitAma1tfuEGRrz0Q1qlrqakWNsFzrhrMMy_E0uV53-dSlTPxuZLFRLnx9xR0TuOoF8d_tiM8rxtUmc/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_TXOJOH9wh-uFnHJB6yVc4HO-Lh2WJmg0BYPzCJmjakiZx8xgDAjpNYitAma1tfuEGRrz0Q1qlrqakWNsFzrhrMMy_E0uV53-dSlTPxuZLFRLnx9xR0TuOoF8d_tiM8rxtUmc/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+830.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Disney Sea pays homage - well - to the sea. And to the famous ports of Planet Earth. Physical and Fantasy. Big Band Beat is an awesome stage show in the American Waterfront area of Disney Sea. We were in the New York harbor area, but three days just wasn't enough to also take in the Cape Cod or San Francisco/Monterey areas.</div>
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But, man, did we score on this show! When Dad and Mom researched and then purchased our <a href="https://reserve.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/vpackage/search/" target="_blank">vacation package</a>, there were several shows listed and they were allowed to pick one. Since both of my sons are jazz musicians, Big Band Beat sounded like the easy choice. I learned closer to the trip that it is very difficult to get tickets on the day of the performance for this show. In fact, if you wait until the day (and it's a busy day) you either stand in line for the first show or you go to a machine and put in your park ticket, which puts you into a lottery. And many people never get the ticket! There we were, in the perfect seats for this amazing musical performance.</div>
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I was sitting between Six and Two for this, and Two had been getting hungry/crabby. But as soon as this show started, there was a miraculous change. Just seconds in his face was glowing with fun and his little hands were conducting. And then...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_MiDv3U4gAZdCCAdfnixbXhShifEJZ3weg6__sBIXnbNYQ6KXwZfq6FzFdNLiC-IxdrHpmmkr_74Iz5lgZyOfKfcN4FUeW5MgFCsocYb0L-FGHTUEN7i2-fStROz5fSkh2PU/s1600/Big+Band+Beat+Mikeee+Mouff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="800" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_MiDv3U4gAZdCCAdfnixbXhShifEJZ3weg6__sBIXnbNYQ6KXwZfq6FzFdNLiC-IxdrHpmmkr_74Iz5lgZyOfKfcN4FUeW5MgFCsocYb0L-FGHTUEN7i2-fStROz5fSkh2PU/s320/Big+Band+Beat+Mikeee+Mouff.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Meekee Mouff! Dra-Ma! Meekee Mouff!"</div>
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I sure was glad I had been watching Two instead of the stage.</div>
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After the show, we went hunting for something to eat. As we passed the station platform for the elevated train, Six let us know that a ride on the train had to go on the don't-miss-it list.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrsJD1zCLglgp07W1kEerh-qLO9Sx2uEZ_EzYKGBtrDmUGK6X9atpehTDNrXLw00By9OZv9ggzw_4Ii8aEVzXz-bxs7IOPnpxcClJJj5TkWzlDy92HRgfaoO5uQ-cItY7dEp0/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrsJD1zCLglgp07W1kEerh-qLO9Sx2uEZ_EzYKGBtrDmUGK6X9atpehTDNrXLw00By9OZv9ggzw_4Ii8aEVzXz-bxs7IOPnpxcClJJj5TkWzlDy92HRgfaoO5uQ-cItY7dEp0/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+831.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We ended up having some chicken roll-up thing next to this New York harbor, which I loved. (I have a thing about harbors, anyway, and this was a fun depiction.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKQhb2gNOpXI9ruv5rY3P5sjPF-9XAasgelaReywCti-ImQ-HqrvXuCmrOv_VnXaNioNV5ufULcCRD80N9hg0Jo9Yqvm6pgHcKXDCypZNbe9RAAm6BJvCsgTlTCW62AD3cIl3/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKQhb2gNOpXI9ruv5rY3P5sjPF-9XAasgelaReywCti-ImQ-HqrvXuCmrOv_VnXaNioNV5ufULcCRD80N9hg0Jo9Yqvm6pgHcKXDCypZNbe9RAAm6BJvCsgTlTCW62AD3cIl3/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+839.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtkGSVC1k5lO1B0yIF0Qc6TqL2HoC0lrdxKh7R1CpWWQBJw8YgCzu-S0G6__bWq1EqI32Q5zvds5ZL0GLMRCVTx66gJvteb-sR1cL_oo0BOduKoJLwe8ZEhEvMlXXVUs-SJSi/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtkGSVC1k5lO1B0yIF0Qc6TqL2HoC0lrdxKh7R1CpWWQBJw8YgCzu-S0G6__bWq1EqI32Q5zvds5ZL0GLMRCVTx66gJvteb-sR1cL_oo0BOduKoJLwe8ZEhEvMlXXVUs-SJSi/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+845.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This made me giggle. Can you read the name?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI7psZyo2HEoLfZPxiOGswBeeUb0QrCwzl2r-gvllRlkDMa9q7ZYKNwO6IMVj49p0pW-Ac1eau1M5uW04Wkgqk0ov8I_DMaYa9nxCgDr8Izdb-3hdGA3QQK5OYZw9ggZCpPbO/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFI7psZyo2HEoLfZPxiOGswBeeUb0QrCwzl2r-gvllRlkDMa9q7ZYKNwO6IMVj49p0pW-Ac1eau1M5uW04Wkgqk0ov8I_DMaYa9nxCgDr8Izdb-3hdGA3QQK5OYZw9ggZCpPbO/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+841.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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California Disnerds know this name. Sailing the Rivers of America we have our own Columbia, a ..."<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> full-scale replica of </span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Rediviva" style="background: none; color: #0b0080; text-decoration: none;" title="Columbia Rediviva">Columbia Rediviva</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">, the first American ship to circumnavigate the globe." [Wikipedia].</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">So, yeah, I got a giggle out of the cross-park salute in this name.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">The chicken roll-ups weren't the best food we had on this trip, but not bad. Once we were satisfied we headed right back to the elevated train and rode to the end of the line. From there we walked to Grandma's next wish, Mermaid Lagoon.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; display: inline; float: none; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">There are simply not enough words for this place, and no way to capture the beauty of King Triton's undersea Kingdom on camera (the lighting is perfection but too hard for me to catch on my little camera.) I loved it, and could have spent a half day exploring the incredible mosaic work of King Triton's Castle.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4TpdgsWLhaNIez1uSzKf5PkS2P6JYjioJBAWmDGZ0FC7yS6-dVp6-8l-Kx4x5PRTxr2LMSyy8AO_wS7lrVurdGMC4OGECx4HcAssdFIWzXbBI4JVxzMp3oXrtYs55SWnR01o/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4TpdgsWLhaNIez1uSzKf5PkS2P6JYjioJBAWmDGZ0FC7yS6-dVp6-8l-Kx4x5PRTxr2LMSyy8AO_wS7lrVurdGMC4OGECx4HcAssdFIWzXbBI4JVxzMp3oXrtYs55SWnR01o/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+867.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the sea.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfTZaTbtMvHGMEmC4sDYeZQtjdpW3gATmggqXUIvfcNzJ62EbUpAuANWNmjYwzaz1hVvPCASv2mycp_qklCdb82yVzib1PeVgwWxOk4SrbYIw1AyffOgIEk0O4mrpKILzIXfF/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPfTZaTbtMvHGMEmC4sDYeZQtjdpW3gATmggqXUIvfcNzJ62EbUpAuANWNmjYwzaz1hVvPCASv2mycp_qklCdb82yVzib1PeVgwWxOk4SrbYIw1AyffOgIEk0O4mrpKILzIXfF/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+879.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JF4Dxvqchk6SQ3JiMWUj6iXpLONtHbTSXw0LXoHO_d6GIXVo1XzEtOEZ1BbHyn4ydkT7V9YF5rl0BlIKr4lGoP7VdU7lPfxWzsT-02hhd0Nn66493_8JG57hx6X2Y48HAZk9/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7JF4Dxvqchk6SQ3JiMWUj6iXpLONtHbTSXw0LXoHO_d6GIXVo1XzEtOEZ1BbHyn4ydkT7V9YF5rl0BlIKr4lGoP7VdU7lPfxWzsT-02hhd0Nn66493_8JG57hx6X2Y48HAZk9/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+908.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">King Triton.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61rUbupw4NfGMCKVdXepkpg7EoW1JwTKJGb0rCQRA4qREnu3NBJ1Gng6XpRWVy9c-qPW1h2q2UfxZ0ZghmUF0CmdPhQpOqNhBq69ij8iVubv7UWC6pkV8sRLTv84XYPCokQFx/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+919.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61rUbupw4NfGMCKVdXepkpg7EoW1JwTKJGb0rCQRA4qREnu3NBJ1Gng6XpRWVy9c-qPW1h2q2UfxZ0ZghmUF0CmdPhQpOqNhBq69ij8iVubv7UWC6pkV8sRLTv84XYPCokQFx/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+919.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkZwzNmP704sCOlF-MPC16cj-pqmifJdpUOf_5Z00TlJ9Gi-XoZRyW52ufVhkanrj61IAcZa3N0fbP6v1gat1T5Az_aJW6axGwKt_NhebcCMNCGl_gK4XPhCTh7Q1USUzAIho/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+920.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqkZwzNmP704sCOlF-MPC16cj-pqmifJdpUOf_5Z00TlJ9Gi-XoZRyW52ufVhkanrj61IAcZa3N0fbP6v1gat1T5Az_aJW6axGwKt_NhebcCMNCGl_gK4XPhCTh7Q1USUzAIho/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+920.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six pretty much wanted to climb everything he passed. He was on his way higher when Mom made him come down.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAPjpRzwfxv_rXbsg-hfB2qSpOr9Qx68ZB1JsPgXIFm1zvB5f3GUtqyf9hKhuok9Yu6pt9paU1bYREzTiRNzoqXUU6Ye8YvSuk-LJGtpgG_pT_Yu_tGGWExTxbq0GobCq_DB7/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmAPjpRzwfxv_rXbsg-hfB2qSpOr9Qx68ZB1JsPgXIFm1zvB5f3GUtqyf9hKhuok9Yu6pt9paU1bYREzTiRNzoqXUU6Ye8YvSuk-LJGtpgG_pT_Yu_tGGWExTxbq0GobCq_DB7/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+923.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgght9w66_hO5Cs12b_4zyk283EDPU2EmV_3-lm7ixWVUUGxMpyy6TW4UyLzkaKHzdziCHxKr4AwI4ZTWQo5NTUaINKEA1ap_5TkB3DJzi1Y0WzmUCG_h6tEOaS9IBOmkdg7LD/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgght9w66_hO5Cs12b_4zyk283EDPU2EmV_3-lm7ixWVUUGxMpyy6TW4UyLzkaKHzdziCHxKr4AwI4ZTWQo5NTUaINKEA1ap_5TkB3DJzi1Y0WzmUCG_h6tEOaS9IBOmkdg7LD/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+926.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't really see it very well, but there's a sparrow sitting on the curve of the spiral.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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By the time we were satisfied with our visit with the Merfolk, the Japan Family was ready to head back to the train station and back to the hotel with tired kids. Grandma wasn't quite ready to pack it in, though, so we separated. I spent a little time in the Arabian Peninsula area, then decided to head back.<br />
<br />
After Mermaid Lagoon, we had all taken out our maps to see if there was a shorter route back to the train station. We didn't see one, as there was a volcano in the way. Dad had even joked, how do they get back? tunnel through the volcano? before they headed back the way we'd come. But as I stood outside the Arabian area, I noticed a steady stream of guests walking back past Mermaid Lagoon and just kind of disappearing. I wondered if there was, indeed, a way to the entrance in that direction.<br />
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And got a little overwhelmed when I found myself going through said tunnel into<br />
<br />
Vulcania.<br />
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At the top of my list for Disney Sea was to see the model of the Nautilus that I'd seen pictures of. I thought it was in the lagoon at the entrance of the park, but it was not and I had not taken time to find it yet.<br />
<br />
I was blown away.<br />
<br />
I loved the Disney Jules Verne-based movies of the fifties and sixties, and <em>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea </em>was/is one of my top ten all-time favorite movies. One of my desert island movies. I never tire of it. James Mason. Burt Lancaster. Peter Lorre.<br />
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<br />
And the Nautilus.<br />
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The <em>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea </em> walk-through attraction in the early Anaheim Disneyland days was/is one of my favorite attractions. The organ music piping through the sets. The giant porthole and giant squid.<br />
<br />
And the Nautilus. As a kid, I was fascinated with the design and the model in the attraction.<br />
<br />
And steampunk, also something I love, is based on the Verne canon. And this Mysterious Island area - hidden in Mount Prometheus and using the geothermal energy of the active volcano - is a steampunk wonder.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gift Shop.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Geyser. You never know when it's going to blow.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Eventually I found my way out to the park entrance via one of the tunnels, and went back to Disneyland for a little last-minute shopping before returning to my room. </div>
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On the way out I saw this guy. At this park, the ragtime piano player has to pedal his instrument around the Grand Bazaar. I think our guys need to step up their game. (Just kidding. He did a great job, but the added effort did affect the music.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-r9Avy9SHQy1AwOh8SAxH9wVyjwUyFfPC1YAvUAj9F2cemo4HbDqDGth_wdbceZQJ5ufVKXr0KaeOZ7do7Z8yf5sJ0g3ZWGRk-oV9Ul541pvkebUNlFJHZd1g72eWL3qBc6Ky/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-r9Avy9SHQy1AwOh8SAxH9wVyjwUyFfPC1YAvUAj9F2cemo4HbDqDGth_wdbceZQJ5ufVKXr0KaeOZ7do7Z8yf5sJ0g3ZWGRk-oV9Ul541pvkebUNlFJHZd1g72eWL3qBc6Ky/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1007.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoefFPeOtFG0z4HICHLXlux3iGZiZYpmV0Qbolo0DiAPeK40ksKxELdyz6tC2UGPd0bOQxO6Ok1cJHe66j9o248nVA5ASuWcjPSTmBvRx2S1wxOYsdr85z5QvN3QJB5HskSAu0/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoefFPeOtFG0z4HICHLXlux3iGZiZYpmV0Qbolo0DiAPeK40ksKxELdyz6tC2UGPd0bOQxO6Ok1cJHe66j9o248nVA5ASuWcjPSTmBvRx2S1wxOYsdr85z5QvN3QJB5HskSAu0/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+509.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Disneyland Monorail station. Sunset over Tokyo Bay.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3udLCxsMdgPIUyXsTXcNzKLCas7pF63-bY5zx-F2mo10nfQxMlRFcVkDad7TZSdXazr5q5dUzhjBeIg76lVMTM-muY-3Da4EmgpWw4-9Q4vbR6Tg3vqdUo8zVnleVi1WRHy67/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3udLCxsMdgPIUyXsTXcNzKLCas7pF63-bY5zx-F2mo10nfQxMlRFcVkDad7TZSdXazr5q5dUzhjBeIg76lVMTM-muY-3Da4EmgpWw4-9Q4vbR6Tg3vqdUo8zVnleVi1WRHy67/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+510.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbYRwCV0dhpc3yE-pxzoW9TUaBjkGgrbYvfIjJ5BniqCGjWykA6ADAVIwM_nKkxUf5Gk6DokAqfJ_PrNaNDfkkEreSy40PUNvrOxfrhRhA-qn0upI2m8rjeWGp2IZwA2b9Vff/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPbYRwCV0dhpc3yE-pxzoW9TUaBjkGgrbYvfIjJ5BniqCGjWykA6ADAVIwM_nKkxUf5Gk6DokAqfJ_PrNaNDfkkEreSy40PUNvrOxfrhRhA-qn0upI2m8rjeWGp2IZwA2b9Vff/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1022.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas lights were lit. The tree lights were colored, but I had not yet learned to do decent night shots with my camera.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JARdBimaKo5MdApoMMXLEFbe3BYm6kixMJvLeMOy3aFXVmtsASphNvMPkmi-K-lDOIW3sfoh_GtEtMGbFuNu_fu2wsSzFPKkGzF17guaEzqEq-NdVDBA_1d0TsvbqeVw7VZY/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3JARdBimaKo5MdApoMMXLEFbe3BYm6kixMJvLeMOy3aFXVmtsASphNvMPkmi-K-lDOIW3sfoh_GtEtMGbFuNu_fu2wsSzFPKkGzF17guaEzqEq-NdVDBA_1d0TsvbqeVw7VZY/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1025.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And from my room. Sigh. I love this place.<br />
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Safe in my room, I let the family know I had arrived, and my son asked me to come next door to hear his idea for dinner. I had suggested that instead of trying to eat in the park, we consider checking out Ikspiari for dinner, as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X4dvASUZc4" target="_blank">thisNatasha</a> had recommended some of the restaurants there. While I was dawdling in Disney Sea, they had done just that and found a Mexican Food restaurant that is part of a chain. He and his colleagues had eaten at the one close to his school. Since none of us felt like going out again to eat, he volunteered to trek to get us take-out from Guzman and Gomez Mexican restaurant.</div>
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Yes. Mexican. I never got used to this resort blowing me away. This was FANTASTIC Mexican food. And I'm from Southern California. An Ag community. With restaurants that cater to migrant workers. From Mexico.</div>
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Tired and now sated, we all decided our day was complete and started the shower and bedtime process. Which was MUCH easier in my room than the one next door. As I had the night before, I enjoyed a leisurely hot shower, took a couple of ibuprofen and finished my packing, then tucked in. I slept really well (which surprised me as I was very tired and very sore when I tucked in) and woke up too early. </div>
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We had a time-certain of 8:00 am for our Sherwood Garden buffet breakfast but it was only 6:00 am. I got dressed and sat down at the desk to entertain myself on my kindle when a rational thought hit. Here I was, with nothing worthwhile to do while the sun rose over the most beautiful hotel I've ever stayed in. (And I've stayed at the Hotel Del Coronado in California and the Waldorf-Astoria in New York. I'm telling you, this place takes your breath away at every turn.) Why was I in this room? Why was I not out taking pictures?</div>
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Best. Idea. Ever.</div>
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We were on the fifth floor. This was a hub for the hallways just between our rooms and the elevator bay, which was through that opening.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGYW3U70rsuXq2MM_RfvQ8gkzriAZqJ4jYSy6QVAhqHoXPblfqTkkPl9dtFrA8KWvSNUrPcTv_6EunqzdGqG-mr9o1FY9EOPkUOTjRvzTrgyBrogOQBFAgKGOrpv8xVqXBRVf/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGYW3U70rsuXq2MM_RfvQ8gkzriAZqJ4jYSy6QVAhqHoXPblfqTkkPl9dtFrA8KWvSNUrPcTv_6EunqzdGqG-mr9o1FY9EOPkUOTjRvzTrgyBrogOQBFAgKGOrpv8xVqXBRVf/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9id1wGOfIHF_Jf-0CGtr9jHD8aT6KjK-a4Yy-Kvpx5zNKdmLivvtsCIupWvQTPmUiX9As7p3F-zmT57YGP4niXbpsaN0Vui3YCDk_7_2kLlAxs0HkvkWuXAOyfORmDygnfJCx/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9id1wGOfIHF_Jf-0CGtr9jHD8aT6KjK-a4Yy-Kvpx5zNKdmLivvtsCIupWvQTPmUiX9As7p3F-zmT57YGP4niXbpsaN0Vui3YCDk_7_2kLlAxs0HkvkWuXAOyfORmDygnfJCx/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1028.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two elevators on each side of this sitting area. The stained glass is of Pluto.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzo4hEAK0-3rUEgND7PTcEEmyr2NdvUj9yW8PZhiJR6ggs8ZM8HNQcci_-LqSu2-JQ0Ecr8ACbaOKU' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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(This is the wrong elevator, but I can't figure out how to move or delete the video. Oh, well.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYilxd7a4lV35x7aFo4P6a9VDLTE34mX7gQ25mmOEMBUz5ZarHE3FISRGeNXcPzpZQoTwt7hkc2hF-wNKoNftIThRohJSxPE2U8pmzZKH-VtS3Jvaw-0YD3StEfGYu_0pIKlZ7/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYilxd7a4lV35x7aFo4P6a9VDLTE34mX7gQ25mmOEMBUz5ZarHE3FISRGeNXcPzpZQoTwt7hkc2hF-wNKoNftIThRohJSxPE2U8pmzZKH-VtS3Jvaw-0YD3StEfGYu_0pIKlZ7/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1030.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I may add another post in the future of all the hidden Mickeys we found (and we know we didn't find all of them) in the hotel.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTgDUFkpEyH5Jlk6jMf9JvbB81MA3fNsNLWNTX2Gx9hPv1PzZVQBRZMZyqtVNDHtDSCXCZdkhgX_yzjGXEQz_gxPWvAztvMIH59DY3CguKNuXsPn0cCop1LDhtNiAU8eVtpHm/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheTgDUFkpEyH5Jlk6jMf9JvbB81MA3fNsNLWNTX2Gx9hPv1PzZVQBRZMZyqtVNDHtDSCXCZdkhgX_yzjGXEQz_gxPWvAztvMIH59DY3CguKNuXsPn0cCop1LDhtNiAU8eVtpHm/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1031.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The lobby on the third floor.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSUs86ny3luooZfkzbsUATUx66kSwIFWhcmB9lcygYDKlRpODMBZAD3Qmua9JxbaUZc-eLkHw9Us-NS1_kOeOJ-_vKSd63snUmOLV6B8LLwrk8lJEiNgfw3E6CFK_rcwPPHqP/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcSUs86ny3luooZfkzbsUATUx66kSwIFWhcmB9lcygYDKlRpODMBZAD3Qmua9JxbaUZc-eLkHw9Us-NS1_kOeOJ-_vKSd63snUmOLV6B8LLwrk8lJEiNgfw3E6CFK_rcwPPHqP/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1042.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was so taken by the pink glass chandeliers that it took me a while to notice the stained glass skylights.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Little" touches. On a pedestal. Not as large as it looks in the photo.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB93iic5MKrN1FJnv3UvzP-hPwgR6DYu-nhvmcCYH5p4ZmxeoL511kgnrgbt8JMekDnMFAnlUjXYhfB8BplK2dh3KoUAp6UxnOB3rXVcCMpSt2WLGO9DSEfxnDFv2Ajn7I3xbS/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB93iic5MKrN1FJnv3UvzP-hPwgR6DYu-nhvmcCYH5p4ZmxeoL511kgnrgbt8JMekDnMFAnlUjXYhfB8BplK2dh3KoUAp6UxnOB3rXVcCMpSt2WLGO9DSEfxnDFv2Ajn7I3xbS/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1050.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These motifs were used in several places...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZT8Tlc9lKqSaYGIuML8_0u0cgITXQ0E37Xg6l00gxtrtD_nAYRhdsBZa-fVQySChlymyYjosXv4Z_p5kjjfcI4VEFBNsfdFpf_vU3Pq8FmUxDQp7HeWC0cuGVZubNOBOb9If/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1239+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRZT8Tlc9lKqSaYGIuML8_0u0cgITXQ0E37Xg6l00gxtrtD_nAYRhdsBZa-fVQySChlymyYjosXv4Z_p5kjjfcI4VEFBNsfdFpf_vU3Pq8FmUxDQp7HeWC0cuGVZubNOBOb9If/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1239+-+Copy.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... like the Monorail station.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkojk7JYro467QdTliA29QtQ50x2fSa8LxLSYhPfq1aPYXkpmmF3HIV8sGaubi4grhNlKI27Vwl6XcmgIkBV-4d6MiQVs28CHTGjrKdB-SAx2crhx14YK_V5RCSRkUa_cPOeN9/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkojk7JYro467QdTliA29QtQ50x2fSa8LxLSYhPfq1aPYXkpmmF3HIV8sGaubi4grhNlKI27Vwl6XcmgIkBV-4d6MiQVs28CHTGjrKdB-SAx2crhx14YK_V5RCSRkUa_cPOeN9/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1051.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the lobby to one of the entrances.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2xwpXPPBNqg9Ogf6a6KPU8MnHXOligwckbFGOId0zbpJW3GP8JXMIuAJUBYrUUKSXFBCNwZhllcXaAaoXusCY8Lb-ZBFzJL8BPYPfaHYFjeGe_xOb3ep5SqVLjPYeSMeBAwx/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq2xwpXPPBNqg9Ogf6a6KPU8MnHXOligwckbFGOId0zbpJW3GP8JXMIuAJUBYrUUKSXFBCNwZhllcXaAaoXusCY8Lb-ZBFzJL8BPYPfaHYFjeGe_xOb3ep5SqVLjPYeSMeBAwx/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1054.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The entrance to the carport and the Fantasia/Sorcerer Mickey fountain.<br />
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</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2r3m7dlaz9bthOu3LerWdWfZqugge51xAlusAJpuhvgnK5OKDVbv3lcW1Ep0vGg1Fej6cFxqxifmfScydhmUrlyh9rlN38BIr5c6oOyPhHiSE3B96x7BC_RoQ6yV2LQAGqTU/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2r3m7dlaz9bthOu3LerWdWfZqugge51xAlusAJpuhvgnK5OKDVbv3lcW1Ep0vGg1Fej6cFxqxifmfScydhmUrlyh9rlN38BIr5c6oOyPhHiSE3B96x7BC_RoQ6yV2LQAGqTU/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1056.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good Morning!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPaP4YqjVe0R_8EfkC9yzd1GsHLIE5zyw4TLj7A6_UnkcBkgShHw90T4aBd0-fmhwhfiAlHF9zrdZWa9DTiVvtpOqqrNWjbjRTjA8lS0qN8-C5kQsMXDrdFOqKOrSCaYf8i4x/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPaP4YqjVe0R_8EfkC9yzd1GsHLIE5zyw4TLj7A6_UnkcBkgShHw90T4aBd0-fmhwhfiAlHF9zrdZWa9DTiVvtpOqqrNWjbjRTjA8lS0qN8-C5kQsMXDrdFOqKOrSCaYf8i4x/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1062.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Filigree elevator cage that went from third to eighth floors.</td></tr>
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(THIS is where that elevator video should be. Guess it won't matter if it doesn't work, huh? They usually don't when I insert them.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbODAD_pdMd0EXd4c9Z9D0UemInzY7Yi1h_mIMpNhYH-1Gb0VwwH_NYB5xrBfnrzu_go_g5usLKTW2DSxTo4eCdMj7Cn1GliQ8Xaa9msY-7S3OcVC_O6D7ttHbm-4ZeyXJJ-VA/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbODAD_pdMd0EXd4c9Z9D0UemInzY7Yi1h_mIMpNhYH-1Gb0VwwH_NYB5xrBfnrzu_go_g5usLKTW2DSxTo4eCdMj7Cn1GliQ8Xaa9msY-7S3OcVC_O6D7ttHbm-4ZeyXJJ-VA/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1061.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Check-in counter past the little kids' waiting area.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9CgVezIcgTNtRPJkxsC5qIOPux5XkeUtrJCQdqwSPb6i0Yle8JdOfp4h9l7zy68Skgat4tcEuK1OB_cqc2pziq5aUIu1VytYrfOWT0lgbv72_uWMK3_AnboEhTZRTM1AGnIu/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9CgVezIcgTNtRPJkxsC5qIOPux5XkeUtrJCQdqwSPb6i0Yle8JdOfp4h9l7zy68Skgat4tcEuK1OB_cqc2pziq5aUIu1VytYrfOWT0lgbv72_uWMK3_AnboEhTZRTM1AGnIu/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1063.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTdyN37fKbUSTzzP4ATKMxlOW6S0Ldh6UJCDjtqcE7EqmJObTOLP_YaHdYhpCLzbjTU8EJURWvzpXdKoZbl6pNyzf23Bw6IpUFNPqEJ2NWGlCrITpP5_IuxeTPmyLetRPE9Sn/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvTdyN37fKbUSTzzP4ATKMxlOW6S0Ldh6UJCDjtqcE7EqmJObTOLP_YaHdYhpCLzbjTU8EJURWvzpXdKoZbl6pNyzf23Bw6IpUFNPqEJ2NWGlCrITpP5_IuxeTPmyLetRPE9Sn/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1066.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Child-sized seating in front of...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiqqf-HfbrYlV4UdH59l2kFOHwZXDPrSJzDfaeCLmyXG1vEBpTNQPz_S5PBUH2nBoOAiQGvuU8zOtaTJdJj3Zl9MyRUbOe2_LMmP6NQ1lvTB2oANq-SGlHr3uqUnt1mV2_VEF/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRiqqf-HfbrYlV4UdH59l2kFOHwZXDPrSJzDfaeCLmyXG1vEBpTNQPz_S5PBUH2nBoOAiQGvuU8zOtaTJdJj3Zl9MyRUbOe2_LMmP6NQ1lvTB2oANq-SGlHr3uqUnt1mV2_VEF/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1067.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...this amazing doll's house. 1:12 scale.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tnZWy2dkA0cqSc3BVmL3ZpOkzJbQ0d7tSwXaaLMPF8ap22aHH9maStHQfHD-QlZOzdm6PxlXDH8wiPjQC-14x0RqOtdcJn7nW_yGtOPRrZ7z8CxrhbbRYqX7xUwAKovofCZf/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tnZWy2dkA0cqSc3BVmL3ZpOkzJbQ0d7tSwXaaLMPF8ap22aHH9maStHQfHD-QlZOzdm6PxlXDH8wiPjQC-14x0RqOtdcJn7nW_yGtOPRrZ7z8CxrhbbRYqX7xUwAKovofCZf/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1069.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the rooms were Disney themed. Unfortunately, I didn't get good pictures of the rooms.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBI2TuEsXIvEZyNOEUwqhU3z2QA_SOSfkxUBNoH1vcT8YREyU2G6wt-HXqkaQdNErSBiGxerhdGstoUaD2BdT6OI9U1VJZsG9CusbHhIrx1oSYjO2Zvw_50fkVdXXq33neJMWx/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBI2TuEsXIvEZyNOEUwqhU3z2QA_SOSfkxUBNoH1vcT8YREyU2G6wt-HXqkaQdNErSBiGxerhdGstoUaD2BdT6OI9U1VJZsG9CusbHhIrx1oSYjO2Zvw_50fkVdXXq33neJMWx/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1077.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxakNo3OLacORiGzlexdAXPAhhOYydsUqypccIIxzcPqkrqND6oEL_8S286rYhX-xlqbKMCKRSa0qFLZ1mh6ls4v18_x19olUyiuh9V8-wmk6Is5OOgvv-OmrY1sewlB1bAki/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxakNo3OLacORiGzlexdAXPAhhOYydsUqypccIIxzcPqkrqND6oEL_8S286rYhX-xlqbKMCKRSa0qFLZ1mh6ls4v18_x19olUyiuh9V8-wmk6Is5OOgvv-OmrY1sewlB1bAki/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1083.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The elevator again. Yes, I rode it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ezTGbltr824h7nBWirmjSJBnRxuJ71-BzTjCwpNf49o75gHHFNozdWfekyOHgFMc9qNww00fTwOoNTng9T9ugTHL5oaQhVwZA4NMvj3f0hYaC6pSyJc9UX1wVn4Vo1kHo6ZI/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ezTGbltr824h7nBWirmjSJBnRxuJ71-BzTjCwpNf49o75gHHFNozdWfekyOHgFMc9qNww00fTwOoNTng9T9ugTHL5oaQhVwZA4NMvj3f0hYaC6pSyJc9UX1wVn4Vo1kHo6ZI/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1092.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incredible fountain in the porte cochere area.</td></tr>
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I had read in the room folder that there was a little Alice in Wonderland garden somewhere (thisNatasha, if you drop by, this is for you). I asked the doorman where it was and found my way there. It is charming, although I would love to see it when the (white) roses are blooming.</div>
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Headed back to the lobby I noticed the iconic benches but with their own "TDH" monogram.<br />
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Porte Cochere. Almost makes you wish you'd arrived in a nice car. (No, not really).</div>
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Back in the lobby. Through the window is the Monorail Station and the courtyard my room looked down on. We had to go to the lower lobby to get out to the Monorail Station.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fifth Floor elevator landing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcklaKWG-9suHYHZKfa7YUA2J5nXWF4UOJDuzLuFA2bzHY_fcUiolwBWyN26ib_-wiYM88DmgkjGMg_FKypsauqniSABadvth-DkoKcC5xqSkBQoqZrPQjlUBPcxtW7GZFsn2u/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1144.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcklaKWG-9suHYHZKfa7YUA2J5nXWF4UOJDuzLuFA2bzHY_fcUiolwBWyN26ib_-wiYM88DmgkjGMg_FKypsauqniSABadvth-DkoKcC5xqSkBQoqZrPQjlUBPcxtW7GZFsn2u/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1144.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pavilion with Monorail Station behind it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
One of the classes I had to take to get my BA in History was a class in historic preservation. I was interested to learn that Victorian houses were NOT originally white like we tend to see today, but were in colors. Often monochromatic, but in different values. So it tickled me to see that so faithfully represented here.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sherwood Garden Restaurant. Oh. My. Gawd. The buffets.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty sure the middle two were our rooms.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lower lobby entrance.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PK7FTAccdkYG1Mk_I7-yHphXc1nalCLp2tQuRVdQ6cCga5NfzvwgFxQqF2qlxamUyVvg2vOxEVraF5HZSId8yJIBHkGN1vnmjStknvhbb4vLUjHa0VvSrUn0sTp4msegug9B/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1154+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PK7FTAccdkYG1Mk_I7-yHphXc1nalCLp2tQuRVdQ6cCga5NfzvwgFxQqF2qlxamUyVvg2vOxEVraF5HZSId8yJIBHkGN1vnmjStknvhbb4vLUjHa0VvSrUn0sTp4msegug9B/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1154+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBRBd1srZbnz1dS4tLsOvLzrqJ0j6Jpg-SSUOtz4p1uescjcu1FkhRNs9CRdd1Bw55ehiTCPicYifylqwjo2Q-7Ahi-W22nxeppI8FLvqMCxnNv-GmkKyR2w1siAD1IJxqBh0/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1155+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTBRBd1srZbnz1dS4tLsOvLzrqJ0j6Jpg-SSUOtz4p1uescjcu1FkhRNs9CRdd1Bw55ehiTCPicYifylqwjo2Q-7Ahi-W22nxeppI8FLvqMCxnNv-GmkKyR2w1siAD1IJxqBh0/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1155+-+Copy.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mercantile. Yeah, I spent some time - and yen - there. And it made the switch from Halloween to Christmas overnight, too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaAec7d0-HfLnFzRvooMFvsQ13jE2FjRsshO4xfmzYgPxs_iGFAeBZFmAlE4Fhqh8opK5JYZrG2DRU1yota27d5QnORrMEsYEx-3U4ugsezAxzPacgGC6vG3OSqaZ3geWI02U/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1163+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaAec7d0-HfLnFzRvooMFvsQ13jE2FjRsshO4xfmzYgPxs_iGFAeBZFmAlE4Fhqh8opK5JYZrG2DRU1yota27d5QnORrMEsYEx-3U4ugsezAxzPacgGC6vG3OSqaZ3geWI02U/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1163+-+Copy+%25282%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I rather like the dogs welcoming us at this entrance. Pluto...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsH46FP7IZoeo3zho0e9WHVkNGTc_XNDOP8J2Zkr6IM3F9FPUKU_OM-rU91KbBMLe8ZlcCmsTT8E2cUvl-b8pVXHuhMkpsnSb5J-x1dJcaZU7jEiaoLRNUrwfFuOeBarpc6e6/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsH46FP7IZoeo3zho0e9WHVkNGTc_XNDOP8J2Zkr6IM3F9FPUKU_OM-rU91KbBMLe8ZlcCmsTT8E2cUvl-b8pVXHuhMkpsnSb5J-x1dJcaZU7jEiaoLRNUrwfFuOeBarpc6e6/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1165.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and Goofy.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Disneyland Station. Not free like in Anaheim, but our package included passes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Add caption</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OQlgorOk_CgIIuGkLpBpW9QtlFiM1OugvuSF1t4BxD7GzVd2_8NiqVvJMPzkUqSBHBKA0_YhErd3UwEUeXEDNAZbtxdFammeGmbD5TRMLz79Y7WN1YeuZ70ZSMv6idDw4-dc/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OQlgorOk_CgIIuGkLpBpW9QtlFiM1OugvuSF1t4BxD7GzVd2_8NiqVvJMPzkUqSBHBKA0_YhErd3UwEUeXEDNAZbtxdFammeGmbD5TRMLz79Y7WN1YeuZ70ZSMv6idDw4-dc/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1179.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mosaics are used throughout the resort. thisNatasha, this one is for you.</td></tr>
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I don't think any of us were ready for our last morning to be our last morning, but the time had come. It was made easier by the fact that it was our breakfast at the Sherwood Garden and, as it had not disappointed us at our dinner two nights before, it did not disappoint us this morning. We had a time certain report at 8:00 am, and I was a little put out that we had to wait ten minutes to be seated.<br />
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Until I saw the table.<br />
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A table for eight, set for six, with this as our view.<br />
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After another leisurely, delicious meal, we headed out to do our two A-list wishes for this day.<br />
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First, Dad wanted to take his boys on the train. It's funny how you learn what things impress your children. Dad will be forty on his next birthday, and this was the first I realized that our traditional end of day DLRR ride had made a happy impression on him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Cf0jKAhDEoX3jOOOwsYPQ7p2SOtIqhNjfsElaBYByjtDVkYr5l82z1OQkGShq2O0p_stnAk3-JI5cQkOe8XfLx664ELRgKCJBLb2KEpTqcPcTmLfWHacjOSAFOUNgxuLAgPr/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Cf0jKAhDEoX3jOOOwsYPQ7p2SOtIqhNjfsElaBYByjtDVkYr5l82z1OQkGShq2O0p_stnAk3-JI5cQkOe8XfLx664ELRgKCJBLb2KEpTqcPcTmLfWHacjOSAFOUNgxuLAgPr/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1272.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I admit, this gave me a thrill chill.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6E5OcNqdU9o88GfNqJPe-BR2Fr-x6a_HElzVKgioDXqySwT-InbktKrAh_UWgOR3gy-vpDN3gjiu3LM0Nn6iWhbnc3JoFrcHR9nlrwE5Jp_p6DdXJUTuf9X7Cf9HIDmZWd2T/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL6E5OcNqdU9o88GfNqJPe-BR2Fr-x6a_HElzVKgioDXqySwT-InbktKrAh_UWgOR3gy-vpDN3gjiu3LM0Nn6iWhbnc3JoFrcHR9nlrwE5Jp_p6DdXJUTuf9X7Cf9HIDmZWd2T/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1311.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Familiar scenes, again kicked up a notch.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhjnq_wH21jTETasmlype3Zu7OaUEnCNcffjiFFjLecx0GLvzs2Oy92tkQCuwOjb-7SdSc9zESDGbNkjCsFLeAgFFICfVqngcyZkhtN036zg-1WWw2Wy6ifXeagq19xTppVyX/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjhjnq_wH21jTETasmlype3Zu7OaUEnCNcffjiFFjLecx0GLvzs2Oy92tkQCuwOjb-7SdSc9zESDGbNkjCsFLeAgFFICfVqngcyZkhtN036zg-1WWw2Wy6ifXeagq19xTppVyX/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1339.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prairie dogs! I want prairie dogs!</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJsFEXet25bXzJgJaPHSyYvFtfte6nfvf2mKNV64WKNjy0wGmOneCp-Uor_RnjQz8SCHLHbHM6DDHSqxx5RBX4PNiHSZG0zp9vmo68iFdYWpZssjDvSIAnFKrQa4gbUo8HH__/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJsFEXet25bXzJgJaPHSyYvFtfte6nfvf2mKNV64WKNjy0wGmOneCp-Uor_RnjQz8SCHLHbHM6DDHSqxx5RBX4PNiHSZG0zp9vmo68iFdYWpZssjDvSIAnFKrQa4gbUo8HH__/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1349.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4_2bNA5lQeRSotqiL3ooS9Ogp7j4aGDqPLncrWUUm9lnTQ20d0NGYOyGeDvs98-Y4LxT33Ucm692QZChif6aSH4nqpeOV-VM3EYJZlQN9xVVXbFYqfUoKI-JeCbssNqs1Ie8/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4_2bNA5lQeRSotqiL3ooS9Ogp7j4aGDqPLncrWUUm9lnTQ20d0NGYOyGeDvs98-Y4LxT33Ucm692QZChif6aSH4nqpeOV-VM3EYJZlQN9xVVXbFYqfUoKI-JeCbssNqs1Ie8/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1351.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steamboat wharf, BTRR (which was closed for refurb) and canoe. We went around the island, but I had no evidence that it is something you visit.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTMPglvy51aOW5AsyEUShyphenhyphenXoWe5xPS-BH02mYTDz7JVKHzpADseNstHGhlN_FPCJ9WPY-fPsyNgQDp4ix_F1kIYy9BLpfbyhLbybxmPtbwJMOhR-_wxGoAgPbcTdjNCPd19NY/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfTMPglvy51aOW5AsyEUShyphenhyphenXoWe5xPS-BH02mYTDz7JVKHzpADseNstHGhlN_FPCJ9WPY-fPsyNgQDp4ix_F1kIYy9BLpfbyhLbybxmPtbwJMOhR-_wxGoAgPbcTdjNCPd19NY/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1356.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmnFeOkF2Ct65aLbYjQqEGJMzgNn5vR2TTRJH1JVTozUTHaB9acE-NiR4fD0tj5tonu_Nysw13K9pyMiDN8ovc7AsKPaFujfxw0PaF6Clrd_NbLLHJVyPja_xOxsWP3-WO4Xy/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1367.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzmnFeOkF2Ct65aLbYjQqEGJMzgNn5vR2TTRJH1JVTozUTHaB9acE-NiR4fD0tj5tonu_Nysw13K9pyMiDN8ovc7AsKPaFujfxw0PaF6Clrd_NbLLHJVyPja_xOxsWP3-WO4Xy/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1367.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backside of BTRR.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9BSI-LjRTlYl1y8AlixBVoPL68n48EnqC2wVS3AuVPAqyMKDhs0aunuBmqereWXMW-XYRG75VKRVX-XNagro65X9oPrTWUrvhy8pOLAj4J3Qxs5daJJ37wJGfP84P0nJbdjr/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy9BSI-LjRTlYl1y8AlixBVoPL68n48EnqC2wVS3AuVPAqyMKDhs0aunuBmqereWXMW-XYRG75VKRVX-XNagro65X9oPrTWUrvhy8pOLAj4J3Qxs5daJJ37wJGfP84P0nJbdjr/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1377.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possum family hanging from the stump.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8espiS3FbmDFv0qPNhVNU2q42P0eMegtQ1NCXmkiqvqMufje8oK_H0VHMNJozG04vn01NQzn8E4fsxysSz0xx0ctfO2_0iwSGtdHnGoTDmQaUKJqB7kZcoanHwoXpUg0uuPZ/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8espiS3FbmDFv0qPNhVNU2q42P0eMegtQ1NCXmkiqvqMufje8oK_H0VHMNJozG04vn01NQzn8E4fsxysSz0xx0ctfO2_0iwSGtdHnGoTDmQaUKJqB7kZcoanHwoXpUg0uuPZ/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1387.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made me smile.</td></tr>
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After the train ride we headed over to Tomorrowland so that Six could see it. We didn't plan to ride anything, but made a nice stop for souvenirs at a great gift shop there. Donald Duck plushy and Tomika vehicles. (Wish we had the Tomika vehicles here. SO cute.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFrUFYTsejFuNyDAu8M-tEAT6YWxu43bg0JvoukS8IeYvMcsMcet8USOQ2V1tbPFZplH44Q5_wO8CSfmCqmM-ii9Agp4lKbYOMy0SDMFT8q_qU2ZnbLxyB6yT8kGeQETA_bu1/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFrUFYTsejFuNyDAu8M-tEAT6YWxu43bg0JvoukS8IeYvMcsMcet8USOQ2V1tbPFZplH44Q5_wO8CSfmCqmM-ii9Agp4lKbYOMy0SDMFT8q_qU2ZnbLxyB6yT8kGeQETA_bu1/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1397.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The last thing on Grandma's wish list was to ride <em>20,000 Leagues Under the Sea</em>, so we headed back to Vulcania. What a fabulous ride. Very clever and interesting technology.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2nVvl11BUR1HwF5g57YFhfhKMs8Eg200PhkroejBHsKxMWnONqpYZ9xIVtwi-nB5sIU6Qwq8lXHhGHCxQUxjAqDS2To_upsvH-7xYA9vsUmV07xBgpbraUaFyioUaRQ1h3-X/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2nVvl11BUR1HwF5g57YFhfhKMs8Eg200PhkroejBHsKxMWnONqpYZ9xIVtwi-nB5sIU6Qwq8lXHhGHCxQUxjAqDS2To_upsvH-7xYA9vsUmV07xBgpbraUaFyioUaRQ1h3-X/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1419.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We were closing in on our targeted departure time. (The plan was to eat lunch and then head directly to the Mahaima Station on the Monorail from Disney Sea). Six wanted to ride the elevated train again, and Grandma the merch addict wanted one more gift shop stop, so we decided to split up and meet at the New York Deli for lunch. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeDyAik4uoW0i1X4Bs4wQ9TyoUL9EAhF2DuSOxradHobge5iKr7ArTuK1wFiyShrfioDdQgO7jgeD20WR0qAlaS05RiKDijbqDAge_w4NjGBdJ8YyRr8tb_cgeAJvBthRvUjL/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYeDyAik4uoW0i1X4Bs4wQ9TyoUL9EAhF2DuSOxradHobge5iKr7ArTuK1wFiyShrfioDdQgO7jgeD20WR0qAlaS05RiKDijbqDAge_w4NjGBdJ8YyRr8tb_cgeAJvBthRvUjL/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1437.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tokyo Bay, or a direct view of the Pacific. I'm not sure, but I think it's just the Bay.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4MZZWvZfZeulHv6swriwTC5E6SKo-VEiDhQRNZDN4KZUMiWrKzXmJ6m8jbqeeX22jOqmDo-mnq9x2xE5MJKKUg9XNrM0YKdEe7CjXqTV4CHNhIIjIjnmdBOts0YgB_hMNjbP/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM4MZZWvZfZeulHv6swriwTC5E6SKo-VEiDhQRNZDN4KZUMiWrKzXmJ6m8jbqeeX22jOqmDo-mnq9x2xE5MJKKUg9XNrM0YKdEe7CjXqTV4CHNhIIjIjnmdBOts0YgB_hMNjbP/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1439.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas had arrived in New York, too.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsWZUAVXX31qfxbtSqgDJK39RMTIYsoC7tDgDm02NCb9CQOQuHgq0ofXaD3IW9-ALZpBNKqqX3BDaON2clcoHxrYmke9LkLZQ713Mw-OPWKacdAd-_gvtCpYZaroGUrJc2F9K/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUsWZUAVXX31qfxbtSqgDJK39RMTIYsoC7tDgDm02NCb9CQOQuHgq0ofXaD3IW9-ALZpBNKqqX3BDaON2clcoHxrYmke9LkLZQ713Mw-OPWKacdAd-_gvtCpYZaroGUrJc2F9K/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1448.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little entertainment while Grandma waited.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4gS7PFHOGwhO2L6ePnFuR9uecNdRQEzoSZljNUPv_MTZt6bDGzwDQ8z0GakoTAEJL7MspRmRJHUDIljhLf7XXko9SRK6zAvhwrRHiMl4gjbSG8vRIF0aiS_cS4BUZCjqXpls/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+1457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4gS7PFHOGwhO2L6ePnFuR9uecNdRQEzoSZljNUPv_MTZt6bDGzwDQ8z0GakoTAEJL7MspRmRJHUDIljhLf7XXko9SRK6zAvhwrRHiMl4gjbSG8vRIF0aiS_cS4BUZCjqXpls/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+1457.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The family was a little late meeting me, but it was because they took a ride in one of these cars. Six got a wish fulfilled, so all was good.</td></tr>
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When we met up again in NY, the family shared that they thought instead of the deli, they wanted to eat lunch here at the Café Portofina. Sounded like a good plan to me, as I wanted to enjoy the views. Once we settled what I wanted to eat, I headed out to claim a table in the shade. The views were amazing.<br />
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After we got home, Dad said that he was interested in learning more about the Hotel Mira Costa, the only hotel on/around the resort property that exists right into a park. I watched a few youtube vlogs about it and it was the first I realized that all the buildings around this area ARE the Hotel Mira Costa. The check-in is at the entrance to the park, and these surround the Mediterranean Harbor area. I had wondered why this park hadn't used the scaling illusion from the Disneyland Park in Anaheim because these building loom pretty overwhelmingly. Now I understood. <br />
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It would take a lot to get me to stay somewhere other than the Disneyland Hotel, but this one might do it.<br />
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The Italian food at the Café Portofino was divine.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Seafood Lasagne was to die for. So good that I almost forgot to take a picture.</td></tr>
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It was fitting that our last park meal would be our best park meal.<br />
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We headed back to the welcome center, picked up our luggage and took the short rides home. Seriously, about a ten minute taxi ride and a fifteen minute (outside) train ride from where the family lives to Tokyo Disney Resort.<br />
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I had been almost packed for home before we left for Tokyo Disney. I packed my second suitcase with my Disney haul, and we had a fairly quiet last evening together. The next morning I finished my carry-on stuff and enjoyed a (sort of) concert presented by Six and Two. And then the sobbing began. Fortunately, my son knows me well, just gathered me in and patted for the long minutes it took me to calm down. I hugged the babies and my DIL and managed to get myself out the door without stealing anyone. My son loaded me into a taxi for the Tokyo Air Center Terminal, where I boarded a limo bus... <br />
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...for Narita Airport.<br />
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Which looked like this when I got there. My son and I agreed that we would rather be at an airport three hours early than stress out over getting delayed (like a traffic jam on the way there) and having to rush the process of boarding an international flight. Turns out, I was WAY too early. The Singapore Airlines counter wasn't even open when I got there. I managed to self-check and tag my luggage, though, so when the counter opened, I was ready for the quick weigh-in and hand-off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHRV42Oi1mJIpT9F0Zu2PMI-1T3c3wqdOIdARjTsKcrs56DbseVsnIZc_fpIK7CawV8m7H1l4jfVdRL4IS97IAj-IGRllsM_LijLMelB6G3AeOl2aps0yM7qNaiH3YBpJbSf8/s1600/Narita_Airport_Terminal1_3454751593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="531" data-original-width="800" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHRV42Oi1mJIpT9F0Zu2PMI-1T3c3wqdOIdARjTsKcrs56DbseVsnIZc_fpIK7CawV8m7H1l4jfVdRL4IS97IAj-IGRllsM_LijLMelB6G3AeOl2aps0yM7qNaiH3YBpJbSf8/s320/Narita_Airport_Terminal1_3454751593.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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I had really been hoping to get there early enough to shop the new (since I've been there, anyway) mall, particularly the Traveler's Notebook shop. On my hunt for the journal I wanted I also managed to pick up a couple of pins for my Masteryear quilt, as well as a Tokyo city mug.<br />
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But I managed to spend most of my extra yen here. In delight.<br />
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And that was it. Singapore Air is a wonderful airline to fly with. My amazing travel agent had booked me a round trip window seat for less than $800. The re-entry into the USA took longer and was harder than going into Tokyo in the first place (mostly because I was honest about my purchases), but the bus to the flyaway had just pulled up in front of Bradley as I wheeled my bags out. The sun had just set when I arrived at my favorite restaurant for dinner and I was home at a reasonable hour. Tired and sad, but safe.<br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">The Haul</span><br />
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The first time I watched a haul video I thought, "WTF? Who cares what you bought?" but I watched it anyway and really enjoyed it. I didn't make a video, but thought I'd share some pictures.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_a5p6ZNDNA7YzmOBsywGB4QFIelfqUDJQHTjalytGwQ81-fAfBWPDy68T0TCNXpqUdHXvClv4ElSly2sq9Pac51ACr3uwqblAN_uStlRJ9a1tzN-Jxzty2AO7NFcMwmtuqQWC/s1600/005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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The Victorian Era is my favorite era - architecturally - which was, no doubt, a big reason I loved this hotel so much. This is a 4" version of the bronze statue of Mickey that greeted us in the lobby.<br />
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Remember I dragged my tired Grandma self over to Disney Sea on Halloween night to ensure I got a commemorative Halloween pin?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60FxGW3TNLXvbepTGSODDEZBxKoOxqo_n_-vSl1ToDqzqR1oQiM-R2zCP7qagsLg0O0lRdVcCYo29m777Eez8RDeYa8uNfyLEg-rcHBv53hmtEfjBzVD417f_br0Zgcls2TNK/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh60FxGW3TNLXvbepTGSODDEZBxKoOxqo_n_-vSl1ToDqzqR1oQiM-R2zCP7qagsLg0O0lRdVcCYo29m777Eez8RDeYa8uNfyLEg-rcHBv53hmtEfjBzVD417f_br0Zgcls2TNK/s320/013.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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And how the next day we discovered it was suddenly Christmas?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tah-Dah!</td></tr>
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Also from Disney Sea. I felt lucky to find both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea pins. In English.<br />
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Then I took a chance on these. I took them out at the hotel and said to my daughter-in-law, "I am really hoping these say 'Tokyo Disney Sea' and 'Tokyo Disneyland.'" Her eyes were twinkling, but I think she was telling me straight that that's what they said.<br />
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I never planned to collect Dumbo stuff, but it seems over the years that's just what I've done. I got the little Dumbo tsum tsum on the cake at the Ikspiari Disney Store. It was issued to celebrate the 4th anniversary of tsum tsums. I may be able to get it here, but I really wanted to get it there. The Dumbo on my right is a candy container that I saw in a thisNatasha vlog. I made sure I found one and was lucky I happened to walk into the right store early on. I never saw it again.<br />
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I had particularly hoped to find something with Mickey dressed in something culturally Japanese. And I did. I found later that I could have bought a larger size, but the smaller one suits me fine.<br />
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This is something nice they do for you in the shops there. The assume a lot of what you are buying is for other people, and put in extra bags whether you ask for them or not.<br />
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I had planned to buy tins, and I did, but I also collect specially decorated boxes so was thrilled to find this one. It was the only "food" container (I gave the crackers to the family) that screamed JAPAN.<br />
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And the tins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_uv8vzOj5dNeb4rAhBlJUm8w1bwiBQdmZRcWMoT-67VFZTHQPa-Img4TV9k0ioloLLzA-1ODbt56olO00Xg-DgkFua97-xI8CYPLW0P33Poywrkrb5QwAvWlfQBIcFAKUYeZ/s1600/024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw_uv8vzOj5dNeb4rAhBlJUm8w1bwiBQdmZRcWMoT-67VFZTHQPa-Img4TV9k0ioloLLzA-1ODbt56olO00Xg-DgkFua97-xI8CYPLW0P33Poywrkrb5QwAvWlfQBIcFAKUYeZ/s320/024.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite. Embellished with a tiny Jiminy Cricket and a tiny Tink. The corner motifs are delicate and gorgeous.</td></tr>
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OK, happy ending to a sad story. Shortly before the trip I ran several errands. It wasn't until I got home that I realized my house keys (which I keep separate from my car keys) had disappeared. I called all the stores I'd shopped and the hardware store confirmed they had the keys. I drove out the next morning, singing praises for the kindness of the human race. When I collected the keys, however, I saw that my fob decorations - two personalized and all three irreplaceable - had been stolen off the ring. One of them was the carabiner clip with the iconic Mickey outline in red. The parks don't sell it anymore. So, I was really thrilled to find these at Disney Sea.<br />
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TOMIKA. Golly, I wish we could get this themed for our parks. Or have I just missed them? Similar to Hot Wheels and themed for characters and rides and shows. Just delightful little things.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hW1stRq9CUOdHOFbLobHDsiKxm8I9FYjmeLw1FM79WgZ2JtAqSea2ervDCu3_rq6Yp8nsRXhVMvvOXRe4E12YVbkIoHXRp9Knu6BEURRkeLwuLY6rUdiS24oWe7CwfNJLU9P/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2hW1stRq9CUOdHOFbLobHDsiKxm8I9FYjmeLw1FM79WgZ2JtAqSea2ervDCu3_rq6Yp8nsRXhVMvvOXRe4E12YVbkIoHXRp9Knu6BEURRkeLwuLY6rUdiS24oWe7CwfNJLU9P/s320/028.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pluto, Mickey and Pooh.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqVU_me7KT_p0P5qWRMCUwmXVBeIA0l1G7bPTTLUy51mHXzp3hDJeYmTDN4P3Ubpsbv7zLaQZ0T8xLORbbGfJQbFUbxz3Z9ucxt7jXOHxsvHUXtlYEu_-sFlzB1WBmD5zQr3m/s1600/029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqVU_me7KT_p0P5qWRMCUwmXVBeIA0l1G7bPTTLUy51mHXzp3hDJeYmTDN4P3Ubpsbv7zLaQZ0T8xLORbbGfJQbFUbxz3Z9ucxt7jXOHxsvHUXtlYEu_-sFlzB1WBmD5zQr3m/s320/029.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fish is the character from <em>Sea Rider</em>, a ride that is (I think) like <em>Star Tours</em> but themed to Nemo and Dory. We didn't go on it but it's high on my list for my next trip. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B7nPRSJOagXTWUahtLTeJ4Llnaz-JS30UcoaVuXerdc1YdcFtM5YTcPO2tEjStm9QajvpI32S2RKZ02gSA4ly49naCLa0irU5f2ag0Wt6EtG0u0-O6NTtTXjb6I-JSLLJiXH/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5B7nPRSJOagXTWUahtLTeJ4Llnaz-JS30UcoaVuXerdc1YdcFtM5YTcPO2tEjStm9QajvpI32S2RKZ02gSA4ly49naCLa0irU5f2ag0Wt6EtG0u0-O6NTtTXjb6I-JSLLJiXH/s320/031.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got the album of music from BIG BAND BEAT and the themed livery.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christmas vehicles I bought at the hotel mercantile.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVpPoZGWPdRFHWJWlG97TQnMUmfdo6HCLHHXJI_7MFJMLjc37iliEqpG3JZuGyp1AXPtCj6WmNvWIfz9i7qVgSOnJ6zg5X-cpZiUG-2t-ZlO-3Sq3aGVUX9btdBTdUDP23oWf/s1600/033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVpPoZGWPdRFHWJWlG97TQnMUmfdo6HCLHHXJI_7MFJMLjc37iliEqpG3JZuGyp1AXPtCj6WmNvWIfz9i7qVgSOnJ6zg5X-cpZiUG-2t-ZlO-3Sq3aGVUX9btdBTdUDP23oWf/s320/033.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, of course, Cars cars.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbSP7J5Tl5qAk4gWvTv-jXS3py1swHsIQygU1LXC8bFz2rsJNnCmbV3tdm8pSUKEDN-Ab1GGOhNXDfRmtdRRU1npppsk92pMP2ZRgRYWX3MRhR9YvvXiSS-nvjqoNJMY_I5WV/s1600/034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbSP7J5Tl5qAk4gWvTv-jXS3py1swHsIQygU1LXC8bFz2rsJNnCmbV3tdm8pSUKEDN-Ab1GGOhNXDfRmtdRRU1npppsk92pMP2ZRgRYWX3MRhR9YvvXiSS-nvjqoNJMY_I5WV/s320/034.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ride vehicles.</td></tr>
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Over the years I've collected a few Disney character plushies in Christmas garb. I managed to spend enough at the Disney Store at Ikspiari to qualify for a purchase-with-purchase. I opted for the Chip and Dale.<br />
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I don't usually wear yellow, but this Winnie the Pooh hoodie was too cute to pass up. It's not fleece but some kind of double-knit polyester. I wore it to the Anaheim Disney this past Saturday and had to peel it off within an hour. I may not be able to wear it here - we don't get cold enough.<br />
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The cookie tin from the Mercantile at the hotel. SO sweet. Japan is more into the little, cute characters than the US. For example, Huey, Dewey and Louie are on the sides of this tin. (I don't remember them being so angelic, however.)<br />
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On most trips to our Disneyland, my mom comments that they should have at least a kiosk or wagon with stationery supplies. (There used to be a Hallmark store where the Clothiers is, now.) It was fun to show her there is a designated stationery store in the Grand Bazaar, although you could buy most of the offerings at the other gift shops as well.<br />
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And finally, the purchases at the Narita Terminal 1 Mall.<br />
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Lovely pins and a cool sticker from one of the locality stores. (Each province has its own store in the mall.)<br />
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My big purchase at Traveler's Factory store. There were a half-dozen times that I wished I'd remembered to bring a travel journal (or even just a small notebook) to capture some of the cute things my grands did or some of the funny but insignificant things (like me forgetting I would have to haul my haul on the train and the 20-minute walk home from the shopping mall) in case I forgot them. That's what all this is for. Small enough to slip into my purse.<br />
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And lastly, I don't drink coffee but do use mugs for just about everything else. With my essential tremor and arthritis, something with a handle is more stable. So, I started collecting the "You Are Here" mugs from Starbucks. Of course, Japan couldn't offer just one mug for the country, but rather had one for each major city. And, they aren't the same style (although someone behind me mentioned that they thought Starbucks was putting out a new mug this year, so maybe this is it.) I do like the way it's decorated.<br />
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And so, that's it. I'm home. Tired and more than a little sad to be away from my Japan family again.</div>
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The End.</div>
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debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-40608415279920069662017-11-16T16:52:00.002-08:002017-11-20T13:22:52.393-08:00Masteryear Highpoint.Maybe.<br />
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But I can't imagine much that would be better than this trip was.<br />
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Each of my trips to Japan (this was my third since my son relocated there) has started the same way. It is not the custom to have ovens in Japan, so cookies are hard. I always take a box of chocolate chip cookies with me. And no, I didn't plan for one to come out shaped like a heart.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFHjOAbwRU-hIFpOomEPQ8Xv8SEp0OXuuiWQrHxwPYwbpHmgJg2KtdJ3KCUnMBlKJZDL3Vxg3DhTOse2HVlO3QuiF-Tx1eDpS28Xn0Mkzl5cf485xA3VRxUYW6XQrH8uiHP5O/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfFHjOAbwRU-hIFpOomEPQ8Xv8SEp0OXuuiWQrHxwPYwbpHmgJg2KtdJ3KCUnMBlKJZDL3Vxg3DhTOse2HVlO3QuiF-Tx1eDpS28Xn0Mkzl5cf485xA3VRxUYW6XQrH8uiHP5O/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+011.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My son had several requests this year. I ended up shipping a box full of American Halloween costumes, but he had also requested clothing. He is a tall man with large feet and it's hard to find simple things like trousers and socks. In addition, he had asked me to make some colonial costumes for a culture day next year. And he had asked me to bring Trader Joe's chocolate treats and See's Candy. To make a long story a little shorter, I had to pack and repack several times, filling two large suitcases, a rolling carry-on, a big purse and part of a backpack (and leaving a bunch of stuff at home) before I was ready to roll out to the Flyaway.</div>
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Everything went very smoothly (which it usually does when I travel) and we took off right on time. It tickled me to look down and see that we were flying over the part of the coast where I live. If I'd been on the other side of the plane I would have easily picked out my house below. As it was, I enjoyed PCH 1 - a route I have loved and driven many times - Mugu Rock and eventually the Channel Islands and Santa Barbara. I waved to the channel, a place I often visit off Stearns Wharf on a little tour yacht called the <em>Azure Seas</em>.</div>
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About twelve hours later we arrived at Narita Airport in Japan. Again, all went smoothly. The only hiccup was that they are fighting money laundering and would not convert as much cash as I wanted. As it turned out, I did not spend as much money as I thought I would, so this turned out not to be a problem.<br />
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The first time I traveled to Japan, my son had ridden the train to meet me at Narita and arranged for us both to ride the limo bus into the suburban neighborhood they lived in, a process that ate up his Friday afternoon and into the evening. I very much appreciated being shown the processes, but in subsequent trips encouraged him to stay home while I dealt with money, baggage shipping and bus tickets. It was even easier this time since he has moved more into Tokyo city and I only had to go to the Tokyo CityAir Terminal, a short cab ride from their apartment. What a thrill to see both my son and older grandson waiting for me when I arrived!<br />
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I had two goals for this trip. The first was to get acquainted with my grandchildren. The older is six and spent a month with me three years ago, but I was sure he would not remember me. The younger I had not yet met, as he is only two. I have always tried to preserve the privacy of my family and especially the children here by not sharing pictures of their faces. I would, however, like to share these pictures that the six-year-old created so that I would know where the important facilities were located:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ-qG0yOS2b9bDjtOs1WT_PYFkHmviqJ_WfOcXY8j5q60Qg5m1g0Poyg1E8rzSTR4NDMq7g4XQi0nJSO5NYoC3Wurm78zk1bUWSM4lltpMjEgcALGduopEVvZp3owINlP_LPx/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJ-qG0yOS2b9bDjtOs1WT_PYFkHmviqJ_WfOcXY8j5q60Qg5m1g0Poyg1E8rzSTR4NDMq7g4XQi0nJSO5NYoC3Wurm78zk1bUWSM4lltpMjEgcALGduopEVvZp3owINlP_LPx/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+290.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The weather helped me meet my goal of getting to know the kids, as I arrived just in time for Typhoon Lan. The day after I arrived, while the rain was still spotty and light, my son took me and his younger son for a walk up to Ryogoku Station, as it would be the station I would use if I wanted to take myself on an adventure. <br />
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Right next to this station is <a href="https://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/spot/sportfac/ryogoku-kokugikan.html" target="_blank">Ryogoku Kokugikan</a>, the most famous Sumo Wrestling stadium in the world. As we walked through a small artisan's faire between the station and the stadium, I saw a doll artist's booth and decided to buy one of her handmade felt sumo dolls.</div>
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We stopped for lunch at a Mos Burger, then got home in time for the rain and wind to kick up. The next day Typhoon Lan kept us pretty well closed up in the apartment for a day with toy cars and trains. For lunch that day we had tacos made with the package of corn tortillas I had packed into my luggage (another tradition), but for dinner we opted for Japanese take-out.</div>
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Japanese food is always an adventure that I enjoy. and then we had take-out delivered.<br />
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Yes, that is Japanese take-out delivery. Mine was a delicious pork over rice. Afterward the dishes were washed and left outside, and at some point during the next day or so someone from the restaurant came to pick it all up. </div>
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The next day, my son took me on another walk to the neighborhood where he teaches at an international school. One of my hopes for this trip was to take myself to Nippori, the "Textile Town" of Tokyo. But here in one of the little shopping alleys was a tiny fabric store (I wish I'd thought to take a picture of it) where I found three beautiful pieces of Japanese fabric as well as the handful of notions I needed.</div>
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On the way home we stopped at a corner shop with glass display cases on the sidewalk and we bought sushi for that night's dinner.<br />
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I arrived on Friday, and by Wednesday was ready to take myself on an easy adventure to the neighboring town of Kinshicho and the Arcakit shopping mall. By American standards a Japanese shopping mall actually looks like a department store. However, in Japan all the stores are open to the interior. That is, in an American department store, each department is part of a larger business and you can carry your purchases from one department to another and pay for your collection just before you leave. Although it looks very similar, in the Japanese shopping malls you have to remember to pay for your purchases before stepping out of the invisible boundary between the business and the aisle way.</div>
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My DIL walked me up to Ryogoku station again and made sure I got through the ticket turnstyle. I got off at the right station and made my way to Arcakit and to my destination, the Daiso store. It's similar to a dollar store in the states, although in my experience here the merchandise is basic goods where at the Daiso there is more that is fun-and-games level. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8L3ix9G9RTlo8GyaWtsEny8Krwqs-0fzj5uHffpNtqHK5Fm8FWgr6xwBZHAzsgN4Yv1KcOjfdHDFm2XWS_NVwMTGpWX-3XrvCsCXdwAaqwGmqhY924qQpc76OGGQFCQJsRNB/s1600/048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp8L3ix9G9RTlo8GyaWtsEny8Krwqs-0fzj5uHffpNtqHK5Fm8FWgr6xwBZHAzsgN4Yv1KcOjfdHDFm2XWS_NVwMTGpWX-3XrvCsCXdwAaqwGmqhY924qQpc76OGGQFCQJsRNB/s640/048.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And I did have fun. The Daiso has a special arrangement with Disney and their Disney stuff was, frankly, better than most of the stuff offered at the Disney parks. Washi tape (called masking tape there) was 100 yen (about a dollar) there as compared to $3-4.00 here. I had a blast picking up "bargains" although I had to keep reminding myself that I had to get this stuff home to California (and I still had Disneyland souvenirs to pick up). What I forgot to remind myself was that I also had to get the stuff home. To the Japan apartment. On the train. And then a twenty-minute walk. With, as it turned out, a full backpack and big, full bags in each hand.<br />
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As if the Daiso wasn't enough fun, I also found a terrific little fabric store...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyQ8vMkfK87ZHWG0HqRVwlK9Q-3lZhCcNcial2Wk9mszBd5qGN6A02xW1QTmItyiGK_37vg9I3x2wlDbDtmSl6KQzivPXCvGmZ8gDABqZX8uhHFmvzKNTIuL-fyw9TVt74qby/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCyQ8vMkfK87ZHWG0HqRVwlK9Q-3lZhCcNcial2Wk9mszBd5qGN6A02xW1QTmItyiGK_37vg9I3x2wlDbDtmSl6KQzivPXCvGmZ8gDABqZX8uhHFmvzKNTIuL-fyw9TVt74qby/s320/050.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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...after which I gave up on Nippori.<br />
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And a Happy store...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosmHOoQWhEAfUkKtNRJFYh1etL2dIfXPzqo2gzZFHsbzsqTDW_bfgVx-8nOtl4v6qPN2lFwunuZTosyvpwiYdK30bvPD9ZojiyPxFGyIk7J7GbUxynTNKOO7ZyK82j_o_MJoB/s1600/053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosmHOoQWhEAfUkKtNRJFYh1etL2dIfXPzqo2gzZFHsbzsqTDW_bfgVx-8nOtl4v6qPN2lFwunuZTosyvpwiYdK30bvPD9ZojiyPxFGyIk7J7GbUxynTNKOO7ZyK82j_o_MJoB/s320/053.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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... and a huge Muji store. I totally screwed up buying what I really wanted. I thought I was buying little journals for my older grandson who likes to write books, but which turned out to be little photo albums. On a whim I bought one of the Muji lip conditioners, which was so good that when my DIL went to that mall a few days later, she obliged me by granting my request to pick up ten more for me to bring home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75vubQ7F8FsZa9jPiXgeEsG-5GKJn-bvn-DjqmJYVQV4J9npCugQfsKkSlVD1iKKZEWtXNSbdemAXZlT-yikMh1JBSQTmIS1z46HbyNTdIRKIg2x5xmmoak20cB4WGWr3-yIt/s1600/054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh75vubQ7F8FsZa9jPiXgeEsG-5GKJn-bvn-DjqmJYVQV4J9npCugQfsKkSlVD1iKKZEWtXNSbdemAXZlT-yikMh1JBSQTmIS1z46HbyNTdIRKIg2x5xmmoak20cB4WGWr3-yIt/s320/054.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Pretty sure that's what they call a "haul," and a darn good one, too. I sure had a good time.<br />
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My grandchildren usually get to go outside daily for exercise, but had been cooped up for several days before my visit and, of course, during Typhoon Lan, so by the next day we were all ready for a good walk . My daughter-in-law asked if I would like to see the river (they had posted several beautiful river pictures in the past) and I was anxious to do so.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qTgbySGImbUZJ3OpFJZa7Isnm5B9U8ARhpfQDZi5VwTzzu1tWyUq7arEVnuppwSD_D0xmcj_60Iad7OvyPWpqa-LOAURDYykZ-gi9odfetlB6CGuGZk9o0RlCp5Fmmx3itoU/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8qTgbySGImbUZJ3OpFJZa7Isnm5B9U8ARhpfQDZi5VwTzzu1tWyUq7arEVnuppwSD_D0xmcj_60Iad7OvyPWpqa-LOAURDYykZ-gi9odfetlB6CGuGZk9o0RlCp5Fmmx3itoU/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+143.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how trash - in this case recyclables - is collected.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Y0SmO74egZgA_Oea-n4_v1JP5Mw1yQ4sW1YD61NZEwjgB2qF_eoqp5XlRRYVa5vo7F8vGlH9JQoe-Zm6fBf3DWN6IOwXFDcLvw8GfMhGGfofbD5IVs3W7gv6yaUnDba9JPcr/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6Y0SmO74egZgA_Oea-n4_v1JP5Mw1yQ4sW1YD61NZEwjgB2qF_eoqp5XlRRYVa5vo7F8vGlH9JQoe-Zm6fBf3DWN6IOwXFDcLvw8GfMhGGfofbD5IVs3W7gv6yaUnDba9JPcr/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pretty sure this is telling us not to pee in the river. Or maybe the park. In any event, this river had flooded in the typhoon and we are very sure had flooded sewage somewhere along the course, so the warning was pointless. Whew. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bUQ4CCA6aCXeUfNdbOZyQSmm2fb1qAjyrgI85TQPJvFx7Jx9Q14phawCzBIg2qEBtn1cwBWJw1hQQBtKx7u7Q0v7lXYc5eSMxCAtLRLJBpTqcGj-NNdPmIRMP_J7IWIJauSM/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bUQ4CCA6aCXeUfNdbOZyQSmm2fb1qAjyrgI85TQPJvFx7Jx9Q14phawCzBIg2qEBtn1cwBWJw1hQQBtKx7u7Q0v7lXYc5eSMxCAtLRLJBpTqcGj-NNdPmIRMP_J7IWIJauSM/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+152.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up the stairs, then down again on the other side for a riverside park to walk through.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLiRTJwjiq5LBsLkLfjW60RelkRtgJ_CFYvjX0Pgfi9-SmtCOSl3xLitbL89bge9fuwIUR3Qt43RcrXlCX-zDWfAzGZ5DvoxOLUZM-VKVnee8dS5tgnlwHrSfdbw6fWqHzoDk/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtLiRTJwjiq5LBsLkLfjW60RelkRtgJ_CFYvjX0Pgfi9-SmtCOSl3xLitbL89bge9fuwIUR3Qt43RcrXlCX-zDWfAzGZ5DvoxOLUZM-VKVnee8dS5tgnlwHrSfdbw6fWqHzoDk/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+153.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking pretty dirty because of the typhoon.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLy7gn2QRLfVOWiSXKKmtTybjAizbvIWjfR-O3_r4rJdU0VmcBUrX17bA8s5OBZBIJXa4zb930vREAgMefDIoURlGLdC6DR6H1cdutpiZVh5wbaAk5WwMeu0yPB3b9-VWXjPTz/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLy7gn2QRLfVOWiSXKKmtTybjAizbvIWjfR-O3_r4rJdU0VmcBUrX17bA8s5OBZBIJXa4zb930vREAgMefDIoURlGLdC6DR6H1cdutpiZVh5wbaAk5WwMeu0yPB3b9-VWXjPTz/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+165.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Block wall.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEajuaMNGMF5rpROseV7zXKXwnMzYhcheyfkoGYbcE-E6-dYYdc8nfIsNrp5hjNe_yH7IcJlo6rM4V20qghJ614HdgFRN-sbVu-UujVI4ck-RgsPp-hCVIwYrQEQ9fndMDQD-/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+159.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMEajuaMNGMF5rpROseV7zXKXwnMzYhcheyfkoGYbcE-E6-dYYdc8nfIsNrp5hjNe_yH7IcJlo6rM4V20qghJ614HdgFRN-sbVu-UujVI4ck-RgsPp-hCVIwYrQEQ9fndMDQD-/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+159.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As we turned toward home, my grandson said, "Grandma, I want to show you something here," and made a quick turn to the left. I followed him, and we found ourselves in a beautiful little garden. It was part of a shrine. I don't know how the woman in the entrance felt about us coming in the back like that, but I was charmed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXwwCIlgMZ-lyVqRk7UKde4GBjtg40uOw8oxlkWJwdiiKvntHIhED5YLCuOGgQe4_PTKgWC18jjOib2C4xdW-IoTM83mNRVjlWnHO2jRJE0CxsJpXbh25kr76quIseA_yZGA4/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUXwwCIlgMZ-lyVqRk7UKde4GBjtg40uOw8oxlkWJwdiiKvntHIhED5YLCuOGgQe4_PTKgWC18jjOib2C4xdW-IoTM83mNRVjlWnHO2jRJE0CxsJpXbh25kr76quIseA_yZGA4/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+181.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjO_tgroImxsJ7o80BU8RDrplZ4-_49P_INtW6DF0g9lsoNgfKJlt59_yEFt5N5aqc5YOGyVIMLfXk7pY7fTUSGVHZSECu_nySu6EsEyzPIVpwJ0i775p1_IFwMg6KVx188pe/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwjO_tgroImxsJ7o80BU8RDrplZ4-_49P_INtW6DF0g9lsoNgfKJlt59_yEFt5N5aqc5YOGyVIMLfXk7pY7fTUSGVHZSECu_nySu6EsEyzPIVpwJ0i775p1_IFwMg6KVx188pe/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+186.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv4AkZ25wpT61ep3hsVUMlBfiDrwWWci31qkfhsDLJ-Y88-X0EnQdZtVfdtK7RiO8B83LwiCil6u9z3Uki40afIC8n8mnejCw7k__PCWOm-tA9p_pA7O-oBH7-pN6ymaFQv1I/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirv4AkZ25wpT61ep3hsVUMlBfiDrwWWci31qkfhsDLJ-Y88-X0EnQdZtVfdtK7RiO8B83LwiCil6u9z3Uki40afIC8n8mnejCw7k__PCWOm-tA9p_pA7O-oBH7-pN6ymaFQv1I/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuacnTFjSgOqrUpbgqq_JUmIiAAVvAXQKfRtQtrii-aRis6oSw0Qwv6I8QZarhOeFORiZcqDOnXusn34Aybc8q5wwfk8_2cZTfwr5zRQ0ez2H4usLTmJz4lnKmTKs9FIVDqwd1/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuacnTFjSgOqrUpbgqq_JUmIiAAVvAXQKfRtQtrii-aRis6oSw0Qwv6I8QZarhOeFORiZcqDOnXusn34Aybc8q5wwfk8_2cZTfwr5zRQ0ez2H4usLTmJz4lnKmTKs9FIVDqwd1/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+188.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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The bridge went over a little pond which, my DIL explained, headed into a small cave, which the shrine was marking.<br />
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As we left the shrine we passed these doors,<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06T7MAMjgiP-USLtxIaAOD3_8FT7A1W6dejqjWSwP_JHSLJNfKvS7ueNc8sH6qTXV_fUzccn_thzWpQpwg3Jaq9r1AIdErFKX0HY-LKFVPvC8bNkFExqfzZxrn-QRXO6fH-Zt/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+189.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06T7MAMjgiP-USLtxIaAOD3_8FT7A1W6dejqjWSwP_JHSLJNfKvS7ueNc8sH6qTXV_fUzccn_thzWpQpwg3Jaq9r1AIdErFKX0HY-LKFVPvC8bNkFExqfzZxrn-QRXO6fH-Zt/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+189.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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and this demolition, which I found very interesting,<br />
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and then to a cake shop called Marry's. Japanese cake is very dense and the flavor rather subtle, but the presentation is delightful and I was taken by the sweet little box. We were also impressed that she assumed this was a birthday cake and had added some little candles.<br />
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On Friday my son had to go into work to help set up the school's annual festival, and on Saturday we all went. They wore some of the costumes I had brought from the United States. My very tall son wore the Darth Vader, which tickled me since he was also playing in the school band for one of the stage performances. He had warned me that my DIL might be too shy to wear the Princess Leia costume, but she was not only excited to wear it, she rocked the heck out of it. It looked beautiful on her. The older boy chose the Ninja costume over the Stormtrooper, and the little one had to be brainwashed to wear the BB8 costume. In the end, I think both boys had fun dressed in their American costumes. My DIL had assured me that we would only stay an hour, but it was so much fun we ended up staying for closer to three hours, I think.</div>
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There were lots of games for kids at the festival, and an inflatable slide. There were stage shows running all day. And food. Lots of food. My son said that local businesses buy space and set up food stalls. The Japanese Black Steak booth was my first experience with Japanese Black Steak.</div>
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I looked it up when I got home. In short, many are familiar with the famous Kobe beef. But true Kobe beef ONLY comes from the area of Kobe. (Kobe is a city and the capital of the Hyōgo Prefecture. It is also a region, like Champagne is a region in France.) The beef that is raised in Kobe that we refer to as Kobe beef is one of the four breeds of cattle found in Japan, the Japanese Black. (It is not a pasture raised beef but is instead raised on special diet of dried pasture forage and grasses such as rice straw with nutrition-rich feed supplements made by blending soybean, corn, barley, wheat bran, and various other ingredients.) In addition, to be called Kobe beef, certain lineage must be documented.</div>
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However, Kobe is not the only place to raise Japanese Black cattle. And judging by how delicious and tender this festival black steak was, I'd say it must rival the Kobe for marbling.</div>
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The following Monday was a special day. My daughter-in-law's mother was treating us all to chanko at one of the special restaurants. Chanko is a food that sumo wrestlers eat to bulk up. In true Japanese tradition, this was a very special presentation.</div>
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My family is always surprised that I am such an adventurous eater in Japan. My DIL's mother was shocked that I would eat the sashimi. But I studied O Chado (tea ceremony) for three years and developed a willingness to try new things and an appreciation for a lot of flavors. The only common Japanese food I don't care for is tofu, mostly because the texture is unpleasant to me.<br />
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Because we were heading to the Tokyo Disney resort the next day, we returned home for a quiet afternoon.</div>
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By Tuesday, we were all ready - and Grandma was raring - to leave for three days in the land of magic and make-believe.</div>
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<strong><em><span style="color: red;">TOKYO DISNEY AND DISNEY SEA</span></em></strong></div>
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Before I get too much further, I want to shout out to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/schukichan" target="_blank">thisNatasha</a>. The circumstances of her life bring her the opportunity to travel travel travel, and she creates informative and entertaining vlogs for the rest of us. My trip to Tokyo Disney resorts was enriched by her efforts, and I am appreciative that she is willing to take that time and make that effort for our benefit.</div>
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Months, if not a full year, before this trip I had shared that I wanted to take the family to Tokyo Disneyland. I was thinking a day. My son and his wife volunteered to do some homework, and in a later conversation asked if I could afford a three-day, two-night stay. As residents they could get a good price on a vacation package, and they felt that being close to the resort with a room available for mid-day rest periods, would help us have more fun. I completely agreed. When my late husband and I would take our two boys to the Anaheim Disneyland, our best trips were the ones where we had booked a room at the Disneyland Hotel. When the little boys would be overtired or over-stimulated, their dad would load them onto the Monorail and take them to the hotel for a couple of hours. Dad was not a fan of Disneyland anyway, and to have a couple of hours to catch up on the weekend sports while the boys got some needed downtime worked well for all of us. I had no problem finding fun in a park I had visited yearly since its opening.</div>
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I agreed to their plan and left the details to them. I paid the tab when it popped on the credit card but really didn't know much about the details. Based on the cost I assumed they had found decent lodgings in the surrounding area.</div>
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And was delighted but shocked to learn after I arrived in Japan that they had booked two alcove rooms at the Disneyland Hotel. On site. Maybe a hundred yards from the entrance to Tokyo Disneyland, and just feet from the Monorail Station.</div>
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Our morning went well. We decided to take a cab to the train station. Each Japanese train station has "theme" music, and I've always gotten a kick out of hearing the music when trains arrive. The station that services the Disney resorts is Mahaima Station, and apparently the music changes from time to time. On the day we arrived, the theme was "Zip-a-dee-doo-dah," which made me smile. Once off the train with our luggage, we were able to simply walk across the pavement a short distance to the Disney Welcome Center where we were able to check our luggage for delivery to the hotel. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWzZ20_2eeY_xcpEcSiA9JSpKqj6uq4JOM_13uKBw4TL5-WCfLIt6r1-5ITK9l2NLS0rohO9QlP6Qg2clspgKaOPget9d4O0n65NyA2tvKdzkNZbKARRdA5wfzgJYH-9kQOo3/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPWzZ20_2eeY_xcpEcSiA9JSpKqj6uq4JOM_13uKBw4TL5-WCfLIt6r1-5ITK9l2NLS0rohO9QlP6Qg2clspgKaOPget9d4O0n65NyA2tvKdzkNZbKARRdA5wfzgJYH-9kQOo3/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+328.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Another musical kick in the emotions was realizing as we made our way from train to Welcome Center that one - if not the most- of my favorite songs was playing. "Once Upon a Dream" from <em>Sleeping Beauty</em> was then followed by "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from <em>Cinderella</em>, another I love. After several trips on the Monorail I learned that this medley actually began with "When You Wish Upon a Star" from <em>Pinocchio</em>, practically a theme song for me. The only other song I would hear - and all four I heard I heard frequently - was "You've Got a Friend in Me" from <em>Toy Story</em>, another with personal meaning.</div>
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Once the baggage check chore was completed we headed to the park.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first glimpse of an old friend.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AJJC1cRsfK7pciL433Oaa2QO4mA3B8q2_BBgu9O_DArDruGv2FmbkFitijwxttPntZN-BW-wBzE7VRlFzvvgESaEGRJ5AP07LUTSeu3CoHY7eCrBB-V8A9YbAMCt6CH-VZwK/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AJJC1cRsfK7pciL433Oaa2QO4mA3B8q2_BBgu9O_DArDruGv2FmbkFitijwxttPntZN-BW-wBzE7VRlFzvvgESaEGRJ5AP07LUTSeu3CoHY7eCrBB-V8A9YbAMCt6CH-VZwK/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+340.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pedestrian walkway level to the park. We learned at the end that we could have taken the Monorail. Not a great distance, but when you're conserving energy, every step makes a difference.</td></tr>
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Our first day was Halloween Day, and the park was in full Halloween dress. In Anaheim, adults are prohibited from wearing costumes. But in Tokyo, anyone can wear the costume of a Disney character through the month of October. We arrived on the last day that guests could wear costumes, and that was a treat in itself.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Grand Bazaar, the Tokyo version of Main Street USA. Lots of shops, eateries, etc. It's covered because there is so much rain in Tokyo, especially in June and July which is monsoon season. I guess you wouldn't want guests racing through the retail area on their way out.</td></tr>
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My observation from the first steps into the park was that this park pays homage to its predecessor in California, then kicks it up a notch. So I had a sense of the familiar, but noticed differences that I liked a lot.<br />
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For example, the little Pooh balloon in this cluster has a third piece that makes a 3D face with a snout. VERY much cuter.<br />
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The Penny Arcade is actually an arcade, but not a penny and the 'games' were mostly claw games, which are very popular in Japan. I was happy to find several "penny presses," which also were not because, of course, no pennies. They were "medallion" machines and cost 100 yen. Since I collect the penny press products from Anaheim Disney parks, I was delighted to add a handful of the Japan versions to my collection.<br />
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I have spent many happy hours at the Refreshment Corner aka Coke Corner in Anaheim. No piano player here, no Mad Hatter leading Musical Chairs, but the red and white umbrellas made me feel more at home.<br />
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The castle here is based on the Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.<br />
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The Partners statue from a distance. Too many people waiting to have their photo taken, especially with little ones anxious to get to our destination.<br />
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Guests' costumes were amazing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Woody and Anna.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belle and Beast</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow White and Snow White. Apparently it is common for friends - even groups of friends - to dress alike at Disneyland year around.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ahhh, they have water lilies in the moat. I want water lilies in the moat.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoqcixLIyfLcOsEiJOQMe4ERKqBEqlsACN-yEk04n5UDr39dFxH39zuP9J2aajMwFZYZv7PIqiFkwySFD_5AaW3U5P0yP6a_xcD1IrH7eGcXmyZR4vCp5uyEDEY9ITs-ZZuU_/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+410.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwoqcixLIyfLcOsEiJOQMe4ERKqBEqlsACN-yEk04n5UDr39dFxH39zuP9J2aajMwFZYZv7PIqiFkwySFD_5AaW3U5P0yP6a_xcD1IrH7eGcXmyZR4vCp5uyEDEY9ITs-ZZuU_/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+410.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The same but different. Different designs on the cups, different lanterns all under cover. But the same fun.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I LOVED these women. I thought I was running out of battery right after this shot so missed the opportunity to get a picture of the entire group. Threre were at least three more, each dressed in a different color and ALL with the tiny wings on the back.<br />
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My six-year-old grandson had heard about Disneyland and our first destination was to grant his first wish. </div>
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Toon Town.</div>
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On the way, we passed another reminder that we weren't in California anymore.</div>
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Restroom sign... </div>
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... kicked up in cute. </div>
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Goofy's house in Toon Town.<br />
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And Donald's houseboat. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZN21WKQmrUuEu0wKQKGYdeFTdhYmnRwMrBmFe3YWjLYP7DbEnE3kjI4XooerYI1v4sam6H2qHuTN7tV-qHmUSxV5ROxsnT6l0dCDy3Ye_6TfaJirb3uJoaQ5VmgSjlyXzqStZ/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZN21WKQmrUuEu0wKQKGYdeFTdhYmnRwMrBmFe3YWjLYP7DbEnE3kjI4XooerYI1v4sam6H2qHuTN7tV-qHmUSxV5ROxsnT6l0dCDy3Ye_6TfaJirb3uJoaQ5VmgSjlyXzqStZ/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+434.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That Donald. He's such a romantic.</td></tr>
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And finally Mee-key Mouff's (as the 2YO calls him) house for a portrait. I didn't want to impose a lot of my own wishes on our family outing, but a picture with Mickey was one of two or three must-do events for me, and Mickey's house in Toon Town is about the only place you can be SURE to get a good picture with him. </div>
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It took considerably longer than the posted stand-by time of 25 minutes, so I was grateful for everyone's patience. Fortunately, there is enough hands-on in the house to help keep the kids distracted, and the cartoons in the movie barn at the end of the line helped, too. We got a good picture, but the real treasure of a memory was shared by my DIL. She said that after we all clustered around The Mouse for the picture, Mickey spent a little quality time with the 2YO, who, I heard, just glowed with delight. When Mickey had to turn to the next group, the 2YO sighed adorably.</div>
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By that point it was time to feed the group, so we snagged one of the several available tables (surprisingly un-crowded for a special day, we thought). I seem to remember that one of the sandwiches was a creamy scallop and the other some kind of chicken. I opted for the Mickey-shaped pizza, which was surprisingly good.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In California, diners are often visited by the park sparrows. Park pigeons are a whole different experience, especially when they swoop low across your table.</td></tr>
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After lunch we indulged the 6YO with a ride on Roger Rabbit's Cartoon Spin. He has suffered from motion sickness problems in the past, so I crossed my fingers, sat back and enjoyed the ride. I was seated behind him and his dad and loved watching the two of them whooping it up as the car wheeled and spun.</div>
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After Roger Rabbit we took a walk around the park and decided to ride Pirates before continuing the stroll back into Adventureland and Western Land. My son decided that for sure he wanted to take his boys on the train before we had to leave for the real world.<br />
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By three - check-in time - it was clear that the little boys needed real food and rest, so we headed back to the hotel. There was some kind of drama at check-in. Something about the configuration of our 5-party room distribution and then the clerk insisting that we could not have room service breakfast for five (the manager - when asked - assured us all that it would be fine). So, it took a little longer to get up to the rooms than we'd planned. We divided up into our respective rooms for a rest, which I spent drooling over my lodgings.</div>
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I have never stayed anywhere so gorgeous, so much fun.</div>
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I think my favorite decorative element of the stay was this decoration around the light fixture outside my door. A Mickey, of course...</div>
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... but then the woodland creatures I have loved in everything from <em>Snow White</em> to <em>Sleeping Beauty</em> to <em>Enchanted</em>.</div>
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It was one of the<em> Beauty and the Beast</em> themed rooms, with Wardrobe (Madame Garderobe in the newer version)...</div>
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... and Cogsworth and Lumiere concept sketches...</div>
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.. as well as pieces that represented the iconic symbols of the Disney parks as well as the Victorian theme of the entire Tokyo Disneyland Hotel.</div>
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None of us really wanted to leave the hotel for dinner, so I suggested I treat us all to dinner in the Sherwood Garden restaurant hotel buffet. We were scheduled there for a breakfast in a couple of days anyway, and I felt sure - based on my buffet experience in California - that we would not be disappointed.<br />
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And indeed we were not. In fact, this restaurant is more clever, inventive, more cosmopolitan in it's offerings than its California counterpart. I plan to share our breakfast experience later in this post but wanted to touch on a couple of elements from the décor that tickled me. First, these high-backed benches are used throughout the hotel. I think they are stunning as well as functional in creating privacy.<br />
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And the high chairs provided for the little ones were delightful as well as elegant.<br />
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The meal absolutely did not disappoint (one offering was a beautifully roasted beef that was much appreciated by this meat-deprived family) and we all returned to our rooms satisfied.<br />
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But my day did not end there.<br />
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I had shopping to do.<br />
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I had seen a photo of the Halloween villains pin that was offered at the Disney Sea gift shops through the Halloween season. I had also heard in a vlog that because the Japanese so enjoy celebrations, Disney tends to move quickly from one celebration to another. I really wanted that pin, but was concerned that, this being Halloween, the pin might be gone in the morning when we planned to visit Disney Sea. Also, I had seen an ad for the Disney Store birthday Tsum Tsum piece that featured Dumbo and wanted that piece for my Dumbo collection, but the timing might not work out for me to visit that store later in our stay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SKXZndHNe8I8NZtxdT1tjPEUrSFn7Opsw6Ff_fKXeKibpiScUFXqX7Rh-dyeF5ze3Ao3lqOpC4fU6OJeBQek1Hab6TDTiHM9nJRqlAOdt783RmQdq87Q_2xna-rgj_8lc5em/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SKXZndHNe8I8NZtxdT1tjPEUrSFn7Opsw6Ff_fKXeKibpiScUFXqX7Rh-dyeF5ze3Ao3lqOpC4fU6OJeBQek1Hab6TDTiHM9nJRqlAOdt783RmQdq87Q_2xna-rgj_8lc5em/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+565.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note the witches hats on the hand rings.</td></tr>
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So, after dinner, I dragged my aching knees and feet back onto the Monorail and headed to Disney Sea, where I spent a happy hour in the gift stores at the entrance. Yes, I got my pin plus more goodies, and will do a haul report at the end of this post.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdOFpiF0xpm1WUApzIRXWRpwnbOnwj7nfOea0f2d6QssmWxfBnSDbrOegFOZlPAjEPFtkFUYwXbD52JXJmx_YiAxzmG91mkuIdBO4qGlIWFV1qtkG_XSoNx7QPZuSnJJvoCMV/s1600/Japan+Trip+2017+566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHdOFpiF0xpm1WUApzIRXWRpwnbOnwj7nfOea0f2d6QssmWxfBnSDbrOegFOZlPAjEPFtkFUYwXbD52JXJmx_YiAxzmG91mkuIdBO4qGlIWFV1qtkG_XSoNx7QPZuSnJJvoCMV/s320/Japan+Trip+2017+566.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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Then I returned to Ikspiari, the "Downtown Disney" of the Tokyo resort. I have to say, this store was the only disappointment of this whole trip. It advertises itself as the largest Disney Store in the world, and it may well be in square footage, but I honestly believe my little outlet mall store has more merchandise. I had hoped they would have a large tsum collection - they didn't - and some unusual stationery (not much). They did, however, have the Dumbo birthday cake. I managed to spend enough to qualify for the purchase-with-purchase deal. I chose Chip and Dale in their winter warmies. They will join my Christmas Collection next month.<br />
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Back in my room, I wound down for a few minutes before heading for a shower. And noticed some of the details of what we would refer to as the bathroom. It has been my observation that in Japan it is customary to divide the bathroom space up into three separate spaces, and this room's facility followed that custom. I'm actually shocked at myself for not getting photos of the entire space. In the center was the gorgeous sink space with amenities (later). On one side was the separate toilet space with this etched glass rose in the door. (Get the joke?)<br />
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On the other side was the bathing space where the deep soaking tub and shower heads (one hand-held, one large rainfall overhead) all shared space. The etching in the door of that space was of Cleo from <em>Pinocchio</em>.</div>
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I treated myself to a leisurely hot shower and a couple of ibuprofen and, to my surprise and in spite of my excitement, fell asleep at a reasonable enough time to wake and be ready to go before our 8:00 room service breakfast. Bacon, omelet, hash browns and a chocolate croissant later we were all ready to head back to Disneyland for the morning.<br />
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I'm a little nervous that this post may be getting too long, especially with the pictures so I'm going to publish it now. It will take me a few days to get the Disney Sea story written so please stop by in a couple if you want that update.<br />
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Later.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-46160400210297512602017-11-04T16:10:00.003-07:002017-11-04T16:10:34.531-07:00Home...... after two weeks in Japan.<br />
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Journal of trip in progress here. I just ordered over seven hundred prints of this trip, which included three days in the Tokyo Disney Resort. No, I won't be posting them all here, but it will take a while to compose the narrative. <br />
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What a trip!debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-87401016502636425492017-10-02T15:59:00.001-07:002017-10-02T15:59:22.392-07:00If Not Now (Carrie Newcomer)<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7bY585-fzSs" width="480"></iframe><br />
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Because when I hurt, I always find comfort in the music of the masters.debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-71509811593523283082017-10-02T15:32:00.001-07:002017-10-02T15:32:03.435-07:00WILDFLOWERS ~ TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS ~ FOR CHARISSE ~ (L...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5Jr3uKOzNaw" width="459"></iframe><br />debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-27958062362511105052017-09-29T15:02:00.000-07:002017-10-04T21:33:26.749-07:00Procrastinating......Again.<br />
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I am drowning in mess (the transition from working girl to retiree has some drawbacks) but wanted to share a few more pictures from my adventure in the Northeast before I dive into bringing some sanity to this place.<br />
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Disneyland tomorrow, then Japan in a little less than three weeks. I was in Massachusetts for one week and took over 2,000 photos. Two weeks in Tokyo (including three days at Tokyo Disney) is a little intimidating.<br />
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Anyway...<br />
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Will try to go chronologically...<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvS5tmuvei35HjcWTNz2lRjcOOcVBynr2Z0BNeygMojCdS7xqDn_9M7xbbWUCpqhjugP1LjH5RLuJ66fSC-tYY4KFN6lmTeq5A11fykFKkZb4bsetg8RumPMIobZHqwHvrGOc/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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I had booked my ticket during a three-day sale on Southwest. I love flying Southwest, and it was terrific that I could get a round trip to Boston for only $342.<br />
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The plane was brand new. We had a stop in Austin, Texas, but most of us who were flying through to Boston stayed on and changed our seats. I snagged a window just in front of the engine, something I am now very happy I did...<br />
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... because clouds.<br />
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As a SoCA girl I've always loved rain, but haven't really become enamored with clouds until later in life. That said, I HAVE always been fascinated with them from my airplane seat, but have never been seated where I could take pictures of the wonder. This second leg of the flight, I was able to snap away.<br />
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I was fascinated by how the personality of the clouds kept changing.<br />
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And then the captain announced that we were meeting IRMA. She didn't really mess with the plane, but the clouds changed as we detoured a little to stay on her good side.<br />
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On international flights, you might have an option on your TV screen to check to see where on earth you are at any given moment. I've never wished so much to see where we were during the hours we flew over these clouds.<br />
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Boston. I was breathless.<br />
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Yes, that is Massachusetts Bay. The first encounter between British fishermen and Native Americans happened somewhere on the shores of this bay. The historian in my was dancing happy dances.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqB_LKLjwVzTbjcqhyKTCP6cMHIoQfZJxhdbXTa5epg7DiGuwat_6fxeGEGsREhguh6XpS8fOFb9JRABfIalVv6Cm1kZXMZzAcM86Z5ASMwid3eQFH_VRi1_68caetM7T7OaN/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBqB_LKLjwVzTbjcqhyKTCP6cMHIoQfZJxhdbXTa5epg7DiGuwat_6fxeGEGsREhguh6XpS8fOFb9JRABfIalVv6Cm1kZXMZzAcM86Z5ASMwid3eQFH_VRi1_68caetM7T7OaN/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+175.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People who know me well will understand why I had to have a picture of my gate number. A22.</td></tr>
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It's not an easy airport. Thanking goodness for elevators, I made my way to the lower level, trekked several hundred yards, then upstairs on another elevator toward the baggage claim area. Stopped on my way to buy my Boston YOU ARE HERE mug at Starbuck's. It was a thrill to see one of the adults I was there to visit waiting by the carousel with an ear-to-ear smile and a warm hug.<br />
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The amazing - stunning - gorgeous Bunker Hill Bridge. My friend (a better Boston historian than I will ever be) told me that it is designed to reflect the obelisk that commemorates The Battle of Bunker Hill, which you can barely see on the horizon in the next picture.<br />
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After an evening of presents and excited conversation, I awoke the next morning to the first of several delightful field trips my friend had planned for me. One of my requests had been for a quilt shop. Turns out there was one just minutes into New Hampshire from my friends.</div>
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After finding all the fabric I had hoped for (fall leaves and Halloween) we headed back to one of her favorite restaurants for a lunch of more than decent sushi and sashimi.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_205sUDLRLbYi8Ctr2KgQaznX3ht0biLUsA7acl9GzFWvQXU0jfDdizkONVdJh-3u1rxtcxfPYDmTfz4UaTW6XxINScRKT4q0GeYxsnqhw3XdRUtvXXNHwZusAR78t8ccVSb/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_205sUDLRLbYi8Ctr2KgQaznX3ht0biLUsA7acl9GzFWvQXU0jfDdizkONVdJh-3u1rxtcxfPYDmTfz4UaTW6XxINScRKT4q0GeYxsnqhw3XdRUtvXXNHwZusAR78t8ccVSb/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+225.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The next day she insisted we get an early start because we had to "See a man about a thing." Turned out she had a whole day of surprises in store for me. Normally I don't like surprises, but gotta say it was fun to just sit back in the passenger seat and be pampered.<br />
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I've already posted the first stop. The "Man about a thing" turned out to be the coastal cruise to the lighthouse that I posted earlier. But Ogunquit, Maine, is such a precious jewel of a town, I just have to tuck a couple of pictures in here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA857QCoeP5TO1fTfajI7wOecDMysB4ht6Ervdgmuh6pcARxOq75VrtcX9wiLYamwOBLLn3rhMWxw7fFbH-aftfcE4mAkQNt-YcqNOsakUAuov015CfcPp98si6Aluxy997yF/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGA857QCoeP5TO1fTfajI7wOecDMysB4ht6Ervdgmuh6pcARxOq75VrtcX9wiLYamwOBLLn3rhMWxw7fFbH-aftfcE4mAkQNt-YcqNOsakUAuov015CfcPp98si6Aluxy997yF/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+489.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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No, I don't really need reminding of the amazing lobster dipped in warm butter. But he was a handsome boy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB62wooOsLuzsVFg6h7ggkx7tuxQrF9WKYSxowys3ugEjiL9DDfjFljmO3vUgeGp_GjMG_slyGq1W2tLAYpIAPl_wb8J9TeL3_J-XtNJ5GYSpPkM32qz_AT26LQRWYvvxyBlk6/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB62wooOsLuzsVFg6h7ggkx7tuxQrF9WKYSxowys3ugEjiL9DDfjFljmO3vUgeGp_GjMG_slyGq1W2tLAYpIAPl_wb8J9TeL3_J-XtNJ5GYSpPkM32qz_AT26LQRWYvvxyBlk6/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+498.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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After lunch we walked to a shop that promised Christmas and antiques. What a great experience! Rusty, who I assume was the owner, was just delightful. He was obviously not only knowledgeable about this stock, but proud of his shop. My friend and I bought the same lobster trap Christmas ornament, and I added a lovely mermaid mug and an amazing Mark Roberts doll that I have nicknamed my merSanta (although Roberts named his creation a sea fairy). I haven't added a Santa to my collection for several years, and one to mark my Masteryear has been on my bucket list. I thought this Santa of the Sea was hung there just for me.<br />
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We spent a few minutes driving the main street of town looking for a place to appease her craving for a blueberry muffin, but had no luck, so we headed out of town.<br />
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The next stop on her list was another amazing quilt shop called Knights. I found more irresistible fabric, including several nautical pieces to commemorate Ogunquit, and some prints<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOGQ_kH8WAjt5E-ujLm1iMpxhCNWT6eDsjwyFWdZwujShf8wrPLYuAwZL5opxWy_fkGGoBXc3awmd7369hx7j2IEleQ7U4NZpjxTSw6U3e_KrIP3u1aHXvPYPdlZJJmL7lkvC/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvOGQ_kH8WAjt5E-ujLm1iMpxhCNWT6eDsjwyFWdZwujShf8wrPLYuAwZL5opxWy_fkGGoBXc3awmd7369hx7j2IEleQ7U4NZpjxTSw6U3e_KrIP3u1aHXvPYPdlZJJmL7lkvC/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+503.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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Further down the highway, my friend made a left turn in to a parking lot, announcing that the place sold a marmalade that her daughters liked so if I didn't mind, we would see if they still had a couple of jars.<br />
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Oh, my goodness.<br />
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Stonewall Kitchen.<br />
<img height="320" src="https://s3-media3.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/LgkLKBGNxQmWzSbCr11Zrw/180s.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Yes, they had her marmalade and walls and walls of sauces and mixes and jams and cooking supplies. And samples. I actually (and probably foolishly) thought I would get out with nothing but a nautical themed dish towel on clearance for $2.99. <br />
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And then I saw this:<br />
<img height="240" src="https://lulumusing.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/p9182304.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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Yeah. It's the deli counter. With baked goods. Two blueberry muffins and two giant cookies (peanut butter and - ogawd- a buttery sugar) she finally dragged me out of there. Just one of a few hits on my no sugar-no carb diet of the last three months.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh9tYnPp_yZxfankH6-NylTxpJBnb3aGcpt1UUfPqKVKLLNjAOKEIBYddCDgwMqap93kMdiqym5IxNGx6RDGKd8tPmanuU-YhC-nvKGnRi9mH5dWuLIWGl-HAmdSsBiMOhlMv/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+666.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh9tYnPp_yZxfankH6-NylTxpJBnb3aGcpt1UUfPqKVKLLNjAOKEIBYddCDgwMqap93kMdiqym5IxNGx6RDGKd8tPmanuU-YhC-nvKGnRi9mH5dWuLIWGl-HAmdSsBiMOhlMv/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+666.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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Bert. He lives at her old house.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JHIMWRCR7aMqd_NPfS9PhcIbQYxwa3yMPsRUR4J6v6ahItBqs3wLD6N0Xc6xT9yHDzxWlSqwGYHKVpJgzNTAaT75XduuGiP3andsoTvAmAV562uAwmv56qQMQrISB48DG4ZP/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8JHIMWRCR7aMqd_NPfS9PhcIbQYxwa3yMPsRUR4J6v6ahItBqs3wLD6N0Xc6xT9yHDzxWlSqwGYHKVpJgzNTAaT75XduuGiP3andsoTvAmAV562uAwmv56qQMQrISB48DG4ZP/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+659.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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The next day was quieter, since we had big field trips scheduled for the weekend. My friend works the paperwork for this delightful café in one of the original mills. They specialize in a doughnut muffin, which I tried, but the paleo-gluten free brownie was my real favorite.<br />
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Good as the food was, what I was awestruck over was the mill itself. I taught about the Massachusetts mills for twenty-five years and it was a thrill to get to walk around in one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8XXrYQEskNiOYbrj7bfrViZc77vVIR7_l8hTLl4LPzkn5x7itGAV6O5FtCwKeLvFrO_qM8rOHE8ORgtBkItpDZMBehEN1A7Kalq7CZ-ATDOP2_oXpUjFLWA0ym3-pnXIohQM/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8XXrYQEskNiOYbrj7bfrViZc77vVIR7_l8hTLl4LPzkn5x7itGAV6O5FtCwKeLvFrO_qM8rOHE8ORgtBkItpDZMBehEN1A7Kalq7CZ-ATDOP2_oXpUjFLWA0ym3-pnXIohQM/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+630.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvS5tmuvei35HjcWTNz2lRjcOOcVBynr2Z0BNeygMojCdS7xqDn_9M7xbbWUCpqhjugP1LjH5RLuJ66fSC-tYY4KFN6lmTeq5A11fykFKkZb4bsetg8RumPMIobZHqwHvrGOc/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+632.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSvS5tmuvei35HjcWTNz2lRjcOOcVBynr2Z0BNeygMojCdS7xqDn_9M7xbbWUCpqhjugP1LjH5RLuJ66fSC-tYY4KFN6lmTeq5A11fykFKkZb4bsetg8RumPMIobZHqwHvrGOc/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+632.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The little girls call this The Red Room. Beautifully presented.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tERjIQR4F1WDmLSdpMrImk2bERcRaV9x6WhOsUvHxdeJMYDui-zBAGkr87CPCAEK2nrPYh_Wp_GyB3fgODTNwZYVs2agUequfBzAaSiTAiqZuWqoaYCaWaNJ12aMhBa50xYl/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tERjIQR4F1WDmLSdpMrImk2bERcRaV9x6WhOsUvHxdeJMYDui-zBAGkr87CPCAEK2nrPYh_Wp_GyB3fgODTNwZYVs2agUequfBzAaSiTAiqZuWqoaYCaWaNJ12aMhBa50xYl/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+661.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">East Mill, where the café is.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAPVsjKpKSVJkEFkp0gfQUTYu3KQMOoOHx25bppjcN1XRCzBUMTBq-WTnWe0SVS662nhWT0pzgfu9Mgp6RkNBMJqemrvfYvEqLGUoi62xKClhyn7TXlzTKmLL7-rwPX_LIUBr/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWAPVsjKpKSVJkEFkp0gfQUTYu3KQMOoOHx25bppjcN1XRCzBUMTBq-WTnWe0SVS662nhWT0pzgfu9Mgp6RkNBMJqemrvfYvEqLGUoi62xKClhyn7TXlzTKmLL7-rwPX_LIUBr/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+662.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">West Mill, across the street.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gB09Pqyst-JIQ_a86QAiTW6nJjzHtwkghpq2Qmvl8qeFE7HaYokhBOezO6yTG38CegqTwl2VwIz6eT8FlZVSnwhgJF81KB4G1cziw3u9S7nQbbidAtRNBcr7Q0_SSvTJtjUe/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5gB09Pqyst-JIQ_a86QAiTW6nJjzHtwkghpq2Qmvl8qeFE7HaYokhBOezO6yTG38CegqTwl2VwIz6eT8FlZVSnwhgJF81KB4G1cziw3u9S7nQbbidAtRNBcr7Q0_SSvTJtjUe/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+664.JPG" width="320" /></a><br />
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The next day's field trip for the whole family was a trip to a local farm/orchard to pick apples (one of my requests.)<br />
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Honeycrisp. We picked a bushel, and then I twisted one right off the tree and finished it in the row. (No worries, I put cash in the "Conscience" jar on our way out.) Nothing better.<br />
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After apples we visited the small animal pens, then went to choose pumpkins.<br />
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I figured that would be it, but on the way home we stopped at this incredible nursery that was hosting an arts and crafts faire. I wanted to take home a few of the gorgeous pink hydrangeas they were offering for sale, but balked when I thought of the fight at the airport. Instead I "settled" for a marvelous photo print of a dingy, a bracelet featuring a piece of sea glass collected from the shore of Massachusetts and two prints of a watercolor of the center of the old town where my friends live.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrh5-ZHLoZcGHwhk-K7r8jWbaa9U2nwNfrPmbJSOxZRPuSQ0OZOnYhq18PCAZx70zEKNV3ZdADRQsD3L4LsVThzTRiNtTWXcS2Y4vypkpw2p1Ck_Da0WdR1rFv6DW5bvFYdqve/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrh5-ZHLoZcGHwhk-K7r8jWbaa9U2nwNfrPmbJSOxZRPuSQ0OZOnYhq18PCAZx70zEKNV3ZdADRQsD3L4LsVThzTRiNtTWXcS2Y4vypkpw2p1Ck_Da0WdR1rFv6DW5bvFYdqve/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+846.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Could not get over how the leaves turn here. One leaf or one branch at a time early in the season.<br />
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The next morning we headed into Boston. Another of my requests was to visit a "BIG OLD SHIP!"<br />
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The USS Constitution oughta do it. "Old Ironsides."<br />
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What a fabulous experience! The ship had been in dry dock for restoration for two years and came out on July 23, just three weeks before I got there.<br />
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I think I took over a hundred photos of the ship alone, but some of my favorites were of the casks on board. I remember reading that the sailors would need to use water to cool off the cannon during battle, and wondered if this barrel was for that purpose. The sailor I asked told me that:<br />
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This cask was for drinking water.<br />
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This cask was for grog. Two draws a day. 50% water. 50% whiskey.<br />
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And this cask was where the meat was prepared for cooking. We moved on, but I left wishing I'd asked about the food. I assume this cask was for soaking the salted meat so that the salt would leach out and the meat would be edible.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Active duty seaman explaining what each kind of shot was for.</td></tr>
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Toward the end of my stay my hosts asked if I had seen the movie, <em>Master and Commander.</em><br />
I had not, so they pulled their much-watched copy up and we watched it over the next two evenings. What a movie! And I was so happy I had had a tour of a mighty fighting ship of the period before I watched the movie.<br />
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I was interested to learn that the hull of the Constitution has always been sheathed in copper to keep certain sea creatures from building their homes on her hull. The original copper had been contracted by Paul Revere. During this restoration the copper was removed (as it had been a few more times in the past) and replaced.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFmieHv6hp6J17TrLo5QrRNJXe1zDP_5E9wmkgDDVMBdnKW0dK1OYhcJp67KU3UBtSib4DNWM4oV319o66fLtffGiXxONGTdWWeZGFSnPR1onFnqBUGLYqOirAIQNTkmRQKrD/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidFmieHv6hp6J17TrLo5QrRNJXe1zDP_5E9wmkgDDVMBdnKW0dK1OYhcJp67KU3UBtSib4DNWM4oV319o66fLtffGiXxONGTdWWeZGFSnPR1onFnqBUGLYqOirAIQNTkmRQKrD/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+941.JPG" width="240" /></a><br />
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Attached to the ship is a privately run museum and gift store, both of which are excellent. The museum is filled with hands-on, interactive displays which makes it a must-do for kids. The gift store offers a wide selection of souvenirs. By this time, realizing I had to be mindful of my luggage weight, I settled for some terrific stickers and postcards and an exquisite tiny copper charm of the ship that had been made out of the copper that had been taken off the ship in this restoration.<br />
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When we left the pier my friends turned on Jane, their Waze guide, to find the Boston Flatbread pizza restaurant. Boston is a typical old city with narrow, winding streets. It took quite a while to find the restaurant, but find it Jane did in spite of the filming road closures we ran into. Flatbread pizza and brownie sundaes. Not as spectacular as the USS Constitution, but lots of fun.<br />
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My friend and I had planned to drive to Salem, MA the next morning, but her daughter woke up not feeling well and so we all had a quiet day at home. We all probably needed it after the excitement of the weekend. That evening, confident her daughter wasn't actually dying and certainly was not going to miss school on her birthday (she would be a flag holder), my friend announced that we would be going to Salem the next day, and I did not try to argue her out of it.<br />
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SO glad we went. It was a perfect dreary, drizzly day to visit this infamous town. At her recommendation we took a trolley tour, which was wonder-full. I had no idea.<br />
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Oh, I had taught about the Salem witch trials all my career, but it turned out I knew really very little about the town.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSYxsNv4DynOA4miEqOaYLTfR3zAZbA-PZjv1pcBaulk3U5IEGonAKHj6vZOYwVMVaA586HV_ZSwjGCJKT1IeOaShpeDFjzbNICP-HmcwGdHHDs8_ttjDOJO43P4WPcWGrMWh/s1600/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+1233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWSYxsNv4DynOA4miEqOaYLTfR3zAZbA-PZjv1pcBaulk3U5IEGonAKHj6vZOYwVMVaA586HV_ZSwjGCJKT1IeOaShpeDFjzbNICP-HmcwGdHHDs8_ttjDOJO43P4WPcWGrMWh/s320/Massachusetts+Trip+2017+Thompsons+1233.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our fabulous guide. The ride flew by, he had so many stories.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, I have a thing for the sea and its lighthouses.</td></tr>
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The harbors are so shallow that - over the course of generations - an entire mountain was excavated and the materials brought to build out the Salem shoreline.<br />
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First Russian Orthodox Church in America is in Salem. Want to say 1792, although to be honest, we were learning so much I won't swear to remembering correctly.<br />
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The Witch Dungeon Museum. Yeah, lots of cheesy Mannequins but very well done. Not the original site of the dungeon where the hundreds of accused were jailed, but it did have a beam from the original which is just up the block. Although the beam was holding up the floor over the basement dungeon during the witch hunt and trials, it is now believed to be good juju. Yes, I made my intention while my hand was on the beam.<br />
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There were several structures mentioned that had been used during the filming of the Disney Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. This was where the girl lived.<br />
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I was overwhelmed by the number and quality of Federal style homes throughout Salem. The guide pointed out that this one has a door with three panels instead of only two. He says the story is that the owner built the door so that his corpse could be carried out when he died. (Of course, he pointed out, most people think it was extra-wide to accommodate women's wide skirts, but he - and I - liked the corpse story better.)<br />
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The owner of this house had the foresight to build his ballroom with a soft bamboo floor so the dancers would not tire so quickly. Unfortunately, the soft floor didn't do it's share toward holding up the house above it, so these iron rods were worked into the structure for reinforcement.<br />
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We headed home, two starving women who stopped at Five Guys for a burger lunch, then home to meet for the birthday celebration. Over the week I was there, more and more trees started their color change. It had been tropical and warm thanks to the hurricanes that slipped by but waved humidity on their way.<br />
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I hated to leave, but it helped to know that just a month later I would see my son and his family in Tokyo.</div>
debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20694921.post-3225526386814682592017-09-22T22:35:00.000-07:002017-09-22T22:35:02.557-07:00Fell in love......with Ogunquit, Maine.<br />
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<br />
Wouldn't it be grand if I could honestly say I was happy to be home?<br />
<br />
Sigh.<br />
debijeanmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013078885836658259noreply@blogger.com0