Our trip to Guam 2008

 

Our family visited Guam from Jan. 23 to 27th. The travel from cold Japan to hot Guam, it was very hard for us.
The purpose of the travel was sightseeing, and especially, shopping of my wife. My role was to carry their luggage and to take a lot of photos and videos.

I had looked forward to the conversation in English with a local person before I went to Guam.
I started speaking in English to them, "Excuse me, sir?"
But they answered in Japanese fluently, "Nihongo de OK desu!"

The town in Guam was full of Japanese beyond the reach of my imagination. Conversations with clerks, signboards in the downtown area, menus of restaurant, sightseeing maps, etc.

After all, I had relied on Japanese and easy English while traveling. I regret a little that I should have made the effort to speak in English more positively.

I stuck to correct English too much. Of course, I think that I should do so in the place of the business. But, in usual conversations, I felt that a little broken English might be friendlier, and be the expression that understands easily for the other party.

People in Guam were very kind and friendly. For curiosity or their business, they tried to understand Japan positively. There were a lot of things that I had to learn from them.

We would like to express our gratitude to all people whom we met in this travel.

We hope that we will visit Guam again, thank you Guam! We left the paradise on earth.

When we returned home to Japan, about 500 E-mail and a pile of work were waiting for me.

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Spider-Man3 and Universal Studios Japan

This is a photograph in the Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. I have gone there with my family on holiday. My daughter of five years was very pleased. Especially, Snoopy's Playland and The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man - The Ride were popular. As for Spider-Man, The Movie Festival of Spider-Man3 had been held and the movie had been unveiled in advance of the world. The gap between a poor student with a lot of worries and the super hero who saves the world is very interesting. I want to go to see the movie one of these days.

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Japanese Festival "Kyoto Gion Matsuri"

My family and I went to Gion Matsuri of Kyoto. It was filled with tourists though the weather was nasty. The street lined with a lot of stalls, and it smelled very good. Chow meins, Takoyaki, roast corns, cotton candies, cracked ices. My wife and daughter seemed to have been very happy to put on the yukata though I was exhausted with walked a lot.

History of Gion Matsuri
The origin of Gion Matsuri is "Gion Goryoue" in 7th June 869 AD. That is a festival of lustrating epidemic.
Hokos appeared in 11th century. But, turmoil of the Onin war (1467-1477) prevented its continuance.
Gion Matsuri was resuscitated in 1500 A.D. and become established modern style.
Gion Matsuri is a festival of the people, by the people, for the people. It's a Kyoto's spirit.

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The downtown in Japan of 20's

This photo is an underground restaurant area in the sky building in Osaka. The downtown in Japan of 20's is reproduced in the retro. There is artificial biotope in the ground, and the oasis in the city.
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Hot spring of Gero and Japanese restaurant

It is in the midst on the "Golden Week" holidays now in Japan. It is the week when four of the national holidays happen during the end of April and the beginning of May. Quite a few Japanese are enjoying consecutive holidays of nine days in the maximum.
I went to a hot spring in Gifu with my family over the long holiday. Gero in Gifu is one of the three major hot spring resorts in Japan as well as Hakone in Kanagawa and Yufuin in Oita, and it takes about four hours from Osaka by car.
We took a leisurely bath as long as time permitted. My wife was pleased to say that her skin became so smooth.

After having enjoyed the hot spring, we ate lunch in the inn. The service was very good, and we were very satisfied as the staff in the restaurant prepared the fruit cup for our daughter free of charge. We had a good time relieving our stress.

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Cherry blossom viewing

My friend and I went to see the cherry blossoms at the park today. Cherry blossoms were at their best.
Sake, sushi, slices of raw fish, yakitori (barbecued chicken on a bamboo skewer), and tempura (deep-fried fish and vegetables), etc. They were delicious drink and delicious dishes. We enjoyed the party till late though it was a little cold.
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Himeji Castle and delicious octopus

My family and I went to Himeji Castle. It took about two hours from Osaka where we lived by train.
Himeji Castle was built in the Middle Ages. It is called the white egret castle from the magnificent rampart covered with plaster. In the castle, there was a contrivance to prevent the ninja's invasion. It was popular among the tourist from foreign countries, and a lot of people visiting.
This photo was taken with my cell phone camera.
In returning, we stopped by Akashi. It is famous because a delicious octopus can be captured. We ate deep-fried octopus and takoyaki (balls of wheat-flour batter cooked with pieces of octopus) there. As for the sushi and slices of raw fish, the octopus is delicious. Let's try to those menus if you visit Japan.
Spring comes soon in Japan. We are looking forward to have a party with seeing cherry blossoms.
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