Lourve & a haircut

One of my adult students gave me two tickets to the Kyoto Museum of Art for the Lourve Exhibition. The only day I could go was the last day, so Lamika and I went to Kyoto on Sunday to check it out. However, everyone else in Kansai had the same idea, and the line wrapped around the entire museum. We decided not to wait in line, and walked over to another exhibition hall. We found lots of neat things to look at, and got information on when and where to watch a dressing of a meiko! I need to go back on a Sunday and check that out.

Giant tori in Kyoto.


Lamika in front of the giant tori.

In Kyoto, we also saw two interesting things:

An warning poster in the station. Please stop pedophiles.


This man playing a full out concert of pan flute music, in part of the station. The guy on the front row, in the white tee shirt, actually walked up with his own guitar, took it out of the case, and was attempting to play along.

After that, we met up with Jen in Osaka to get our hair cut. Lamika had gotten her hair cut by this man before, he owned a salon in NYC for 20 years, so he spoke really good English. He was very nice, super fashionable and sophisticated, and his salon was really beautiful! Also, either he's kinda bossy or I'm a pushover:

Him: So, what are we doing with your hair today, darling? I'm thinking some heavier bangs, and lots of layers in the back. I'll cut of.... maybe one inch. How does that sound?
Me: Actually, I'd just like a trim, I'm trying to grow my hair out.
Him: No no no, you can maybe grow it three more inches, but any longer will look all wrong. Let me put in some layers.
Me: Ok.

Hahaha. Anyway, a Japanese salon experience is great! They shampoo your hair, and give you a nice massage, and then you get another massage as your waiting in the chair to get your hair brushed, ahhhhhhh it's great.

After we all had our hair cut, we went shopping in Shinsaibashi, and ate dinner at an izakaya. Great day.

Giant displays advertising the restaurants in Shinsaibashi.

Busy shopping street.

You can pose like the running man thing. I look like a straight up cheerleader.

Some guy took a bad photo.

This is the background I wanted.

Tokyo! - Day Four - Asakusa (Thunder Gate)

Wednesday, we checked out of the Toyoko Inn, went to Tokyo station and left our bags at Daimaru, a department store. Daimaru is similar to Nordstrom's in America. They have excellent customer service, and will hold your bags while you shop. Or say you're shopping.

Then, we hopped on a train toward Asakusa, the Thunder Gate. It was very crowded, but it was really enjoyable!

This is right outside the station, on the way to Asakusa. I've forgotten what Miho told me it was, but it's a golden poo. Or sperm, your choice.

This is any tourist spot in Japan, summed up in one photo. Someone taking a photo in front of a shrine, with the subjects throwing up the peace sign.

See? Told ya.

The market leading up to the shrine. Lots of food and shopping.


A young girl all dressed up in a red kimono to visit the shrine.

The inside of the shrine.

Tbe ceiling was beautiful.

Lighting candles.

You pay 100yen, and shake a metal box that has sticks with numbers on them. You pull one out, and your fortune is in the drawer with that number on it. I drew 93.

Good fortune!

Lunch! Taco and Chikua (Octopus and basically a fish hot dog) from a street vendor. Delicious.

Second lunch! Hooray for BK Lounge. They serve Heineken there.

Tokyo! - Day Three - DisneySea

Wednesday, Jen and Miho bought my ticket to DisneySea as a birthday present! We rode the train for about 40 minutes with everyone else in Tokyo (so it felt) to Disneyland!!! Weeeee it was so crowded, they had stopped selling tickets for the rest of the day. This was at 9:00 am.

What better way to start an early day trip (7am! Again!) to DisneySea than this beautiful young girl. I hope I can be half as fashionable as her when I grow up.

Jen and I in front of a huge globe on a fountain. I don't know what's up with the pose, it just felt right at that moment.

Miho, Jen and I in front of the globe fountain thing. Right at the enterance!

The first princess we found wandering the park, being swarmed by small children was Pocahontas. I will share with you the transcript of our converstaion:

Me: Wow. May we take a photo?
Pocahontas: Of course!
*picture taken by Miho*
Me: So, where ya from?

I must say here, that I completely, 100% thought her answer would be something like, "Oh, I'm from California" or "I live in Tokyo, but I'm from Florida." Here is her honest to God answer:

Pocahontas: I'm from the forest.
Me: *blank stare* Of course you are, Pocahontas.

I don't know why I thought she would for a second be out of character.

Jen's friend Elizabeth sometimes plays Ariel, and we waited in line for over an hour to see if she was working that day and we could take a photo with her! They had her hidden around a corner, so we couldn't check first. This is not Elizabeth. But she was pretty damn cool. For example, I turned into a 6 year old the moment I saw her.

Ariel: Oh my! Look at you three beautiful humans!! Did you swim all the way here?
Me: *mouth agape* Uh-huh.
(Miho and Jen looked at me like I was crazy, and I probably sounded crazy. But Ariel is mesmerizing!!! Look at that fin!)

She also asked two more questions, and I responded the same to them all.

Ariel: Do you want to touch my fin?
Me: *mouth agape* Uh-huh.

Ariel: Let's pose like princesses! Just clasp your hands, and put them right over your heart!
Me: *mouth agape* Uh-huh.

It was the coolest thing all day.

In front of the Indy Jones (as they call him in Japan) rides! Temple of DOOM!

Single riders line!!! This line is for people who don't mind sitting next to strangers, to fill holes in the rides. There are only three rides at DisneySea that do this, but we did all three! It took maybe 30 minutes waiting at the most! Much better than 2 or 3 hours!

Yeaaaaa Indy Jones is SCARY!

Cast members from the Cape Cod area.

Trick-or-treat!

Drinking beer in Disney!!! Surprisingly, beer here was ￥600. That's cheaper than most bars I go to!

TOWER OF TERROR. The look on my face is priceless.

Old New York area.

Old New York area.

Tower of Terror

Jen and Miho are frightened of the Tower of Terror.

So am I.

Felix the cat, no?

Roller coaster in the Indiana Jones area.

Posing on the camel in the Arabian Nights section.

I almost pushed Jen off the back, she yelled "@(#*^$#%$*)!", I laughed, and Miho took this photo.

A whole new woooooorrrrrrllllllddddd.......

Ariel's Castle.

Awww we're princessess!