Yunessun Hot Springs

Yunessun Hot Springs

Yunessun Hot Springs

Yesterday, the boys and I went with our friends on a base sponsored trip to the Yunessun Hot Springs in Hakone National Park which surrounds Mt. Fuji.  It was about 2 1/2 hours by bus and it is a gigantic resort on the side of the mountain.  There are indoor baths and outdoor and in total about 25 or more hot baths.  They had kid areas and pools and outside it was very natural looking with one hot bath/spring with wine, one with green tea, one with sake, one with coffee, water falls, hot marble slabs for resting, and foot baths with rocks for massaging your feet.  The only one we missed was the one where fish eat the dead skin off of your feet.  We really wanted to try it and I definitely could have used it, but that was only open during certain times and we kept missing it.  There was also a section of the resort where there are more traditional Japanese springs where you do not wear bathing suits, but we did not go there.  Somewhere near the green tea bath, my camera got some water on the lens so some of the pictures did not turn out so well, sorry, but I wanted to show as much as possible since this was an incredible place.  Anyone planning on visiting us, this is a must see.  

Hawaiian Luau in Japan!

On Friday, we went with our friends to a Hawaiian Luau here on base.  They bring in dancers from Hawaii and we got to participate, eat some good food and watch some entertainment.  Alec especially loved it and keeps practicing his slap dance (a dance from one of the islands where you literally slap yourself!).

Ueno Zoo in Tokyo

Ueno Zoo in Tokyo

Ueno Zoo in Tokyo

This week we went with our friends to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.  It is the oldest zoo in Japan dating back to the late 1800's.  It is in a park which has a big Shinto Shrine in it and several museums and gardens.  The zoo was great and we only had time to see half of it so we will have to go back to see the rest.  We actually saw an elephant taking a bath in a pond, we watched two bears wrestling and lots of other great animals.  They usually have a giant panda at this zoo which is what they are famous for, but they don't currently have one so that was a bit disappointing.  

Brother Love

It is so cute to watch Alec and Caleb together.  They really do love each other.  Every morning when I get Caleb out of bed, the first thing he says is "Alec" or his version of Alec's name.  So cute!!

4th of July

A 4th of July celebration in Japan, who would have guessed?  We had a great time.  We started by running a 5K (I ran and Alec and Caleb relaxed in the stroller) in the morning and then in the afternoon, we went to a kids event with a petting farm and games, listened to a Beatles cover band (Japanese guys singing with British accents!!!), had a picnic dinner with some friends and watched a great fireworks show right behind our building from a barge in the Tokyo Bay.  The boys loved it.

Swimming Lessons for Alec

Alec took one session of swimming lessons this summer and is getting ready for another two week session.  When he took lessons in April, he cried during every lesson and wanted to get out.  Now, he wants to be a professional sea diver and can't get enough of it.