Day 1: Modern Tokyo!

Our first full day in Tokyo started at 0440 a.m., after Iver had had enough jetlagged sleep.

Morning walk to the local grocery market for some breakfast

Tokyo breakfast of noodles and yogurt in our apartment

 

As it was POURING rain, our day guide took us via underground walkway to Shinjuku station subway (which is a CRAZY big train station [the busiest in the world]- I am/was very intimidated by the number of exits (I think there are 63), subway lines, train lines, etc. that connect there, and I've navigated a lot of train stations in my lifetime).

From there, we headed to the Meiji Jingu (Shrine), the Shinto shrine complex which is dedicated to Japan's first modern emperor (1868).

Decorative Sake barrels

 

Oldest Torii gate in Japan

 Entrants cleanse their hands and mouth, purifying themselves, before entering the Shrine itself.

The list of weddings (20, I think) and babies to be dedicated (~100) on the day we visited!

We then headed to nearby Harajuku, a modern, hip shopping area.

Takeshita street is more the "Teenagers'" Street, per our guide

We rode the Subway to Shibuya, which is perhaps the world's busiest intersection and located in downtown Tokyo. Thankfully, the weather had improved a bit for our walking.

It has a statue dedicated to Hachi, the very famous dog (featured in the movie Hachi the dog's tale) who, after his owner's sudden death, continued to come to the train station daily to greet him (as he did daily when he was alive) for 10 or something years! Hachi is no longer living.

I'm not sure why there was a (live) cat under bronze Hachi!

 We had delicious Miso Ramen in Shibuya

 A view of the crossing

We then visited the Imperial Palace complex, where the current Emperor lives.

The watchtower

First, stone bridge (the second, iron bridge is just behind it)

Iver's take on "Cheese!"

Emperor's Main Gate

The surrounding lawns, with bonsai-like pine trees, were immaculate.

 

 

Peaceful Japanese Garden

Iver, up since 4:40 a.m., finally passed out around 1:45.

We enjoyed Sashimi and Yakitori at Dinner...

... and then had an early bedtime by all. It was a great first day in Tokyo!

Lil' Asian Traveler!

We arrived safely in Japan (country #58 [I think] for me, and #3, other than the U.S., for Iver)!!!

After a brief visit to Orange County to pick up K's parents (and visit with the fam), we headed to Tokyo.

 

 

I was DREADING the direct LAX-Tokyo 12-hour flight, but it went far, far better than I could have expected with our little guy.

Before boarding, we burned some energy at the American Airlines Lounge in LA.

We left SoCal late morning, Iver napped for two hours at the beginning of the flight, and again almost two hours at the end of the flight when it would have been his ~bedtime.  He enjoyed going back and forth with grandparents and us, and was entertained with books, mini wiffleballs, pipe cleaners, screw bolts, pompoms and mini containers, raisins, and nursing.  He ate the better part of two meals with us, and threw zero tantrums. He was a little angel.

Our luggage all made it expeditiously to baggage claim, and after visiting the stored baggage counter, getting money from the ATM, and booking bus tickets, we were en route via Limo bus to our apartment in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo. The bus ride was also 2 hours with traffic, and while there was some whining, I thought he did fabulously.  He's seems to have reached a relative maturity level (at least in public) in which reasoning with him works, and as long as we explained everything that was going on, he "got it" and didn't freak out.

He loves moving walkways/escalators!

  bus to Shinjuku

Iver's first selfie

We got settled around 6 p.m. by our host, Iver crashed early, and Kelvin and I went grocery shopping and ate our first Japanese meal (of Soba noodles we ordered from [but, alas, were not dispensed by] a little vending machine). 

Iver was then up around 10:30 p.m. [6:30 a.m. PST-- Japan is 16 hours ahead] telling us he was most definitely "all done" sleeping, at which time we resorted to Benadryl. He woke up many more times, but was able to stay in bed until about 4:40. a.m. Jet lag is rough on littles!

Japan has been very comfortable and easy so far. My only complaint is that everything (from the packages of grapes, to the toilet, to the shower stall) is so tiny! (But the heated toilet seat is definitely a plus!)

October Fests

We had a sunny first-of-October Saturday (without being on call-hooray!) and took advantage of the weather to check out a couple of local festivals (glad we went yesterday, since it's been thunderstorming all day today!)

In the morning, we headed (through the rain in Eureka) to Fortuna, which has the Apple Harvest Festival. While we didn't partake in any apple-related activities, we did enjoy strolling the Main Street area (there's a used book store that I love!) with its many vendors, then wandering around Rohner Park. Luckily, it was all dog-friendly. Iver loved the hay bales, and a nice woman took a family photo for us!

 

 

 

In the afternoon after naptime, we headed to Blue Lake's Medieval Festival of Courage. We aren't Renaissance buffs or anything, but we saw many community members out and about and we enjoyed spectating the various medieval-themed food, activities (jousting/archery), and animals.

Iver, at first apprehensive, warmed up to the animals in the petting zoo and got up close to the pony, goats, and chicken  (sorry for the poor quality of these iPhone photos... didn't think to bring our nice camera, and they don't download-and-upload with much clarity)!

 

 

 

Chicken series...

 

Hay bale-jumping

 Iver loves his "neighs."

 

He asked to "ride," but we thought he was a bit young-- don't think there were toddler-sized helmets. 

Happy fall!