Final Bits & Pieces

Unusual sites:  black Q-Tip's, go cart city tours, sink on toilet tank cover, auto open car doors, buttered bread packaged & sold at store, eating while standing up at counter in McD

 

Things we noticed:  lots of dark clothing & thick heeled shoes; red lipstick contrasting black, straight hair & white complexion; mostly traditional tiled roofs; solar panels; lots of cell phones; rice paddies & fish ponds often in center of town/group of homes; sculptured trees; gas $5 a gallon; wild bamboo forest; face mask fairly common; many  men dressed in suits & women in skirts; most homes in central location & similar to all homes; only a couple luxury homes

 

Public Transportation:  efficient; cheap ($16 for 4 hr train ride); spotless, even the windows; loud speaker announcement:  No leakage of music.  Take your trash home;  People lined up, entered & exited in a single line quickly & orderly.

 

Japanese people:  quiet, reserved, orderly, neat, kind, law abiding (bikes generally not locked up anywhere)

 

Final Thoughts:

We had hoped to experience a different culture.  We certainly did.  We, again, felt extremely fortunate to have had another great trip…and glad we could quickly get home. 

Update #18

I've been home a week now.  Yesterday we buried my sister, Sal.  It's been a sad whirlwind.  Here's the rest of our trip:

 

Another train trip got us to Fukuoka, a major port city.  We found our Airbnb & enjoyed the afternoon sun sitting on our balcony over this large, modern city.  Around 4, we headed out to find the central park.  Lots of people were there many jogging, strolling, and walking dogs.  A couple of islands had connecting bridges so you could cross to the other side of the large pond.  Lots of large swan paddle boats were filled with smiling people and the ducks swam close begging for food.  Quite pleasant.  It was time to find dinner and to my delight, we found pizza!!   Rog got roti—good but not as good as my pizza!   Back at our Airbnb, we filled the washing machine available for our use and then hung our clothes to dry.  Imagine how satisfying it felt to put all clean clothes back in our suitcases.  First time since we left Pittsburgh on Feb 13.  It's times like this that make us appreciate all our luxuries at home.  Though we both agree that the warm toilet seats & bidets are a luxury we need.  We had a folk museum on our agenda today where we walked through a traditional machiya (house) that was the home to a silk merchant.  The weaver was set up and many items made from the fine material on display.  Loved the enclosed garden.  An attached building housed lots of local items and we watched a film about the annual festival, The Yamkasa.  To honor the sun god, men carry a massive, tall & overly decorated float (think Madri Gras but with no wheels).  Must weigh tons! Each part of town builds one and then they race with each other.  The film caught the excitement of the crowd and the exhaustion of the men who carried them.  The after sun was bright as we climbed into a boat 😊 and cruised down on the several canals in this town nicknamed Canal City.  It's also called the Food Truck Central so after dark, we took a walk through that chaos…and the got a sandwich at the local bakery and went back to our Airbnb to eat. 

That's when we got the news that Sally had taken a major turn for the worst.  She'd been in the hospital over a week & I'd talked to her just a couple of days ago.  I slept fitfully with my phone by my head.  By morning, she was gone.  Rog cancelled the reservations we'd made for the next couple nights, we packed up & headed to the airport.  Luckily, we were in Fukuona with a large airport.  We got lots of help from a kind lady at the ticket counter who in the end, advised Rog to just get a ticket online.  Within an hour, we had new tickets.  We flew to Tokyo, (about a 13 hour flight, so we landed a half hour before we left thanks to time zones…), then Atlanta and finally Pittsburgh.  Jake picked us up, we got to bed around 1, got up to hug the kids & Sarah as they left for school and then got in our car and headed home.  Home to my heartbroken siblings & their families and my kids & gkids.  In 2012, I was in China when my mom died.  You can be very far from home…but family is always close to your heart. 

Pics #18



Sad

We are on our way to the airport. My sister, Sally just died. She had a heart attack and was improving until she wasn't. My heart is breaking for her 3 kids and 3 young gkids. Sally is 5 years younger than me. It makes me realize how quickly things can change.

Update #18

We got off the train in Asa. Gotta be honest, after walking around a bit and getting blank stares when we tried to ask about attractions, we wondered why we'd reserved 2 nights here. The hotel room was ok & we did each to to the onsen in the hotel (men/women separate). Since you don't wear bathing suits, I was glad I was the only one in mine! We found a local place to eat where an older woman was working as fast as she could making okonomiyaki…a traditional dish that combines noodles, cabbage, eggs, bread crumbs & shrimp. On the hot griddle at our table, she cook the bacon for short minute and then poured the mixture on top of it. After 10-15 min, she flipped it and cooked the other side another 10 minutes. Then she brushed it with a thick sweet sauce (like Hoisin) & sprinkled spices on it and tada…ready to eat. We'd had this once before so we knew it'd be good. Back in our room, we played some cards & tried to figure out how we'd fill the next day. Thought we'd hop the train & head to a nearby town. Our hotel had a huge buffet breakfast (think dinner). Rog filled up on a variety of local foods while I ate some yogurt. Then we headed to the train station. On the way, I noticed a group of men setting up what looked like a stage. I went over & a sky why & thanks to Goggle translator and a guy who spoke some English, found out there was going to be a Hina Doll Festival starting in an hour. So we scrapped the train plans. Rog had noticed some bikes by our hotel, so inquired about renting one & for $1.50, he was a happy biker! The town ladies were setting up bazaar & food tables so I checked that out. One table was set up so kids could do origami art. As I looked on, I was given the materials and thanks to the kids around me, I now have one myself. Around 11, Rog came back and the drumming started…loud & with a great beat. Most of the drummers were young & the guy setting up who knew some English, well he was the drum teacher. As we were watching the performance, a young lady who heard us speaking English approached us and introduced herself, Juicy Mae (Jumae Lina's). Soon we were best friends. She is from the Philippines and is here teaching English. She hung with us the next couple hours often introducing her students to us and encouraging them to practice their English with us. We were in lots of selfies! After the drumming ended, about 20 girls (3-18 yrs old) dressed in elegant kimonos lined up and after lots of pictures, paraded single file to the shrine that overlooked the river. Once there, a prayer for good health was said & then each girl was given a paper boat with an emperor & an empress inside. One by one, the boats were lowered into the river. Because Juicy & I were standing close, we were each given a boat too! We trailed ours as they went down the river & over small waterfalls cheering when they popped up after each. We both were happy that our boats were still afloat for as far as we could see! Surely good health for all my girls…the symbolic meaning of the event! We then headed back to the center of the festival & Juicy got a bowl of noodle soup & I got popcorn!! It wasn't buttered or salted rather peppered & sprinkled with ground parsley but close enough and since there was a Coke machine close by (which there is on most every corner), I got my Coke Lite and I was a happy girl. We sat chatting about school. Juicy says she loved teaching here as she has NO discipline issues and pay is much better. She said the Japanese are taught young to live in harmony. Harmony-what a beautiful word. Rog joined us after a bit and caught the tail end of a group of kids dancing to hip-hop music. Juicy had to leave to teach an online class but first we exchanged contact info. Spending time with her had been such a lucky experience! Rog then went to buy some soup & the women were so excited they bowed & laughed like teenagers. Around 2, clean up began so we were finishing up when the drummer teacher came over to introduce us to his young son. We gave him a balloon & he just belly laughed & started blowing it up. With just a few more hrs of daylight, I also rented a bike & off we rode through several neighborhoods getting an up close look. Rog spotted a barber so we stopped in as his hair needed a trim. An hour later, after a major trim, hot lather shave of his neck, chin & forehead and a massage of his head & shoulders…he was a new man and just $23 less in his wallet. Today was a great example of the reason we don't get too rigid in our planning & just grab on to whatever pops up!!

Update #17

Our next train ride took us to Iwakuni. As we stood talking about how we'd get to our hotel, a man came over & after chatting a bit, we were in his car headed to our hotel. Thanks Brian from Indiana! We picked this stop mostly because we wanted to stay in a shipping container. Called The Yard, there were two rows of 15 each facing each other and about 2 ft between them. These shipping containers were still on wheels with the trailer hitch. There were called Rescue Containers and designed to be moved quickly to any disaster location. There are about 25 similar set-ups in Japan. Great idea! Inside was amazingly spacious with double bed, narrow desk with chair, small frig, microwave & what seems the usual tiny bathrooms we've had almost everywhere. It even had a window! When we checked in, we were given two frozen dinners. Bonus!
We had arrived much before check in time so went in search of lunch & found an Indian restaurant with naan that melted in your mouth. Next we headed toward the 3rd most beautiful bridge in Japan, Kintaikyo with its 5 stone arches. As you cross, you climb up & over the arches enjoying the fast running river below. On top of a mountain overlooking it, sits the castle, of course. We rode a tram up the mountain getting a great view of the bridge & valley below. We skipped the castle. Kinda castled out. Back at The Yard, we popped our frozen dinner in the microwave and called it a day…a good day!
Back on the train @ 9:30, we slowly passed through mostly small town & fields with mountains on one side & ocean on the other. It was an easy way round get a glimpse of the lives of people outside a big city. Gardens, cloth lines & the occasional person going in or out of their home or store gave me a tiny window into their lives…which I love.


Pics for #17

Update #16

Hiroshima Peace Museum. It's hard to put into words how I felt today as we moved slowly & silently shoulder to shoulder along the route that took us past first a large wall showing Hiroshima before 1945…and then after Aug 6, 1945. The pictures were gruesome and horrifying. The photographers who took them told how their tears made it hard to focus their cameras but felt the world needed to see this. The extreme pain & fear in the eyes of the victims bore a hole in me and the words of the survivors tore at my heart. Why keep looking, I kept asking myself. But it seemed so disrespectful, so unfair to the victims for me to walk away. Also, most of the crowd around me were Japanese. How would they feel if I just walked away? Like I didn't care? The museum honored the victims by not only displaying photos & film and plaques with explanations…but also clothing, personal items, parts of buildings & bridges found in the rubble. The stories of the survivors were raw with pain. One section traced the life of Sadako. I had read that story to my students many times. I knew it well. But seeing pictures of her when she was 2…at the time of the explosion and then several before she died of leukemia at 12…made it so much more real. Many of the tiny cranes she had folded were also there. She had so hoped that the folklore that said a person who folds 1000 cranes would be granted a wish was true. We have seen so many strings of folded cranes in windows, shrines, temples & in displays. Her spirit is so alive still. The numbers of others who died on Aug 6 and later as a result, is staggering. It's important to note the Japanese did not portray the US in a negative light. In fact, they stated that "their country initiated hostilities against the US and other countries." The final area of the museum was dedicated to the need to reduce the number of nuclear bombs and in hope to eliminate them totally. It was a strong cry for peace.
As we excited the museum, it was raining. Really the first rain we've had in Japan. It seemed so appropriate & symbolic like walking through the tears that have fallen in this city.
The next day, the sun came out so we headed for Peace Park filled with memorials: the cenotaph with the names of known victims, eternal flame, praying family, Children's Peace statue of Sadako, Peace Bell, a pillar ( which was the only remains of their school) with the names of the 650+ students & teachers who were killed there were etched, several trees that survived and fountains representing the thirst of those burned. Looming in the background is the skeleton of the A-Bomb Dome. As I approached the center of cenotaph for the victims, about 40 very young Japanese students stood in front of it singing a sweet song. Though I'll never know the lyrics of the song, I'll never forget the moment.
From there we went down into the National Peace Memorial Hall where pictures of the victims & stories of the hibakusha (explosion-affected person) were stored. One huge, round room had a 360 picture of the destroyed city with a waterfall in the center as the cry for water was heard throughout the city on Aug 6. Sobering…and yet we had been approached twice today by excited students wanting to practice their English by interviewing us. They laughed & were having a great time & then let us take their pictures before giving us origami gifts with thank you neatly printed on them. They gave me a generous dose of hope for the future. As you look around Hiroshima, it's quite astonishing to see how they've rebuilt this city which now looks like so many other modern cities. They also rebuilt the castle originally built in 1590 & the Shukkeien gardens. Visiting them was soothing. Lots of blooming cherry & plum trees greeted us there. Here also, hope bloomed in my heart!!

Update #15

We took the train from Nara to Himeji. When we came to one of the stops on the way to Himeji, everyone got off which clued us in that we should get off. We noticed most crossed to the other side of the platform, so we did too & after questioning someone, found out that the train we were on would be going back to Nara. This happened one more time before we finally arrived in Himeji. We dropped our bags off at our hotel & then headed to the Himeji History Museum…but one the way, we found ourselves in the middle of a crowd where we saw all these people dressed up in elaborate costumes! We started snapping pictures which they seemed to encourage. Imagine seeing kids dressed in outrageous, darling, clever, silly, scary, remarkable and darn right funny costumes. We did not recognize most of the characters they were dressed like but it was sure entertaining!! (Later I looked it up & they were a cosplay mix of a popular anime movies). There was a two stage shows with performers singing & dancing. And a parking lot full of cars also "dressed" up! Just a unique spot to just happen to run into. To top it off, they sold those most delicious waffles mothered in whip cream & chocolate! The History Museum was not nearly as exciting but we did learn more about this area especially the 1995 earthquake. Next morning we headed out to see why we came to Himeji, the castle. Who doesn't want to see the castle known as the White Heron Castle?? It 's perched on the top of the highest point around & surrounded by a moat. After being asked to take our shoes off, in our stocking feet, we climbed up seven narrow & steep staircases with each floor empty but it you sure got the feel of the vastness of each floor. From the top you got a bird's eye view of the city and the castle garden, which is where we headed next. Known as the Koko-en, it was designed with lots of benches where you could rest and take in the beauty…which after climbing up & down 7 stories, we thoroughly enjoyed. the garden was just ready to fully pop with just the daffodils & camellia bushes blooming. The many stone pathways led you by manicured trees & bushes and over & around a fast moving stream which dumped into a large pond where colorful carp were swimming. Lovely hardly describes it. In the exit building, we were treated to several blossoming cherry & plum bonsai trees!! So we did all that we came to Himeji for…and more…so tomorrow we're taking the bullet train to Hiroshima.

Update 14

You might be getting this twice?!

Nara was the first capital of Japan in 700 AD so it is filled with ancient buildings most of which have been or are being reconstructed. Original audience hall, shrines & temples galore to see. All humongous, decorative with traditional curved roofs. Unfortunately the palace & 5 story pagoda were tented & being worked on so we didn't get to see them. We stayed 3 days so we visited most of the rest of them. The Todaiji Temple was the most impressive with its 17' tall bronze Buddha flanked by two bodhisttua (soon to be Buddhas). The temple is the largest wooden structure in the world. In 728 AD, the emperor decreed that everyone was to help build it so over 1/2 the population at the time (2 1/2 million) worked on it! Long ago someone gifted deers to the emperor so today hundreds of them roam freely over the large grounds. Somehow they keep the poop cleaned up. While we were there, a group of elementary school kids with their clipboards interviewed us and we in turn, interviewed them. Great way to practice English! Close by was the lovely Isuien Gardens. Peaceful, well groomed green space with a frolicking stream running through it which has stone bridges you could cross on. Our next stop was to admire a display of darling porcelain face dolls dressed in traditional clothing. Some serving tea and others playing instruments. The cultural center was our next stop which was home to several statues & articles found during the excavation around this area. Yakushiji Temple was another temple in the area which has been around for just 1300 yrs. It was flanked by two 3 story pagodas. I love seeing pagodas! That temple also had a huge Buddha and had recently been restored. The building next to it was set up for monks to copy sutras (sacred Buddha teachings) which they sell and use the money to pay for restoration. It was time for another view of the area so we just walked around a small town just outside the temple. It appeared to have lots of nice single family homes with just a few unkept apartment buildings. There were several large gardens which seemed to be for the community surrounding it. The gardens had onions & lettuce growing and lots of space for more spring planting. Also we saw several rice paddies with cement sides not in use. Maybe later?? We had one more shrine to see, Kasugataisha Shrine famous for the thousands of bronze & golden lanterns that adorn it. Walking up the hill to it you pass hundreds of cement pillars with lanterns on top that are covered in moss and have plants growing out of them. The whole temple is surrounded by a dense forest. Here too deer roam freely as they are believed to be messengers of deities. Each year in December since 1136 AD there is a huge festival with dancers, monks & horses. That's one long time tradition!
Just a quick side note: our Airbnb is like living in a RV! Just a little space on the side of the bed, TV trays to set up next to bed, and the smallest, shortest frig I've ever seen. The bathroom sink faucet can be turned to fill the half size tub & turn on the shower. You can brush your teeth sitting on the heated toilet seat! It's close to the bus stops & train station so it's been a fun little, truly little place to be!




Update #14

Nara was the first capital of Japan in 700 AD so it is filled with ancient buildings most of which have been or are being reconstructed. Original audience hall, shrines & temples galore to see. All humongous, decorative with traditional curved roofs. Unfortunately the palace & 5 story pagoda were tented & being worked on so we didn't get to see them. We stayed 3 days so we visited most of the rest of them. The Todaiji Temple was the most impressive with its 17' tall bronze Buddha flanked by two bodhisttua (soon to be Buddhas). The temple is the largest wooden structure in the world. In 728 AD, the emperor decreed that everyone was to help build it so over 1/2 the population at the time (2 1/2 million) worked on it! Long ago someone gifted deers to the emperor so today hundreds of them roam freely over the large grounds. Somehow they keep the poop cleaned up. While we were there, a group of elementary school kids with their clipboards interviewed us and we in turn, interviewed them. Great way to practice English! Close by was the lovely Isuien Gardens. Peaceful, well groomed green space with a frolicking stream running through it which has stone bridges you could cross on. Our next stop was to admire a display of darling porcelain face dolls dressed in traditional clothing. Some serving tea and others playing instruments. The cultural center was our next stop which was home to several statues & articles found during the excavation around this area. Yakushiji Temple was another temple in the area which has been around for just 1300 yrs. It was flanked by two 3 story pagodas. I love seeing pagodas! That temple also had a huge Buddha and had recently been restored. The building next to it was set up for monks to copy sutras (sacred Buddha teachings) which they sell and use the money to pay for restoration. It was time for another view of the area so we just walked around a small town just outside the temple. It appeared to have lots of nice single family homes with just a few unkept apartment buildings. There were several large gardens which seemed to be for the community surrounding it. The gardens had onions & lettuce growing and lots of space for more spring planting. Also we saw several rice paddies with cement sides not in use. Maybe later?? We had one more shrine to see, Kasugataisha Shrine famous for the thousands of bronze & golden lanterns that adorn it. Walking up the hill to it you pass hundreds of cement pillars with lanterns on top that are covered in moss and have plants growing out of them. The whole temple is surrounded by a dense forest. Here too deer roam freely as they are believed to be messengers of deities. Each year in December since 1136 AD there is a huge festival with dancers, monks & horses. That's one long time tradition!
Just a quick side note: our Airbnb is like living in a RV! Just a little space on the side of the bed, TV trays to set up next to bed, and the smallest, shortest frig I've ever seen. The bathroom sink faucet can be turned to fill the half size tub & turn on the shower. You can brush your teeth sitting on the heated toilet seat! It's close to the bus stops & train station so it's been a fun little, truly little place to be!




Update 13

Well we're off the floor and in a bed and also sitting down to go to the bathroom! The traditional Japanese bed is a 1-2" pad called a futon rolled out on a matted floor. That's been our bed since we got to Japan…which we both admit we slept fine on and we got lots of laughs out of how comical it was trying to get down & up from them! Traditional toilet is the squat type. We were glad that once we flew into Osaka, we had both a "real" bed and sit down toilet which also had a seat warmer & a bidet!
The flight was easy and since we arrived hungry, we ate at the first place we found, McD! My hamburger was similar to US but meat not quite the same and they only had Coke Zero. I ordered a large and it was almost as big as our medium. Rog got a Terriyaki chicken sandwich. We ate this like everyone else in the restaurant was eating, standing up next to a counter. Later we'd see a McD that advertised how many chairs it had! Rog then did his magic to get us to our hotel first taking the monorail, then train, then DiDi (like Uber). We just laid on our real beds for the rest of the night watching some TV (in Japanese) except for a quick trip to a Lawson's which is a small convenient store that's on most every corner!
Next morning we set out to find the National Museum of Ethnology. We took several twist & turn around a before we found it but we did. It's located on the Expo '70 grounds so we saw the huge Ferris wheel and Tower of the Sun too. The museum was huge and jam-packed with cultural artifacts from all over the world. The plaques had very little English but who reads all them anyways! We sure recognized lots from other countries we've visited. We spent extra time in the Japanese section. Actually were there over 3 hours. By the time we got back near our hotel, it was time to find dinner which we did in an Okinawa restaurant for a dish called taco salad —taco meat sauce over rice with a bit of greens. We were ready to just read our guide book & plan the next day when we got back.
Next day we were able to get around pretty efficiently! We started by going to the Osaka Castle. It was originally built in 1583 & is surrounded by a moat with massive stone wall. One of the stone used was about 12' x 20'. Imagine moving that! The castle was filled with ancient painted hangings and 20 dioramas that included holograms. They are so amazing to watch as they told some of the history of the time. Rog decided to sit out going inside the castle so just walked around the beautiful grounds until he found a good bench. A Japanese man, Takashi Saito sat down next to him and of course, they started to talk. He then handed him a folded paper parrot that he'd made. As they continued talking, he folded a butterfly, samaurin hat then peacock. He told him this was his hobby. Finally he gave him a card he'd painted Mt Fuji on that had his name on it. Rog was happy he'd found that bench. Next to the castle was a Shinto Shrine similar to the one we'd seen in Naha except filled with cherry blossoms in bloom!
Back on the subway, we headed to where we had reservations for a later show. With time to spare, we wandered around this part of town until we found a local restaurant serving squid, shrimp & egg rolls. Not the best but okay. We got to the auditorium where we had reservations for a show about 1/2 hour early hoping to get good seats. Well, all 20+ of the audience had good seats! the show, Osaka Night Fusion was pretty radical with a mix between very cultural dancing to very risqué dancing. Traditional Japanese instruments were played beautifully along with lots of loud & rapid drumming. Songs switched between more current Western music to traditional songs. Flashing lights and a constant changing video screen in the background lit up the stage vibrantly! A sword swallower, yo-yo expert, several tumblers & lots of dancing filled the one hour show. Pretty overwhelming! But guess we didn't get enough as we headed to the canal strip to see the ultimate flashing light ads. Sensory overloaded, we headed back to our hotel around 7:30. Osaka is certainly the modern, flashy Japan! We have to say it's striking how orderly the Japanese are. Everyone lines up single file to get on elevators & subways. They wait patiently for people to exit before getting on. This happened on our flights too. Never been on a flight that loaded & unloaded so quickly! Also the streets are clean as a whistle. Almost 3 million people live in Osaka but no trash anywhere. Pretty incredible. This city is filled with tall apartment buildings but the traffic is so light thanks to their excellent public transportation. And finally, another amazing thing is we see lots of bikes parked & not locked. Chris told us that many times if someone does commit a crime, he will turn himself into the police rather than bring more embarrassment to his family. We're pretty impressed!

Update 12

 Our last day in Okinawa was a chill day…both the weather which is about 50-60 F and our activity level. We were staying at a place near the beach so we could walk the beach…in our coats. We also walked to the nearest town and ate a most delicious meal of fried fish & chicken, French fries, rice and an unidentifiable soup. The town was actually a small island so we walked all around it and discovered a shop selling a waffle on a stick covered in whip cream, drizzled with chocolate syrup & chocolate chips. Best treat so far!! I spent the last hour of sunshine sitting on a lounge chair reading. The next morning, the owners & their daughter warmly hugged us & waved goodbye as we got we drove off with their friend who took us to the airport for our flight to Osaka. That seemed very fitting as we'd found all the people in Okinawa to be so friendly and kind!

Update#11

We were surprised when Chris said he wanted to take a day off and take us around Okinawa. We told hime he really didn't need to do that but he insisted saying he was a workaholic & we were a good excuse to enjoy a day off. So he picked us up and off we went. First to the Naminoue Shrine, a most sacred Shinto site. Chris carefully instructed us on what we needed to do to enter. At a water stand, we washed our hands, first the left,then right and then took a drink from our cupped hands & spit it out…to rinse our mouth of any thing bad. Next at a sort of altar, we tossed a coin with a hole in it into a bin, bowed twice, then clapped twice, then bowed twice again finally with praying hands, stand silently for a short time. Then we entered the main room where the altar was loaded with golden statues & decorative items. Chris's filled us with many details about the history of the Shinto religion. Next he took us to meet the local Monk, who was his friend. The shrine is being renovated and plagues were going to be displayed with donated names on it. Chris made a donation on our behalf and we were asked to write down our names. Chris told us now a piece of us would always remain in Okinawa. That pulled my heartstrings! Next we bought a taiyaki-a fish shape waffle filled with a sweet bean filling. Actually pretty good! Next we went to the former WWII Japanese Navy Underground headquarters—a massive underground tunnel system. It was eerie walking through the dirt tunnel where thousands of of boulders had been & so many had died. One room was where after realizing they were defeated, many had committed suicide by smashing loaded grenade to their heads. The walls were all pitted leaving the evidence. Losing the battle was a disgrace to their Emperor. Better to die. Our next stop was the Okinawa Peace Memorial & Museum. A massive greens lined with stones where the names of those who died in the Battle of Okinawa were etched. Japanese, American, UK & Irish. Total 200,000+ —15,500 of them American. Okinawa was the only Japanese island to experience a land battle. It was the largest Pacific battle of WW!!. The Japanese had staged the war there to delay the Americans from attacking the mainland. The island was sacrificed for this stall plan. It was left totally burned & destroyed. US fired almost 3 million shells…almost 5 per Okinawa. It was called the Typhoon of Steel. Starvation & malaria took another heavy toll. Looking out the window, you could see the cliffs where many women threw their babies & then jumped themselves. They had been told if they became prisoners, Americans would rape them and eat their babies. This unfortunate island was caught in the middle. And it was here my dad was also caught in the middle. As we walked through the museum & looked at the many pictures and watched the films, I felt the need to see if my dad was in them. What an internal wound this must of left in him. He never ever wanted to tell us anything. I can now see why. The last display was a poem:
Whenever we look at the truth of the Battle of Okinawa, we think there is nothing as brutal, nothing as dishonorable as war. In the face of this traumatic experience, no one will be able to speak out for or idealize war. To be sure it is human beings who start wars. But more than that, isn't it we human beings who must also prevent wars? Since the end of the war, we have anchored all wars, long yearning to create a peaceful island. In our unwavering devotion to this principle, we have paid a heavy price.
There was one more museums Chris wanted us to see…too often overlooked he said. Himeyuri Peace Museum…also called the Nurse Museum. It told the story of the school girls (ages 13-18) who were given a short course in nursing and then sent into the caves to serve the soilders. Many pictures of the girls dressed in nice uniforms in classrooms or playing on campus were in the first sections…then the same girls covered with blood, filthy and stressed inside the caves. The survivors testimony videos told stories of how difficult it was to dig maggots out ears, how heavy the amputated legs were and how hard to watch hysterical wounded men get eliminated. From just this one school, 240 girls went in but only 136 survived. Most were killed when they were forced to leave after defeat was imminent. In the 1980's the survivors of this one school gathered and decided to tell their stories. Gruesome as they were but important for the world to know the horrors of war. They were but one of the many island schools forced to send their students to war.
Japan's constitution now states: "Japan forever renounces war…and the threat of use of force as a means of settling international disputes." Why doesn't every nation renounce war?? Why??

Update#10

The last couple days we spent mostly at HelpOki. Chris needed to make a detailed inventory of all the items in the personal care section and the pampers. I can tell you they definitely have enough toothbrushes but need combs! We also put lots of clothes on hangers, vacuumed, washed mirrors & did some dusting. Rog sprayed weed-killer along the fence. As we worked, we chatted with the other volunteers several who spoke some English. A group of 2nd graders came through on a tour bringing donations with them and many questions. Most spoke English so that was fun. At 1:30, Chris picked us up & we met his wife, Yuku and her friend at a shopping mall. We'd told Chris a few days ago that friends of ours had donated $410 & asked him to decide the best way to spend it. He contacted one of the orphanages he helps with and found out they were setting up a practice kitchen for kids graduating who would soon be needing to fend for themselves. Each graduate would get 2 weeks to practice living on his own. The kitchen needed to be stocked so that's how the $$ could be spent. Also, the orphanage housed 80 kids so laundry soap was a huge expense. It was comical watching Yuku & her friend discuss what to buy. They filled the basket with pots, pans, bowls, strainer, cutting boards, knives, etc. etc. Then they filled another basket with laundry soap. Everyone was pretty excited when we got to the orphanage to drop off the donations. The director posed for pictures with us and profusely thanked us. I thanked him for caring for these kids all the time. He said he was touched that I realized and appreciated what he did. It was an honor to accept a framed thank you note on behalf of the donations we received from those attending our CFUMC presentation & Shan. Sure wish they could have felt the love and appreciation! We were then given a tour of the "practice apartment" where the grads will spend 2 weeks. Kids crowded around us as we got in our car waving and smiling…obviously well cared for.
Back story: There are 8 orphanages in Okinawa. When I asked why so many, I was told 3 reasons-military base, island mentality of doing whatever, and talking about sex was taboo so kids got no sex ed. HelpOki has been a big donator to all the orphanages but Chris wanted to do more than just give them stuff. He made it his mission to get involved directly. His offer to have holiday parties, sporting events, etc. were denied time after time. Finally one of them said HelpOki could mow the grass and cut down the weeds. They did this for 2 years before finally they were told they could have a BBQ for the kids. Finally they trusted HelpOki. Since then they've have lots of events like trunk or treat, graduation parties, summer fun events, etc. at most of the orphanages. Building trust took 2 years but now love flows freely back & forth. We left there feeling pretty happy…but also hungry so we went to a Steak House which served the meat on a sizzling black stone. Delicious! Yuku said she was so glad that Chris was getting to spend time with midwesterners cause he missed being home and for him, we felt like family. Of course, we invited them to come to stay with us anytime and I think they just might!

Update #9

We left Naha and headed to Uruma where HelpOki is located. Since it's not a tourist area, it was tricky to find a place to stay. When the older lady showed us the room, we were happy to see a frig, microwave, rice maker and totally blue bathroom. But when she showed us the bedroom, it was perfectly empty with just the traditional rice mat flooring (tatami). No bed. After some confusing hand gestures, we used the Google translator and she smiled and opened a cupboard where 2 thin mats, pillows & blankets were stored. Not what we call beds but when in Japan, sleep like the Japanese. Our Airbnb is near town so we walked around but didn't find much for us to see or do. We took an Uber to locate HelpOki & talked to a few volunteers. Luckily, one had an American parent so spoke English welcomed us. We had arranged to meet Chris the next day. I have been communicating with Chris via Messenger and following them on facebook for about 4 months. It was great to finally meet him in person. Chris is an ex-marine married to a local girl. He started HelpOki in 2011 and has been the director since then. It was the first place in the area to serve the poor, homeless, shelters, orphanages…who ever needs help. It has a food bank, clothing, household items, washer, shower, computer, WiFi, printer, showers, emergency shelter room and even offers classes in self care and confidence. Little doubt that Chris loves what he does and who he does it for. After a quick tour, Chris gave us a list of things we could work on so we lost no time and got busy organizing clothing, toys, books …most of which were really nice as had been donated by US service families when they packed to return to US. Rog did some general cleaning while I checked expiration dates of newly donated food. My FIA experience really came in handy! Chris was working the whole time too. As I watched him work, I was in awe to see his diligence & energy level. It's meeting people like him that make volunteering such an incredible experience!!
At 4, it was time to quit and Chris insisted on taking us to our room but we suggested stopping at A&W so we could buy him & his wife burgers to go…and we could grab dinner too.
Evening found us hunting for our next stay…closer to beach in spite of the fact that it's the coldest week they have had in 20 years!! It's in the 60's! What's up with that!!

A food update: we've had several bowls of the traditional Ramon soup bowl full of sprouts, leafy greens, noodles and a few bites of beef. It comes with rice and once we got a grilled chicken with it. One night we went to place where you cook your own food over a hibachi…can't really say you cook your own supper as the meal included 4 bites of beef, 4 slices of egg plants and about 1/4 ear of corn for $20. Luckily, we passed by a 7/11 so we could get Rog some sweet bread and me a Coke Zero & since I had a microwave popcorn with me…we didn't have to go to bed hungry! Here in Uruma where we are now staying, can you believe there is an A & W right down the road! Yup! Guess who's been there twice??




Pics #8









Update #8



We slept well & were ready to take off about 10 the next morning.  Our Airbnb host, suggested we go to the Shurijo Castle & the Udon Palace gardens.  We always like to get recommendations from the locals.  The castle had been the home to the reigning kings from the early 1400's until almost 1900's.  It had been almost completely destroyed during WWII.  It is currently being rebuilt…again.  It had been almost done several years ago when it was destroyed by a fire.  It was very similar to the castles we've seen in China & VietNam.  The gardens that surrounded the very simple & sparse Udon palace were lush. A pond with stone bridges was the centerpiece.  I could just picture elegant ladies in bright kimonos crossing the bridges.  We still had some sunlight & so we hopped on the monorail to see a bit more of the city of Nana.  It is full of tall apartment & office buildings as far as you can see.  I'm struck by the simplicity of buildings.  Usually cement & boxy with little to no decorative detail.  The cars too are simple & boxy and small.  Traffic was steady but hardly heavy.  Streets were clean but did see some storefronts that were not well kept.  It's hard to imagine what this island looked like just 75 years ago.  Virtually flattened.  We've only seen a small pockets of prewar buildings.  A big part of our draw to Okinawa was that my Dad was here during WWII.  I thought of him a lot today.  Especially when we saw the remains of a dug out tunnel used by the Japs (as he called them).  The tunnels were almost impossible to see dug into the roots & plants.  It's hard to wrap my head around what my Dad probably experienced here.  History books say it was the largest & most deadly in the Pacific front.  The castle we visited as tourist was actually the main fortress used by the Japanese in WWII.  My dad was also on Iwo Jima…where they famous picture showing the US flag being hoisted happened.  So imagine how strange it was to see the US flag flying next to the Japanese flag?  It's so difficult to see anything but politeness, kindness & peacefulness in the eyes of the Japanese people that surround us now.  How is it possible?

 

Update#7

We took a pause in our travels to visit with Jake's family near Pittsburg for a few days. We'd rented a room in a hotel with a pool & hot tub waiting to be used…which the kids sure did. For afternoon fun, we strolled around Cosco munching on the samples & then ate lunch there. Who knew that's what they'd want to do?? Sun night we took the kids home so they could get ready for Mon. Addie had to go to the hospital for her monthly infusion (to treat MOGAD) so Rog dropped us off around 7:30 & then took off to do some errands. He meet us back at the hospital around 1. Addie was finished an hour later & we all went back to Jake's so she could rest. We spent the next several days doing odd jobs & evenings enjoying Jake's family. It has seemed really weird to still be in USA this time of year! We are ready to dive into a new country!
On Valentine's' day, we were up at 3:00 to catch our 6:30 flight to Chicago. From there we climbed aboard our 13 hr flight to Tokyo. It was long…but fairly easy. That's when the craziness started. First our tickets to Okinawa did not show a gate number so we waited for the Departure board to tell us. An hour before our flight, we finally headed toward security. They said we needed to go to another terminal via a shuttle bus. Got there and up to security and found out our luggage, (which was clearly marked Okinawa) had been sent to customs in the first terminal. (Somebody should have mentioned to us that the bags would need to go through customers in Tokyo when they put the tags on our bags!). So back on the bus where we were went to info counter to help us. Luckily, two clerks walked us the back way to customs so we could get our luggage. By then of course, we'd missed our flight so we had to go to the airline counter to get new tickets. It happened but took another hour. Off to our gate we headed. Whew. Finally. Nope. Gate was changed so off we went again. We were exhausted by the time we loaded for the final less than 2 hour flight. Our Airbnb host picked us up promptly and soon we were in our room in his home. Two mats, low table, lower chairs & two kimonos. We definitely were dropped into real Japan…exhausted!
It was a Valentine's Day to remember cause it lasted over 30 hours!




Update #6

Charleston…once the richest port in US, birth place of the Civil War and now getting polished up to be a beautiful tourist town. It's full of old, stately, 3 story homes with huge porches in multiple pastels or brick with rod iron fences surrounding their well manicured gardens. We toured one stilled filled with the original furniture and learned about the families that lived there…and the one still living on the 3rd floor. There are several magnificent plantation tours here but the McLeod Plantation seemed to be the most authentic so that's where we went. Our guide, Harriet indeed said the other plantations glorified the rich white masters and their wealth. McLoad's tour told the story of the enslaved. Harriet was black and actually related to some who had lived & worked on this plantation. She told us many stories about the slaves who worked here. With tears in her eyes, she showed us pictures of a man who had visited this plantation in 2015 and then went to her church & killed 9…6 of them were her friends. She was a guide as a way to honor the enslaved & her murdered friends. Her final words were "Make no mistake, there is still hatred in this soil we stand on." That sunk in deep. Another place we checked out was the old city of Dorchester which thrived for about 100 years and then was abandoned during the Revolutionary War. Only the church bell tower, a few gravestones and some crumbling walls of the fort remain. Lesson: no guarantees your footprint will last. The sun was shining as we boarded a ferry that took us all around the harbor giving us a great vantage point to see Ft Sumpter and the WWII aircraft carrier, Yorktown. Finally, the Charleston Museum did an excellent job giving us a thorough history of this area.
And one can't come to Charleston and not feast on she-clam soup & hush puppies served with bacon jam! It's been an interesting & enjoyable visit!

Update #5

After more than 1000 phone calls, almost 100 home visits and upteen logs sawed, we took off our Inspiritus volunteer Tshirts and headed to Charleston. There we found a big soft bed, real shower and a slower pace.
We left knowing many people's yards were cleared up…but many more were not. A couple large groups of volunteers are coming mid Feb and we truly hope that they will be able to clean up lots more of the storm damage so the large pile of assessments will dwindle rapidly. I can only hope!
It has been a unique experience to spend so much time with locals. To sit on their couches, get shown family pictures, hear about their health issues & how hard it is for them to do anything and their hurricane stories. One of the questions on the assessment is "Are you over 65?" So many of them who can barely walk to the door or get up out of the chair, said "No.". I looked around at their home which often was in huge disarray and in need of so much TLC. We've always felt blessed to be as healthy & active as we are BUT meeting so many 9 or more years younger who struggle to do anything and have the minimum, just made our lives feel even more amazing. I will never understand the why us/why them question but without a doubt, I will appreciate our lives more. I can't imagine being as miserable as Mr. Thorne who is so angry at the world and wanted to tell us all about it, often crying & quoting the Bible. He asked us for a hug saying it had been months since he was touched. We spent an hour there and still had to back ourselves to our car in order to finally leave.
We are also leaving behind the Garden City Methodist Church who generously gave us a nice room to sleep in and use of their huge kitchen…even got some left over funeral food! We did attend their Sunday church services which was a total throw-back to the 60-70's. Sang only from the hymnals and the kids danced in the aisles & one even joined the 7 member choir. Babies were being passed around and made to laugh. Matt called on people by name to hear prayer requests. Then the kids were called up for a children's time before taken out. Pastor Matt's sermon seemed to be personal for the 50+ in the pews. The kids then came back to be part of the communion as we knelt at the railing and were given a small piece of bread (which actually was from a loaf of bread Kenny, a day volunteer had made for us.) Matt's wife followed him and held out a gold carrier filled with tiny cups of grape juice. Remember that?
Speaking of church, there's one on most every block around here. Many huge with gorgeous stain-glass windows, large awnings & tall steeples…others very simple. I must confess, it actually makes me mad. Also in town on many busy sidewalks, there are stands filled with bibles & other religious books manned by people who ask if you want to hear about Jesus. I was so tempted so say, "Wouldn't it make Jesus so much happier if you were helping the many people who need help??" I know that's a bias of mine—not walking the talk. I know…I know…I don't know if they do reach out & help others?? Still I wonder if the $$ that goes into building & maintaining all these churches that are only used a couple hours a week could be used instead to make people's lives better?? Isn't that what Jesus wanted??
I also wonder what some of these people who wanted to teach us more about the Bible would have said to Shannon (another volunteer) who feels like the Bible story that blames the first sin on Eve was the authors way of making sure women were the lesser of the two. Without a doubt, our time in Savannah (and earlier in Valdosta) broadened my perspective and understanding of people who live in Georgia and those who Helene impacted. It will not be forgotten.


Update #4

The stories are endless and the last 4 days, Chan, my niece got to hear them too. She lives just 5 hours from here so she drove up and within an hour was on the phone calling people to arrange assessments…and listen to their stories. Next 3 days, Chan and I headed to homes to check out their damage. You never know what you'll find. There was the lady who wanted help picking up pine cones & the man who wondered if we mowed lawns vs the extremely handicapped lady who needed help adjusting the seat on her electric chair. She insisted on helping and ended up falling on the floor so getting her up was a feat in itself! The whole time she was telling us all about all her family members who had been in the army and about how her mom (who was in the bed just around the corner) was dying. We backed out the door as she shouted how thrilled she was to have her freedom again and couldn't wait to drive her new scooter to Walmart! The many trees down in her yard seemed like the least of her problems. That assessment stop took a while! Next stop we got a belly laugh out of the lady who told us that she had to rush out of her house when the hurricane was knocking down trees all around her and all she had time to grab was her medicines, purse, puppy and wig! At another home, Chan noticed a Billly Graham book displayed on the coffee table & when she asked about it—the lady beamed & told us how she had met BG and he had saved her then they had exchanged letters for years.
Usually we appreciate GPS but did it really need to take us down a slushy, muddy Georgia clay road with huge ruts and deep ditches!? I could feel our little car bogging down so I did what my Dancer Rd experience taught me…gunned it!!! As we slipped & slid back & forth for about 2 miles, mud was flying everywhere. Chan was roaring with laughter. The final stretch was the most challenging as our back tires sunk in and the front tires were weaving back & forth. I floored it and we finally hit pavement. Relief. Our guts were hurting from laughing & the car was covered with orange mud. At our next stop, the homeowner asked, "Are you guys alright?" That got us laughing again.
Early am and later pm is the best times to make phone calls. People are so excited to hear from us? Helene was in early October & many of the people we call have not heard from anyone since they requested help. They live more than an hour from the major cities where volunteers & relief organizations have been based. Our calls are a beacon of hope and you can hear the joy in their voices! Of course, we have to tell them we can't assure them they'll get help as that depends on the funding and number of volunteers…but they smile and thank us profusely anyways. Their names make us smile: Willie Mae, Johnny Fye, Gracie, Lillie, Thelma Lou.
A local man has been coming to chainsaw with Rog a few days which means a little less chainsawing for Rog. He got a chuckle out of the lady who asked him not to cut up a down tree because she wanted to create a Babylon setting under it. He continues to sleep soundly.
I have to tell on Chan…she is a strong believer in eating healthy…but was drinking McD Diet Coke with me several times. She even ate a McD hamburger to celebrate my birthday. Chan left after 5 days with a big smile and a happy heart. Our days are full and rewarding.

Update #3

Well, I didn't expect this! About 3-4" of snow & freezing cold for 3 days! Really???!! Rog and Zach had been on a roll getting trees cut up & moving piles and I had been making phone calls, assessing damages & lining up jobs for the guys. Then bang, we woke up to snow that put the skids on everything…except phone calling…which are actually fun because people are so excited to hear from us and eager to talk. Most are snowed in. Almost everything around here is closed.
When I'm out doing the assessments, I'm often invited to sit in the living room or at the kitchen table to fill out the required paperwork. That's where I also listen to their stories. This week I visited a lady who had been caring for her mom until last week…when she died. I met a young mom of three girls whose husband died in November. She asked, "How do you do all this without a man? My husband would have had this mess cleaned up. I just can't." Another lady was so relieved to hear we could help because she'd been at the hospital supporting her son who had been in a bad car accident Christmas Eve. Now she needs to try to get a ramp built & house ready for him to come home. Just too much.
Their stories make me feel guilty that my biggest complaint is that I'm not wearing shorts & flip flops!
Driving around doing assessments is the best job. Bekah helped us figure out how to hook our phones to car play which clearly tells us where to go so I can just enjoy the ride. The last two days before the storm, I actually went by myself and didn't make a wrong turn!
Rog is still feeling good and actually says he's enjoying the chainsawing…and the appreciation & praise from the homeowners. Zach is quite a story teller & preacher and encourages Rog to tell him about our trips so they don't lack for conversation. Shannon, the other volunteer, has had a severe migraine so we haven't seen much of her.
Today is my birthday and I've been getting lots of bd wishes all day. Love it! I asked to go to Red Lobster so Rog called and they said they'd be open for lunch but probably not dinner. We were the only ones there at noon. We got really good serviceTheir rolls, coconut fried shrimp & chocolate brownie sundae was just what I had hoped for! Headed back to base to make more phone calls and line up more assessments. We now have almost 20 ready to go as soon as the snow melts!

Update #2

This morning Rog fixed his famous frittata and he & Zach gobbled that up then took off to cut up a huge tree that took all morning. I started calling trying to scratch up volunteers. Mostly I only left messages or emailed. The few I actually talked to didn't leave me feeling too hopeful. Twenty-six churches/groups and nothing for sure. As I mentioned, we're staying in a church has. It has 3 kids' rooms that needed cleaning. So as a thank you for letting us bunk here & use their kitchen, I cleaned the rooms. Guys got back around 6:30 for soup supper. Chainsaw needed sharpening so Rog did that while I put together a work list for tomorrow. Next day, I rode to the sites with the guys & made lots more phone calls as they guys worked on more trees. If yard stuff or small debris needed to get moved, that was my job. Rog is doing lots of chainsawing but luckily, he doesn't seem to have stirred up his back/hip pain. Zach runs the skid load with ease & accuracy. When the saw blades got dull, we headed back to base. We'd put a roast in a slow cooker so dinner was ready for us & we were ready for it! Next day, off to another site where a huge double tree had split right down the middle and fell in opposite directions! After several hours, the saw quit so off we went to find a repair shop. They said it would probably be a couple months before we got it back. Inspiritus has several more so it won't stop us…but somebody ought to open another chainsaw repair shop cause there's lots of chainsawing needing down around here!! After we stopped at base to pick up another saw, we were back at it. We come "home" tired but satisfied. Rog sent a picture of our bedroom to our kids…Jake responded saying it looked like we'd been to Good Will and made it a CRC (Chelsea Retirement Community) room. Kinda does remind of that except we sleep on air mattresses & not in hospital beds! Whatever, we feel like it's home and both sleep well.
Our next several days filled up with more chainsawing, moving debris, making phone calls & lining up assessments, and meeting homeowners. Rog seems to be enjoying cutting up the trees—some humongous ones. Zach grabs them with the claws on the skid loader & piles them up by the roadside for the city to pick up. He probably can easily pick up a toy in one of those claw game machines! And me, I'm good at filling out assessments, making phone calls & chatting with the homeowners.
Good news, one more Inspiritus volunteer, Shannon is here and I've got lots of "fishing poles" out there hoping for more!

Update 1

 Intro: So we're off again…too cold to stay home and adventure calls. As always, I will NOT be editing. I write these updates mostly so I can record our daily happenings so they don't get lost in my fading memory. I send them to you so you can trash them, skim them or maybe they'll make you smile. Please let me know if you'd prefer not to get the updates and I'll remove your name and it will not hurt my feelings!! Really!

Jan 8
We took off around 9 heading for Gibsonia to see Jake's family. David had a wrestling meet so we made it in plenty of time to see him work out with his team and then congratulate him on his wrestling. Elin, Tim, (her boyfriend )and the rest of the family waited for us to get home to celebrate Elin's 18th birthday. Can't imagine she's that old already. Next night, Elin & I cooked a Thai dinner and Addie made a scrumptious coffee cake. Mmm. Next morning, Sarah took us to the airport where we caught a flight to Savannah, GA. Since Hurricane Helene had caused so much destruction last October, we decided to do most our volunteer work here in the States. Back in November, we tried to sign up to help with All Hands & Hearts working in N. Caroline. They had too many volunteers already. We tried Red Cross. Same story. We tried Samaritan Purse. Same story. I remembered a friend we'd met while working with All H & H had started a disaster relief group, Inspiritus & sent a message to her. She immediately called me up & said, we need you in Georgia! They are not getting much help. She even offered to fly us there (using a non-profit that collects donated miles). So off we went. For 10 days stayed at an United Methodist church camp in a bunk house. We were asked to do assessments which meant we drove all over, meeting homeowners & assessing their damage. Then we wrote up a report which was turned over to the people doing the work. We met about 60 people who were very glad to see us! We were thanked & blessed over and over. Humbling. So we agreed to join Inspiritus again after the holidays. So here we are again in Georgia…Savannah. We are staying in an United Methodist church's community hall. We have our air mattresses set up in the room where brides dress. Not bad! Zach is the project manager and Bill (a pilot) is the only other volunteer!! They have chain saws & a skid loader. While they work, Rog & I use an app that list all the people who have applied for help. Total for the entire area hit by Helene is over 50,000. Rog zeros in on an area close to us, we call them to set up a meeting and after we get about 8, off we go to assess the damage & write a report. If it's small job, we do it. It feels so good to change a red dot to a green dot!
Sunday morning is not a good time for reaching people…but a good time to go to church. This UM church service is very much like our home church in the 1960's. They also had to vote about disaffiliation…and stayed UM by 1 vote. About 40% left so there were only about 50 people at the service. Sad. They have great facilities here but $$ is tight. After church, I made soup and then we made more phone calls & off to do more assessments. Monday we woke to rain. We already have lots of jobs lined up so it was a good day to do some grocery shopping, cleaning (I think the janitor isn't working) and made lasagna. Bill left so Zach is catching up on paper work and trying to line up more volunteers. I'll be calling around tomorrow to see if I can find some local volunteers.

Final Thoughts— Rog

I reluctantly agreed to visit Vietnam.
So many lives lost and so much pain for both sides.
Why stir up old memories…won't it cause the people additional pain?
Can I enjoy a country where battles were fought? Would I want to?

Surprising Vietnam

I did not expect to find Vietnam to be such a welcoming, beautiful place.
Here are a few of the things I found…

Early morning locals sweeping the streets
Respectful, honest, people…clerks, waiters, taxi drivers
Modern clean Grab cars (think Uber) with video monitors and GPS
Cell phones for all!
Electric turquoise taxis
Sleeper buses so you can stretch out for long overnight journeys…only about 12 beds per bus.
Motorbikes parked anywhere and everwhere
Entire mobile restaurants on the sidewalk . Just pack it all on the bike (plastic chairs and tables, propane tank, pans, etc.) and ride away at the end of the day!
No room to walk on the sidewalk so…walk on the street edge
Drivers honk as a courtesy to let you know they are coming, try not to worry…they see you and will avoid hitting you
Easy, cheap transportation by taxi, bus, train, or air
Beautiful countryside…trees, rice fields, mountains, beaches
Nicely landscaped and trimmed medians along divided highways
Roadsides lined on both sides, mile after mile with
their National flag (red with a gold star in the center)
Genuine, welcoming smiles from nearly everyone
Words of acceptance for the past and optimism for the future
Restaurants with interesting showrooms where you can select live fish, eels, oysters, shrimp, crab, lobsters, squid, octopus, etc.
Clean, modern hotels with great breakfast 😀
Smiling parents encouraging their children to talk with us so they can learn English
People, very proud of their country, seek our confirmation by asking, "What do you think of Vietnam?"
Many people ask where we are from and then are delighted when we say "America"
Traffic flows like boats on a lake because no one claims the right of way
No stop signs
Passing is ok on either side as long as there is enough space to get by
Left turn or U turn directly in front of oncoming traffic is ok here. Cars will slow or even stop, if necessary, to avoid hitting you. All is done slowly to allow oncoming cars to adjust.
No road rage
Very little evidence that any vehicles have been scraped on the side by any other
We did not see even one vehicle that had been seriously damaged in an accident
Quiet motorbikes…and millions of them
Slow traffic with nearly everyone apparently agreeing to keep it that way
Almost no traffic police
Great tunnels through mountains, good roads and bridges
Very few water buffalo…one was a living prop for a picture opportunity (farmer stretched out on his back resting on top of the buffalo) Where would you lie down in a rice paddy?
Hard working rice farmers bending to work in chilly water all day
Serious and strong women working with men doing dirty manual labor jobs (trash pickup, mixing cement with a shovel, etc.)
Bicycles piled high and wide with huge loads…how do the tires survive?
Men crowding the coffee shops at all times of the day
Never ending stream of beautiful girls in gowns getting photos taken on the beach
No noticeable presence of government controlling the lives of the people
Huge Investment in mega hotels…China again?
Women's bodies totally covered with sweatshirts, hoodies, helmets, gloves, face masks, hair covers, and sunglasses while riding motorbikes
Women riding motorbikes while wearing high heels and helmets with cute little teddy bear ears
So many people apparently very happy with their lives…smiling, laughing with coworkers, taking pride in their work

When conditions are improving people tend to be happy and optimistic for the future…that is Vietnam today-looking ahead, not back.

Roger

Update 35/ Jane's Final Thoughts

We loaded our plane on Sunday at 9:30 pm.  A couple movies, some visiting with the Irish lady next to me and some sleeping filled our 10+ hours flight to Istanbul.  During the almost 11 hours layover, we were able to rest in the Nap Zone a couple of times, played cards, walked around the airport (which is the world's largest) and had a sandwich.  Only a sandwich because it might be the most expensive airport in the world too!  The smallest McD hamburger was $16!  Sticker Shock after getting a whole shrimp dinner for two for $6 in VietNam.  There was a museum in the airport but we were told it would take about 30 min to walk through and cost $26.  We just played more cards.  We were back on the plane for the final leg which was 11+ hours.  Shan was there to pick us up and we were home in our own beds at 11 p.m.. 

 

My Final Thoughts

Again…I am so very grateful that we have the health & means to travel!  I love seeing the sites and wandering the country but mostly experiencing another culture & meeting the people!  In Cambodia, Sue & Monk Hun were incredible.  They have such giving & caring hearts.  The boys have a future because of their determination and Sue & Monk Hun.  In VietNam, I wished I'd found a place to do volunteer work.  I think I was worried I'd feel like a "do-gooder" trying to make up for the pain of the war.  It would be viewed harshly as so little, so late.  Now I think I was wrong.  We felt warmly welcomed and nothing but friendliness & kindness.  I actually have a sense of relief which is an unexpected gift.  Another thing I had all wrong was my concept of what a Communist country is like.  I expected lots of police presence & evidence of control over everything. I saw none. 

Both countries were gorgeous with so many brilliantly colored flowers!  Rice fields in the various stages from flooded to vivid green to dead brown stubble.  Rivers & streams seemed to caress every part of both countries.  Cambodian cities showed their age and had so many small, pop up businesses.  Tuk-tuks & bikes were everywhere.  VietNam was more modern but has quite a ways to go to catch up with the modern world.  We saw few bikes, lots of motorcycles, some cars & even semis.  Traffic was utterly crazy since no one has the right of way.  But all drive slowly and it seems to work seamlessly!.  Both countries will somehow need to address their pollution problems.

When I get home I know it will hit me that I live in a "palace on the lake" with lots of conveniences not available in Cambodia or VietNam.  I'll once again be reminded to be appreciative of all I have…especially my family, friends…and the best traveling companion!   

Update 34


We caught a flight back to HCM & took a Grab from the airport to the closest beach area, Vung Tau…about 2.5 hours. We'd booked an apartment near the beach…turns out not the best beach. The 11th floor apartment was great with lots of space, great view, balcony, pool and….ta da…a washing machine! I immediately filled it with clothes we'd been handwashing for over 2 months! We erected a clothesline in the room & soon had everything hanging to dry! You don't know how good clean feels til it's been a looong time!! Since we were bummed about the beach, next morning we headed out to look for a better one. We found one just a 15 min car ride away. We checked out hotels near there but they were 2-3x more expensive…and not as nice as what we had. So we decided we'd just jump in a Grab each day to get to the nicer beach & that's what we've been doing. Found a good grocery store to stock up on some food & we're staying put till it's time to fly home. Beach, pool, eat, read, cards, call home, sleep, repeat….
Something very unique about this building we're in: on one side we have an about 25' Buddha & temple and on the other side an about 25' Mary holding baby Jesus & church. In town, there's a mosque & on top of the tallest mountain, there's a huge Jesus looking over the bay. Roger recently was reading a book where one of the Christian characters was talking to a Jew & a Muslim. He said he believes there's many bridges that take people to heaven and his parting words were, "I'll meet you in heaven!" Believing that would sure eliminate lots of grief! At the beach each day, I've picked up a bag of trash. I realize it's only a drop in the bucket here but I feel like the beach deserves it. One day as I was filling my bag, two young kids asked me what I was doing. I told them & asked if they wanted to help. They eagerly began scurrying about picking up trash. One asked me, "Why do people throw so much trash?" When the two bags were bursting, they took off. I smiled thinking how lucky to meet 2 Vietnamese kids who spoke English & hopefully, will be future beach cleaners! There are almost exclusively Vietnamese on beach enjoying the waves & playing in the sand. If only they each filled a bag every time they came!! Rog & I haven't gotten tired of eating shrimp & egg rolls. They are so scrumptious that we can't help but order them most everyday! What a treat! Speaking of treats, I decided I couldn't leave VietNam without my nails done. It was easy to find a salon. One girl did my fingernails & another my toenails. I think they put at least 10 coats on. All done for $14. I was happy to give them each a big tip. I love how they turned out. Our pool time was especially fun on Saturday because lots of the local families were splashing & laughing in it. We figure this apt/hotel complex is the weekend retreat for Ho Chi Minh families. It's sure been a great retreat for us! So restful which is what we were looking for these last few days!


Update 33

One and a half more days in Hanoi gave us time to visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which was fascinating covering many customs displaying clothing, cooking & hunting tools and ceremonial items. It covered the 54 ethnic groups who live here in Vietnam . Vivid photos and videos gave us a real sense of "being there." We'd planned to go to the Sapa area where many of these ethnic groups live but the misty & rainy, cold weather with no sun in the future changed our minds. So the museum helped fill that gap. On the grounds around the museum 7 different indigenous homes were built which were all open to tour. We especially enjoyed watching the young kids running from house to house…learning as they go. A World Culture building was also on the grounds. It displayed prize cultural items from all over the world. USA display was a Native American blanket. Later we walked through a traditional home in Hanoi's Old Quarters with a shop on the first floor then a court yard next the back store, another court yard and finally the kitchen. Second floor had the living room with the ancestors' altar, bedrooms & a terrace. This was a very typical in the early 1900's. We've toured several in other cities also. Roger was in need of a haircut so he found a barber close to our hotel while I wandered…almost getting lost. Toward evening, we rode an electric cart all around the downtown & French Quarters. Somehow our driver managed the congested streets! We'd been eating lots of Vietnamese food so when we saw a Domino's Pizza sign, we went in & devoured a Teriyaki chicken pizza. Mmmm. Back to our hotel in time to call many of our kids & gkids. Was especially glad to talk to our sweet Addie who's in the hospital being treated for her MOGAD flare-up. This is the hardest part of traveling. We're wishing we were there to hug her. The next morning, we did the tourist thing & sat in one of the little coffee shops that lined both sides of an old railroad track while the train went by within 3 feet! Rog sipped his egg coffee—raw egg & sweet milk stirred into hot coffee—while I drank my Diet Coke. Unique opportunity! Later today, we'll fly to HCM and the sun!
Tidbits:
-Asians love photo ops!
-Store fronts openings in most every town/city are only 8-10 ft.
-Caged birds & potted bonsai trees are popular items in home & stores

Update 32

Before we left home, our friend, Dan Ellsworth gave us contact information for an English teacher he met here in Vietnam last year. So we talked via Messenger, made a plan, she arranged a hotel room & we booked a Grab and took off to meet Vuithi (Joyce) Nguyen in Yen Vinh. We first went to the hotel that was pretty basic which made us realize how soft we've become! Joyce had the hotel owner drive us to her school. She ran to meet us & immediately hugged us. Her smile would light up a stadium! Her class of about 45 students cheered & clapped when we came in. She put on her headset to tell the noisy students they should ask us the questions she'd asked them to prepare for our visit. A few kids were brave enough to ask & then Joyce kept encouraging so more spoke up. One asked for our love story. I told them about when Rog was 16, he got knocked out playing football. His couches kept asking him questions like where he was, when is his birthday, etc and he didn't know the answers. Then they asked him who his girlfriend was and he said, "Janie Baby!" The kids howled with laughter. Soon we were ushered to another class where we were asked more questions & again there was more laughter & excitement. Joyce was beaming the whole time & taking lots of pictures & videos. When the school day ended & as we left, the kids swarmed us asking for autographs, handshakes & high 5's. Next Joyce took us to meet the principal. We visited for about a half hour talking about school issues like scheduling, curriculum, discipline & motivation. He is currently taking a class on the STEM curriculum. He said he did have some discipline issues but mostly due to divorces in families…rate in this area is 4%. Then the principle ask us how we felt about the war. After a moment of silence, Rog said it was bad for everyone involved. He immediately stood us, reached across the table & shook his hand. It was one of those moments you don't forget. Joyce had asked 3 boys to walk with us on our way to her house so they could practice their English. She is such a remarkable teacher! The boys tried hard to talk to us as we dodged the traffic & walked through the open market. We stopped to buy & eat oranges, fried sweet potatoes & bananas & some chicken…all of which Joyce insisted on paying for. When we got to her home, her husband, Tinh (who spoke no English but used Google translator) took us back to our hotel. Next morning at 8, Tinh used a video call to show us he was there with coffee grounds. Our arrangement had been to meet at 10, so we quickly finished getting ready & headed down to meet him. He had also brought his Vietnamese coffee press. Since Rog had no idea how to use it, he made a big mess and ended up with little coffee. Tinh then using the translator, told us he wanted us to go with him now. So after checking with Joyce (who gave Tinh a hard time), we packed up our bags & went with Tinh. He took us to the school he teaches at & he proudly showed us his office. Then he took us to a class where girls were preparing Pho (soup) while a bunch of guys watched & chatted. Tinh took several pictures making sure the girls looked good & mask were off. So much laughter! We then walked a short way & stopped at a street restaurant & he ask us to sit down at the small plastic table on the the short stools. Tinh then ordered for us, paid & left indicating he'd be back in 30 minutes. We watched as a woman washed veges (me thinking-this is not the best plan) and then she fried thin, crispy rice pancakes. She filled them with a mix of veges & shrimp(?) and served them with a big grin along with some greens & rice paper. She demonstrated how to make basically a spring roll using what she had served. What could we do but throw caution to this wind & eat. It was quite tasty (and no negatives effects!). Tinh came back & drove…raced really using his brakes as a last resort…us down narrow streets barely missing many obstacles, people & even a baby in a stroller. We arrived at his house and found Joyce with 5 students in a small classroom attached to his house. She'd prepped the kids & they asked many questions & told us about their future plans. Then off to her school where we visited 2 more classes. In the last one, one student asked us to sing. So we sang "You are my Sunshine" and then they sang to us…not sure what. More laughing, hand shaking, high 5's and this time hugging. It was about noon when we left to walk to her home chatting the whole time. We walked on the street because Joyce thought the coconuts above the sidewalks were more dangerous than the motorcycles whizzing by! As we walked, many kids & adults along the way called out a warm "Hello, Miss Joyce!" She beams with love for her students & the local merchants. Joyce is truly a life long learner. She studies & practices using only nat'l medicines & eating healthy mostly from her garden and 80% raw. She is practicing using her non-dominant hand to stimulate that side of the brain and feels it has helped her memory tremendously. She is also learning Chinese. When we reached her home, Tinh & his older sister had tea ready for us in their entry room where their parent's portraits sat on a lovely buffet with inlaid mother of pearl. Joyce called her 2 children so they could talk to us. They both live in Hanoi. Her mother lives right down the road and comes for breakfast everyday. As we sipped tea, Joyce said she felt very happy with her husband, family and country where the food was fresh & healthy and weather was good. She exercises & sunbaths daily. Joyce is very thing & full of energy so guess she's doing something right! Around noon, we went into their kitchen where Tien had the table full of food he'd prepared: potato soup, green beans, fried tofu, sausage meatballs, cold pork slices & rice. Rog did a great job of eating lots with chopsticks. I felt lucky to try to eat a little with the fork. There was lots more talking & laughter before Joyce served a special grapefruit that was actually deliciously sweet! Finally, we walked out to admire their garden which took up their entire backyard. About 2, Joyce called us a taxi & after many more pictures & hugs, we took off for Hanoi…booking our room on the drive. Love these total immersion experiences! Thanks Dan for the contact!!

DanBau music

Update 31

 We made our way to Tam Coc which is just 3 hours south of Hanoi. Toll roads with actual traffic signs & well marked lanes made it an easy ride. We saw lots of people working in rice paddies and gardens. Many of the rice paddies had a a single headstone in the center. We pulled into a gas station & I noted gas in about $4/gal. Tam Coc use to be a small village but is now teaming with young backpackers trekking the limestone karst that jut up 300-500 ft. Lots of caves with rivers running through them makes it a perfect & interesting place for boat rides. Of course, one of my favorite things to do! Our first was in Trang An where we went through 9 tunnels…one over 1000 ft. Our lady paddler kept shouting, "Low, low,low!" As we crouched trying to avoid banging our heads while we went through the narrow passages. It cracked us up. We stopped to check out a couple temples accessible by boat only. After lunch, we rented bikes & rode to the Thai Vi temple where there were lots of Buddhas, incense & offerings. One altar had a neatly stacked beer cans. Another had neatly stacked Chocolate Moon Pies & Coke. I know which Buddha I wish I was! Next we headed to Thung Nham bird sanctuary & flower garden. Didn't know it when we got there that our ticket included 2 more boat rides there. One took us to see hundreds of storks & the other to see a gorgeous flower garden. That paddler used her feet to paddle! Last stop on our way home was Bich Dong pagoda where a musician was playing an instrument called the Dan Bau & later his flute. It had been misty all day so we were pretty damp when we finally got back to our room, ate a pb sandwich & orange then took a hot shower!

Update 30

Left Hanoi by a limo is headed to Halong Bay. En route we saw homes huddled together with rich green rice fields surrounding them. The rivers had lots of bamboo fishing traps in them. The part of Halong Bay we stayed in was filling up with brand new, identical buildings…some still being built…and all 90% empty! We heard some are 5 years old & have never been occupied. Also told it was Chinese $$. The town has a theme park with a gigantic roller coaster…which we didn't ride. For my Christmas & birthday present, Rog gave me a cruise so that's what we're doing now! A small boat picked us up & took us to our gorgeous cruise ship. Waiting for us was a bountiful lunch and a smiling courteous crew ready to wait on us…which would be the case for the next 3 days. With just 19 passengers on board, we got lots of attention! The weather had been foggy & chilly the last couple days but miraculously the sun showed up & cleared the skies so the water turned a brilliant turquoise and the multitude of majestic karst partially dressed in bright green foliage boldly appeared! This scene continued for all three days we cruised. Each karst with it's own unique formation, coloring & vegetation. 1,969 of them! They were formed of limestone over millions of years all the while rain & roots seeped in between the sedimentary layers causing chunks to cascade into the sea…like rock glaciers…only to dissolve so the waterways are navigable. (Which is good cause about 450 boats are doing that today and it's low season.). Legend has it that when the natives were being attacked by enemy ships, magical dragons appeared blocking the way. The dragons loved being there so much, they decided to stay. HaLong means "descending dragons." I think how much the world has change & will change …but here the stunning karst will stand victorious surrounded by the sparkling aqua sea. On Day 1 we cruised Lan Ha Bay which was much less crowded than HaLong Bay. A small boat took us to Cat Ba Nat'l Park so we could explore the Trung Trang cave. Back on our ship, we learned to make fresh spring rolls from Chef Jimmy (also our guide). Next we sat down to a humongous 5 course dinner that was way more than even Rog could eat! The presentation was clever & elaborate. After dinner, we attempted to fish for squid. One person caught one so we did see the black ink defense. We went to sleep smiling! Up early the next morning, we sat on our balcony & watched as the mist slowly lifted and the bright red sun rose. Another huge spread awaited us & soon we were off on a tiny boat that took us to the mini me of our large ship. On that we slowly cruised for 2 hours. I took way too many pictures but there were so many awesome views! Next we got dropped off at the fishing village on Cat Ba island—which is now really a tourist village. Jimmy was a forest ranger here 25 years ago on this island which was during the years they were trying to stop people from hunting the golden headed langur which is only found on this island and is on the critically endangered list. Less than 70 left. Jimmy said it was a dangerous job as the hunters didn't like being told to stop. We were served lunch (can you call 3 courses lunch??) on our mini me ship & then went kayaking in a quiet inlet to a small beach. Back on the mini me to cruise for 2 hours again. We got back in time for another 5 course dinner which included a flaming shrimp appetizer. We shared a table with a young couple from Germany. It was interesting to hear about their lives. They say Germans are not risk takers & so their economy is quite stable but not robust. We also visited with a couple (Jane & Chris Jones from Perth). We love the opportunity to meet others! Next morning, again we enjoyed our balcony time & over ate at breakfast before packing up to leave…but not before one more scrumptious 5 course brunch! We waddled off the ship at 11:30 feeling like we'd just been in a different world—one we're not normally in—not our usual traveling style…but had to admit, it was thrilling to be so pampered, surrounded by luxury & breathtaking views!