Off to Kamakura!

Hello my dearly missed friends and family! I completely dropped the ball on posting updates/pics... SORRY! Hopefully, filling you in on a couple of my epic adventures will make up for it.

So the weekend before last, my very kind co-worker and I ventured off to visit the Big Buddha in Kamakura, Japan... these are just a few of the many pictures I snapped along the way!

It was my first experience on the Japan train line and it was quiet effortless. Because Japan is so densely populated, their transportation must be efficient and user-friendly... and it is! We took the JR Yokosuka Line (the station is just a short walk from the base which leads you through a rose park along the waterfront) through 4 stops and then transfered to the Enoshima Railway for 3 more stops till we arrived at Hase (where Mr. Buddha resides) in Kamakura. The link below is an exact copy of the map I carry with me. It looks a bit overwhelming at first but is actually pretty straightforward (at least it will be until I get horrendously lost on the Japan train lines)!

http://anterras.net/candy/hitched/japan_trip/

Now for some pictures to chronicle my journey to reach the Kamakura Buddha :)

Young Love looks the same no matter where you go <3

The great rose and water park I passed through on my way to the train station...

This little museum is so cute and check out the clock with the bells on the it!

I love lurve luv this little ducky guy :) and he's holding his yummy curry dish! So far, I've noticed they have one of these outside all of the train stations (at least the ones I've visited).

There are even Cub Scouts in Japan--this mom and son were so sweet and gracious to let me snap their picture! Give this kid a badge!

I wanted to pinch his cheeks and take him home~ he was laughing and chatting to his momma while waiting for the train...

Hope you enjoyed the "in transit" pics. More to come on the Big Buddha of Kamakura himself!!! Stay tuned!

xoxo

Gossip Gir---oh wait, scratch that...................

XOXO

Kylie

Random Pics of Japan Eats

"I Left My Heart In Tokyo"

So opposite of what my title might imply, I actually haven't been back to Tokyo since driving through it when I first arrived in Japan. However, I've been dying to use this title ever since hearing the song by Mini Vida (link below... but the only slightly applicable portion is the chorus).

I'm really beginning to love Japan, the people, and the culture. Yokosuka is another world-- it feels futuristic and historic all at once. There's so much to see. Sometimes I feel like I'm letting my inner Naomi Uemura (famous Japanese adventurer) down by not going out every chance to see more of Japan. But truth be told, the climbing/running up and down and around the aircraft carrier+the heat+the humidity+being hesitant about heading out on expeditions alone = staying on the base in my hotel room a bit too much! So my apologize to those who are wondering why there aren't more sightseeing trips documented here.

Tomorrow I'm hope to do some traveling after church. I've been told it's only a short trip to see the Big Buddha (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daibutsu) in Kamakura and some temples along the way.

Besides being very lazy today, I went for dinner with some coworkers and had bbq pork on a stick, chicken satay, and some yummy shrimp rolls. This delicious meal was followed up with a bowl for each of us diners that looked like milky, liquid jello with ice cubes and little... well... it looked like frog eggs! Yuck! But it was actually more like watery bubble tea. Pretty good :) here's the best picture I could manage:

Happy Travels!

Kylie