Golden Week

Well, another week has come and gone and the weekend is looking very promising! Here in good old Japan, Thursday was the beginning of Golden Week. This marks the celebration of the former Emperor Showa's Birthday along with several other holidays mixed into one week. The traffic becomes unbearable on Monday and Tuesday and all around the island, residents are flying their carp streamers. Koinobori (the koi streamers) symbolizes the holiday known as Children's Day. Check this...it only celebrates the boys in the home. WOW! How sexist is that?? I guess the Families use this day to pray for the health and success of their sons. How telling of the Japanese culture. I noticed early on when moving here that the males are treated with more respect even in everyday life. Situations like eating out...they serve the men first before the women. Most of the people first bow to the men as well. I have heard many other differences between the men and women that are a little less desirable and maybe not well-suited for my entire audience. Anyway, I caught an awesome picture of the streamers hanging nearby the seawall. They really are beautiful when the wind catches them...



The other celebrations of Golden Week include Constitution Day and Greenery Day. Also held during this week are the Dragon Boat Races. These will take place next week. The Army and Navy have a men and women team that competes. I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but hopefully I will this year. We'll see. But, this is what it looks like...



Teage finally had a field trip with his little school and we went to the zoo. I am so lucky to get to go on so many of the kids' field trips. I experience a great deal with my children...how lucky am I?! We had a great time....

This deer was sticking it's whole head out to reach Teage...I had to pull him back. Oh, and deers make the weirdest sound. Have you ever heard a deer talk?? Sounds like a baby...

I rarely see hippos out of the water. It's running joke in my house about Moto Moto on Madagascar 2..."Girl, you HUGE"!

NASTY!

Teage really liked the crocs....they were scare me!

Apparently, he couldn't get down and walk around her, so he decided to do the 'step-over'...

Check out "Dumbo's" teeth (the kids were calling him that). They are sideways...I heard that they were, but never saw them until now.

And lastly, the zoo was PACKED because of Golden Week and about a hundred local girls came up to Teage and wanted to touch his cheeks and take pictures with him. They kept saying "Kawaii"...for cute! He loved every minute of it!!

Ok well, off to the flea market...maybe we'll will find some treasure there. Love ya'll!

(It looks like we might know something soon about Tampa...keep up the prayers)