1. Chelsea's best investments in preparation for this vacation:
a) New shoes! Cute but comfortable shoes were much needed during our Tokyo adventure! We navigated the streets and trains of Tokyo like no other! Thankfully, we had Brandon and Ashley as personal guides!
b) Travel pillow. This made the long flight much more comfortable. Once in awhile, she would let Cody use it and use his shoulder as a pillow instead :o)
2. Our most favorite thing about Japan is the fact that Mari is there, but beyond that, we also fell in love with the country for additional reason:
a) They have HEATED toilet seats!! Why is this not the norm in America is beyond us (okay, mostly Chelsea!).
b) It's such a clean country, even downtown Tokyo. It's hard to believe that the largest city in the world may be one of the cleanest. You don't see garbage, graffiti, transients, etc.
c) The train system is so efficient! We all know how engineers view the importance of efficiency so Cody was pretty impressed.
3. Chelsea found a new favorite drink...Chu-Hi! She first had it from a can, purchased at the local grocery store, then had it at as a mixed drink at a restaurant (both were excellent!). When Cody saw it being served from a carton at the baseball game and later that night when she tried to order it at an upscale bar in Fukuoka City but couldn't because they didn't carry it...Cody put two and two together...its a poor mans drink! Thats okay though, she still likes it!
4. The level of respect and courtesy people in Japan have for each other is something the rest of the world should note.
a. A perfect example is when we went to Moe's school for her graduation, we were so impressed with the behavior of all the children (5th and 6th graders). They were so mature, there weren't any class clowns or any kids that acted up during graduation. After the graduation ceremony, we followed the students back to their classroom. All the parents stood in the back of the classroom while the teacher had the students full attention for their last lecture. Even with all the excitedment of the day, not a single student looked over their shoulder at the group of parents in the back. Oh, only if American children were that well behaved...
b. The other thing we noticed about Japanese people is how well thay take care of things..it doesn't matter if it's their own or public property. Everything is well kept and cared for, with much respect!
Japan is such a great country...we just can't wait to go back!
P.S. Each time we travel, we purchase a souvenir for our home. On this vacation, we bought a Maneki Neko (literally translated as "Beckoning Cat" but also known as Lucky Cat or Fortune Cat). It's a common Japanese sculpture that is believed to bring good luck and financial prosperity to the owner...right up Cody's alley, eh?! So, lets hope this kitty does good work!
