Culture shock...amazing food...heated toliet seats and people I love...

Arrived at the terminal at the Narita, Tokyo airport...as I enter customs I see a camera and a sign that says, "health inspection area, we are taking your temperature with the camera." Say what?!?!?! How do they take your temperature with a camera???? Why is it when you see a sign like that you start to feel like you may have a temperature? A little panic set in...what if I am overheated from being on the plane...what if I do have a fever...will they tell me I can't go any further? That 30 seconds it took to walk through the health inspection caused 8,000 completely unrealistic scenarios to run through my head. Maybe it was just lack of normal food and sleep? Anyways, I made it through without incident. Then onto customs where they take your photo and fingerprints...again the 8,000 scenarios run through my head. I have never even had a speeding ticket but somehow being fingerprinted makes me think they will find something on me lol.

After using the bathrooms in China, I was afraid it would be the same here in Japan. As I walked into the restroom at the airport, I prepared myself for the dreaded squat toilets. Then it happened...I walked in the stall and saw the most beautiful site EVER! Not only was there a toilet seat, but a bidet, HEATED seats (yes you heard me right...and yes I spent a little extra time just sitting enjoying the moment) and sound machines for privacy. Can you say culture shock???? I had been depriving myself of food and water everyday to avoid bathrooms and now I am in Buckingham Palace. I was beyond excited!

I was so happy to see Randy, Christie and the kids. I have been wanting to give them ginormous hugs for so long! We head to the house, driving through Toyko and over the rainbow bridge. We saw Tokyo tower which looked like a replica oh the Eiffel Tower...it's all lite up for the night and the back drop of the city lights makes it a great view. 

Next morning we got up and headed out to lunch. We went to a noodle restaurant. When you walk in, you pick your meal and pay at a machine. The machine produces a ticket that you give to the waitress. I tried the egg fried rice. It came out in a round cast iron type skillet sizzling and the egg was still raw along the edges of the pan. The waitress pours the garlic source over and she instructs me to stir in the egg...which causes it took scramble and cook the eggs. It was the most delicious thing I have tasted. All the sudden I realize that Asian food in the States will never taste the same because it can't even come close to this moment. 

Traditions are so different here than China. I really went from one extreme to another. In China, the people are in a hurry, have no regard to personal space, are very loud and everything is so dirty. They drive on the same side of the road in America but they drive so agressivly. No one says hi when you pass by...they stare at me like I am a monster. People here in Japan are quiet...polite and reserved. Traffic drives on the opposite side of the road and the driving skills are very passive. I seriously feel like I am in a culture tornado. I went from a loud aggressive smelly environment to a clean beautiful calm one.
We spent the first day exploring the small towns around Randy and Christie's home. I love the small towns. There are cherry blossom trees everywhere. The houses are just as you imagine. The windows all long and narrow. There are a lot of shrines...and they all have fruit and flowers at the doorway.

Before they visit the shrine, they stop at the fountain to cleanse themselves. They wash their hands and mouth out.

 

Off to dinner...Randy's favorite food is Indian Curry....since I have never tried it...I was excited and nervous. The food was amazing. You get something called a Non it's like a pita but much larger. They butter the Non and you dip it in the curry. OMG. Seriously ridunkulicouslely goooooood! I am addicted to curry now. We totally over ate and walked it off at the mall. The malls are not just full of clothing stores but markets and pastry stores as well. It's all open...there are no doors separating the stores...they all run into each other. It's funny to see a pastry store and clothing store so close together. The sweets here are amazing. They decorate everything beautifully as well. No detail is left out. I may gain 20 pounds in a few days just in the sweets alone.

 
 Food coma...

This is the first time I have spent time with Aubrey and Austin. They are incredible kids. They both have HUGE hearts and are sweet, funny and great to be around. The kids are entertaining us by singing the songs from the movie Frozen...so sweet! I am so happy to be creating memories with great friends....and the adventures continue tomorrow.