Smug Cat on the Nippon Maru

Back again from a wonderful weekend in Yokohama. I took Friday off and left Thursday night in order to get to Yokohama and Carly a day earlier. I also went into Tokyo on Friday to see friends Billy Martyn and Franky Chung who were kind enough to show me some of the sweet programming stuff they're working on with their new start-up, ABCLoop, a social networking site for Japanese people in the Kanto (greater Tokyo) who want to learn English. Check them out at www.abcloop.com.

Twice this past weekend, Carly and I went to out favorite lunch spot and coffee vendor, Gooz. It's the closest shop to a 7-11, where you can get fresh-brewed coffee in a 12- or 16-oz cup and can fix it up with all the creams and sugars your system can handle. They also had this chilled/cold hamburger in a fresh roll for ¥270, which was the BOMB! so I was pleased.

Carly loves Gooz so much!^

Table seating outside, which will be even better in warm weather.^

Picture by the port.^

Outside a mall before going in to eat this muffin...

Banana muffin for only ¥170! (is that a lot? I forget American prices)

On Saturday we went on a walk around ¥okohama. Carly has been working through a list of local walks from a book she found in her apartment. There are 24 different routes around various neighborhoods in the city. She has decided to complete a new one every weekend until the end of the year. This week's took us near the ports where we boarded and toured the Nippon Maru, a Japanese training vessel for aspiring seamen. I guess. They train people here for something involving sailing.

Ahoy Matey!^

Toughest swashbuckling pirate on the Nippon Maru^

I spotted this sad looking magic show going on in front of the Nippon Maru museum. The act, I later observed, involved levitating pencils, rainbow colored handkerchiefs, and disappearing rubber balls. A little cold for a magic show, but the kids liked it. Meh.

Weathering the perfect storm.^

Fail. Some just aren't meant to be sailors.^

The poop deck.^

Orange poop deck #1^

Orange poop deck #2^

Carly didn't know I was getting her to imitate the crane on the placard when I asked her to pose this way. I don't even know what it says.



But Carly was happy to imitate this smug cat.

Closeup of the smug cat^

Nice stained glass window below deck^

We did a lot more this weekend but I didn't take any pictures of those events. On Friday night, Carly and I cooked some curry and had the Strands up for dinner (Carly's neighbors two floors below us). Kendra is in school with Carly, and Greg, Kendra's husband, is taking care of their not-yet-two-year-old daughter, Emma Ruth, this year. Emma is super adorable, and I was trying to get her to say cute things all night, like "hot dog" as she slapped her knee, as a reaction to something funny. It didn't quite take, but I have time to work with her. Check out Carly's blog for cute pictures (http://carlyinthehomeland.blogspot.com/). On Saturday night, Carly and I went out to her friend Chris's house for a party with Carly's classmates. I ate way too much good food, but that's what happens when you go without guacamole, chips, and pumpkin cheese cake for six months. I'm slightly disgusted to say that I was simultaneously munching on tried squid throughout pieces of cheese cake and guacamole.

Sunday we relaxed and then I headed out at 7:46 on the shinkansen back to Kyoto. Back in the grind now. Can't wait to get back! But Carly is coming to Kyoto in two weeks. Countdown!