I woke up way too early and so I got to see a very colorful sunrise from the office windows. It was so bright, colorful and pretty in it's hues of blue, orange and pink. Once that was over at 4:45-5am I went back to bed and slept in till 9 I think. CJ and I then hung around the house while doing work, book work, blogs and watching the Olympics. It was another hot day and so it was good to just be at home for awhile and not out and about trying to beat the heat. We spent all day inside and then we decided to get out later in the afternoon and go see if we could find the annual USA Navy Bon Dori party at the military base south of here in Negishi.
We took the train to Negeshi station and then walked towards the base or so we thought. We walked and walked through many little narrow streets and nice neighborhoods, then up a long set of steps only to come to the border fence into the base, but with a locked gate. UGH! So back down we went and headed toward the main road to ask for more directions. As we walked along the sun was setting and so we got to at least watch that for a bit before it dropped behind the houses ahead of us. I hoped the next corner we turned at, I would get a glimpse of it going down below the horizon and so that kept me going while trying to keep up with CJ's faster pace; but we never did see that happen. It was nice to see the sky change to a golden and blue color though.
Back on the main road we stopped in a 7-11 like store and the nice man there pulled out his very detailed neighborhood map and showed us where to go next. We actually were just two blocks short of the road to the entrance gate. YES, only come to find out, it was all straight up a big long hill. At this time,I realized I wore the wrong sandles as my left foot, right knee and hip were killing me. Oy e vay? I told CJ this is our practice for Mt Fuji-san in a few weeks. All I can say is, I hope it is a much cooler day when we climb that dear mountain or I am not sure I will make it. And yes I will wear my hiking boots,not flip flops.:-)
Once we got to the top of the hill and the "real" base entrance gate we found it was not through this "rear" gate, but down the street to the left and and at the park through the "front main gate". So away we went,now in the dark of night and under the light of the full moon high over head. It was a beautiful cooler and breezy night so at least that helped some.
We walked and walked some more and passed the big huge cemetary . We thought we could hear the drums and music in the distance, but perhaps we were hallucinating, as we kept going and going up and down and around curves, past a big temple and then ended up on a main street and still no festival. :-( We stopped in another corner drug store and asked where the gate was and the lady there told us if walking, it was about 20 minutes up the road to the right or you could take bus 103. We figured we walked this far, what is 20 more minutes. It was now 7pm and the festival ended at 9pm so I hoped we would arrive soon and at least have an hour there to soak up some of the festive atmosphere.
We walked up another hill and alas there across the street was the big blue entrance sign all illuminated and shinging bright. I think by now we had walked around the entire perimeter of the Navy Base. Oh my God my feet hurt so bad !!!! So much for a day of rest and not walking our usual 10 miles a day..or that is what we feel like we walk anyway? There were people leaving and walking down another long slope towards us in their colorful yukatas. We finally arrived hot,very sweaty and ready for an ice cold beverage of some sort at the top of the hill security gate. The men in camoflauge checked our alien registration cards, my purse, Cj's wallet and cell phone and then we were let in. CJ of course bee lined to the beer and hot dog stand, while I got a lemonade and immediately got enthralled by the folk dancers doing that hypnotic bon dori dance we saw in Chinatown a few weeks ago. They had drummers of all ages,2 dragons dancing, breathing fire and smoke and some cute little japanese ladies in some very unsually shaped woven hats playing music and dancing. Lots of people young and old were circling the stage many dressed in Yukatas, colorful crocs and/or western fashions of shorts, tank tops, sandles or tennis shoes. We noticed there were alot of asian american kids and they were so darn cute in their little japanese gowns.
This festival went from 3-9pm and we finally got there at 7:30 pm. They had lots of food stalls with those delicious lomain noodles and ginger,hot dogs,grilled chicken on a stick, corn on the cob, broasted whole chickens,burgers,okinawa doughnuts in flavors of vanilla, sweet potatoe or brown sugar. CJ got a vanilla one and it was similar to our cake donuts in the US, but in a big ball shape. It was a bit dry, but would have been great with a cup of coffee or tea I am sure. They had the usual goldfish,kids games and the entertainment I mentioned above. I was too hot and tired to eat and so I just enjoyed watching, listening and taking pics of the music and little kids who were now up on the stage dancing with the little ladies. CJ was happy with his beer and enjoyed chatting in one of the buildings with some of the navy guys. When he came back out to find me I told him I had to at least try and do the dance before the party stopped. So I got in line and tried to do it behind one of the cute little ladies with the strange shaped hat. I right away showed I had two left feet I guess, and a very nice little man was so willing and happy to help me as he walked along side me and counted out the steps as we circled the stage. I got the feet part "a little", but could not even begin to add the arms. I of course will need much more practice before my next debut in August 2009. It was FUN and to have my own personal "sensai", well who could ask for more. Just as soon as I tried to dance the music was over. Hum....could I have been the reason why..? Just kidding.
We were on our way out, but decided to ask for directions as I COULD NOT walk all that way back. I would take a taxi before I did that. So we asked one of the military personal and we met Petty Officer Favors from Alabama. She was a very nice African American lady who is here for 3 years. She has twins and an 8yr old who is having a birthday in September and so she said she would invite us to the party so we could meet some more american folks. We swapped phone info and I gave her one of my TSSI business cards and she told me they go to an orphanage here and do community service work. I asked if civilians could ever come along with them and she said sure. So who knows? They do painting too, and so CJ told her Graco might have some old paint sprayers to donate to them also. She also said there is a possiblity they could send stuff to Honduras from military base to base as well so who knows maybe ther military here in Japan will end up helping out the Hogar Tierra Santa kids in some way? Cool!
So,I of course am anxiously awaiting her phone call or email, which she said she would do next week after she shared the information with the other military staff.
So we left happy and with another newly made friend. We are getting some pals already since we have been here a little over a month, and are being noticed on the streets as we pass by. Last week when I was out exploring I had the TV delivery man Torkio from the day before, beep at me when he and I were waiting for a stoplight to change at the intersection/crosswalk. Then, when CJ and I were on our way to the embassy the other morning early we were getting on the train and off came Takeuchi the manager of Yamate 111 house and she stopped and said hello.
Just last night on the way to the Negishi train station Leo the owner of the Lazer Rush Bar stopped on his moped and told us to stop by the pub next weekend and visit with his wife Pauline who is now back from Scotland and will be working again. He was on his way to watch his friends play squash at the YMCA. He had a knee brace on and told us of his MRI and possible surgery. We told him he can't keep pretending to be 20 when he is really 40 or 50 something.haha
So another military guy went and got us a nice map and were happy to find we actually were quite close to the train station. We had taken a left when we should have taken a right. We ended up being only 2 blocks down from the station up an alley and a very long set of steps and then down the road a bit to the base. Boy was I ever happy to find if and when I go back to visit with PO Favors it will be a much shorter travel time. Yahoo!
Back home and more Olympics, a cool drink, hot shower some tiger balm on my very sore feet, knee and hip and then to bed to rest my weary head and body I went
Kon bon wa
Karla and CJ
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