Columbus Day Weekend

The boys loved having daddy home for 3 whole days! On Sunday, we took the boys to the Ueno Zoo, which is just north of Tokyo. On the train, it was about a 2 hr. ride.

Here's the new stroller we were given by a fellow family on base. It's a sit or stand stroller. There's not really a seat for Caleb, rather a platform that he can sit on or he could stand, which he doesn't do. This stroller has been a blessing. It keeps both kids happy without the bulkiness of a double stroller. I love it, especially since we walk so much!!

This picture is on the train. Caleb thought being on the train was the big event of the day. Check out his new smile (he's saying, "cheese).....I know what you're thinking....we've already been in Japan too long....Caleb is starting to look Japanese! (hahahaha)

Riley really liked looking out the window, especially if another train was passing us. I think we've got another train lover in the family.....and of course, Caleb loved being on the train. He explained everything he seen to Riley; his exact words were,"Riley, look backhoe" or "Riley, yellow train". (Backhoe is Caleb's new word)

The boys did so well on the train ride there. Not one complaint from either of them for the whole 2 hours.

Right before the entrace of the zoo there were several food vendors. This one is chocolate covered bananas on a stick. Doesn't that sound good? We'll I didn't think about what it would look like to eat it, only what it would taste like......

Okay, so one day Caleb will kill me for taking this picture!!!! I told you I didn't think about what it would look like to eat it. Wow!!! That just isn't right!!!! Anyway...

Here's the entrance to the zoo. Instead of clerks taking money and giving tickets, here they had ticket machines. You put in your money and voila, your ticket comes out. Of course, you wouldn't find this sort of convience in the states because no one in the states can be trusted to buy an adult ticket instead of paying for a child's ticket. There were SO MANY PEOPLE but the line moved incredibly quick.

A Japanese man and his family asked us to take their picture. As Shawn was getting ready to take the picture, he counted off, 1..2..3. I'm sitting there thinking that these people are like what is he saying.....but then they offered to take this picture of us. It was neat to hear him try to count out to us in English....1...2...ok.

It was kind of sad when Caleb went up to the signs next to each exhibit and asked us to read about the animals (most kids don't pay attention to the info) and we had to tell him that we couldn't read it (it was all written in Japanese). He's going to start telling people that his mommy and daddy can't read.....

Caleb's favorite exhibit was the Gorillias. The male silverback was enormous! The animals were all very entertaining. Sometimes you go to the zoo and the animals are sleeping or hiding. This trip all the animals were very active and engaging with the visitors. One of the female gorillas came right up to the window at Caleb and showed her teeth a few times.

Our little growling zoo animal (he thinks he's a lion).

These next pictures are just some of the things in Japan that I find silly or interesting.....

This woman was at the zoo. Would you ever wear this to walk around the zoo??? And she wasn't the only one by no means wearing such attire!!! Can you imagine what her feet must feel like at the end of the day?? And she had a toddler with her!!! This is not an uncommon sight in Japan.

Okay, this is just nasty!!! Would someone please tell this GENTLEMAN that a bird has pooped on his "Hello Kitty" bookbag!!!! Yes, this is a man! Men here carry all kinds of bags and purses of sorts. It's crazy! Sometimes you think he must be carrying his wife's purse only to see that she is carrying her own purse....It's way beyond the man purse. I seen a guy at the zoo who was carrying a metallic silver purse with a matching wristband!!!

Okay this is the last picture. On our walk to the train station here's this guy cleaning the road. Look at the road, does it look like it needs to be cleaned?? And he's out there on a busy street with no bright orange vest or caution cones. It's crazy!! Again, not an uncommon sight in Japan. It is beyond clean in the area that we live.