Saturday, December 20, 2008
Happy Birthday Matt!
Today is Matt's birthday so I have to say Happy Birthday to the best husband in the world! We went out to Melting Pot last night. We were lucky to have made it after the snowstorm. The roads weren't that bad but our street (which may not be plowed for a while) has a good 6-8 inches of snow on it and we got stuck several times. Luckily a very nice neighbor came out and helped us push the car and we were on our way!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Congrats to Mona and Sujith!
Congrats to Mona and Sujith! I am now the proud auntie of Sohan Reddy. He was born yesterday, December 17th in the afternoon. Mother and baby are doing well!
Monday, December 15, 2008
And baby makes three
Matt and I are very excited to be expecting a baby!
My first trimester is almost over and I am starting to get my energy back. I was pretty nauseous starting around 6 weeks and I am glad that symptom is becoming less and less of a problem. Mostly I am resting more than I usually do and I love nothing more than sleeping early and getting extra sleep on the weekends!
We had an appt around 7 weeks and then around 11 weeks. Matt and I heard the baby's heartbeat both times (the first with an ultrasound, the second with a doppler). I am so proud of my little one!
My first trimester is almost over and I am starting to get my energy back. I was pretty nauseous starting around 6 weeks and I am glad that symptom is becoming less and less of a problem. Mostly I am resting more than I usually do and I love nothing more than sleeping early and getting extra sleep on the weekends!
We had an appt around 7 weeks and then around 11 weeks. Matt and I heard the baby's heartbeat both times (the first with an ultrasound, the second with a doppler). I am so proud of my little one!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Japan- Osaka Part 4 of 4
On our last day we decided to walk around Osaka on our own. We realized without a tour bus there was a lot more walking involved! The caption for the pic on the right should be "Are we there yet?". We ended up seeing the Osaka Castle and great views of Osaka at the Umeda Sky Tower. Here is Matt in front of the Osaka Castle:
The next morning we headed to the airport and went home. Japan was an amazing country to see and I'm really glad Matt and I went through Explorient. They set up a wonderful trip for us that we will remember forever.
Click on Matt's blog to read his trip summary (to the right!)
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Japan- Kyoto Part 3 of 4
Wow I can't believe it's already December 11th. Time is flying this week and it helps that I've been back on Eastern Time for several days.
Well on to Kyoto. After the bullet train we arrived in Kyoto. The first day of Kyoto was my favorite day of the trip. Tokyo has only been the capital of Japan for 100 or so years, while Kyoto was the capital for almost 1000 years before that. Therefore, the historical sights were more impressive here.
After we arrived and ate lunch, we were on a bus to Nara, a city right outside of Kyoto. There we visited the Deer Park, Todaiji Temple, and Kasuga Shrine. Deer are sacred animals and a long time ago, people were tortured for killing a deer, even accidentally. There is no penalty now for accidentally killing a deer, but it's still a protected species, and they are EVERYWHERE. These deer are not afraid to come up to people and beg for food.
Here is a video Matt took of me feeding crackers to a deer:
The Todaiji Temple is located in the Deer Park and houses the world's largest bronze Buddha. It was quite impressive.
At the Kasuga Shrine (a Shinto Shrine), we were able to pray to the Gods the Japanese way. The way to do this is to bow 3 times, clap three times, pray, and then bow again. I prayed for something so I hope the Japanese Gods were listening and it comes true!
My favorite hotel on the trip was the Hotel Monterey in Kyoto. To sum it up, it was a classy, gothic, boutique hotel. Very unique.
The next day we had a full day of sightseeing. We saw the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Heian Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple and Sanjusangendo Hall. The Golden Pavilion was THE picture spot on the tour. It is a beautiful building, and the gardens are very picturesque.
Nijo Castle was pretty neat as well. It used to house shoguns, who were pretty high up in rank. The floors are called "nightingale floors" because they were built in such a way to provide an alarm system. When we stepped on the floors they squeaked like birds. Plotting a coup was very common to overthrow a shogun so this was their way of making sure they were ready if an attack occurred!
Well on to Kyoto. After the bullet train we arrived in Kyoto. The first day of Kyoto was my favorite day of the trip. Tokyo has only been the capital of Japan for 100 or so years, while Kyoto was the capital for almost 1000 years before that. Therefore, the historical sights were more impressive here.
After we arrived and ate lunch, we were on a bus to Nara, a city right outside of Kyoto. There we visited the Deer Park, Todaiji Temple, and Kasuga Shrine. Deer are sacred animals and a long time ago, people were tortured for killing a deer, even accidentally. There is no penalty now for accidentally killing a deer, but it's still a protected species, and they are EVERYWHERE. These deer are not afraid to come up to people and beg for food.
Here is a video Matt took of me feeding crackers to a deer:
The Todaiji Temple is located in the Deer Park and houses the world's largest bronze Buddha. It was quite impressive.
At the Kasuga Shrine (a Shinto Shrine), we were able to pray to the Gods the Japanese way. The way to do this is to bow 3 times, clap three times, pray, and then bow again. I prayed for something so I hope the Japanese Gods were listening and it comes true! My favorite hotel on the trip was the Hotel Monterey in Kyoto. To sum it up, it was a classy, gothic, boutique hotel. Very unique.
The next day we had a full day of sightseeing. We saw the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Heian Shrine, Kiyomizu Temple and Sanjusangendo Hall. The Golden Pavilion was THE picture spot on the tour. It is a beautiful building, and the gardens are very picturesque.
Nijo Castle was pretty neat as well. It used to house shoguns, who were pretty high up in rank. The floors are called "nightingale floors" because they were built in such a way to provide an alarm system. When we stepped on the floors they squeaked like birds. Plotting a coup was very common to overthrow a shogun so this was their way of making sure they were ready if an attack occurred!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Japan- Mt Fuji/Hakone Part 2 of 4
I slept through the night last night for the first time since coming back from Japan. I have more energy and feel wonderful. I hope this feeling lasts forever!
After Tokyo, we took an hour bus ride to the Mt Fuji area. The day started off sunny, and as we moved up higher in the mountains the weather became increasingly dreary. We stopped at the info center on the way up, which is at the base of the mountain. We then headed up toward the 5th station, the highest station vehicles can trek. Right before we pulled into the station, fog from nowhere blanketed the sky and the summit was blocked from our view!
This picture isn't a snowstorm, it's all fog!
We then took a cruise on Lake Ashi to see views of the mountain range. The fog hadn't cleared completely, but we were able to see the bigger picture being a little farther away, but not the summit. Matt and I were really glad we had seen Mt Fuji from Tokyo after not being able to see it from close up. Finally, our group went up a smaller mountain in a cable car. I did this with my family in Switzerland and it was a different experience solely based on the weather. In Lucerne, we went up Mt Pilatus on a sunny, spring day where we saw green, hilly mountains and beautiful birds, butterfiles, etc.
In Japan, the fog had really set in and all we saw were the pulleys pulling us up! To the right is our view looking down! We really can't complain about the weather. We had excellent weather every other day and this was one day where there wasn't a lot of walking so we managed to stay dry and warm!
We stayed overnight at an onsen (hot springs) hotel. There are natural hot springs everywhere around Mt Fuji and the only place in the world where you can find snow monkeys in the wild! Apparently, they are the northernmost species of primates. We didn't go on the inland tour to see them, but I hear they are a sight to see and Japan's national animal!
The next morning we took a shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. The bullet train reaches speeds up to 180 mph! It didn't feel that fast while we were riding it, but as we were on the platform before boarding, a shinkansen passed by and it was here and gone before we knew it- it literally took my breath away. Here is a video of a shinkansen passing us. It took me 2 tries to start the video on time because they come up so fast!
After Tokyo, we took an hour bus ride to the Mt Fuji area. The day started off sunny, and as we moved up higher in the mountains the weather became increasingly dreary. We stopped at the info center on the way up, which is at the base of the mountain. We then headed up toward the 5th station, the highest station vehicles can trek. Right before we pulled into the station, fog from nowhere blanketed the sky and the summit was blocked from our view!
This picture isn't a snowstorm, it's all fog! We then took a cruise on Lake Ashi to see views of the mountain range. The fog hadn't cleared completely, but we were able to see the bigger picture being a little farther away, but not the summit. Matt and I were really glad we had seen Mt Fuji from Tokyo after not being able to see it from close up. Finally, our group went up a smaller mountain in a cable car. I did this with my family in Switzerland and it was a different experience solely based on the weather. In Lucerne, we went up Mt Pilatus on a sunny, spring day where we saw green, hilly mountains and beautiful birds, butterfiles, etc.
In Japan, the fog had really set in and all we saw were the pulleys pulling us up! To the right is our view looking down! We really can't complain about the weather. We had excellent weather every other day and this was one day where there wasn't a lot of walking so we managed to stay dry and warm! We stayed overnight at an onsen (hot springs) hotel. There are natural hot springs everywhere around Mt Fuji and the only place in the world where you can find snow monkeys in the wild! Apparently, they are the northernmost species of primates. We didn't go on the inland tour to see them, but I hear they are a sight to see and Japan's national animal!
The next morning we took a shinkansen (bullet train) to Kyoto. The bullet train reaches speeds up to 180 mph! It didn't feel that fast while we were riding it, but as we were on the platform before boarding, a shinkansen passed by and it was here and gone before we knew it- it literally took my breath away. Here is a video of a shinkansen passing us. It took me 2 tries to start the video on time because they come up so fast!
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Japan- Tokyo Part 1 of 4
Matt and I came back from Japan last Friday. The trip was amazing and definitely a lifetime opportunity. We took a direct flight from Detroit to Tokyo, stayed there 3 nights, had 1 night in Hakone/Mt Fuji, 2 nights in Kyoto, and 1 night in Osaka. We then took a nonstop flight from Osaka to Detroit. Although it was great not having layovers, which make you lose more time, a 12-13 hour flight is LONG. I brought lots of things to do, but was still bored on the plane. Luckily our time in Japan was wonderful and hopefully, over time, I will forget how horrible the flights were!
In Tokyo, we stayed at the Hotel Pacific Tokyo. All of our hotels were very classy and this one did not disappoint. The toilets in our hotels are something to talk about. There are so many buttons. I only used the seat warmer function, I did not use the bidet, spray or other options!
We were very lucky to see Mt Fuji from Tokyo, which only happens 10% of the time. It was a beautiful, clear day in the 60's! This is a view from the Tokyo Tower.
We went up the Tokyo tower (like the Eiffel tower but not as grand), the Imperial Palace Gates (the emperor lives there and only opens the gates once a year), and a beautiful Buddhist Temple next to the Nakamise Arcade. We also ate at a few Iron Chef restaurants since most of their flagships are in Tokyo.
Here I am at the Nakamise Arcade (which isn't a video arcade, but an arcade meaning covered passageway.) You can buy a fortune and if it's bad you have the option of tying it on this to wish it away. We saw these at every Buddhist temple we visited in Japan.
On the following day we spent time in Tokyo Disney. There is a DisneyLand and a DisneySea. We decided to go to DisneySea since it's the only one in the world whereas DisneyLand is pretty much like the California park. As usual, Disney spared no expense and the different worlds are exquisitely detailed, resembling the Mediterranean Harbor to the Arabian Coast.
The coolest shop in Disney was the Sleeping Whale Shop in Ariel's Grotto. The inside made you feel like you were in the whale's mouth complete with a spongy floor and rib cage as the ceiling.
I must say that Tokyo is a lot like New York City. It is more about restaurants and nightlife than a historical sight. There were some noticable differences however. The subway system and the city in general are very clean. With the amount of people there, it is remarkable how well-kept everything is. I only saw one homeless person- we heard that the government sanctions off areas where they can go so I assume they gather elsewhere. Also everyone there is skinny! I didn't see any chubby/obese people. The girls were beautiful and slender and the men were all smartly dressed in business suits. Lastly, the people are very nice. The hospitality in Japan is impeccable.
More on Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka later. I am having a tough time adjusting back to Eastern Std time. Japan is 14 hours ahead and I think I've managed to get back to California time. I am tired ALL the time even if I can't sleep. I hope to be normal by the end of the week...
In Tokyo, we stayed at the Hotel Pacific Tokyo. All of our hotels were very classy and this one did not disappoint. The toilets in our hotels are something to talk about. There are so many buttons. I only used the seat warmer function, I did not use the bidet, spray or other options!
We were very lucky to see Mt Fuji from Tokyo, which only happens 10% of the time. It was a beautiful, clear day in the 60's! This is a view from the Tokyo Tower.We went up the Tokyo tower (like the Eiffel tower but not as grand), the Imperial Palace Gates (the emperor lives there and only opens the gates once a year), and a beautiful Buddhist Temple next to the Nakamise Arcade. We also ate at a few Iron Chef restaurants since most of their flagships are in Tokyo.
Here I am at the Nakamise Arcade (which isn't a video arcade, but an arcade meaning covered passageway.) You can buy a fortune and if it's bad you have the option of tying it on this to wish it away. We saw these at every Buddhist temple we visited in Japan.On the following day we spent time in Tokyo Disney. There is a DisneyLand and a DisneySea. We decided to go to DisneySea since it's the only one in the world whereas DisneyLand is pretty much like the California park. As usual, Disney spared no expense and the different worlds are exquisitely detailed, resembling the Mediterranean Harbor to the Arabian Coast.
The coolest shop in Disney was the Sleeping Whale Shop in Ariel's Grotto. The inside made you feel like you were in the whale's mouth complete with a spongy floor and rib cage as the ceiling. I must say that Tokyo is a lot like New York City. It is more about restaurants and nightlife than a historical sight. There were some noticable differences however. The subway system and the city in general are very clean. With the amount of people there, it is remarkable how well-kept everything is. I only saw one homeless person- we heard that the government sanctions off areas where they can go so I assume they gather elsewhere. Also everyone there is skinny! I didn't see any chubby/obese people. The girls were beautiful and slender and the men were all smartly dressed in business suits. Lastly, the people are very nice. The hospitality in Japan is impeccable.
More on Hakone, Kyoto and Osaka later. I am having a tough time adjusting back to Eastern Std time. Japan is 14 hours ahead and I think I've managed to get back to California time. I am tired ALL the time even if I can't sleep. I hope to be normal by the end of the week...
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