Springtime In Guam

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: GUEST,bbc at work
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 11:27 AM

Brett,

I'm so sorry to hear that Wakana isn't well. Hope it is something that can be resolved. I'm glad you are there to support her. Hugs! Lots of hugs!
love,

Barbara

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: GUEST,JennyO
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 08:43 AM

Yes Brett, that aquarium you described did sound very much like ours. Unlike Sandra, I have been there, and only a few months ago too. We had my nephew and his wife visiting from the UK and we had to show them all the Sydney sights, which included the obligatory ferry trip, the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, the Sydney Aquarium, Darling Harbour, and of course, the James Craig.

Look after that lovely lady of yours, now. We'd love to show her our sights some day soon.

Jenny

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: GUEST,sandra in sydney
Date: 12 Jan 05 - 07:39 AM

we have a similar aquarium here & I've never been there either! maybe one day, or maybe I'll take you & Wakana wen you eventually get here!!

some of us don't like admitting being ill & try to ignore things that happen. hugs to you both.

sandra

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 11 Jan 05 - 05:49 PM

Yesterday we were supposed to go on the Talafofo River Cruise. Unfortunately it was a rainy day so we postponed that until today. It's raining again today...

Amy and I went to Underwater World. Once again I have to admit that I am stunned by what is available in Guam. I have known about that place since I got here and only expected a few poor aquariums with some half dead fish floating dully around in green water. I need to reassess my prejudices.

Underwater world is a long tunnel aquarium. You walk through a plexiglass tunnel surrounded by fish and coral formations. The fish range from tiny cleaner wrasse and little clownfish to huge rays and sharks. There are two sea turtles in there as well. It is a beautiful display.

After the aquarium we grabbed a bite to eat at the GPO (Guam's Premium Outlets, i.e., one of the malls) and then went to see Flight Of The Phoenix.   Not a bad bit of work. I enjoyed the old one and thought they did a nice job on this one.

I am worried about Wakana. She is not well and I think she may be sicker than she wants to admit.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: curmudgeon
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 08:52 PM

Keep up the good words and post the pictures, please -- Tom

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 10 Jan 05 - 08:40 PM

It's been a while since I could access the 'Cat. Lots to report.

One day we went hiking up into the interior looking for the mysterious Libugon Radio Station. I have a book of hiking trails in Guam and we were following the directions. Well, the radio station is still mysterious. We couldn't find it though we had a very nice hike in the savanah that covers the Fonte Plateau. We were following power lines mostly, surrounded by grass that was 5 to 8 feet tall. At one point Wakana complained that she couldn't see anything. I had to tell her I couldn't either. But that was not the usual environment and we had plenty of lovely views of mountain valleys and palma brava groves.

Another day we went with Professor Larry Cunningham to visit the ancient pre-contact settlement up behind Faifai Beach. It is private property and the owner charges for access but Larry is an old friend and gets in free with his "students". We walked up through the jungle to see old latte stones and the cave where the Chamorros got their fresh water. At one point I tripped and fell on the sharp coral rocks that make up most of the northern part of the island. I now sport scratches and gashes on my right leg, right elbow, and right hand as well as a large painful bruise on my right hip.

I drove Amy up onto Mount Tenjo, the northernmost mountain in the chain. There are big antennae up there and the view is spectacular. To the east you can see the Pacific Ocean, to the west the Philipine Sea, and at your feet the ground is laced with valleys and jungle. There are many red dirt tracks that the four wheelers use and we could see four trucks making their way down a far slope.

Yesterday we went to the Southern Comfort Ranch. I had seen it when I drove through the area but always thought of it as a squalid little horse ranch with a few animals in cages. I couldn't have been more wrong. Wakana had told me about it but I guess I am guilty of bringing my own prejudinces to that description. I focused on her description of her classmates difficulties with the smell.

Anyway, Southern Comfort is a rescue zoo. they have animals that have been found in various parts of the world and that need to be saved. They have a lion a tiger, two leopards, and a host of birds, monkeys, lizards, dogs, cats, horses, and many other creatures. The woman who showed us around, Leslee, is the owner. She is very bright and caring and obviously loves her life with the animals. We had a lovely time. We were able the pet most of the animals and heard their sad stories. One fact that she told us was that there are over 600 facilities in the USA that specialize in "canned" hunts. In other words the animal is in a cage and the "hunter" shoots it there. The lion and the leopards were rescues from that kind of facility.

After that we tried to find Priest's Pools but the map directions were less than usefull. We failed. So we went to a little outdoor cafe in Umatac and had steak and rice for lunch and headed home. I spent the rest of the day paying bills.

The other day Amy and Wakana went to get a massage. They get a really good deal, 90 minutes of pummeling and oil with different kinds of treatments for about $45. They came back happy and slippery.

Today we will go to the aquarium and then to the movies. The visit is winding down and soon Amy will have to go back to school. It has been great having her here.

Wakana may have to go back to Japan sooner than we expected. She has been having medical problems and it turns out her travel insurance will not cover some of the work she needs. I'm not sure if I will go with her or not. I have to be there in late February for an appointment at the embassy so I might go with her. More to come.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: GUEST,winterbright
Date: 06 Jan 05 - 02:58 PM

Was gekko wearing scuba gear at the time???
"Dead gekkos don't float... " sounds a lot like one of Charlie's songs... or maybe Shel S!

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Amos
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 09:22 PM

Ithaca ncatenation of factors, buddy.

A

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 05 Jan 05 - 07:44 PM

Important life lesson learned in Guam!

Dead gekkos do not float in hot coffee.

News at 11:00.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: MMario
Date: 04 Jan 05 - 08:40 AM

that sounds like Ithaca weather, Brett!

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 04 Jan 05 - 06:43 AM

Today Amy and I went to do laundry. As we left the laundromat she looked up into the bright blue sky and commented that there was only one cloud in sight and it wasn't big enough for all the rain we were getting at the time. Maine's weather is erratic but it isn't this strange. I remember thunder during blizzards and an occasional sunshower but never a downpour from a nearly cloudless sky.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: GUEST,winterbright
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 12:34 PM

Seconding what Charlie just said!
Down here, the whole town's icy, although they HAVE sanded the sidewalks by now.
Happy New Year to you both... and give Amy another hug for me!
It's supposed to get to 50 today. Are you SURE you don't miss good ol' erratic Maine? (Yeah, right!)
:-)

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 03 Jan 05 - 08:43 AM

Life gets tedious, doesn't it!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble (the driveway's like an ice slide this morning)

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 02 Jan 05 - 07:26 PM

This morning Wakana and I rose early and headed for an eastern beach to watch the sunrise. This evening we will go to a western beach to watch the sunset.

It was a lovely morning. There was a strong on shore breeze and the surf was high out on the reef. The sun came up quickly. Actually we missed the sunrise because of the schoolbuses. After a walk on the beach we drove the long way home around the southern tip of the island and stopped for breakfast at a roadside cafe in Umatac. Very nice morning.

Now Amy and I are headed for Dededo to watch the gang carving a new canoe.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 06:51 AM

it's 10.45 Friday night here & almost New Year -

happy new year to you & Wakana & hoping that it does not take too long in 2005 to get Wakana's documentation. Then you can start saving to visit Oz!! ps. I'm not forgetting other (family) visits that could be important, too.

sandra

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 31 Dec 04 - 02:09 AM

I have heard from some of my omore geographically challenged friends and family members asking about the big tsunami. Let all rest assured I am safe and well and nowhere near that tragedy. Like all of you I am shocked and saddened by those events.

Guam is, according to the newspaper, a pretty safe bet. There are only two tsunamis in recorded history. One hit in 1849 and killed a woman. Another hit Pago Bay in 1993 and swept a fisherman and his truck out into the bay. He survived and waded to safety. There is deep water all around the island with a solid reef out beyond the shore that acts like a wall and protects us. I don't know how much of that to believe but I live high up on the side of the mountain so it matters not. The wave that can reach me will not leave much here anyway.

It is 5:00 PM on 12/31/04 here in Guam. In 7 short hours this year, with all it's good points and it's many bad ones, will be over and we can start on a new slate. I hope all of you enjoy a safe and happy new year.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 29 Dec 04 - 02:15 PM

I took Amy to Nimitz Beach for her first snorkeling lesson. She did very well but the water was cold, uh, cool. The outside temperature was in the low eighties but there was a bit of a breeze. Charley, do you still wonder why I left Maine? I think of you walking up to the convenience store every morning to get the paper dressed in that heavy coat and hat and just get shivers down my spine.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 09:19 AM

Brett-

The temperature here in Maine this morning was below zero. Just thought you'd like to know. Not a good day to lick any outside hardware.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Dec 04 - 04:06 AM

It has been several busy days since I added to the thread. I've been excorting my kid around the island, cooking a Christmas dinner, and playing with my Christmas toys.

We had Wakana's professor from her graduate degree program come to Christmas dinner. He and his wife were on Guam for a vacation. Unfortunately some of my sweet potatoes rotted before I could cook them (damn tropics), I couldn't find any mince meat to make a pie (damn island), and my turkey was over cooked (damn cook). However, the conversation was fun and interesting and we all enjoyed the afternoon.

Today we went up to Ritidian Point. It is all the way north, quite a drive, almost 23 miles away! The sun and sand were beautiful as always and the scenery was a dramatic as any I've seen here on Guam. The waters off the point are very rough and the wind was strong. There was too much haze to see Rota, the next island in the chain. But the water was cool and the surf inside the reef was managable. We didn't try any snorkeling there. We will run down to Nimitz Beach tomorrow for Amy's first snorkel lesson.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 23 Dec 04 - 07:23 PM

Happy Christmas Eve! Much work to do to prepare for tomorrow! All is fun!

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 22 Dec 04 - 07:10 PM

Thanks for the information, Carol. From what we hear from friends who've been through it we have it a LITTLE bit easier in that we are working with the embassy in Tokyo instead of with INS. That remains to be seen. I have my appointment to submit my I-130 in February. Then we have to wait for it to be processed at the processing center in Korea.

Sins, we'll be there! (in spirit)

Things have been so busy lately. Amy (Mudcatter Tenjiro) is here and it is great to have a kid home for Christmas! We've been doing the tourist thing and she has been working on avoiding a sunburn. Today it is time to buy the turkey and start to thaw it as well as get the other Christmas treats prepared.

Wakana is proving to be a match for the Burnham Family Christmas Tease. Yesterday she told Amy exactly what she was getting for Christmas... in Japanese. Sigh, she is really getting into this thing called Christmas, at least, the secular side of the holiday. Neither of us pays much attention to the religious side.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 19 Dec 04 - 03:11 PM

Brett,
New Yeras Eve at my place! Are you up for the trip? If not we will drink a toast to you and Wakana and all things wonderful,
SINS

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Dec 04 - 01:40 PM

This is where we keep our online pictures (we can put many more there than we can put here in the Mudcat). When we submitted our documentation at the beginning of JtS' status readjustment process, we just printed out the pictures from this website with the captions about the various musical gatherings, wedding, etc. where the pictures were taken. I don't know if that was needed, but we figured it couldn't hurt. We started documenting our being together right from the start.

http://www.webshots.com/

This is the kind of stuff they're looking for. (Just kidding)

;-)

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 19 Dec 04 - 10:55 AM

Oh, we received a stunning advanced JPG of Brett and Wakana via regular e-mail. What a handsome and charming couple! They seem to share a certain mischievous gleam in their eyes.

Brett, your Christmas CD's are on their way to Guam, where I'm sure they'll arrive in only a couple of months.

Cheerily,
Charlie and Judy

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: CarolC
Date: 19 Dec 04 - 01:39 AM

Wow. Look what I missed!

Congratulations Brett and Wakana!!! I'm very happy for you both.

JtS and I have been going through that INS Homeland Security paperwork stuff. It's definitely complicated and although we've been married for a little over two years, we still have the interview to look forward to. Good luck with all of that, and remember to get lots of pictures taken of yourselves wherever you go.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 18 Dec 04 - 07:40 PM

Child Alert! 15 hours and counting to arrival of daughter! The excitement is mounting, at least for me. Wakana is nervous. Having never been a wife or mother before she is nervous about being a wife and a step-mom!

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: GUEST,winterbright
Date: 17 Dec 04 - 12:04 PM

Well, congratulations! The Side Door is tonight, and I'll pass the news along to all and sundry!
Hope the cross-cultural first Christmas is a huge success...
Happy Hannusolstichriskwanz to you both!
It was 12 degrees here yesterday.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 17 Dec 04 - 07:34 AM

Today was a special day. Consider how much fun new parents have with Baby's first Christmas. They deceive themselves into thinking that Baby knows what is going on. They take picture and laugh with the child. It is great fun.

Now consider. Today Wakana helped put op a Christmas tree. This will be her first Christmas. We had great fun putting up the (ulp! Fake!) tree and decorating it. Most of my traditional decorations are lost in the mess after the fire but I hope they will surface soon.

She is enjoying the secrecy of Christmas Presents and the family game of "I know something you don't know!" And the magic of Christmas has even affected her in other ways. She had to write a special assignment because she missed the final classes at the English Language Institute because of the fire. She mailed it to them from Japan and they seemed to have lost it. She did not keep a copy. This was a tragedy and one that seemed hopeless until today she found out that it was just delivered to the office where it needs to be! Magic!

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: curmudgeon
Date: 16 Dec 04 - 08:41 PM

Look into the possibility...?

Just line up your jpgs, attach them to an email to [e-mail], with a polite request , and, Voila! we get to see you two.

Looking forward to this Fall -- Tom

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 16 Dec 04 - 07:33 PM

Well, well, well, Charley. You seem to think I have some "day time" but I have some news for you. I don't think I've ever been so busy before in my life. We are getting the house ready for Christmas and the impending visit from my younger daughter! I have to mow the lawn, put away all the books in the library so we can turn it into a bedroom, rearrange the living room and put up the Christmas tree, build a patio, change Wakana's flat tire, do my Christmas shopping for Wakana, go shopping for the Christmas dinner ingrediants... Is there any end to it all? Maybe I should go back to work just to take a break from my real world.

Anyway, I will investigate the possibility of getting Pene Azul to post some shots of the happy couple and then look into putting up a web site to show off the photos of my grand adventures.

As for singing some songs at the Press Room this Saturday, Curmudgeon, please pass on my best holiday wishes to the whole gang. Next fall Wakana and I plan to be there and you will then get to hear us singing together, either a japanese song, or in english and, if we get our act together, a shanty in Japanese.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 10:18 AM

Brett-

Creating a personal website certainly would be a good way to go, and it certainly worked well for us in our 2003 foray to Oz. According to Judy, it's an interesting project to learn how to do and now that you have some "day time" you might just give it a shot. I'm sure she'd be happy to consult or you may have another Guam friend who knows how to make this an achievible project. But we do want to see some pictures NOW and maybe you should consider sending a few JPG's to Pene Azul as a teaser.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: curmudgeon
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 09:02 AM

Belated, but sincere congratulations to the both of you, and many thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us. We'll find a wedding shanty to sing in your honor this Saturday.

As for pictures, you might want to send some jpegs to Pene Azul for addition to the Events segment; that way anyone who wants can have a look.

Be well and keep up the good life -- Tom

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 15 Dec 04 - 06:44 AM

Brett, looks like you might need a website to post pics!! I know my folk club's yahoo address includes room for photos, maybe you could investigate similar addresses or consult Mudcatters who have sites with pics.

And now that I have a beautiful mew iMac & fancy printer/scanner I can easily read CD-Roms of pics & send my own!!

I can look again at the CD-Rom Santa Micca sent me last year & also the CD-Rom my colleague made for me last week. I have a new toy to play with. Such fun.

sandra

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 10:33 PM

Charley Noble asked me to elaborate on the master's thesis Wakana wrote to earn her degree and that deserved to be published in the academic journal. Sorry Charley, but it had nothing to do with sea chanties.

What my oh, so, intelligent wife wrote on was the impact of tourism on the islands of Pohnpei and Rota. Guam has given in to pandering to the tourists, offering them luxury hotels and elegant brand name shopping. the recent election included an initiative battle over the possibility of opening Guam up to host casino gambling. The proposition lost to a campaign called "Keep Guam Good".

Wakana was looking at those two islands because they are working to maintain their environment and their lifestyle. They are trying to offer lower class accomodations and market themselves as offering a more environmentally friendly way to see the islands. Guam has lost its indigenous ways and control of its island. Rota and Pohnpei are trying to keep control and keep their lifestyles. She was looking at the impact of their eco-tourism on their way of life.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 09:09 PM

Hmm, how to show the pictures without actually visiting each of you. Of course, the most pleasant way would be to get on a plane and visit each and every one of you but the second bet will have to be some other way. Maybe I can combine these posts with the pictures to make a CD I can send to those who are interested...

More random notes:

Houses - While in Japan I had the distinct impression of living in a hobbit house. The doors were all lower than my head though the ceilings were high. There were no round doors but most of them were sliding doors. There was no central heat. Instead there were small kerosene heaters that were used as needed in the rooms that were occupied. The bedrooms had air conditioners that also acted as heaters but they are only used to warm up the room in the evening before going to bed. They are not left on during the night. One of the most Japanese heating devices I saw was the horikotatsu. this is a table placed over a recess in the floor. In the old days they would light a charcoal fire in the recess but these days they use electricity or gas. A table is place over the recess and a thin futon or quilt is laid over that. Then a solid top is placed on the futon to form a new table top. The result is a very warm space to place your feet when seated at the table. In Japan a futon is not the thick mattress we think of in the West. It is a thin heavy pad, about the size of a double bed in area, but only about a couple of inches thick, not much more than a very heavy quilt.

Landscaping – If possible every house has a yard. However I never saw any yard that had a carpet of grass. Instead the homeowners sculpt their little patch of heaven using a variety of plants and stone. Tall trees are carefully trimmed into rounded versions of tree limbs. Smaller shrubs and flowering plants are given places that match the rest of the area. Each yard is a work of art created to express the homeowner's ideas of nature and how s/he fits into the grand scheme. If possible each house has a wall around it to define the space, much like a frame around a painting.

Food – The Japanese eat a lot of vegetables. I define "a lot" in this instance to be comparable to we breathe "a lot" of air. We visited a Japanese supermarket. In the West you enter a supermarket through the section devoted to vegetables and fruit. The rest of the store is given over to prepared foods and meats. In Japan you enter into the other part of the store but vegetable products are so ubiquitous that there is no way to separate them into sections. Fresh vegetables are the last section you visit but there are areas full of packaged veggies in all kinds from simple packages to various pickles and sauces. Other areas of the store were devoted to fish, some meats, seaweed, tofu, and pretty much anything else you want to consider food.

The Japanese cultivate burdock as a food product, they eat the roots. They dry fish and squid and sell them whole. There is one section with packages of octopus and another of whole fish packaged to be presented as a gift. The Japanese have been eating tofu for over a thousand years and in that time they have been very inventive in creating different forms and textures so there is a rather large tofu section. It's all very interesting but this Westerner was only tempted by the candy department. Japanese chocolate is very good!

One thing that was interesting and difficult to get used to was veggies for breakfast. We had a variety but the most common was cold cooked spinach served with soy sauce. They also eat miso soup and will have fish for breakfast as well as a fresh egg broken into their rice. There is a wonderful egg dish that seems to be some form of scrambled egg formed into a rectangle and served cold. I don't know what the flavorings are but it was very tasty and sweet.

Wakana introduced the family to one of my favorites, apple with cinnamon sprinkled on it which was a new taste treat for them and we had some every morning. They also were amazed at my eating toast with honey in the morning.

The Land – I have read many stories of Old Japan and I have seen many old movies about Japan but I never really gave the land a lot of thought. I figured that any country that had been occupied for as long as it has been would be crowded and dirty and have very little open space left. Boy was I ever wrong! Japan has beautiful open vistas with almost no evidence of civilization. Everything is clean and neat where the people live. The mountains are high and dominate the horizon with clouds tearing across the tops and mist hiding the valleys. On a clear day you can see a long way across the flat ground to the spine of Japan and when you go up into those mountains there are no ugly tourist traps with souvenirs obstructing the views.

On the plane out of Japan I was rewarded with a view of the southern end of those mountains. It was amazing. They just ended in a series of lower and lower hills and then the country was largely flat.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: JennieG
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 07:21 PM

Congratulations! and best wishes for the future, you sound so happy, long may it continue for you both. Now - when do we get to see the photos that DID come out?

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 03:47 AM

I've been thinking of you so much and your wonderful trip. I've just started a new series of mysteries written by Laura Joh Rowland. The first one takes place in Edo and mentions Asakusa quite often. So far it's been a great read and so fun to think "my friend has been there and walked those streets!"

Great stuff, Naes!

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 14 Dec 04 - 03:13 AM

Home and safe. The vacation is over and it's time to start... another vacation! I forgot! I'm retired! No bleak Monday to roll back to.

On the bus from Utsonomya to Narita we rolled past rank and file of mountains to the west. The sky was pure blue. As the sun sank to the horizon the clouds down there glowed like liquid gold and then faded to pink. And there, floating in the pink sky, Wakana pointed out Mount Fuji. I cannot adequately describe the sight or the feeling I had of finally seeing Fuji with my own eyes. We were almost 300 kilometers away but it was unmistakable. It seemed to float on the horizon and no amount of interruptions could dispel it's beauty.

We had seen Fuji when we were in Tokyo but we'd been on a train, it was mid-day, and it was difficult to see clearly, just a vague silhouette. Now I know why the Japanese revere that mountain.

Random notes:

Farms - Nishinasuno is in rice growing country. There are modern farms and there are old ones. The farms and the houses that have encroached on the farmland are built up higher than the rice fields, as if they are built on dikes. There are stone walls around the dike or levee on which they are built and it gives the impression that the houses are actually forts. This impression is strongest with the old farms which have a wall around the main buildings and a gate that is constructed between two storage buildings. Within the wall are the various outbuildings a farmer needs, the main house and a rice storage building. Usually the rice building is built of the local stone which is of light grey color shot through with reddish spots. It's quite striking.

Advertising – It's amazing the amount of flashy colors and brilliant lights the shopkeepers use to get your attention. The people dress in rather drab colors but the shops are bright and gay.

More notes as I think of them.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Amos
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 01:36 PM

Big grins, bro'!! Congratulations to all of yez on The Right Stuff to make an evening like that happen.

A

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 01:32 PM

A family sing around? Sounds like you're accepted, Brett.

Your camera tale reminded me of my trip to China. I shot roll after roll of film. At the Great Wall I offered to take a picture of a family and mail it to them. The wife was giggling in embarrassment. They mimed that I had not removed the lens cap from the camera. Didn't know there was a lens cap. Roll after roll of blank film.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 10:15 PM

Last night was pure magic! Wakana's brother, Fumito, arrived yesterday with his family and two guitars. They spent the day skiing then came home to go out to dinner with the whole family. We got home in time to watch the end of Shinsengumi on TV and then he and I got out the guitars. We sat in the kitchen and he played some James Taylor while I sang. Then I sang one or two songs of "my" music. Then Wakana was prompted by her brother to sing something. Their father disappeared upstairs and returned with a handful of little books. They were songbooks. Wakana began leafing through them and singing from them and her brother joined her on guitar. Then their parents began singing some of the old songs from their youth. I didn't understand a word of it but it was pure magic. At one point Wakana and I sang Working On The Railroad, me in English and her in Japanese. Later she thanked me for making that happen. I쳌fm not sure I deserve the thanks, after all, her brother brought the guitars, but it was a very nice cap to a wonderful visit.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 03:47 PM

The book with photos is gonna be a best-seller! Have just read the last bits to Rog...he sends his compliments to the author.:-) Thanks, again, for sharing so much with us, Brett and Wakana. It IS just as if we are there with you, well...except for the censored bits, but we've got good imaginations!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 02:20 PM

"THERE WAS NO FILM IN THE DAMN CAMERA!"...giggle

But it just gets better and better!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 03:32 AM

Great stuff, Brett, best wishes to the pair of you for a long and happy union.

RtS

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 12:12 AM

Here is a better report on what has been happening in my life lately. There are some necessary gaps in the report. It쳌fs pretty long. Sorry about that.
December 6
Got married
Getting married in Japan is like going out for donuts. You take a form to the counter in town hall and give it to a clerk. The clerk checks the accuracy of the information on the form and lets you wait for a while. Then she returns, hands the form back, and you are married. It쳌fs like going out for donuts because it is painless and you get something sweet n the end.
Went to Nikko
After the marriage we went to the train station to get the train to Nikko.I쳌fm not sure how we came to decide to go to Nikko but that was our honeymoon destination. Nikko is the local tourist attraction. It is the home to the Kanaya Hotel, the oldest Western hotel in Japan, and is the burial place of the first Tokugawa shogun. The Tokugawa dynasty ruled over Japan쳌fs longest peaceful era, over 300 years.
Then to Lake Chuzenji-ko
From Nikko we took a bus up to Lake Chuzenji-ko. The lake was formed as the result of a volcanic eruption about 12,000 years ago. It is a beautiful mountain lake, surrounded by high mountain peaks. Access is by the 55 Curves Road. And when they named it they were very accurate in their description. Going up the mountain you maneuver around 20 or so very sharp hairpin bends. At times you can look down the mountain and see several sections of the road below you. The view is spectacular. The mountains that make up the spine of Japan surround you and the valley that reaches to Nikko stretches away from the mountainside you are climbing. Near the top we found snow on the ground. My camera shutter was working hard. I was enchanted with the view, the snow, the sharp curves and climbing road, and, of course, my new wife.
We found the town of Chuzenji at the top of the road and left the bus. We walked down through the town to Kagen falls. The volcano created the dam and the water backed up to form a lake. It쳌fs only outlet was over the dam. That created a 97 meter waterfall. The Japanese have installed an elevator downstream of the waterfall and you can go down to the foot of the fall. My camera shutter was once again very busy.
After we got back to the top of the fall we explored a small gift shop and I took another few pictures. It occurred to me that I had taken a lot of pictures and that I should be near the end of my roll but I needn쳌ft have worried. THERE WAS NO FILM IN THE DAMN CAMERA! I claim that it was because I was not used to the camera and I stand by that defense.
Bath in volcanic hot springs
We stayed at the new Kanaya Hotel on Lake Chuzenji-ko and seemed to have the place to ourselves. There were four cars in the lot but we saw only one other group in the dining room. It is a modern luxury hotel with a small hot springs bath house. Wakana쳌fs father had given our stay there to us as a wedding gift. He had made the reservations. Now, those of you who know me personally know that I am not given to complaining, especially about gifts. But I have stayed at Holiday Inn and experienced more luxury than that room had to offer. To start with, the room had twin beds! This was our wedding night and her father had reserved a room with twin beds! 쳌gHmm,쳌h I thought, 쳌gWhat쳌fs he trying to tell me?쳌h
But it was comfortable and had the separate Japanese bathroom and toilet room.
A note about the Japanese bathrooms: I love them. They separate the toilet from the washing facilities except in the smaller hotel rooms. Toilets as a rule have seat warmers and washlets. A washlet is a gadget that cleans your backside, similar to a bidet but these have two adjustments, one for the backside and one for the women쳌fs, uh, frontside. And it sprays WARM water. The bath here at Wakana쳌fs home is a total cleaning area. The water drains into the floor so you enter the room to shower. If you want to take a bath there is a tub with electrically controlled hot water. You first clean yourself, either with the shower or by dipping water out of the tub. Soap is not allowed into the tub though there are certain oils and scents that sometimes are used. Once you are clean and rinsed you enter the tub and soak. It is so relaxing.
The Kanaya Hotel had a volcanic hot spring. We went down for a bath. We had to separate because there is a man쳌fs side and a woman쳌fs side. The preparation is the same, shower and clean then into the hot water. I was not prepared for the sulfur smell and the water was hotter than I expected but the outside pool was beautiful and it was so nice to relax under the stars with the steam rising all around. I guess during the day there is a view of the lake. Getting from the shower to the pool, wet and naked in the cold air, was a trial but I succeeded.
After our bath we went in for dinner. It was included in our package and we had a very elegant meal with champagne to celebrate our new marriage. We then went into the lobby where there was a fire in the fireplace. We sat together enjoying the look and smell of the fire and got one of the staff to take some picture for us.
---CENSORED---
Sorry, no details about our honeymoon night as if you expected any.
December 7
Back to Nikko
Next morning we took the hotel van down to Nikko. As with the hotel we had the vehicle to ourselves. The driver was quite interesting once we got him talking and willingly stopped the car so I could take pictures. (Yes, I had film in the camera.) He explained some features of the road and pointed out some of the landslide prevention dams constructed by the government. He talked about the history of the place and his job in constructing the landslide prevention dams. He pointed out waterfalls and views and explained the old road system. He was one of those guys with whom you would love to share a cup of coffee just to hear him talk. He had retired, gotten bored, and taken the job driving for the Kanaya Hotels.
He delivered us to the Old Kanaya Hotel and we wandered around touring that for a while. The hotel register includes such names as Albert Einstein and Helen Keller as well as members of the Japanese royal family and top businessmen of Japanese history. Einstein stayed in room 15.
Toured Toshu-go Shrine
From the Kanaya we walked up to the Toshu-go shrine. This had been founded before the beginning of the Tokugawa dynasty but Ieyasu Tokugawa had loved the area and expanded the shrine tremendously. It is now one of Japan쳌fs most famous shrines. The difficulty lies in describing it. Japanese shrines and temples range from pretty to beautiful but Toshu-go is in it쳌fs own class. As I explained it to Wakana, a beautiful woman is just that, beautiful. When you apply a little makeup and just the right outfit her beauty is enhanced. If you go on applying makeup and more clothes each item you add may have its own beauty but the overall effect when you finish is just plain gaudiness. That is Toshu-go. Wakana agrees.
There is no surface that is not carved and painted. That which is not painted is covered in gold leaf. The flat surfaces are painted with fantasy animals in bright colors. Red abounds, covering walls, floors, rails, gates, etc. It is the underlayment for all other colors and the old artisans let their imaginations run rampant. It is truly amazing. I cannot say it is bad taste because it may have been very tasteful in its time. But it certainly is gaudy.
One of the carvings has a direct impact on all of you out there wherever you live. I쳌fm sure you have each heard of the three monkeys who illustrate the adage Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil, See No Evil. That comes from the philosophy of the Shinto sect that built the shrine. There is a carving at Toshu-go that illustrates the philosophy using three monkeys and is the basis of our western illustration.
There is also a famous carving of a sleeping cat over one of the doors. It is famous because it is so lifelike it could be a real cat. I have to admit it does look pretty good.
In one hall there is a priest stationed to demonstrate the acoustic effects of the hall. On the ceiling is painted a huge dragon. The priest has a set of wooden clappers. He demonstrates that the sound of the clappers dies out quickly if made in any other spot in the room except under the dragon쳌fs mouth. The sound made there rings and rings, carrying on far longer than I have heard in any other hall.
On the far wall is a statue of the healing Buddha and the twelve gods that make up the twelve year cycle starting with the year of the mouse (I think) I was born in the year of the dragon and the god of my year looks especially fearsome with a green face and horrible grimace.
Back to Visit Wakana's best friend
We took a taxi back to the Kanaya Hotel, ate a late lunch and then wandered down through the town to catch the train. The streets are narrow and the shops crowd the sidewalk.
Note about food: I have never seen so many restaurants in any town as I have in all the towns and cities I have visited here. Japanese seem to focus on food and restaurants seem to make up a huge part of every street. There are many grocery stores as well. I used to worry that I would not be able to get through this visit without eating at least one fish dinner and I really don쳌ft like fish. However, I have not had a complaint about the food yet. It is high is fiber because they eat a lot of vegetables, low in cholesterol because they use little or no oil and eat little meat, and there is little in the way of sweets. The sweets they do eat are not as sweet as what we have in the USA.
Anyway, we visited Emiko and her husband at their beauty salon. Emiko has a license to design and make kimonos. She is very busy at the New Year and later for the annual 20 year old celebrations. In Japan there is a national holiday celebrating all young people who turn 20. This is in late January, Emiko will start working in her shop at 3:00 AM outfitting girls in their holiday kimonos. I was amazed to learn that the kimono is a very highly developed fashion style in Japan. It can cost thousands of dollars to put together a kimono. Wakana says her obi, the wide band that makes up the waist of the kimono, cost her mother $5000. Yes, that is DOLLARS!
December 8
Off to Utsonomiya to visit Wakana's university and favorite professor. Met a friend of hers who drove us to the shopping mall to shop for wedding rings. None could be found to fit me.
Apparently Wakana had not told the professor that she was married and he had no idea what to expect. He is a very respected professor of International Studies and has worked as a guest lecturer in the USA, England, Italy, and France. He was very surprised to see me and even more surprised to hear that I was Wakana쳌fs husband. We talked for a while and he presented Wakana with a copy of the professional journal in which her thesis had been published. We then met with some of the graduate students who worked with him. Wakana쳌fs friend Sachiko arrived to drive us to the shopping mall for dinner and to visit the jewelry store. The first jeweler listened attentively to Wakana and I could tell when Wakana got to the point of telling her that I was her husband and she needed a wedding band to fit me. The surprise and dismay was evident. The jeweler got out the ring sizes and worked at finding the fight size, 30! She told us we could get a ring to fit but it would take a month to adjust it. We got the same story at all the other jewelers we visited.
Sachiko took us to the train station but we stopped at an optical shop where Wakana insisted on buying me a new pair of glasses. It was her wedding gift to me.
December 9
Off to Tokyo with Wakana's brother to visit guitar shops, research my Haruo guitar, and secretly buy Wakana a laptop computer as a wedding gift.
Next day Wakana's brother, Fumito (pronounced who-mee-toh), arrived to drop off some stuff from his closed shop. He is storing it at his parent쳌fs house for the time being. Then he and I went to Tokyo in his van. I was worried about communication because he speaks little English but I took my little dictionary along and we had a great time. He had charged up his CD changer with 10 CDs ranging from Michael Franks Art Of Tea to Tom Waits Heart Of Saturday Night. He had James Taylor in there and Van Morrison, as well as some Japanese jazz musicians. We sang and talked about music all the way to Tokyo.
I also explained to him about Wakana쳌fs computer. When the house was burglarized and burned one of the things the thief took was her laptop. That hit her hard. She had used that computer through her graduate program and her thesis paper and all her research was in the hard drive. (Don쳌ft mention the importance of backup, she already got that message) On top of that the computer represented her ability to continue her education. After the fire that was gone. I wanted to get her a new laptop from one of the shops in Tokyo.
Fumito called his wife and she met us in Tokyo. She shopped for snowboard accessories for their daughter while Fumito and I wandered around the Kanda area of the city exploring guitar shops. Kanda is noted for music shops and bookstores. Man, did we ever see some wonderful guitars. In one we saw a battle scarred old Gibson with a $20,000 price tag. We saw Seagulls, Martins, Cats Eyes, Guilds, Epiphones, Yamahas, Mountains, Tokamines, Ibanez, and some with names I can쳌ft remember. Everywhere we went we asked about Haruo guitars and T. Haruo. The consensus on opinion is that he left Yamaha to build high end guitars. He moved to California to do this. Everyone was amazed when they heard that my Haruo had a Made In Japan label on it. Nobody could remember ever seeing a Haruo guitar though they all seemed to know about them.
After we left Kanda we headed to Akihibara, the center for Tokyo쳌fs electronics shopping. Tokako took me to a huge shop. We had to go to the 5th floor to find the computers and laoptops. I got a decent computer for just under $1000. They boxed it up and I carried it home.
Note on Reading: Here in Japan I am an illiterate. I cannot read the books, magazines, billboards or even the street signs. I cannot believe how dependent I am on my reading skills. I feel so helpless.
Fumito was supposed to drop me at a train station to get back to Nishinasuno. We seemed to drive forever. Finally he told me he had taken a wrong turn and needed to go back to where we started. I noted some familiar buildings but we kept driving. I asked him which station he planned to drop me at. He told me not to worry about it. Finally I realized he intended to drive me all the way home. This is not a light trip. It is about 150 kilometers to Nishinasuno. But he said he enjoyed driving and wouldn쳌ft let me ride the train. So I told him I would pay for gas, he was nearly empty, and I would pay for dinner. Filling the gas tank in Japan is no light decision. We filled up his Mitsubishi van and it cost $72! But the shinkansen would have been about $50-$60 so I didn쳌ft lose out on the deal.
December 10
Visited Wakana's maternal aunt and uncle then off to visit her paternal (eternal single) aunt. Dinner at Genghis Kahn BBQ.
Wakana쳌fs maternal grandfather was a professional photographer. He had the first and biggest studio in the region. Her uncle lives in the house now and keeps the studio. We visited over green tea and snacks and then went into the studio for family portraits. Then we were off to visit Aunt Sachiko, fresh from her trip to Austria. She is eternally single, to use Wakana쳌fs words, and seems to enjoy life tremendously. She is remarkably talented. She presented us with a set of glasses with floral designs etched into the surface. Each glass was unique. She had made them all. She has a china cabinet full of etched glassware that she has made. Also she has a set of pretty little parasols that she made by folding cigarette packaging. They are each about two inches across and have a lovely pattern made by the design on the wrappers. And they showed me a lovely still life featuring a wine bottle on beach sand with colored balls and starfish. When it was brought closer to me I saw that the still life was not a painted picture. Rather it was made of torn rice paper, each color and shade a different piece of paper. And she is a baker. We are eating home made bread.

That will do for now. More to come.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: MMario
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 09:50 AM

Mongolian barbecue? Was Genghis a good host?

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 09:45 AM

Now for all of us who've been holding our breath, all together - WHEHHHHH!

Guess there's no reason to mobilize our Rapid Response & Retrival Team. Too bad. I was so looking forward to piloting the Mirage to Japan. I suppose we could fly over anyway and drop some lotus blossoms!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 04:40 AM

B-R-I-D-G-E is right! LOL And I cannot be in trouble with the in-laws. None of them speak or read English so they will never know.

A lot has happened and I want to give a full report. However, I cannot do that right now. Here is the sketch of what happened.

December 6
Got married
Went to Nikko
Then to Lake Chuzenji-ko
Bath in volcanic hot springs
---CENSORED---

December 7
Back to Nikko
Toured Toshu-go Shrine
Back to Visit Wakana's best friend

December 8
Off to Utsonomiya to visit Wakana's university and favorite professor. Met a friend of hers who drove us to the shopping mall to shop for wedding rings. None could be found to fit me.

December 9
Off to Tokyo with Wakana's brother to visit guitar shops, research my Haruo guitar, and secretly buy Wakana a laptop computer as a wedding gift.

December 10
Visited Wakana's maternal aunt and uncle then off to visit her paternal (eternal single) aunt. Dinner at Genghis Kahn BBQ.

I'm tired. I get to rest tomorrow.

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Amos
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 07:43 PM

A day to be perpetually overflowing with blessings for the rest of your lives, Brett. Fondest wishes to both of you!!

Amos

Subject: RE: Springtime In Guam
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 03:04 PM

LOL