CT and Stitch at Greenland Amusement Park!

CT and Stitch would like to welcome you to their adventure at the Greenland Amusement Park! (with our friend Susan, picture not included)

We had such a busy day today. Woke up at 6:30, walked to base at 7:10, grabbed some coffee and some yen and got to the bus. We had a nice long bus ride to Hario housing, then we were on our way to the park! It was a long ride through lots of trees and mountains and on some very small roads! These roads were not designed with busses in mind! Anywho, once we got to the park we set to work on finding some fun rides! Our first ride? A mini-coaster! "Sphinx Coaster" the outside was designed to look like a Sphinx, and the ride was a nice pleasant one. Not too scarey for the little guys!

After the coaster we meandered around the corner and found our way to Dragon River. After trying to scope out the damage to previous riders we decided that it was safe to give the ride a go. So CT and Stitch got their first river rapid ride, and Susan and I didn't get wet! It was a win win! After this ride we decided it was time to poke around for some food. Unfortunately nothing in our immediate surroundings looked good and we started walking around trying to find something we knew we'd like but along the way... we got distracted by go karts...











Go karts were super fun! not only was it the first ride for Stitch and CT, it was MY first time driving a go kart too!! Normally I see them in FL at Disney but the line is WAY too long to verify a five minute drive.. (not even) but no line here!











Again, Susan and I got distracted by the "Legend of Salamnder." After staring at the building for a few moments we decided to head in to see what the ride was. Turned out to be a ride where you shoot at targets (like Buzz Lightyear in Disney World!) I got about..7500 points! If I remember correctly. CT and Stitch got to watch.


















And then we finally grabbed McDonalds! Stitch and CT haven't seen a McDonalds yet so it was another new adventure for them. The chicken selects were super yummy! and the french fries were nice and HOT! Yum!

Susan and I went on the Black Hole Coaster after lunch, which CT and Stitch took a picture in front of... but since they didn't go on the ride itself theres no point in including that picture!

But finding the giant Totoro doll was TOTALLY worth including! TOTORO RULES! CT was very happy to see a big Totoro.

After spotting Totoro I went on a BIG roller coaster called "Gao." It was SOO fun!!! But CT and Stitch stayed with Susan so they wouldn't get lost. Once I got off, we went on Sky Jet. A nice relaxing ride with a great view!

After the Sky Jet we took pictures in pretty princess dresses! ((thats a dress, not a curtain!))

After dresses was a "petting zoo" with guneia pigs and dogs. CT and Stitch sat that out, to void becoming chew toys. The dogs were adorable.. but they were all napping and some of them refused to wake up. Lame.

Then we got on the "Western Train" ... turns out it was a really short train ride with a "western" theme... including hippos and rhinos... Did you know there were hippos and rhinos in the west? I sure didn't!

Then we went on a fun water ride with a HUGE splash.. but the cool thing is.. the boat is completely covered so you dont' get wet! Instead you FRY under the sun while being stuck in a boat with no fresh air and several other bodies... woohoo!!

Last but not least (well, for CT and Stitch) was the Carousel! It looks like Stitch is about to try to run off... haha!

It was a loooong day for us, but it was loads of fun hanging out with Susan! Next time I think I'll leave CT and Stitch at home so I can go on more coasters!!!

Anywho, probably no adventures tomorrow but who knows. Maybe a walk into town or something to get out of the house?

Ohashi and Nagushiyama Parks!

Today we had a fun adventure in Yoshi and Shikamachi! I am learning that the area I live in has some beautiful mountain views, and to make it better they have fun parks up in those mountains! CT and stitch loved the view at Ohashi Park (in Yoshi)


This is the very neat little playground called Ohashi. Stitch was so hyped up to play that he ran off a bit to quick ....

He ended up falling into the grass in a location that was not very convenient so it was time for a heroic rescue!! As I climbed down a young japanese boy stood by Chibi Totoro and watched me rather curiously wondering what on earth I was doing. I'm sure the families below were wondering the same thing. But, Stitch needed saving and saving he got!

Another fun thing about japan is the very cool "rolley" slides! Ohashi had a fun one to go down.

We also had fun blowing some bubbles! After bubbles it was time to head out. I stopped in the visitors center and got some free postcards, woohoo! Then it was into the car and on the way to....










^Nagushiyama Park! Again another GORGEOUS view!!! CT and Stitch want to live on this mountain ((and so do I!!))




There was a spot in the visitor's center to do a stamp, so we did! How awesome is that!?














Once we did the stamp it was up a bunch of steps to the top of a VERY BIG rolley slide! HELLO-ELLO-LLO-LO-O DOWN-OWN-WN-N THERE-HERE-ERE-RE-E!!!!!!




And here we go!

Down...


Down.....



Down....



Down...


Time to go through the cave!! Oh and you can see my shoe! Hello brown shoe!
There were three boys in front of us who stopped about three times and would turn around and wait for me to catch up, and then go again. It was terribly adorable! They couldn't have been older than 10, I'm sure the youngest was 6.

After a fun day at the park we tried the new pepsi at the convenience store! Apparently the name is after an african tree that is supposedly incorporated into the drink? I don't know but CT and Stitch seemed to like it!

The parks around (and in) sasebo are so much fun, especially when they are up in the mountains! CT and Stitch are so lucky to ride on rolley slides up in the mountains and to play and see amazing views! What other awesome things await us in Japan?

Lamp Shade Making!

Chibi Totoro and Stitch would like to invite you to their Lamp Shade Carving Adventure!!

Today Chibi Totoro, Stitch and I went with our friends to carve a design into a clay lampshade! We also got to go on a tour of a porcelin factory that is over 100 years old! Lets take a look at what CT and Stitch saw today....

CT didn't like the factory too much, the dust made him a bit nervous with his white fur.... Anyway, the machine behind them is pretty neat. One one side you can see the rocks, ne? And then on the other side (closer to them) is a whole with powder. Well this machine smashes those rocks into powder to make the porcelin with! Only the best rocks are used.

Hmm.. whats this in here? Oh! That looks like water and the powder. Combined they make a clay which is later molded into items. I was pretty scared CT and Stitch would fall in, darn their curiosity!!

What is this that CT and Stitch have discovered? A kiln! Yikes! Outside of the kiln, workers would light coals which would have flames licking at the openings along the wall. The walls inside the kiln are covered in soil so that when the kiln heats (and swells) heat will not escape.





This spot was CT's favorite. Nice and clean, no dust, dirt, clay etc. After items were made, they were packaged in the stalks from rice. Then off they went!












Stitch and CT ready to get carving!! What to make what to make....








CT and Stitch are proud of their (my...) lampshade!!

Unfortunately because the lamp shades need to be fired and glazed we will not see the finished products for a few weeks. We can't wait to see them! I wonder what new adventures await Stitch and Chibi Totoro in the next few days....

Totoro, Chibi Totoro and Stitch Come Home!

Hello and greetings! The other day I was lying in bed trying to sleep but, as usual, my mind was going a mile a minute. Trying to distract myself I started thinking about my goal to climb Mt. Fuji, seeing as how my husband and I are currently in Japan. Then I thought, how cute would it be if I had a Totoro and Stitch doll to take to the top and take a picture then send it to my friends back home! (I have a theme of getting my friend Karen items with Totoro, and Jenny gets Stitch!) Of course, at 2:00 in the morning I scoffed at the idea and my mind rolled onto yet another idea. Well the next day my mind went back to the idea and I thought "How cool would it be if I bought those dolls and took them on my adventures around Japan so their adventures were my adventures! Of course the more I thought about it, the more I enjoyed the idea so here we go! Above is Stitch, Totoro and Chibi Totoro. Stitch is going to be for Jenny, Totoro is MINE and Chibi Totoro (the white fluff ball) is Karen's! This is their "Welcome Home" Picture!

Chibi Totoro, Stitch and Totoro getting their tags removed. You are officially home little guys!

Looking out into Japan awaiting their future adventures!