Definition: Vacation

I hurriedly write as we get ready to head to Tokyo for New Year's Day.

Yes, it's 9pm Florida time, but 2012 here! Happy New Year!

I failed to peek out the window Thursday morning and notice that the cloud coverage and wind was enough to keep me curled up in bed with a good book and perch, rather than climb Tsukubasan.

Which is just about exactly what I've done the last two days, more or less.

I was told, by my loving hubby, that this, in fact, is exactly what vacation is. And I'm kind of hooked.

We did walk through Tsukuba on Friday, taking the scenic pathway that runs straight through the town from top to bottom. It's beautiful. (For you Gainesville-ians, think Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail. For you MC'ers, think Saint Lucie Boulevard... you know, the one that goes to Sandsprit Park.) It was gorgeous

The trail is littered with numerous parks, these adorable little (and big!) squares with playgrounds and grassy hills. The bigger ones have entire lakes and creeks, and trails for a little bit of "exploring."

 The largest of the larger parks is set in front of an expo center, and has a Japanese rocket in the middle (pictured below.) It overlooks like large lake-type area (think Lincoln Memorial in DC) with ducks and those pesky, lazy fish that you could reach out and grab.. if you wanted.

Tsukuba planners saved the cutest park for the end of the trail. It has this large tower that you can climb up and see, I assume, the entire town. It was closed for the "holiday," so we'll have to climb it when things re-open later in the week.

We also got to see a Japanese-style bathroom... luckily I didn't have to experience it.

Speaking of toilets, I attempted to add a new dish to my cuisine toolbox: Tonkatsu. We resolved it wasn't the worst thing I've ever made (that record belongs to the fried rice debacle of 2010... Ray still shudders.) Ray says he liked it. He's either being completely honest or he's trying to boost my morale, but he wins extra hubby points either way.

The first one is mine, the second from a restaurant.

I think that it shows promise.

Saturday was another "vacation" day, which I'm growing so very fond of. We puttered around all morning, finally going for a run in the afternoon. When you have this to run through, how could you say no?

It was a great way to ring in the New Year. Ray made dinner and we played cards and waited for midnight, at which time I got to see firsthand (on TV) how the Japanese ring in the New Year. Think Backstreet Boys, NKOTB, Nsync and more all on one stage, one after the other. It was like a machine gun of J-Pop, but nothing like in the States where it takes forever between sets.

At midnight, I decided I wanted to watch our traditional NYE movie: It's A Wonderful Life.

I love that movie.

No Chinese food this year to accompany, but I think we'll manage.

Like I said before, we're headed to Tokyo today (a surprising 50 degrees- about 15 degrees warmer than Tsukuba, and only 38 miles south!) Tomorrow we leave for Kyoto, and we'll spend the week on that side of the country seeing Nara and Osaka, as well.

So, my posts may be infrequent, but I'll log it all along the way and post when I can.

I wish you all a very happy New Year full of blessings and prosperity!