Travelog for: Lotta Par Avion

Sawadee! That means both hello and goodbye in Thai.

Right now I'm in Songkhla, Thailand with both my twin sister Leila and my "big" sister. Let's just call her "Big LPA".

Originally, we're all from El Paso, USA. Last year, we moved to Thailand because we were tired of living in Texas all our lives. Big LPA is an ESL teacher here, but she'll go back to the US in August to go be an elementary teacher. Meanwhile, Leila and I decided to become flight attendants to see the world.

Before we see the world, we decided to explore our own city. First, we looked at a map of Songkhla.

The small city of Songkhla is set on a peninsula, which means it's surrounded by water on three sides. (Another example of a peninsula is the state of Florida in the US.)

To the west of Songkhla is Thale Luang lake, one of the only two natural lakes in Thailand. To the east of Songkhla is the Gulf of Thailand, which is ocean! (Look at the compass rose on the map to give you a clue which side is which.)

Next, we set off early in the morning to see the sunrise at Kao Seng. This is a beach and an old fisherman's neighborhood. We were sleepy, but still managed to get on our bicycle at 6:00 AM! It was worth it, because this is what we saw.

White owl delivered the envelope from Thailand.
Yoko was after enjoying a late lunch of Thai food as it happens.
Lotta had various missions in a very short period of two weeks stay.
We try our best to cheer.
Hojicha gave Japanese sweets to Lotta .
It is  "黒ごま最中（called　Kurogoma Monaka, means  wafers  filled with black sesami jam）"
We think will no longer tired of her in this journey.
She can get rid of her tiredness within that day.
See you again.

Hello!
Yesterday +22 degrees , today +20 degrees.
Very warm the past few days, the cherry blossoms were blooming.
Everyone pleased cherry blossom  blooming in Japan.
Also cherry blossom  blooming 10 days earlier than usual.
We went to see  Japanese elementary school, middle school, high school, college, and graduate school because you want to become a teacher .
Japanese public schools is many sturdy concrete building .
Flowers were blooming in the park a lot.
I also saw shrines and temples.
It was a solemn atmosphere.
My host Yoko has apologized for photo condition not  good because Lotta  too small  along with the scenery.
Lotta

Today is Vernal Equinox Day ( national holiday in Japan).
It is day for praising nature and showing respect to living things.
Many people eat  "Bota-mochi" (a rice cake coverd with bean jam or soy flour ) in Japan to this day.
We eat Bota-mochi. yammy!

Cherry blossoms make many happy all Japan.
My host Yoko back after work We went to see the cherry blossoms in  hurry before the sun goes down.
We feel so happy.
Weekend it will be in full bloom.

My host Yoko showed me the money in Japan.
10,000 yen, 5,000 yen, 2,000 yen, 1,000 yen, 500 yen, 100 yen, 50yen, 10yen,  5yen,  1yen.
Yukichi Fukuzawa to 10,000 yen bill is printed.
Yukichi is a samurai(warrior), thinker.
To 5000 yen bill Ichiyo Higuchi is printed.
Ichiyo is a woman writer.
1000 yen bill is Hideyo Noguchi of the scholars.
5 yen and 50 yen coins have holes.
This is very rare in the world.
I ask Why is coin have holes?
Maybe make be easier to determine other coins.
and saving material?

My host Yoko gave me stamp!
It is ”Hirosaki Castle and Cherry Blossom Festival ”stamp.
This stamp was issued at Japan post office today.
I affixed to my passport.
Postmark will get in as soon as possible.

Enjoying the cherry blossoms are a lot of people in Japan.
Cherry blossoms are in full bloom !
It so beautiful.
We went to see the shrines and temples.
The shrine was built 350 years ago.
Fujiwara Michizane riding a cow has been worshiped.
He is called the god of learning.
There was a bill of the tree.
It is 絵馬（called Ema）.
Each wish is written to this.
Puppies and great mother dog is a symbol of  安産祈願（Wishing You Love & Happiness)!　
We went to the temple last dragon has been enshrined.
It is so cool!
Once back home, we ate sushi for lunch.
Eating sushi in Japan is the best of all.

We went to the central park Yokosuka in the afternoon.
The park was located in a high place.
There is also a Yokosuka City Museum.
Naumann elephant model, kimono, spun yarn, huge crab, shellfish, and Crystal violet.
We will go back home in hurry because it's seems to rain.

We went to Japan post office because my mentor is postcrosser.
There is also a GOTOCHI card here in Yokosuka We will became topic of Postcrossing blog.
Yokosuka's GOTOCHI card is Sukajan.
Yokosuka have USA Naval Base.
And,American soldiers is buying Sukajan as a Souvenirs.
We actually went to see Sukajan.
Then I went back to the house on a train.
I got a postmark at the post office.
This is  postmark of Japan special landscape.
This postmark shows March 24, 2013 and from Yokosuka.
AD 2013 can be translated 'Heisei 25' (in Japan/here).
We read from left to right in Japan.
Therefore 25/3/24.

It is raining cold today.
We will show you some games in Japan.

"Hyakunin Isshu" is one of the Japanese traditional games.
It is also the name of the game in which they are used.
The game is played mostly on Japanese New Year's holidays.
On each card, a poem (waka) is written, and there are a total of 100 poems.
The standard collection of the poems used is called Hyakunin Isshu,
which is often also the name of the game.
The collection was chosen by a poet Fujiwara no Teika in Heian period.
There are national conventions for the game.
Two sets of 100 poem cards in Box.

Karuta is one of the Japanese traditional games.
First,a person read the card. Like this way.
And the others look for a card which is the picture and word drawn about it.
How many cards can you find?
The winner is having the cards most.

Next, We will show you "Pokemon Card Game".
This is what son of my host was using.

And, The next show is "Duel Masters Card Game".
This is what son of my host was using, too.
He was the winner of the competition of this card game.

I learned to play shogi.
Shogi is Japanese chess.

My host's sons have spring vacation began.
They taught  a lot of games for us.

 

After work of my host at afterbnoon,
We (Nana, Lotta, FerdiFuchs) went to the Umikaze(meaning sea wind) park.
Willy W. and Isidore already came here.
Unfortunately,  weather was not good.
But today is warm.
Flowers were blooming a lot.
We enjoyed the "Umikaze park".
Sakura(Cherry) blossoms are falling.
Road looks like cherry carpet.

We went to Kamakura, about 20 minutes get on train.
Kamakura is a small city and a very popular tourist destination.
We went to see the "Great Buddha" in Kotoku-in.
I was surprised that there are windows in the back of the Buddha.
Why is there a window?
I think It was ventilation, tourist can be go to the Buddha's in body.
We went get on Enoden(Gotochi-card).
Enoshima Electric Railway, familiarly known as Enoden, has 100 years of history.
However, it was very very cold, weather is very bad.
If weather is good, We were able to see Mount Fuji the tallest mountain in Japan.

We then went to Hasedera Temple.
Hasedera is a temple of the Jodo sect, that is most famous for its statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy.
The statue shows Kannon with eleven heads, each representing a characteristic of the goddess.
The 9.18 meter tall, gilded wooden statue is regarded as one of the largest wooden sculpture in Japan, and can be viewed in the temple's main building, the Kannon-do Hall.
It was not allowed to take photo.
I found a smile Jizo.

We finally went to the Tsuruoka Hachiman Shrine.
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is Kamakura's most important shrine.
Today is really cold.

We can show you "Gosyuin-cho".
"Gosyuin-cho" is  collect stamp book where written by Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.