The long walk

So Julia decided to enter a marathon on April 13th 2008 (which she sped walked)(5k) and big ups to her and our friends. These are a few pic's of their triumph.

(Left to Right) Jitsuko, Ian & Cody.








Aaaaaaa LOOK IT'S THE START.








Lets go Team now that we have our numbers.








Lets stretch out those mussels...can't afford to hurt ourselves.







*crackle* Could everyone report to the starting line please. And enjoy the wonderful view of the paper mill.







So after the race you get to dig up your very own free Tulips and plant them at home....nice gift :D







Cody and his Tulips.








Julia finished in 42:31 and Jitsuko finished 42:32 awesome job girls.







If you wanted Daffodil's you had to pay but the Tulips were free for the runners ;)







Yea Gooooooooo Team...super job guys ;D








There was also FREE all you can eat Miso soup....But it had meat in it???? Miso soup isn't suppose to have meat in...so Julia was sad and hungry.






But for her plight she had good Karma and her number was drawn to win a prize....It's an Air purifier....and it works nice like.

Finally!!!!!

Hey all I must say that the last few months have been busy and tiring one for the new term starting in our schools and Julia getting repeatedly beaten down but sickness from our ever cute students and there never ending colds and flu's that little ones constantly get form one & another....but that a side I also have been saving up pictures for this entry for all to peruse and make comments on....so the spring is in full bloom and that means Cherry Blossoms are out and about we also adventured to Matsue castle and the ruins of Yonago castle (the one in our town and a 3-4 min bike ride from us). No Ninja's yet :( but enjoy anyways.....

Pipes Julia shown' off her muskulls.








Mmmmmm soft willow's











This is the door to a bank here in Matsue... no one is getting in there.







Matsue castle in the distance.








The traveling few (plus me on the cam) on this rainy day to the castle in Matsue... Left-right Cody, Julia, Yumi & Martin.






Stairs up.... lots of these in Japan.... stairs I mean.








A small Temple on the grounds of the castle.








Closer look at the Temple.








One of the old protectors on the Temple.








Purifying basin before entering the Temple.











One of the paths on the grounds of Matsue castle.








More stairs down at the back of the castle....ALWAYS STAIRS.....







The castle FINALLY!!!








So next is one of the citys that we stay in a hotel for a week to teach at the schools there Tottori is the name and it is the first place that I got pic's of the Cherry Blossom's.

So these guys were wandering around handing stuff to kids...poison I guess.







Me love and Me.








The first picture I took of the beautiful trees.








Do I have to say anything?????








Closer closer.....closer...








I think this picture fits the name or thought of Japan.








This is the type of aesthetics of Japan its everywhere and makes for a more beautiful city.







Just a different view.....











Yonago our home town where we to a little ride to a recently discovered ruined castle in Yonago well new to us and discovered buy Julia on one of her bike rides.

Our bike path along a canal that leads out to the harbor to the sea.







This lady was hand feeding a swan that looked like she had hand raised the bird....but got nipped on the fingers a couple of times which did not stop her.






And then they were pink.








This is a grove of Blossom trees 5min away from us.








Hey its Me. These are the stairs up to Yonago castle in ruins.







This is a koi pond next to the stairs up.











And so we beginning our assent.








And up...








And up...








And still up...there are so many stairs.











And yet still more...











Found this guy on one of the steps up and before moving moving him to the forest floor...







I took a pic of some of the path behind while waiting....








Hello :)








This is the half way point and these stairs lead to a small grove.










J.U.L.I.A Juliaaaaaaaaa.











From here you can see the foundation of the castle on the ridge.







Whats...that up ahead.....








More stairs...











Yea....you guessed it more stairs.











Just to give you a brake from the stairs.











But not for long....











The castle foundation at last.











My god do they ever end.......








A small landing with a grove by the base of the castle.








Almost to the top.








Just around the corner....








Aaaaaaa the corner.








And that is the grove of Cherry Blossom trees below that is where we biked through to get to the stairs beginning.







We can see all of Yonago unobstructed from up here.








And the harbor to the sea.








Thats the grove we looked up to the foundation earlier.








The black building in the distance is our home :)








This is whats left of the castle...not much but this beautiful lookout.







And now we return to go down.








Hey its me again and I'm.....Bald...very bald.








*Sniffffffffff* Aaaaaaaa just lovely.








Now your turn *Sniffffffffff*.....








If you look very very closely and even zoom in you can see the tiny Green bird.







Finally after months I get to climb a tree.








And this is us after securing the camera to a tree.








Awaawwwwwwwww....








And finally on the bike ride home I almost ran over this dude but before removing him form the path to the safety of a bush.....






Ok thats it for this entry and hope you enjoyed the picture of stairs....of all the cool sights of Japan in this entry. So until next time which I hope is sooner rather than later I'll endevour to be diligent with my entry's :)