Farewell Lunch at Primavera Restaurant

I had the pleasure of spending almost a year working at the Marine Corps Family Team Building office in Iwakuni and just recently left the position to recharge my batteries and get my life ready for the new baby. 

One of the best parts of working at MCFTB was the women I worked with. I learned so much from the big personalities in my office and am so grateful to them for helping me learn the ropes quickly. 

As a farewell, the ladies took me out to lunch and our director stopped by to say farewell too. They took me to my favorite restaurant in Iwakuni: Primavera! 

They just don't get any cuter!

My lunch: salmon & squash, chicken roulade, fried pork, and a shrimp croquette. You also receive a tiny soup and salad with lunch.

A friend's set menu came with dessert - AND a New Year's Samurai!

The ladies who work at Primavera are very talented artists.

If you'd like to try Primavera, check out the directions in the free base magazine, the Preview. If you have an iPhone, you can go to the Maps app and type in Primavera:

The red pin marks the spot.

 It's located in a residential area and does not have a lot of parking, but you can usually find a place nearby. A good landmark is the Iwakuni train station. Look for the symbol on your map to help guide yourself to the restaurant. 

Enjoy!

My favorite day trip while living in Iwakuni is Miyajima Island. We try to go anytime we have a free weekend and the weather is clear because it's so magical and scenic unlike the very industrial city of Iwakuni. The bonus is that we get to bring our little friend Eddie with us!

Eddie is a sucker for attention. This doesn't bother us because it's the only way we have any interaction with Japanese people. People of all ages love to hang out with Eddie! We know just enough Japanese to tell people he's a mameshiba, his name is Eddie, short for Edamame, and that he is almost two years old. People usually laugh at his name, but he doesn't mind.

Joe is holding Eddie for a picture with the famous floating torii gate in the distance.

These little girls couldn't get enough of Eddie! Kids always go straight for his curly little tail.

Eddie participates in all the tourist photo opportunities with no shame.

Joe and a bridge near a hiking area. He called these deer "troll deer" because they live under the bridge.

Miyajima has a lovely new coffee shop called Miyajima Coffee. We stopped for drinks and read our books on a park bench with a view of the water and the gentle deer.

This guy was sitting right next to me the whole time.

Miyajima is a must for anyone passing through the Iwakuni/Hiroshima area. It's easy to find your way around, the hiking trails are beautiful in every season, there are great places to find lunch or dinner, and you can bring your favorite four-legged friend!

Yamaguchi City

We just went to Yamaguchi City for the first time on Sunday and tried to see our fair share of sites in the area. The big event on Sunday was the monthly Flea Market. It happens on the first Sunday of the month from sunrise to 3pm. We got on the road around 8:30am and it took about two hours with a few wrong turns mixed in. Beware if driving: the tolls added up to about $40! Parking was free.

As we are preparing our house for a new baby in May, we don't have a lot of space to share with antiques. It was really fun looking around at gorgeous wooden boxes, old tools, those hilarious garden-gnome-style beavers wearing hats, kimonos, sake barrels, and crafts, but we didn't find anything that needed to stay in our house. We found a few things for our taste buds though: apple cider and fresh apple pastries from a local apple orchard! 

Five-Storied Pagoda

After our shopping trip, we headed over to one of the most famous pagodas in Japan: the Five-Storied Pagoda. It was a beautiful day and we took Eddie for a walk along the grounds. 

A nice stranger offered to take our picture. Why not?

After relaxing in the sun and doing a little hiking around the pagoda, we got back in the car and went over to Xavier Memorial Church. It was built in 1998 but memorializes St. Francis Xavier's work in Japan 400 years ago. 

A Catholic church in Japan

Thanks for bringing Christmas over here, St. Francis Xavier!

We usually try to go somewhere that looks interesting for lunch on day trips but there weren't too many places in Yamaguchi with English signs. We ended up going to a little place called "Organic Delicatessen" but found that it was more of a grocery store and buffet. Nothing was freshly cooked or very exciting.

On our way back to the highway, we made a few more stops. When we saw the sign "Fresh and Half-Price Bakery", how could we refuse? We stopped in at the little store that looks like a gatekeeper's house and bought a loaf of white bread and 4 various rolls for under 200 yen. What a great deal!

We hopped back in the car and I had to see what the "Dog Cafe Hanegawa" was all about. Were dogs allowed in? Was it dog themed? We brought Eddie in and everyone fawned over him.

Not only did they have a Dog Cafe, but they also had a dog hotel, dog salon, dog park, and a small shop with dog accessories. We loved it! Eddie had never been to a dog park before so he didn't really know how to behave with the wild pack he encountered. He eventually warmed up and played with a friendly black poodle and a tiny Italian Greyhound. 

While we were there, we thought Eddie might like to get cleaned up. We try to shampoo him regularly but it's a wet and time-consuming process! It's also a big season for shedding for the little guy, and the pros know how to brush him enough to minimize his shedding. We heard a few little yelps while sitting in the dog cafe reading and eating sandwiches, but I think they treated him very well overall. When he was done, it was almost dinner time, so we treated him to a special meaty meal for being so brave:

Eddie at Dog Cafe Hanegawa with a fresh shampoo and blow dry!

Joe smooshed the treat for Eddie's convenience and Eddie really enjoyed it! After a long day of adventures, Eddie and I slept for the ride back and gave Joe a chance to catch up on his Diane Rehm podcasts. 

What a great day! 

The next day, Monday, the Superbowl was on at 8am here in Japan and the III MEF Marines had the day off to enjoy this wonderful American institution! We ate pizza and wings for breakfast, bought a game pass to watch the game and commercials on our TV, and had the Puppy Bowl streaming for me and Eddie. Thanks for the long weekend, Marine Corps! Ooh-rah!

Kawaii Cappuccino

This next subject, cappuccino, hardly makes up for the fact that there are no cafes on base or near base. However, there are places in the surrounding area where you can commission a beautiful piece of artwork in your froth. 

"I'm a cat that snuck into your coffee!"

"I'm just a bear!"

The two places that are best are L Style Cafe by the train station and Primavera which is hidden away past Mike's Tex-Mex down a side street by the Eneos gas station over the bridge. I've had a chance to go by myself, with Joe, and with a fabulous group of girlfriends/co-workers. A bonus of going with a group is being able to take pictures of everyone's cappuccino! 

Sleeping bunny! Just turn your head :)

Baby

The coffee below was for my friend Chaplain Skelton. We were celebrating her birthday and this was definitely the most appropriate one for her!

Bear friends

Moon & Star

I hope people in the states like these pictures! If you're thinking about how unjust the world is for not letting you have the cutest coffee in existence, it's just a plane ride (or two or three) away!

Eddie's Big Day Out

"Kawaii" is one of my favorite words that I've learned in Japanese. It is translated as meaning "cute" but really encompasses a lot more than that. People get really emotional over things that are kawaii, so I guess it can also mean precious, adorable, special, detailed, or whatever else gets the point across. The only reason I know it is because people constantly will stop me on the street when I'm walking Eddie and cry out "kawaii!!!" as if expressing their deepest emotion or despair.

So that you know what I'm working with here, this is Eddie on his first birthday. The poor thing didn't get any presents or a cake, but he did get his favorite thing: a hike up a very long hill and a treat at the top! We even made stops for belly rubs from strangers! Woohoo!

He did get a pretty snazzy birthday hat:

Family picture pre-hike

Baby dog picture on our way across the bridge

The whole family got to the top of the mountain!

 As you can see, Joe and I are celebrating the special day by wearing our Shiba Inu shirts from Eddie's Grandma Anna. We rarely get to wear them together, but it was the perfect opportunity. I think Eddie appreciated the extra attention to detail, but did not particularly care for the birthday hat. 


We had an ulterior motive for this hike as well: we're thinking about hiking Mt. Fuji next year. It's time to get these hiking muscles into shape!

Here today, Guam tomorrow

It's really been a while since I updated my blog! Isn't it ironic how we don't have time to record our lives when we're the busiest and our lives are changing the most dramatically?

One of the biggest reasons I haven't been posting is because I'm working on base now! I work with a great team of women and I really like my new job. It definitely has its ups and downs, like the huge confidence boost from doing back-to-back trainings in one day for large groups of Marines and Sailors, or a recent event that I planned for weeks and had to cancel because of low participation. The last one made me feel a little like this guy: 7 Seconds to Explain. 

Joe was in Guam for over a month and I successfully managed life without him! Well, not quite: I snuck in a quick weekender to see him during the first few weeks. What can I say? Guam was magical! I never thought about Guam until I started hearing about Joe going there every so often. I learned that it is part of America and abides by the same rules and laws that we have in America. This means people are allowed to stay out past midnight! Woohoo! The Marines were all pretty excited about that one.


It's also incredibly picturesque in Guam. It's like a smaller, less developed Hawaii with a lot more military presence. We had a chance to go scuba diving in two different locations and saw an amazing array of sea creatures: different starfish, sea cucumbers, coral of every color, and fish of just about every size. On our way to another dive site we actually had to stop the boat FOR DOLPHIN! There was a whole school of them playing in the displaced water off the bow of our boat.

Aside from that magic (I swear I had to catch my breath from gasping so many times!), we also got to stay at the Westin. Usually when you think about guys on deployment, you're thinking about barracks rooms, nasty showers, and a sea bag's worth of personal belongings to get you through a few weeks. Oh no. The Japanese government paid for these guys to stay at the Westin for weeks on end with luxurious rooms, a gorgeous white sand beach, generous wifi and beach bar in front. I just fainted thinking about it. Oh, then they stuck all the guys in the barracks for a few weeks at the end for a reality check. 

We had to make an emergency exit at Two Lovers Point. What a beautiful view and appropriate name!

I really didn't take many pictures, but let me assure you: we had an amazing time! I really enjoyed going to a Macy's (I would have run out screaming if I was comparing it to the same store in Michigan), shopping around souvenir shops, getting burnt to a crisp, and going on evening walks with Joe. And the food! I've discovered that I'm very much over Japanese food after being here for a year and a half. I don't especially dislike it, but most of it is overpriced, bland, or has a face. The food in Guam was fabulous. Joe picked me up from the airport and took me to a gross/awesome (depends on your taste?) Denny's-style diner where we shared some midnight snacks when I first arrived. We went to the hotel's Starbucks, a Ruby Tuesdays, California Pizza Kitchen (which I always pronounce California Chicken Pizza for some reason), and a Hard Rock Cafe. I also had a chance to write a post card to my mom at Port of Mocha coffee house. A coffee house! We don't have those here in Iwakuni, so it was truly like having a weight lifted from my shoulders. 


The trip was really over just as fast as it began. I wanted to stay longer or forever, but real life (and Eddie!) were calling. Hopefully I'll be able to go back again next time!

Safari Land and Akiyoshido Caves

Joe and I went on a little day trip through Information, Tours, & Travel (ITT) on base. I don't use their services nearly enough, but they are wonderfully helpful, bilingual employees. We've looked to ITT to find dog-friendly ryokans - Japanese B&Bs and to make restaurant reservations. 

For our trip to northern Yamaguchi prefecture, we went on an organized trip. I normally would rather travel alone to allow for more spontaneity and fewer crying babies, but being able to just hop on a bus and doze off takes away an extra headache and is much cheaper. Win-win!

Our first stop were the prehistoric caves. These reminded me of the Mammoth Caves in Kentucky! I wonder if my sister and cousins (Mike and Jimmy) remember that trip? Great memories. Anyway, here is a quick glimpse of what we were able to capture:

Entering the unknown underground world....

Obviously Japan gives you informational sideboards with kawaii cavemen.

Stalagmites, Stalagtites.

"Goddess of Mercy"

Scary!

The cave's claim to fame: the largest limestone deposit ever discovered. Woop-de-doo!

I thought the middle one looked like garlic cloves packaged together.

These caves were once underwater and were coral reefs. The lines you see are from jelly fish climbing up and down and eroding the limestone.

"The Thousand Rice Fields": Do you like how we tried to include the signs so we could remember the names?

Shaped like Mt. Fuji

Cavewoman Heather

Just some underground rapids, NBD.

We made it out alive! It was really cool to see this cathedral-esque opening after being in a cave all day.

We made a quick stop to take in the limestone fields on top of the caves. This is a "quasi-national park".

More of the quasi-national park.

The end of Akiyoshido Caves and Quasi-National Park.

After this stop, we got to see the animals! Check out my post about Safari Land coming up soon.