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It had been so dreary and "monsoony" most of the time that we were in Numazu City. Now that this is our last day, the sky is beautiful, and Mt. Fuji has come out to see us! |
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We partake of the breakfast buffet. I notice that most of us are eating from the "western food" half of the buffet table. |
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Kids on bikes are swarming on their way to school. So are men in gray suits! |
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I take a walk to see for the last time some of the familiar sights in Numazu City: the underpass in the busy main intersection near the rail station. |
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The JR line station. We never took a train from here, but we know where the 100 Yen store is in the station!! |
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The neighborhood Koban with police officers inside. I've looked inside to see if there was a wanted poster with my name on it! |
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The Library, the building in which I know where the security office is! |
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The fire hydrant. Although I never did figure out how they attach hoses to them. Many of these hydrants also have curved mirrors so you can see around corners when you are driving. |
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When I returned to my room, a sense of calm came over me, because I felt so secure with the emergency earthquake/fire escape bag in each room! |
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We all got a kick out of the instructions that explicitly tell us what to do! |
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At 9:45 (after making sure all the children were dropped off at school) Masae Yabe picked me up for some last minute sightseeing. This is a view from the mountain above her home. You can see the ocean, the main river through town, and our hotel! Very beautiful view. |
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The mountain overlook is also a shrine, and this pagoda is beautiful. It is so tall, we could see it from the valley below. |
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You can also see Mt. Fuji smiling over at us. The cloud have really cleared, and it will be a great day for sightseeing! |
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There is a peaceful area for reflection or for child's play. |
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There's even a cat at the shrine, doing quiet reflection as well. |
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.....we bond! Hope my kitties don't notice another cat's fur on my sweater! |
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We shop, we visit, we are sad because there is not enough time. But Masae needs to return me to the hotel for the next leg of the journey. |
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The bus is waiting, and people are already starting to load. |
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We say good-bye to the Numazu Hotel for the last time...at least THIS time! |
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We each prepare for a long day on the road....in different ways! |
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Marihope helps us all prepare for a long day. It's GREAT to have food with no eyes or tails! |
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We stop for a brief time at the Mishima Taisha Shrine. We are given a precise time schedule today, because we are stopping at so many places. |
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It's hard to see here, but there are about four turtles crawling up on the rock to sun. I sat and watched them for the longest time, stretching their legs and neck to the sun! |
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I love the artwork and the architecture of these temples. |
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Several worshippers came to the altar area, gave an offering, clapped and prayed. A much more solemn purpose than us tourists. |
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I pause in front of a beautiful statue. |
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There is a small zoo area. Even though it is not large, it is very serene and secluded from the main traffic area. |
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An ancient fragrant olive tree (reported to be 1200 years old) is a centerpiece of the area. It is supported in its old age by several wood poles. After viewing several beautiful areas of the shrine, we are whisked away. We eat the lunch we packed on the bus... |
