What's New in November & December, 1998
Birthday in California (Junko)
On November 24, Junko also received her birthday in California. She was celebrated by a beautiful bouquet. As seen in this picture, the house is orientally arranged not only in the entrance(There are a tablet and a hanging scroll "Kakejiku".), but also living room. There are a screen of a paper and a incense burner at this corner, "samurai" doll at opposite corner.
Santa Barbara
In a vacation of Thanksgiving, the family have been to Los Angeles by a hope of Takeshi and HAruka. However, it took over 9 hours to Santa Barbara where 100 miles north of Los Angeles and reached the hotel at midnight. Santa Barbara was a wonderful city. The beach near the hotel was beautiful with palm trees(Left Photo) and Mission Santa Barbara called as ”Queen of Mission" was interesting in the comparison of a solemn of the sound of pipeorgan inside and the southern European appearance with blue sky outside.
Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, they visited Hollywood at first, where Takeshi and Haruka wanted to go the most. They were much impressed by touching stars' hand marks and footprints.
They enjoyed American entertainments much up to late night at Universal Studios on the next day and Anaheim Disney Land on the following day. Their favorites in Universal Studios were the Tram tour to see movie sets and to experience scene of movie, "Water World" in which audience also attended the show and, if you want to experience a thrill, Jurasic Park. In latter 2 items you need a rainsuit for the splash. On the otherhand, Anaheim Disney Land is, to compare with Tokyo Disney Land, small in the scale but handmade, warm and make people feel as if the characters in the Disney movie were here. Also the family needed rainsuits because of "Splash Mountain" and real rain.
Messiah concert (Toru & Junko)
At the memorial church of Stanford University, Handel's Messiah sing-along/play-along concert was held. Junko and Toru attended the concert and enjoyed much, though they couldn't sing the song.
Lake Tahoe
In the vacation of Christmas, the family have been to Lake Tahoe to do skiing. They enjoyed much in 4 different ski areas : Heavenly which has the slope to go down to the lake(Left photo), Squaw Valley which has huge slope, Diamond Peak which has small slope but with the good lake view and Nort Star which has wonderful slopes in the forest(Right photo). To compare with Japan, there were less peoples and larger sloes so that family could ski freely and relaxed. Instead of a hot spring in Japan, there was a poolside-jacuzzi in the hotel and the family could make them warm. As the hotel had movies and arcade games, Haruka and Takeshi could enjoy them also. Anyway, on the first day, as the weather was too bad to make the road to Lake Tahoe icey, family changed the plan and spent the night at a local inn at the half of the way to the lake.