(12:34am 27th)
This morning Yumi, Noriko, and Pastor Ito came over to take us on our return trip to Zao. Noriko and Jeri with with Yumi and the rest of us with Ito-sensei. The drive seemed shorter (probably because we could talk fluently to Ito-sensei) and when we got to the top it was actually clear and warm! We walked out to the lookout and spotted the gorgeous blue-green crater lake, and hiked down the trail aways for different viewpoints. I actually had my old film camera and shot quite a few rolls of film up there, and a 360 panorama series of photos.
We took a few group shots (poor Ito-sensei had to take one with everyone's camera) and then drove down a little ways and stopped at a waterfall lookout just as mist started to roll in, which was a cool view into a deep ravine. We poked around a bit, taking photos, and headed back down the mountain. As we approached the bottom some fat raindrops hit the windshield and then an "instant storm" surrounded us - wind, heavy rain, even lightning striking in the distance, near the tallest building in Kaminoyama!
We went back to the house and Noriko and Yumi rushed in and invited us to go bowling in Yamagata. Laurel and Moe opted to stay home and pack a little, so Jeri and I hopped in Noriko's car and after stopping briefly at her house and then at Uta-san's to get Yumi we headed to Yamagata, listening to Noriko's American dance mix CDs the whole way.
The rain lessened slightly and we stopped at McDonalds to eat (A huuuuge improvement over US McDOnalds by the way). I got a happy meal with a Hamtaro toy and a fish burger.
We drove down Yamagata's main street (to "Spice up your life") which was decorated for some festival and finally found the bowling alley right next to a pachinko parlor. Walked in and saw that it was really huge, about twice the size of alleys in P.A. The bowling shoes were totally insanesly colored. We played two games, I sucked it up (1 strike...wooo!), Yumi rocked, Jeri bowled with flair, and Noriko "granny bowled" hehe. For a 3rd game we teamed up and Yumi & Jeri beat me & Noriko :)
After that we checked out the alley's arcade section and did a purikura which turned out good; I cut up the photos afterwards for everyone with my handy fudebako scissors.
Then it was back home where Laurel and Maureen had packed the red beg completely full and downsized their bags to one for both of them, and also told us they'd given one of our Japanese/English Bibles to their favorite Sav-On checker boy :)>
Ito-sensei and Noriko came by around 6:45 and took us way out in the boonies (in the middle of rice patties) and ate us, I mean took us to judo classes where we watched boys go through a variety of warm-ups and then put on judo gees of our own and also did the warm ups (except Laurel, citing back problems) after Noriko translated the sensei's directions (Jeri slammed her head on the ground.. ouch!) We then watched demonstrations of a few throws before trying them ourselves on one of the Jr high boys who came to the Korean BBQ :) He made a willing test subject for our uncoordinated flailing.
That was cool and fun to slam them down haha, we took pics and posed with the class & the sensei, then headed back to the house with one of the church ladies as Ito-sensei had to leave.
Made dinner and packed a bit and showered...
Now it's late...
Called Denise this morning.. odd to think a week from today we won't be here...
Prayed that God would do great things this week.
