What a world wind trip!
We landed Tuesday night, got to the hotel and had a little bit of sleep. Got in touch with Youme (Panda) so we could meet up.
She is a wonderful person! She brought me prezzies! :) Ok, I brought prezzies for her too!
Courtney and I took her to lunch at the hotel and then out into Tokyo we went. Sure glad one of the 3 of us spoke Japanese! lol
She took us to a wonderful kimono shop. The ladies there were very nice and accomodating to us, even tho they spoke VERY little English and we spoke even less Japanese. Again, thanks to Panda, we had a good time and spent money. Then, off to Fabric Town! WOOHOO! What a place! Tomato is a building that houses 5 floors of fabric. ALL different kinds of fabric! Yes, I said 5 floors! After looking around in there and finding some pretties, Panda had to leave us and go home to her family. We snapped a couple pictures and she was on her way, but not until she let us know which way to go to get back to the train/subway. We found our way back with no problem. Good thing we can read the signs! Oh yea...they had English on them lol
We did go back to both the kimono shop and Fabric Town before we left Tokyo. Didn't get lost getting there either! :)
Tokyo Disneyland was fun. Apparently, Halloween is a big thing in Tokyo/Japan. There were people dressed to the 9's in costumes! Awesome costumes as you can see. That was a FULL day adventure and my body and feet were so glad to be able to rest once back at the hotel.
Tokyo Tower is beautiful. I just wished that we had had a day that was much clearer so we could have seen Mt Fuji. But, oh well.....
All in all, we had a wonderful time and I'm glad to be home in my own bed. Hoping to get back to visit before we leave here.
Enjoy the pictures!
This is all Fabric Town. You can see Tomato.
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0372.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0371.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0373-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0371.jpg[/IMG]
The Quilting Panda :)
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0058-1.jpg[/IMG]

Tokyo Tower
This little/big guy is the mascot of Tokyo Tower. We saw him get onto the elevator and he started waving at us. We got on the next one and tracked him down for a picture.
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Tokyo Tower at night [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0396-1.jpg[/IMG]
The view during the day [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0307.jpg[/IMG]
They had windows in the floor so you could see down to the bottom [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0312.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0313.jpg[/IMG]

Tokyo Disneyland
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0105.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0126-1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0130.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0186.jpg[/IMG]
This is just one of the pictures of people who got all dressed up.
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0205.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0218.jpg[/IMG]

Tokyo streets and walking around
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[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0300.jpg[/IMG] [IMG][IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0040-1.jpg[/IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0361.jpg[/IMG]
Gotta go potty??
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0375-1.jpg[/IMG]

That sounds like so much fun. wish you could have packed me in your suitcase!

BTW, I only see one picture.

I can't remember what picture it is that is not showing. :(
I'm going to be organizing them on Shutterfly and will post the link so you can see ALL of them....or I can post a few more if you'd like.

Try again, Cute

How in tarnations do you use that potty???

Hi Terri - welcome back!!! I MISSED you!!! :D :D :D

thanks for the pics - but where's the one of you and panda? :? :lol:

love the pictures!, you really do need to figure out how to pack me in your suitcase!

I just noticed that the Panda didn't show up! Hmmm....
Ok, here ya go!
Could this be the Quilting Panda?
Umm....no, too big! lol
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0378.jpg[/IMG]

Here's the Quilting Panda!
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...PICT0054-1.jpg[/IMG]

No idea how to squat and aim for that thing! Ok, well, I did use one like that in Singapore, but NEVER again! lol

OOOOHHHH, you two are soooo cute!!!! Panda looks like I imagined, and Terri, I've seen your cute little mug before! :D

I'm so happy you got to have this experience. I hope I get to meet some of the board folks in person someday...

She is just a great person!
Don't let her fool you with her English either. She does very well!
I did really good with my Japanese too! Bought a little coaster to put together and gee, wouldn't you know it, all the directions were in Japanese! lol But, the lady at the shop, she explained how to make them and I pretty much understood all of it!
I'd love to meet up with Panda again. I had a good time with her and I hope she had a good time too! Even if she did ask for a Japanese menu in an American Restaurant. lol

Oh, love the pic of you and Panda! I've lifted it out of there and put it in my photo album so it'll pop up now and then as that's my screensave! :D

Just had another look at the 'potty' - they have them like that here too (though generally not as clean as that one looks, I have to say!) If you don't run out quick after you flush, you get a foot wash as well! :? :lol:

Yes, we love Panda! Kisses for the Panda!
[IMG]http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...i/PICT0053.jpg[/IMG]

Ooh, I'm going to grab that one as well... :D

Terri, thank you so much for posting the pics! I love seeing your photos! And you and Panda look great. I'm so glad that you got to meet. I'm sure you gave Panda hugs from all of us here on the board!

Hey Panda, you are both beautiful! Thanks for showing our Terri around! Hugs to both of you!

I was supposed to give her hugs from everyone? Now you tell me! Sheesh! lol
She's a sweetheart, let me tell you. I think everyone needs to meet her.
Maybe we should take up a collection for a plane ticket for her to get to the states so everyone can meet her :) :)

With a stop off in France and Spain I hope!!! :D

Oh, well if that's the deal, you'll have to collect even MORE money because I'll have to go with her. :) :) :)

Hey if we really dig deep, she can come with you next year via the Quilt Show in Birmingham! I don't mind sharing the garage! :D

Oh, that reminds me....I have to post pics of the fabric I bought, yes?

Well, DUH!!!!! :lol: :lol:

Well, DUH! They are posted! lol

Well duh! I'm getting my bib on then going for a drool! :D

LMAO!

Wow love the pics Terri. Looks like the three of you had a wonderful time.

Welcome Back Terri, It sure looks like a grand time was had by all!

Great pics! I wonder why they named that store tomato. Seems like an odd name.

I know, such a funny name.
When I told Panda about Tomato, she was shocked that I heard about it. She asked...you know about that? HOW?
I told her...internet!! lol

So glad that you had a wonderful trip and got to meet Panda. I just had to make a comment on those toilets. Many years ago when my husband had a deployment to Kadena, Okinawa split with Misawa Japan, I packed up my (then) 2 girls (ages 2 & 4) and lived in Okinawa for 4 1/2 months. ( we had a fantastic time, hardly saw DH but had a great time) We had plenty experience with those toilets!!! Now that I have arthritis in my knees I'm not sure I could use those too well. I wonder what the older Japanese people do?

OMG>..what a fun trip! And, the 5 floors...wasn't that the mountain??:)Such a great experience for all! Just think..all I want to do is get to Houston one day!LOL Skeat

Welcome home Terri. Glad you had a wonderful time. Wish we could have all fit in your suitcase. How great you got to meet Panda.

Thanks for sharing your pictures. :) :) :)

Thanks for sharing your trip with us!
I love the pictures, especially of you and our Panda!!

Ok, I still don't get the toilet thing.... HOW does that work?



Great pics, by the way :)

Ummm you crouch. No sitting here! Feet on either side of the bowl, low enough so you don't splash on your cloths. Not good on bad knees!

Ya just kinda squat over it making sure you don't get anything on you.
Oh, did I mention the buttons you can play with? I think I have a picture somewhere, not sure. I know we took one. You can push one that plays music or a flushing sound so others don't hear your "noise". There's a button for spray for the front or the back. Those are fun when you tell a person to push them that doesn't know what they are for. lmao Yes, I know, it's mean, but it's funny hearing their reaction! hehe

Great to see the pictures of you and Panda. The picture in my head of you was TOTALLY wrong, because you don't look like the picture of your daughters in your Avatar! What a wonderful time you had - and now we're all green with envy! It's been 47 years since I was in Tokyo, so it has changed a tad - - -

What a cool trip. Thanks so much for sharing with us.

Pictures are just wonderful, Terri!

It looks like you had a great time.
Thanks for sharing them with us and I'm glad
you got to spend some time with Panda! :lol:

Skeat, why the dickens would you want to come to Houston, the hemorrhoid of the southwest for??!!!! If it's just for the quilt show, well the award winning quilts rotate to all the big shows throughoutthe country. Pick somewhere NICE to go, 'cause here ain't it!

Terri, I can just imagine how high the water has to spray for bidet cleansing in that toilet!! LMAO!! It would be a shower for a kid or a short person!

Thank you for posting, I've enjoyed the arm chair travel....Panda is a very tall and pretty woman....nothing like I pictured. :D