Best Books of 2018

There's a lot of things I miss about blogging regularly. I use to love sitting down and writing book reviews after finishing a book, as something to refer back to on why I might have loved it so much. (But the last one I posted was back in 2016!) Also, I used to love wrapping up a year reflecting back on what occurred. (The last time I did one of those was even longer in 2015!) So on a whim I decided to bring them both back with a list of my favorite reads from the past year. In years past I've actually ranked books where #1 was my absolute favorite, but for simplicity sake, I just have them all in the order I read them.

1. Apprentice by Maggie Anton
I LOVED Anton's Rashi'a Daughters Trilogy and was so excited to read another one from her. It's a time period that I haven't read much about (Persia in 300s), and I found everything fascinating. There is a sequel to it, which I can't wait to pick up.

2. Juniper: The Girl Who Was Born Too Soon by Kelley Benham French and Thomas French
This is such an incredible memoir about a couple recollecting their duaghter's premature birth. Thankfully, everything worked out for the family and they now have a healthy daughter years later. I just remember not being able to put this down, because even though you know how it works out, you just had to see the journey there.

3. The Forgotten Room by Karen White, Lauren Willig, Beatriz Williams
This was a fun book written by 3 different authors told over three time periods. Of the authors, I had only read Willig before (whose Pink Carnation series I love!), but I've heard great things about Williams especially. It was definitely fun trying to match either author up with the story they likely guided the most. Each story centers around a room in a NYC house and features a different love story. It was so fun trying to figure out how the characters and stories were all interwoven.

4. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
So far, I've loved everything I've read by Rowell. Which actually is now only two, but I'm still excited to read the rest. I felt like this book so captured the feeling of being in college. I also loved the fan fiction aspect of it, which brought me back to when I used to read and write it back in high school. (Yes, seriously! Backstreet Boys fan fiction in case you had to know! Sadly, or maybe not so, anything I wrote no longer exists.)

5. The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
I feel like I'm so late to this one! But like everything else, reading has also dropped off lately. I picked this up just in time for The Royal Wedding. It really was just as good as everything said, and I'd love to read a sequel to check in on Nick and Bex.

6. Somerset by Leila Meacham
After reading Roses by Meacham years ago, I've been meaning to read more by her. This was actually the second by her I read this year (the first being Titans), but the one I liked better. It had such an interesting perspective. It is another epic family story. I loved some of the details, things like the discovery of dinosaur bones and the idea of adoption in the early 1900s. Actually this was one of many books I read this years that discussed adoption in the early 1900s, definitely a bit of a rabbit hole I fell into.

7. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Another epic family historical story. This one though taking place in Korea and Japan. Like many of the others, it's a period I knew little about which is part of the reason I loved it. There are a lot of characters and a lot of time passing in this book, which meant certain aspects weren't as developed as they could have been. Still I absolutely loved the book and getting to hear the family's story.

8. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
I remember being intrigued by this one when it came out, and can't believe it's taken me so long to read. It's an interesting perspective of WWII, one I hadn't read before. There's 2 separate stories told throughout, and I loved how they finally intertwined at the end.

9. Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Another one I know I'm crazy late on! I haven't seen the movie yet, but based on the previews, I'm not sure it can compare to the book. The title of this one definitely lives up to its name. I've since gone on and finished the trilogy and while I loved them all, I think the first is the best because you really go into it not knowing what to expect.

10. Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate
Remember a couple of paragraph's ago mentioning how I read several books about adoption, this is one of those. (The other big one was The Orphan Train, which just missed this list.) It's another one with two story lines that intertwine by the end. I actually loved the historical one so much more than the present day story, although I do realize the importance of having the other perspective.

11. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
I just couldn't stop at 10, and for those of you that have read this, you understand why. It's a book you start and don't quite get, but as you continue to read and understand the story it's heartwarming and one you can't put down.

I feel like 2018 was the first year in a while where I really, really loved what I read. Hence the reason I wanted to write this post. I didn't hit my goal of 52 books in a year, although assuming I finish the book I'm currently reading, will be only 7 books away. I'm hoping that now that the babies are getting older and I'm starting to feel a bit more like myself again, I can get back to reading and blogging more often!

To see my favorite books from years' past go here:
2014
2013
2012

From the Pacific Theater

The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody Eppstein
Published: January 13, 2014 by W. W. Norton & Company
Originally Published: March 11, 2012
Through the years I've read a lot about WWII, except I think this is the first I've read that dealt with the war in Japan. Which is a bit ironic in a way, because my own grandfather fought in Japan in WWII. While I've always known that, I've never given much thought to what it must have been like, or what actually happened there till reading this book. (Again ironically the B-52 Mitchell bomber, which my grandfather flew in, is flown by one of the characters in this book.)

My grandfather (front row, center) in Okinawa, 1945The book starts with two chapters before the war, the first in New York and the second in Japan, that set the scene for what's to come. In these chapters we meet 5 specific characters, and from then on each following chapter focuses on a specific individual and how the war has impacted them. But each time we're only given a window into a single, short moment, and it's only together they tell an entire story.

It is an interesting way to tell a story, and while it could be confusing, I thought it flowed beautifully. There are parts you you almost expect, but that's because it's written in a way that it builds towards something specific. And while you don't leave the story with everything tied up in a pretty bow, you did at least by the novel's end have a feeling of completeness about each of the characters.

From my grandfather's WWII mementosI think this book spoke to me in so many ways, partly because of my family history, but also because I've been to Japan. I'd recognize certain districts of Tokyo that I'd been to and recall them in my mind. Except what I didn't realize till later is that Tokyo was almost destroyed during the war, so the Tokyo I visited in 2008 has almost nothing left from before the war.

There is a bit of sadness and awful events in this, but that should be expected in a book about a war. Instead though, the part that brought me to tears wasn't a moment of sadness, but at the novel's close when a character looks back on an almost perfect moment, before everything changed, before the war.

5/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

Top 10 Books of 2013

As much as I loved coming up with my list of my favorite books of the year, I also hated it. Each one if a favorite for a different reason, and there's a few others that came close that I can't believe I'm not including. Also I think that your feelings change on books after you read it, so if I were to write this post a year from now my favorites could be completely different based on how they still resonate with me. But here are my favorites from 2013, at least based on how I feel at this exact moment.

1. The Promise of Stardust by Priscille SibleyThis book still brings up emotion thinking about it. It's a really thought provoking post, but the center of it all is a love story. Plus one of the characters was an astronaut which I think is one of the coolest jobs ever.

2. Paris was the Place by Susan ConleyI know I said this in my review, but I really do feel like this book was written specifically for me. It really spoke to the period of my life I'm currently in, and while I think I would have loved it if I read it for years ago (or 5 years from now) it's just the book I needed right now.

3. The Fault in Our Stars by John GreenDo I really need to explain why this one is here? I'm sure it's on everyone's top 10 list the year they read it. I recently saw the movie poster, and just that gets me excited for the idea that they might be able to do it justice.

4. Together Tea by Marjan KamaliAnother book that's perfect for the period of life that I'm currently in. Like a lot of the others on my list it does focus on a mother/daughter relationship, which is one of the reason I loved it and why it made me cry.

5. Clockwork Princess by Cassandra ClareLike every other book I've posted so far, this one again made me cry. I do have my complaints about Cassandra Clare, but I do think this was a perfect end to the trilogy.

6. The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody EppsteinI've actually yet to post my review of this book since it's not scheduled till January. But get ready, because I loved it. Part of it was because it's related to my own family's history. But even without that link, I still think I would have fallen in love with it.

7. The Virgin Cure by Ami McKayFinally, I think I'm posting a book that didn't bring me to tears! Although there were moments that could have, so don't go in expecting a happy book. One aspect I enjoyed about this one was that it was so different from most anything else I've read. But still had the same type of feel I look for in a book.

8. A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley CashIn some ways I'm not sure why I have this book here, but for whatever reason it is one I really enjoyed. I feel like in some way it's a modern day To Kill a Mockingbird, and know there' certain scenes in it I'm not going to be able to forget.

9. The Ward by Jordana FrankelMaybe it's somewhat cheating to have this here since the author was my college roommate and one of my bridesmaids, but I still really loved this book. I can't wait to read the sequel, if only she'd actually finish writing it, but once she does I will again be running out to buy it.

10. Survival Lessons by Alice HoffmanThis is the second book I've read by Alice Hoffman and the second year in a row she's made my top 10 list. This isn't the type of book I normally read, but with such a beautiful message it's hard to pass up.

What books would make up your top 10 reads of 2012? And have you read any of the books on my list?

If you're curious, these are my top 10 books from 2012.

I'm linking this post with The Broke and the Bookish for Top 10 Tuesday

Mailbox Monday (58)

Mailbox Monday is a weekly link-up for bloggers to share the books they've added to their reading pile recently. Currently it's on tour, with Rose City Reader as our host for December, but starting in 2014 we're be backing linking up at the Mailbox Monday Official Site. This past week I picked up the following new books...
From Goodreads
The Innocent Sleep by Karen Perry
In this book a father runs out to pick up a birthday gift for his wife leaving his son asleep at home. Except while he's out an earthquake hits that destroys his home with his son inside. The main story looks to take place 5 years after this event and looks to deal with how it's still impacting the couple lives. This books sounds a little eerie and heartbreaking, that while I'm looking forward to reading it, I'm also a little apprehensive.

For Review from Historical Fiction Book Tours
The Gods of Heavenly Punishment by Jennifer Cody Epstein
This is a historical fiction that takes place in Japan during WWII. I tend to love reading about WWII, and while I haven't read of ton of books about Japan, I did love spending time in the country and it's a place I definitely want to learn more about.

Borrowed from a Friend
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
I've been dying to read these books for so long, that when I friend said she had read them recently I couldn't say no to borrowing them. I've already started the first and while it is different than I expected, I am enjoying it.

What did you find in your mailbox this week? Have you read any of the books I picked up?

Sex, Art, and Murder in the Wild East

Gaijin Cowgirl by Jame DiBiasio
Going into this I knew it was a different genre than I typically read. But it surprised me in a way, because I didn't dislike it. That's not to say I loved it either, but still enjoyed parts of it.

The book starts in Japan, and I was expecting a Japanese based story. Except the story then moves to Thailand, and what I wasn't anticipating was how much more I'd enjoy the parts in Thailand. I think because so much more of the action takes place at that point, it just was the section that was more entertaining to read.

My biggest complaint of this book, was the main character Val. She came off as so naive and stupid, in a way. And while I realize that was the point, she isn't someone I want to spend my time with. The hope would be that she grows through her actions, and while you could argue that she does, Val even at the end, still isn't someone I'd want to read about. I was told the book is classified as New Adult, and while that does fit, it almost felt like a way to rationalize Val's decisions.

Another aspect that isn't quite a complaint, but more like a confusion has to do with how the story is told. Each time a character had a question of what happened, we as a reader jump to that scene in the past. I actually found these historical scenes to be some of my favorites. But in a way it didn't feel fair that we knew this information and the main characters didn't. So while I really enjoyed them, I'm not sure they were needed.

This book is a really fun and action packed tale. I do think overall it has a lot of potential. The treasure hunting story is fun, and the places visited (especially in Thailand), really came alive. The book does leave itself open to a sequel, but unless Val manages to drastically change in it, I can't necessarily see myself picking it up.

3.5/5

Disclosure: I was provided this book through Virtual Author Book Tours. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mailbox Monday (31)

I always love looking at everyone's mailbox posts. It's so fun to discover what books are out there, and what everyone else will be reading. And while most the time you're just looking at the covers, that and a brief description tend to be all I need to get excited about a book. To see what everybody else is linking up check out this month's host For the Love of Books. As for me...
For Review from TLC Book Tours.
The Keeper of Secrets by Julie Thomas
When I heard this books description it reminded me of The Red Violin, a movie a loved years ago. Plus parts of it take place from the Holocaust, a period I never get tired reading about. I'm actually a few chapters into it, and so far, I'm really enjoying myself.

For Review from Virtual Author Book Tours
Gaijun Cowboy by Jame DiBiasio
I wasn't sure about this one, till I heard that it was classified as New Adult, and that drew me in. I'm still a little apprehensive about this, but it definitely looks like it'll be a little crazy (in a good way!).

What did you find in your mailbox this week?

Sunday Social (9)

I've been in California the past few days celebrating Thanksgiving with my family. But last night we got back into Louisiana, and so far we've been enjoying a relaxing day around the house. I've been writing about the trip eventually, but for now I'm linking up with A Complete Waste of Makeup's Sunday Social.
1. Name 4 jobs you’ve had in your life:

1. Summer Camp Counselor
2. Lacrosse Team Manager
3. Head of College Math Lab
4. Underwriter at an Insurance Company (Probably the most I've ever said about my current job on the blog.)

2. Name 4 movies you would watch over and over:

1. Love Actually
2. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
3. The Little Princess
4. The Notebook

3. Name 4 places you have lived:

1. Long Beach, California

2. Towson, Maryland

3. Avignon, France (Assuming 3 weeks on a study abroad trip counts.)

4. Baton Rouge, Louisiana

4. Name 4 of your favorite foods:

1. Lasagna
2. Feta Cheese
3. Foie Gras
4. Creme Brulee

5. Name 4 things you always carry with you

1. Cell Phone
2. Book I'm currently reading
3. Wallet
4. Camera (At least I try to make this happen.)

6. Name 4 places you have been on vacation:

1. Paris

2. Florida Keys

3. Japan

4. Israel

If you haven't linked up with Sunday Social, let me know some of your answers in the comments. And if you have, please say hi so I can stop by your post!

For Japan with Love

Thoughts for Japan

Photos taken March, 2008

Wordless Wednesday

Taken at Disney Sea at the Tokyo Disney Resort
~Shoshanah

Out at Sea

Welcome to another edition of Classy in Philadelphia's Where in the World Wednesday. This week I'm at...
Disney Sea at the Tokyo Disney Resort
Back in 2008 I went with my parents to Japan to visit my brother who was studing abroad. Everyone had their own ideas of where they wanted to visit, but my only request was that we headed to Tokyo Disney. Instead of heading to the Tokyo Disney itself, which is like Disneyland or the Magic Kindom in Orlando, we went to Disney Sea.

One reason we made this choice was because we've already been on the main Disney rides tons of times in California. But the other reason was because I've wanted to go Disney Sea since the early 90s! Back then they was no plans to build this park in Japan, instead they were trying to build it in Long Beach, California, my hometown. Unfortunatly the plans fell through financially, and it wound up being built overseas. But finally being at the park really made me wonder what it could have been like if things had worked out differently.

Anyone have an amusement park in their hometown? And what Disney Parks have you been to?

~Shoshanah

Blogoversary Q & A

I've been wanting to do a Q&A session for a while, but I was a little scared as to the questions I was going to get. What if they were all questions I didn't want to answer, or even wasn't sure how to answer. But you all surprised me, and I loved all your questions. I've kept rereading them, and I've been awfully excited to answer them all! I was a little surprised that in general they seemed to fall in categories, and figured it would be easiest to organized the answers that way. I hope you enjoy reading the answers as much as I enjoyed answering them!

In General
Amber asked "What did you go to university for?"
In college I doubled majored in math and chemistry. And I went to grad school for a Masters in math.

Amber asked "What is your current career and is it what you'd hoped/planned to be doing?"
and
Classy in Philadelphia asked "What's your job?"
I do try to avoid talking about work in general, but I can let you all know I work in the insurance field. (And yes, I realize how little that narrows it down.) I actually had no idea what I wanted to be doing, and kind of fell into the whole situation and field. But I do think its a pretty good fit for me overall.

Crazy Shenanigans asked "I want to finish hearing about how you and the ended up together. You left us hanging WEEKS ago!!!"
Haha! You're right! I do have a full entry planed to answer this, so I will keep you waiting a little longer. How about I make a New Years resolution continue the story!

Abbie asked "What is your favorite season?"
I would probably say summer, most likely since I've always lived in fairly warm climates. I do like visiting the snow, but I'm not a fan of actually having to live in it.

Suz asked "Do you have any nicknames?"
Not really, people have tried but in general they tend to to stick for too long. I've had people have tried Shosh, Shoshie, or even Shaun, and the boy's niece has been calling me Aunt Sonna lately.

Traveling
Anais asked "I'd love to have a list of all the places you've been! Whenever you talk about a new one I'm like - OMG you've been there TOO!"
and
Baker Girl asked "I too would love to know all the places you've been. It seems like you're always throwing in some other place and I'm all 'Whoa she's been there too???'"
My parents gave me the traveling bug early. They decided that it would be a great idea to take me to Europe as a baby. I can't tell you all the countries I went to on this trip, since I don't quite remember. But I can tell you all I spent my 1st birthday skinny-dipping on the French Rivera. But the trips that actually count (excluding Mexico and Canada, both of which I have been to at one time or another, and various US States I've been to)
England - Summer 1998
Italy (& Nice,France) - Summer 2000
England (and Wales) - Thanksgiving 2003
France (Mainly Avignon & Paris) - Summer 2004
Japan - Spring 2008
Israel - Spring 2008

Lisa asked "Out of all the trips you've taken, which one is your favorite?"
and
Classy in Philadelphia asked "What's your favorite place to travel to?"
Its hard to choose, but I think I'd say my trip to France in 2004. I was there for 3 weeks on what my college called an "Intensive Study Abroad Course." I got to live with a host family, and at times felt like I was actually living in there. I think that's the main reason why I'd say it was my favorite, because I actually got to feel like I was living there.

Movies & Books
Anais asked "I know you love seeing movies - which is one of your favorite ones, the first one that comes to mind?"
I have to go with two, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and A Little Princess, the 1995 version.

Classy in Philadelphia asked "Because I love books, what's your favorite book?"
My favorite book series is the Betsy~Tacy series by Maude Hart Lovelace. It's a semi-autobiographical series (similar to the Little House on the Prairie books) that starts when the author is 5 and ends with her marriage. If you never heard of them I'd really recommend them all! They even re-released the high school books recently. But if I had to choose an actual singular book, it would probably be Gone with the Wind.

Lisa asked "Have you always been a big fan of going to movies or is this something you started doing when you started dating your boyfriend?"
and
Abbie asked "What sparked your interest in movies? And because the cost of going to the movies is ridiculous are you at all getting paid for going to see them?! (Ok, so the second part of this question is a joke...kind of!)"
I've always paid attention to movies. I've always looked at weekly box office reports, love watching the Oscars, and in general always knew what movies were coming out. And while I always had a list of movies I would want to see, and didn't see most of them. But the boy loves going to movies and actually makes a point to see them. So basically I the movie love has always been there, but the actually seeing part is somewhat new. And I wish someone was paying for my all tickets! (Although honestly the boy and I do try to split the cost.) But if someone wants to sponsor me, let me know!

Suz asked "How do you find the time to fit in so many movies and books into your schedule?"
With movies, its mainly what the boy and I do together. We don't really go out a lot, instead we spend most weekends at the movie. With reading, its a similar situation in that I make time for it before other things. Although I am a quick reader, so that helps. Normally I'll read before part or sometimes on my lunch break. But if its a really good book I'll pretty much read whenever I have a chance till I finish it.

From L.A. to LA
Katie asked"Do you plan on staying in Louisiana- is it home now?"
and
Lisa asked "Do you think you'll ever move back to California?"
I think in a perfect world I would like to move back to California. But the boy would rather not live in California. I think what is most like to happen is that we'll wind up living in a different state all together to try to be "fair" to both families. But luckily, the boy still has a few years left of grad school before we need to come to any type of decision.

Amanda asked "Clearly, there's a bit of difference between L.A. and LA (which is why your blog title works, lol) - what was the biggest "culture shock" moment you had after moving, and is it still surprising to you?"
Its funny because some of the biggest culture shock moments are actually due to some pretty small issues. First there's the fact that instead of sidewalks next to the round there tend to be huge ditches. I get that they're there to collect all the rainwater, but its still a little unsettling to me. And on a similar topic, the yellow lights in Louisiana are incredibly long! Silly thing to point out, but its a noticeable difference from California, and something you might want to pay attention to if you're from Louisiana going to a different state.

Abbie asked "What do you like most about Louisiana? What do you like least?(I absolutely fell in love with Louisiana when I was there over the summer and my husband's family is from there so I guess that's where my curiosity comes from!)
I do like the food, but how can you refer to Louisiana and not mention that. But I also think something that stuck out was a bit of the "Southern Charm." For example, I can't say I've ever had a guy go out of the way to open a door for me. And over 3 years into our relationship the boy still makes a point to open almost every door for me. While its something I've gotten used to, the idea of it still shocks me a little. And the least, I'm not a big fan of the weather. Or more specifically I really hate driving in the ridiculously scary rain that Louisiana gets.

Thanks everyone for all your questions! And if there's anything else I didn't quite answer, feel free to ask me in the comments and I'll respond there!

~Shoshanah

Another Where in the World Wednesday

Once again I'm participating in Classy in Philadelphia. The way it works is you post of picture of yourself taken somewhere that you consider to be traveling. If you aren't yet participating you should be!

Today's picture comes to us from...
Japan!
This picture was taken in Spring 2008 when I went with my parents to visit my younger brother who was studying abroad in Japan. The Mountain in background in Mount Fuji, and this was taken on a tow-way car up to the top of a nearby volcano.

It might look familiar to some of you, since this is the picture I use in my blogger profile picture. Now just in case you had ever wondered you know where it was taken.

Head over to Classy in Philadelphia if you looking from more posts. Or if you're looking to see where else I've been, you can check out ALL my Where in the World Wednesday posts here

~Shoshanah

Its Bigger in Japan

If you've been hanging around From L.A. to LA long enough, you had to know this was coming. The Backstreet Boys released their newest video for "Bigger."
The video which filmed in Japan, which I think is a nice tribute to the Japanese fan considering how big BSB still is in Japan. I mean look at this picture when I was in Japan a year and a half ago.
When was the last time you saw a Backstreet display that big in a store. (Can I change subjects for a second, and remark on how crazy it is that's its already been a year and half since I was in Japan? At least this videos bring back some memories.)

I'd love to hear everyone thoughts on the song and video.

~Shoshanah

Family Vacay to Japan

So I guess the best way to update about my trip to Japan is just to edit my e-mails, so it will prob seem a little jumpy, but here goes:

March 16:
We just got back from being up in the mountains where we got to see Mt. Fuji. I`ver eaten a ridiculous amount if crazy stuff, like fish that have eyes and stuff. We`ll be in Toyko pretty much the rest of the time we`re here. I:m trying to get my parents to go to Tokyo Disney, so we`ll see if that happens.

Would you have eaten the cold semi-cooked poached egg at breakfast today? (Out of the 4 of us only Josh ate it.)

our plane was reallllly late. We litterally had to sprint all the way across the airport to make our connection. (We landed at gate 42 and left from gate 7) Plus we had to exit security and go back through, and of corse as we're almost at the gate they annouced over the intercom that boarding was closing. But we made it. Our lugage did not. And the next Northwest flight to Japan wasn't till the following day.And then they had to ship it to us. But we got it yesterday.

Then over the weekend we were at this Japenese bed and breakfast type place called a ryokan. It was like one of those traditional Japenese places where they lay out mats on the ground for you to sleep on. We did like a pottery class there. And they like served us 12 coarse meals in our room each night. With some really weird food. Octopus, baby eel, and alot of stuff I don`t know the name for. I did better at eating everything the 2nd night, I think it was because I was less tired. O! And there was all a hot spring there, and we booked a private one together.

March 17:
So I`m back. We had the breakfast buffet, which was all types of stuff. A bunch of pasties, fresh fruit, salad, miso soup, pancakes... I had hot chocolate and they gave me my own little like kettle? I don`t know the word I`m looking for, like POT duh. My own little pot of hot chocolate.

Did I tell you my suitcase broke? It was when we were getting off the subway yesterday on the way to our new hotel. I had my rolling suitcase, and pulled on the handle to roll it off, and the handle came with me, but not so much the rest of the suitcase. Luckily my dad was right behind me to pick everything up.

After we check into our new hotel today, we planning on stopping at this 3 story art store. We went there last night, but got there 5 mins before it closed, and we didn`t make it past the 1st floor (they had like Japenese type scrapbooking stickers there) Last night we also
went to this other multi-level store. From the outside it looked some some touristy junk, but once you went inside there was so much there. The 1st floor was like costumes and underwear and t-shirt. The basement (which we never actually went to) was like food and household goods. I don@t remember what was on the third floor, but the 4th was all electronics, and then
the fifth floor was all designer bags. Like coach purses and louis vuitton, and prada, and gucci. Kinda ridiculous, but unfortunatly it was all pretty much full price.

Lets see... what else. Sunday when we were up in the mountains we took one of the gondola cabel type things and got to see Mt Fuji. Normally when you go up there its to cloudy to see it but the weather was perfect for us. Then at the top there was a volcanic typr hot springs.
Me and Josh walked to the top of it, and they sold like hard-boiled eggs that had been cooked in the hot srpings water. The outisde of the eggs were like black from the sulfur, but on the inside it tasted like a regular hard boiled egg.

I still need to pack up all my stuff. Check out time at this hotel is 11 (its 9:45 right now) But were not supposed to check into our other hotel untill 2 I think. Me and my mom our just taking a taxi with all the bags to the other hotel. My dad`s actually a some type of
bussiness type meeting right now. My brother went along to translate. This trip would have been so much harder with out him he to translate for us. We had lunch with his host mom yesterday, and she spoke no English, and we spoke no Japenese so it was interesting. Did I tell you we made pottery too when we were up in Hakone (ie the mountains)?

Also the town we were in had a Little Prince musuem. You know the french book? We had no idea why it was here and Japan and it was just so random because they had so many artifacts. The authors childhood bed. The first book he wrote as a child. His passport. A bunch of
family pictures. So weird, and then there was a french type garden which was a replica of the garden at St. Auxpery's childhood home. Cute but so random.

March 18
We went to a park in hopes to see cherry blossoms today. They're just on the verge of blooming but not quite. There were a few buds on some trees that had started opening, but nothing too crazy. But with the amount of trees there were you can see how pretty it would be.

March 19
There was one tiny cherry tree that had blooms open. But most of them you could just see the buds ready to put. My parents told Josh he needs to come back in like a week because theyll def be in bloom by then.

We're going to Toyko Disney tomorow! AT least we're planning to. Although not like the main park, but Disney sea. I was looking at a map and they have like a mermaid cove there. I'm really excited. They were origonally going to build Disney sea in Long Beach, but plans fell through and they figured itd make more money in Japan. From the looks of the map they have like a Queen Mary replica there too.

So yes, thats Friday. And then Saturday we flight home. We leave Sat morning fly for 18 hours and then arrive Sat afternoon. Then Sunday I fly back to the other LA and I will be able to see you then. I've already read all four of the magazines I brought with me to read. I do have two books though, but Ill prob buy a new magazine to read on Sunday. Plus on the flight
to Japan we had our own little tv where we could play games and like watch a billion different types of movies. I was "The Aristocats" and "The rescuers" Two Disney movies of corse.

March 20
Lesson learned today: When climbing a mountain walking on dirt roads and stone steps in the rain Uggs are not the correct shoe to wear. Also a Vera Bradley bag is not the correct bag to have esp when it keep slipping off your sholder due to the big peacoat. We hiked up to
a 1300 year old temple today. It was really pretty but it took like forever to get there. First we took the metro like 15 mins. Then we changed to like a metro train going out of the city, and were on that for an hour. Then we could have taken another train, but instead took
a bus. And the bus dropped us off at the start of the walking trail. Which was like a 2km walk uphill. In the rain. Not that fun. But the temple was pretty and all in all it was a fun place.

That was pretty much all we did today since we spent so much time traveling. We got back to the hotel, and wound up going to this restaurant. Which had like this chicken soup kinda thing, and then they put soba noodles in at the end. We also got like some chicken wings.

O! The other reason we went to the temple is because the city its near is famous for its eel. (Yuck) But Josh really wanted to try some. So we went to this restaurant to get some. Me and my mom didn't really feel like eel so we got tofu instead. It was like 2 cubic inches worth
of tofu total. Well for each of us. They gave us rice too but I wasn't really hungry so it was fine.

March 21
Well I have no more e-mails, but I can write what went down our last day. We did go to Disney Sea this day. We got there at like 9 and stayed till 5-ish. So about 6 hours, and we managed to go on 5 rides. About 1 every hour which isn't bad. We did: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; Journey to the Center of the Earth, Stormrider, Sinbad's Storybook Adventure, and Indiana Jones and the curse of the Crystal Skull.

The Saturday night we went to Roppongi Hills to get a skyline view of the city. We had chinese food for dinner. Afterwards when we went to the bathroom I noticed something interesting about the toliets. See almost every one we used had some type of spray on a remote. Most also had buttons for seatwarming and de-orderizing. But this was the first one with a music button! You pressed it and it just made the sound of flushing, but I'm sure there's ones out there programed with other things, so of corse no one actullay hears you as your going.

And well that is my trip to Japan. Jumbled I know, but I hope it was at least somewhat comprehendable.

~Shoshanah