Traveling with the Yamadas

Tetsu and I have been away for two days taking an overnight trip with our friends, Kohei and Marlene.  Though our families have been friends for ages, this was the first time to go off somewhere together!  The excuse was that we were celebrating Marlene's birthday.

First deliver John to the vet's again.  And of course arrange for the neighbors to take care of our cats.

Then we were all off in one car and we took the back roads to an resort onsen community north of us.

We stopped first for coffee and scones which were yummy.

 The Yamadas know different places in this area than Tetsu and I know.

Marlene has been in Japan about as long as I have.  Tetsu and Kohei were judo friends back when all of our children were little. 

It was so nice to sit out under the trees.

This was a very fancy resort!   But the main purpose for staying there is the very nice hot spa...

Here is Tetsu dressed in the hotel's cotton kimono, heading for the bath.

Marlene and I got to the women's side in the evening after dinner and then once again in the morning.  I think Tetsu and Kohei enjoyed the bath 4 times during our stay!

I got pictures when no one else was in the bath.  The indoor bath looking out.

And the outdoor bath under a gazebo-like structure.

We also enjoyed wandering around the garden and put our feet into the small hot spa foot bath.

Hmm..  A lot of white feet.

There were cute little stone objects in the garden...

In the evening we played cards.  (This is a very "foreigner" activity...  I don't think many Japanese couples play cards together as it is consider a child's way to spend time.  Marlene and I grew up playing cards and so our husbands have had to adapt...)

The buffet breakfast was wonderful but we enjoyed that too much to take photos.  We talked about how each of us really enjoy breakfasts when we are visiting the States.  In Japan, unless one is staying in a nice hotel, there isn't much offered at restaurants for breakfasts.  Both Tetsu and Kohei look forward to American breakfasts.

 On the way home we stopped at a bridge overlook to enjoy the scenery.

 Japan is really green!

See this photo...

And this one...  I think Marlene and I have special husbands who show affection and let us hang on to them.  At our age I don't see many Japanese couples doing much hand holding in public.  I don't know about Kohei but it took a lot of getting used to for Tetsu!

We sure had fun these two days!  I hope we can figure out a way to do an annual trip with the Yamadas.