August 7 - 9:35am

Well, it is amazing to think that it is only nine something in the morning and I’ve been up and doing things for four hours.  We arrived in Sendai early, at 5:00am.  This was even after an hour-long rest stop at 3:30am to 4:30am.  While waiting to be picked up, we walked down Chuo-dori’s pedestrian mall.  Nothing was open, of course, but we got to see all of the Tanabata decorations.  It was amazing.  The decorations hung across the main walk and went down to my shoulders and some even past my waist!   

We arrived back home at 5:30am, had a bit of breakfast and then everyone went upstairs to take a nap.  Right now, of the four of us, I am the only one away.  I suppose maybe jet lag?  Maybe a little.   

* * * * * 

Okay, today was long - Dan even thought it had been two days!  After everyone woke up from their naps, Miho did my hair, we had a larger breakfast than what we had earlier, Miho finished my hair then we went into Sendai.

But before I get into that, a little note about Miho doing my hair.  She did a little twist-cross thing on the top of my hair and around the face and then put the rest in a tight ponytail (with Yurika’s hair elastic).  I now know how the Japanese girls get their ponytails so smooth and even because it is how Miho did my hair.  She took Yurika’s hair elastic (about 12 inches long) and held out about and inch and a half.  The rest, she wrapped, wrapped, wrapped tightly around my hair.  Then she tied the end with the beginning tail.  Wowza, was that tight! 

Back to our regularly scheduled journal entry. 

We were all going to meet Yurika and her boyfriend (also named Kei) in Sendai, but Oto-san dropped us off at Yodobashi Camera, a wonderland of electronics.  It was very cool, but we didn’t see a camera for me that we wanted - they were all pretty expensive - so we went to meet Yurika and Kei at McDonald’s.  It was so hot, everyone got a drink when we got there.  I got iced tea and they misunderstood and tried to give me ice cream.  I have noticed that there is a problem speaking Japanese to people that don’t expect me to speak Japanese.  After I got my iced tea (no clue what happened to the ice cream), we walked down the pedestrian mall looking at Tanabata decorations.  Sendai is famous for this festival and it is no wonder.  The decorations are all made out of paper, lots of origami and decorations on theme.  Tons of people were crammed in to look at the decorations.  I even saw some people wearing the same “group friend” tags from a tour group like the ones we had to wear on the Nebuta tour. 

We got to our destination, where we were going to watch the parade, at 4:00pm.  The parade started at 4:30pm and we got there right before they closed off the street, so we were able to get good seats at the front of what would be one of the performance “stages”.  We only got to watch a little of the parade, though, since we had to leave at 6:00pm to get back home at 6:30pm.   

Back at the Arais we had dinner, which was really fun because of the conversation and comfort level I think the Arais inspire.  Three of us were sitting on stools, the table was so crowded.  But it was wonderfully fun.  After dinner we looked at some pictures from my wedding (both Makiko and Miho had been there - Miho as a bridesmaid) and took some group pictures. 

At a little after 9:00pm, we left to meet the Onos at Sankus conbini.  Yohei and Ryoko met us there and took us to their home.  Yohei drove and just the idea of that was a little scary.  Apparently he is a more experienced driver than Ryoko, though. 

The Onos’ home is amazing.  It is so big and there is wood everywhere, unfinished and finished.  It is gorgeous.  We all stayed up late talking then everyone took baths (separately).  Ryoko went to bed, then Dan and now me.  It is 3:00am!  Yohei says he isn’t going to sleep tonight; instead he will work on his homework for his architectural design college.  Maybe we have talked too much and he won’t get everything done.  But he should have done his homework before! 

Tomorrow, we are going to Matsushima and (for some reason) Yodobashi Camera again.  Should be fun! 

Now, it is time for sleep.

On to August 8 Journal Entry

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