This is the front porrtico of the church that was founded in honor of Francisco Xavier's journey to Japan. He landed in Kagoshima in the 16th century. This church was elsewhere in Kagoshima but was reduced to rubble during WW2 bombing, so it was moved to its current location in the 50s. It's a neat monument.
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One of my favorite billboards in Kagoshima City, in the Tenmonkan district. This is similar to the Mos Burger one I posted earlier.
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Here's me a little farther down that same road. I like the cool tree sculptures. And I have one big backpack on my back and the smaller one on my front. Easy to carry but hard to bike!
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Here are lovely flowers all around. Flowers in bloom along the old wall region of Kagoshima. Flowers in hand - birthday present. Flowers on shirt (ain't it cute?) And Aubrey in the flower of all her beauty. Dang, I'm a blessed man!
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Here is a pic of the Kagoshima Tenmonkan cityscape. Somewhere in that mess is a lovely lovely bakery named Toit Vert, where Alan grabbed approximately 2 sweetrolls per day we were there, for consumption at that very moment or for later.
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Here is our first onsen! Thank goodness we could wear a robe!
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We were so blessed to have great weather this day. That's Mt. Sakurajima in the background.
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This is our BEST transportation on the ferry to Sakurajima to take in the mountain and the onsen (hot spring).
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A pic touring Chiran in the rain with a towering hay roof looming in the background.
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A small turn to my right where you find two great views: the beautiful gardens behind the sliding glass doors-and my handsome husband, Alan.
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And this was the stuff (powdered green tea) I was drinking. This city was probably my best imagined idea of what traditional Japan was like.
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November 11th-Chiran, south of Kago-shi
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When we go on vacation, it is a tradition to relax at one nook-and-cranny cafe. We found several in Kagoshima-shi. This is a French cafe where there was Indonesian and Korean food...hmmm but we enjoyed it.
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Alan in front of the huge chrysanthemums at the Sengan-en Gardens. They had all sorts of them!
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Alan 'tasting' the hot springs by the road. The steaming sign at the top does not mean coffee sold here. Pretty hot!
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Alan in front of Amu Plaza a.k.a. Chuo Train Station. The only Starbucks in all of Kyushu is next to the blue tree.
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Hanging out at the Dolphin Port at an outside cafe
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Dancing Amami-Shimanchu (island) dance on my B-day
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Kagoshima-shi, on way to Sengan-en
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Aub's 1st post and 1st baby

Hello everyone!

This is a pick of me at a park on our way to some gardens at a place called Sengan-en. November 7th was the official 'proof' that I am indeed with child. It worked out spendidly that I had a meeting in Kagoshima-shi that week and would have the whole afternoon to get los..I mean, to find the hospital for a check-up the day I flew in, a day before my meetings. In Japan, going to the hospital is just where the doctor works-it doesn't always mean an emergency like it could be in the States. Also, it is quite a bit more immodest or 'open', shall we say, in the area where one is given a check-up. Every nurse working that day knew where I was from, how I got there, what my job was and yes, that I was pregnant. Simple pink partitions separated me from the rest of the patients waiting in their 'room' for their turn. The OBGYN did speak broken English and was incredibly patient but he saw really no visible baby on the screen so I had to take another pregnancy test (other than the one I took at home). He said that I had to be about four weeks and that is why we couldn't see much but approximated that the little guy/gal is about .65cm now. As I am writing this, the baby should already have a heart! That's amazing to me. And yes, I am feeling fine-no morning sickness yet. I don't have any strange cravings; I just wish I weren't allergic to gluten. I miss bread so much. I do get tired but that's usually at the end of the day and I spend a lot of time in the ladies' room...and no, not to put on make-up! Next appointment is December 10th, in Naze City on the neighboring island called Amami. We'll go by boat until it's too uncomfortable for me. Please pray that I can find an interpreter each time since there is no one at the hospital who speaks English! Yikes!