tokyoblog: "muh-muh-muh my Shimoda..."

Sorry, I've had The Knack's big hit in my head since we got back from our weekend in Shimoda, a coastal town just 2.5 hrs. southwest of Tokyo by train. We went with four other families -- altogether 10 adults and 12 kids, from under 2 to 9. We bunked at the Ernest House, a no-frills homey hotel about two minutes' walk from the beach, and ate and drank right next door, at the Paradise Cafe, whose massive deck gave us parents a way to keep socializing after the kids were down (if somebody woke up, they knew where to find us). On Saturday we boogie boarded and body surfed and played in the sand and poked around the rocks. I snapped hundreds of pictures (scroll down to see some).

On Sunday a typhoon sent us packing to the aquarium, where we watched a dolphin show and a stingray feeding; the diver who pushed squids into the rays' muppet-like mouths bowed at the beginning of the demonstration and again at the end -- not easy to do gracefully underwater. We also watched a sea otter float on his back and break clams open on the wall of his tank. Every time he slammed the shells against the glass (boom! boom! boom!) the kids cracked up.

Even though it rained buckets that second day and our train was canceled (we had to hire a bus to take us to Atami, where we caught the shinkansen -- a temporary setback) overall it was a fantastic weekend (thanks to Clare for organizing!). The kids had a blast and, even better, pretty much ignored Terry and me as there were several pretty girls to flirt with, and boys to swap Nintendo DS games with.

The train we took to get there on Friday was a direct limited express (or rapid?) not a bullet but it was speedy all the same, and the last car was a double-decker with this playroom downstairs, which occupied the kids while the parents could have a cold one in peace on the upper level. Dylan's the one in the batman shirt:

About a minute after checking into the hotel on Friday evening, we walked down to the beach to check it out. I took this picture before all the girls stripped down to their undies so they could take a dip (not sure I should post the after shots online!). I had put my boys in swimsuits, but the other parents figured they could keep theirs out of the water...no such luck!

Pizza for dinner. Dylan charms the ladies...

Terry, David and a few of the kids watch a Japanese dude catch a wave. Like so many others who were out there that day, he seemed exceptionally considerate about sharing the surf, carefully steering clear of our group. (I'm not sure I would feel so at ease at Rockaway Beach...somebody want to argue this point?)

Terry and Conor ride one in (if you click the picture you can make it bigger on your screen):

Conor and Caitlin, Caitlin and Conor... (Conor is on the right, wearing a white rash guard; Caitlin is at left, with the blue top)

Dylan (right) amazes himself by taking one all the way in...and not wiping out! That's Rupert on the left, sharing the glory:

Gotta get back in there!

My other surfer boy...

Almost got all three of 'em in the same shot...

There it is! From left: Conor, Dylan, Terry:

Heading to the pizza place for lunch; that's Clare with Charlie on the left, my 3 guys on the right

Sand, the natural exfoliator (exfoliant?).
(I borrowed Ali's wetsuit because the water...was...freezing, though of course I was the only one in my family who thought so.)