St Louis Transportation Museum

We opted for the St Louis Museum of Transportation today. We began with a tram ride to the miniature train - a 1/3 sized replica of a train in California (It was difficult to hear the descriptions). We took two turns around the area but could have stayed on and ridden as many times as we wanted until 1 PM. I bought the ticket on Groupon which made the costs much more  reasonable.

The children totally enjoyed the "Creation Station" and spent a good deal of time making unique crafts. There were lots of hands-on activities, mostly geared to much younger children but very much enjoyed by these young-at-heart kids.

We picnicked on the grounds and visited the welcomely, cool museum. I tried to explain the significance of a drive-in movie display to the children, but the concept was too far out for them. The cars were very grand and dreamy. We never made it to the locomotives or the area where kids can climb on everything. There is plenty to return for in the future.

 

"The Magic House"

Daughter refers to it as Camp Grandma which pleases the children more than "babysitting", because, of course, they are not "babies"! Entertaining active children on their own turf can be a challenge for anyone, but grandparents have the added responsibility of making it fun and making good memories. My goal is to have my grandchildren remember me as an active, productive member of society, not just an old lady who sat in a chair watching TV.

Yesterday, we visited the "Magic House" in Saint Louis. This is the stuff childhood dreams are made of....and the adults were enjoying it as well. It seems totally safe for children and has some areas that are strictly age appropriate and inaccessible to those not qualifying. A whole area with water fun and toys for ages 1-6, an area for very young toddlers, and slides , etc., for 7 and up. One area was devoted to sleuthing, which was very appropriate for "older" children and easily bypassed by my 7 and 4 year old (although they did enjoy entering a room via the fireplace. Some activities are easily accommodated to a particular age group by the amount of thought and energy put into it. A very young child can blow giant bubbles while an older child learns about cohesion and surfactants.

The "Magic House"definitely has a magic all its own......


An Alice in Wonderland perspective

Learning about shape, color, and size from bubbles.

We learned about sprouting seeds in an outdoor classroom.


Climbing Jack's Beanstalk was a favorite activity. It was three stories high with an entry/exit on each level - challenging and fun.

We spent 6 hours at the House with a break for a picnic lunch. There were still areas we did not have time to explore. It is well worth the full price, but watch for a Saint Louis Groupon coupon to make the whole venture more affordable.

Journey to Japan - Nezu Museum

The displays of pottery are great but Em and I prefer fabric related items so, after a cursory visit to the beautifully appointed Nezu Museum, we head out the door to the gardens.



Japanese gardens use all the space allotted to them. Even a small garden can be intricate and complicated in its simplicity. Each time you turn a corner or look back in the direction from whence you have just come, there is another view.

The gardens invite meditation and tranquil thoughts and do not always consist of only plants. I recall the beauty of a garden consisting of only mosses when DH, the children and I visited many years ago. I will have to find and post those photos.

A lone ginkgo leaf rests on a boulder. It is an invitation to stop, sit, and contemplate.









A bit of ancient architecture reminds us how far we have come.





An open gate, constructed of natural materials, invites us to follow the path to additional treasures.....and the emerging colors of Fall.....





Journey to Japan - Views on the Street

Two of my favorite things to do when I visit another country are (1.) get on a bus and ride it to the very end and (2) just watch the people and look at the street scene. I did not get on a bus this time, but I did enjoy the street scenes and people.

This street corner on Shibuya Dori, is one of the busiest in the world. It certainly looks innocuous here before the light changes.....

......but after the light changes, people appear from everywhere...and this was a light day.

This wonderful glass building towered over us along a small expanse of sidewalk......

It housed a well-known (well, in some circles)brand of shoe that was very prominent in a book made into a movie ("The Devil Wears Prada").

I didn't see small food vendors selling from carts on the street. Perhaps they have been replaced by American giants?

This donut shop was a popular place

The sweet shops were more elegant

This seems to be the season for this inedible Fall plant used for decoration. Someone told us it might be a "parrot plant," but I don;t find it on the internet - enlighten me.

I guess you could plan a "quick getaway" in a Scootcar....

Japanese Journey - Taking a Walk

The "Cloth and Clay" tour began with a meeting the night everyone had arrived. It was a small group of 16, by design, and it turned out to be a very tolerant and congenial group of women plus one husband. Most were from different states, one from Canada, and one from France. Several were repeat travellers with Susan, although this was the first time this particular trip had been offered and everyone was very careful to be on time....all the time! It was a most impressive effort. Em was the youngest of the group but blended in well. She did not complain about the food or the walking or anything. I was pleased to see how nicely everyone interacted with her.

Most of the participants were retired school teachers and they wanted to make sure Em was taking note of all the important points.

Unfortunately, not all Susan's previous tours had been so delightful for her. Some included wannabes taking notes for their own tour offerings. Legally, they were within their rights - "We paid for this tour"; ethically, it was in poor taste; realistically, there is no way the larger companies can offer what Susan offers. She has the background to teach the reasoning behind the cultural specifics, the love of the people and shared arts, and the connections that offered us views behind the bamboo curtain. We actually met two Japanese "Living Treasures!" All this is to tell you that I won't be giving a detailed account of the places we visited, names of people that we met who do not ordinarily appear in public, or showing photos of some wonderful treasures that have not yet been released to the public. I WILL share what I can because it was fascinating......

Just walking through the streets in Japan is a real treat. This was my fourth trip over several decades of my life, so for me it was seeing the changes and embracing the memories. I also enjoyed seeing everything through Em's eyes as a first time visitor, who was also on her first journey to a place where she was definitely a minority -

"I don't understand anything they are saying."

"I can't read the signs."

"Everything is different!"

Definitely a touch of culture shock.

The first day, we travel by subway across the city and walk to our destination. It is part of the plan to make us individually mobile on public transportation and thus able to get around independently. I make sure Em is up front getting directions.

I LOVE to walk! It is the best way to see the city but I am often distracted by side views and trying to capture everything with my camera. I walk at the back of the group so I don't run into anyone or block someones view or progress. I become accustomed to hurrying to catch up but everything in Japan is picturesque.....

A street vendor is busy just a block away from our upscale hotel. These vendors are more common in the suburbs, but not many are this close. We are only a couple of blocks away from the Imperial Palace and Gardens.

There are so many people in such a small space that the Japanese make everything count. Beauty is incorporated into every nook and cranny. This cement wall is ribbed to give it visual texture and small plates are added for decoration.

Em captured this particularly cute one with an owl design.

Just a contained filled with water adds visual interest, although in Texas it would be full of mosquito larva.

Even a very small area is an opportunity for peace, quiet, and beauty.

A new use for olde doors

These characters guarding the street corner are some sort of popular trend.

Did I mention that Em really likes her Fedora and wears it all the time?

Free Cooking Lessons

An insertion here from another point around the globe. ....
Shelley is a down-to-earth Canadian living in Paris, France. She has a series of cooking videos that are fun and informative. This particular series is free and covers cooking and freezing. Not your typical cooking class. Have a look and sign up for free classes!

Japanese Journey - Exploring Takeshita Dori

Em and I headed down Takeshita Dori ("dori" is street in Japanese) in the early evening and discovered that it was dark by 5:30. The small shops were filled with young teens stopping by on their way home from school, young couples out for a walk, and busy, busy people rushing to whoknowswhere.


I was trying to take a photo of Em when a kind gentleman offered to take one of us together. His English was excellent and he chatted about the time he had spent in California. (Did I mention she LOVED her hat and wore it everywhere?)





Almost everyone spoke at least a little English and several who offered help at various times during our stay, spoke very well. Others, like the gaggle of school girls from whom we asked directions, managed to come up with some very basic English words they had learned in school, emphasized with a lot of giggling. My Japanese was even more basic and really sent them into hysterics. They probably had a good time relating their experience in their next English class.
As we continued our exploration of Takeshita Dori, we discovered that almost anything can be purchased from a vending machine. They are found on almost every street corner and there appears to be no problem with vandalism. We found the Japanese people to be very honest and polite. We never felt unsafe on the streets, even at night....not that we were out that late, mind you.

Small shops lined the passageways, tucked in close like cinnamon rolls in a package, displaying just enough to entice the shoppers. Most specialized in one particular item.....like this shop filled with a variety of socks.

Leaving the shopping area, we wandered into an area where masses of people were gathering. Our limited communication skills and the high noise level were not conducive to the exchange of information, but the streets were roped off and a "security" person kept pointing to an area and motioning us to wait and watch - this amid a flow of shouted Japanese completely unintelligible to us. We found a likely spot and waited.

We were soon treated to a parade of costumed people, most with loud instruments of some sort to accompany their"singing". Over-sized drums on a rolling rack required so much effort, that the drummers changed places as they stepped along.

Hundreds (or more) of people lined the route for a relatively short parade. Fortunately, Em and I were a tad taller than most of the natives, so we could see some of the action. We never did discover what the parade was about, but it seemed likely it was Jidai Matsuri.

There was one huge float with mean-looking "warriors" which dominated the parade. and the various costumes indicated it might be part of "Culture Day."

We ended the evening with dinner at a restaurant we discovered on our walk - Wolfgang Puck. The name was quite recognizable, but the food was local and very tasty.

This short video will give you some idea of the parade and crowd.