Fireworks, Fans, Frustration- Part 1

This is over a month past already, but I needed some serious time before reliving some of our Summer sight-seeing extravaganzas. Chris came home from Fuji the weekend before his birthday. He had already been approved for leave for that week following his return and during that week, there so happened to be several big festivals in our area of Japan. One included the Miyajima Fireworks, one of the world's most spectacular firework displays. If you remember an older post about Miyajima, it's the island that's overpopulated with deer. There was also the Goldfish Lantern Festival in Yanai that boasts a small-town parade and small firework display. Because we never know when Chris will be traveling, I decided we would experience as many things possible when we can and not put them off for another year.
That Monday we celebrated Chris's 29th birthday with bowling and a massive cake in the evening. I always laugh that he somehow manages to be home for his own birthday and gone for mine and our anniversary just about every. single. year.

On Tuesday we decided to go on the Toko-Toko Train which is more local attraction known for the one long tunnel that has florescent rock art. We drove about an hour to get to the station that does that particular tour to find out it's not actually a train, but actually a tram--like the kind you take from the parking lot of Disneyland. Talk about a serious let-down; Finley was beside himself because there was no train. Was the tunnel cool? Yes, yes it was. But after that was over in less than 10 minutes, we had a more scenic tram ride for the remaining 30 minutes one-way and then turned around and did the 40 minute ride back on the same path. One tunnel had bats in it, which had some cool-factor for a hot second. If it were a cool day, it would have been a decent attraction, less so for the kids even then. Unfortunately, the heat and humidity combined for months on end in Japan make even walking the 20 feet from your front door to your car unbearable, let alone a near two-hour tram ride. Since the cicadas had begun singing their Summer song here, I have a full understanding and knowledge that the ever-popular Japanese fans that are sold and seen every where aren't merely ornamental; they are crucial to having even the slightest chance of not cooking alive while outside.
One pleasant memory from our experience on the Toko-Toko Train Tram, that slightly overshadows the less-than-pleasant part, was our brief conversation with an older Japanese woman who was with her young grandson. In the best English she could manage, she was interested to know what we were doing here and how we liked Japan. She was very generous in welcoming us and glad to hear us say we think it's beautiful here. She even shared her grandson's candy with our kids which helped Rylan stop being such a crabby-pants.