The second half of our trip – Yokohama, Japan

We flew to Tokyo from L.A. for 8 hours. Jesse was able to come with us until a Japanese custom before switching to a connect flight to Shanghai. There were a lot of paparazzi once we stepped out from our air plane. I asked one of them whom they are waiting for. They said it could trigger some panic so they cannot tell. (later I fond out Michel Jackson was arriving at the same time. Actually Jesse saw him).

My mom was waiting for us at the airport. We took another two and half hours train ride to my parents’ house. Akiva kept telling me “no more chu-chu train”.

Akiva and Kenaz had jet lag for a week like they had it in the US. They woke up 3 a.m. at the first day. The second day was 4, and the third day was 5. Their jet lag was gradually merged into 7:30 am which is their regular wake up time.Akiva was crazy about his cousins, Shi-chan 7 years old and Naho-chan 4 years old. They live a cross street from my parents house. My mom takes care of them. Shi-chan and Naho-chan were very happy to see Akiva for three days. Then they got tired of him being a toddler boy. He hugged them, pushed them and chased them hard. These girls wanted to sit and play with dolls.Akiva and Kenaz went to a Naho-chan’s preschool. The first day Akiva was there by his self. He was not happy. The hungry monster Akiva didn’t eat their snacks and lunch. The second day I dropped off Akiva and Kenaz together. Akiva still didn’t eat anything. A preschool teacher told me Kenaz cried for 10 minutes then he was happy the rest of time. Akiva did not leave Kenaz in any second. The teacher said Akiva protected Kenaz all the time as if everyone else was their enemy.

While they are at the preschool, I went to a hair saloon to trim my hair and a spa/sauna to relax. I was totally refreshed.

We didn’t go to a famous sea world in San Diego, but we went to a Yokohama sea world to see white dolphins. We fed sardines to pelicans and rode a merry go round.We celebrated my grandpa’s 92 years old birthday. His mind is very sharp, but his mobility is limited. Last year my 89 years old grandma visited us in Suzhou. In her mind she went to a Japan town in Manchu where she lived more than 50 years ago.My dad took Akiva out to a play ground every day to kick a ball. His neighbors said finally he has a boy to play with (he is father of two daughters and he has been grand pa of two grand daughters). My father sometimes forgets Akiva is only two years old. He was so competitive. He often got bored because Akiva used his hands on ball. And he found older boys to play more seriously. Going to a constriction site was another routine. We watched excavators and dump tracks until sun down.