December 31 Kure - Ringing the Temple Bell

December 31 Kure - Ringing the Temple Bell

December 31 Kure - some New Years Eve Karaoke

December 30 Miyajima - relentless deer trying to get my ice cream

December 30 Miyajima - Torri gates at sunset

December 30 Miyajima - lanterns

December 30 Miyajima - Shrine

December 30 Miyajima - Inside Shrine

December 30 Miyajima - Pagoda

December 30 Miyajima - Sunset

December 30 Miyajima - Sunset

December 29 Tenno - Noriko dresses us in traditional Kimonos

December 29 Tenno - Back View

December 29 Tenno - Preparations

December 29 Tenno - Shauna and I in final dress

December 29 Hiroshima - Hiroshima Castle

December 28 Ondo - Biking to Ondo

December 28 Ondo - Bike Path and View!

December 28 Ondo - Lunch Stop

December 28 Biking back to Kure

December 28 Hey there is snow on this seat! First snow

December 27 Kure-Sushi Birthday Dinner. Shauna my friend and teacher from Korea comes to visit.

December 27 Birthday Flowers from Noriko!

December 24 Kure - Christmas Eve, Celebrating at Enzos House

December 24 Kure - playing a game of spoons

December 24 Kure - eating birthday cake with chopsticks!

December 24 Kure - my birthday twin!

December 23 Kure - I got a bike! The following dozen photos are taken from a day of riding around Kure and exploring the city from a new vantage point!

December 23 Kure - 1 bike, 1 ipod, 1 day,
1 town to explore

December 23 Kure - Street near the Museum, lined with statues

December 23 Kure - trying to ride to Ondo, uphill...nah

December 23 Kure - hummm, Romantic Walking Tour of Kure

December 23 Kure - Heading to RingaDori, shooping Arcade

December 23 Kure - stopping off for supplies in Ringadori

December 23 Kure - pitstop at my place for coffee with Akiko and Tamara. Handmade "Alicia's room" sign from Akiko!

December 23 Kure - Off again to catch the sunset

December 23 Kure - near the International Center

December 23 Kure - almost at the waterfront

December 23 Kure - Racing to catch the sunset

December 23 Kure - Finishing an awesome day at the pier

December 21 Hiroshima - A-Bomb Dome

December 21 Hiroshima - Peace memorial Park

December 21 Hiroshima - view of dome

December 21 Hiroshima - along the river

December 19 Kure - walk

December 18 Kure - practicing some oragami

December 17 Kure - Yoichi writing my name in Kanji

December 17 Kure - Playing a few games of Hana Fudo

December 17 Kure - Dinner in my new place with Noriko, Yoishi, Chris and Stephanie

December 15 Kure - the dynamic Karaoke Duo!

December 15 Kure - first guests to my new place

December 15 Kure - First lunch at my new place

December 14 Hiroshima - Some photo booth fun!

December 14 This was soooo fun

December 14 We could not stop!

December 14 Merry Christmas from Hiroshima!

December 11 Kure - New teachers welcome party

December 12 Kure - Lunch with Noriko and Yoichi, view of Kure in the background

December 8 Kure -Helping Noriko with her students

December 7 Kure -Moveing Day! Noriko and I after hauling stuff up 5 floors, no elavator!

December 7 Kure -the gasman

December 7 Kure -Noriko helping me get settled into my new home

December 7 Kure -roughly translated, my name in Katakana

December 7 Kure -enjoying Hiroshima style okonomiyaki

December 4 Hiroshima -Illuminata, Christmas Lights!

December 4 Hiroshima -Illuminata, Christmas Lights!

December 4 Hiroshima -Illuminata, Christmas Lights!

December 4 Hiroshima -Illuminata, Christmas Lights!

December 4 Hiroshima -Illuminata, Akiko, Mai & Tamara

December 4 Hiroshima -Illuminata, Christmas Lights!

December 4 Hiroshima -Tamara & Akiko

December 6 Kure, Discovering Earmuffs

December 6 Kure, New Apartment - 5th floor

December 6 Kure, New Apartment, 12 tatami's big

December 6 Kure, New Apartment

December 6 Kure, New Apartment-View

December 3 Kure, Sharpening skills between classes

December 1 Kure, Signing Apartment Contract