Eugene Oregon

Toured Eugene by bicycle. Fifth Street Public Market, Alton Baker Park, U of O campus, Downtown. It's still a wonderful city.











"Buw-die!" West of Skinner's Butte Park.













Visited some old friends (and a new one). It's amazing how, once you start talking, it can seem like 20 years hadn't passed.

























Akari learned this "finger pointing dance" and she still does it when she's feeling really happy.












"OMG get those feet off of the clean blankets."
"It will wake her up."
"Well...O.K....Yeah...it would, wouldn't it. I guess it's O.K. just this time."

Seaside Oregon

First day on the Oregon coast was foggy and cold.













Foggy and cold, but in a nice Oregon way.













Akari had a great time swinging.

















The locals did not seem to share her joy.
Or she could have been getting the creepy Kuato vibe which I got when I looked at this picture.

*Kuato was the psychic, mutant, rebel leader growing out of his brother's abdomen in Philip K. Dick's Total Recall.







Back at the hotel. Could anything be more fun than wearing a really big pair of shoes.
















The second day warmed up.































The Oregon coast.













An absolutely beautiful day.













We very nearly had the beach to ourselves.













Totem



























Group picture of the Seaside crew.

Portland Oregon Zoo with Shasta (13 mos.)

While we were in America, we took a trip to the zoo with Akari's cousin Shasta.


























Shasta is a tom-boy! We were told in no uncertain terms that this is how we were to refer to her. The shirt we got for her turned out to be perfect. Translation: otemba-musume = tom-boy.














Akari was liking the zoo a whole lot.

















That is a sea otter without a speck of humility, believe me.












I'm guessing 5% of our trip was spent like this--loading or unloading the car.

After a hard day at the zoo, Akari crashes.