A Very Delayed Japanuary Post

We've been on the road more than we've been at home this year, and while we have loved every minute we've been with family and friends, we are really looking forward to a full summer at home in Bend. These last 4 months have been pretty hectic and rough, and though we weathered through it pretty well, we're ready for some down time.

That's not to say we haven't had the most awesome time traveling - we love, love, love Japan. This time around, we only spent a few days in Tokyo and we spent a majority of our time up in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, close to Russia. 

"I can see Russia from my hotel!"

Signs in Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean and Russian.

Hokkaido has some of the best snow (powder) in the world - or as Mike likes to refer to it, "Japow." Mike and our friends Ray, Tanya, and Josh all went snowboarding and skiing, while Bernice and I went to the Sapporo Beer Garden, sampled a couple bowls of local ramen, spent hours in a Japanese photo booth, and stuffed ourselves with Japanese pastries. Sure, they were snowboarding/skiing on waist deep, world class powder. But, I'd venture to say Bernice and I had more fun!

Mike, Tanya, Josh and Ray ready to shred! Photo by Ray Gilman.

Mike on the slopes. Shot by the professional photog - don't know his name

Bernice and I grabbing breakfast at the bakery.

The Japanese bakeries are some of the best in the world. They take inspiration from the French and the Scandinavians, perfect it and then package it up a thousand times cuter. I think I visited a bakery every single day we were in town - and sometimes twice.

yes, that's a soft boiled egg INSIDE a savory doughnut topped with takoyaki sauce.

Outside the Sapporo Beer Garden

Sampling Hokkaido style ramen with miso broth

One of the best things we found was a Japanese photo booth. There were literally dozens of them on one floor of a shopping plaza. Each booth did something different - you can dress yourself up, write on your pictures, smooth out your skin, add make up, whatever. One booth had some weird looking Barbie-doll faced girls on it. It turned out this booth enlarged your eyes. I couldn't stop laughing. Even though everything was in Japanese, we dumped 100 yen coins into that machine until we figured it out. It took us hours but it was like a trip to the gym - my sides and abs ached from laughing so hard. We looked like anime characters!

We had so much fun we had to bring the guys back the next day.

Mike is such a good sport!

We ended the last few days of the trip with a major bonding experience - getting naked together in an onsen, and then getting thrown out of said onsen. The Japanese are unrelenting when it comes to tattoos. UNRELENTING. If Japanese people can be rude, that was probably the closest we got to experiencing it.

photo courtesy of Japanistas.

We then took a once in a lifetime trip to see the snow monkeys at the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Although it took us a whole day to travel there, it was well worth the trip. We got to experience the infamous Shinkasen (the Japanese bullet train) and pretty much every other form of public transportation on our way.

The snow monkeys keeping warm in the hot springs. Photo by Ashley DeLuca.

A mother and her baby crossing the river.

monkeys, monkeys, everywhere!

You think they're staying clean and grooming each other, but there's poop in that water.

Mike and I really love Japan, and I'm sure we'll go back sometime soon, since we still have lots of stuff on our bucket list to accomplish there, like climbing Mt Fuji! But for now, we are glad to be home and back to our pets. With spring in the air, we can't wait to fix up the yard and continue on creating our mini pseudo "homestead." Maybe this will be the year I actually grow some plants!

Water, Water, Everywhere....and Beer

It's close to impossible to find a couple where all four of you get along amazingly well - and not just the girls getting along, and the guys getting along, but where you get along with the other person's spouse, and they get along with yours. 

That's why we know that we're lucky, because Bernice and Josh (you met them in our Tokyo posts here, here, and here) are that couple for us. They are our favorite travel buddies, hiking buddies, and just-sit-around buddies. We know their personality quirks and food preferences, how late they'll want to sleep in and what they'll want to see. They adore our fur babies and we have the same vices. Planning for their visit was less about "what should we do?" and more about "how much can we cram in?"

They arrived late night on a Wednesday, and we picked them up and headed right out to Deschutes Brewery. Mike and I hadn't been there yet (shameful, I know!), despite living here for a year. So it was cool to discover that the breweries here have some pretty good food!

Josh and Bernice. We were there til closing - a good start!

They brought us an awesome housewarming gift, too...A few years ago, I had asked Josh if it was possible to recreate this chandelier I loved from this designer, which was an insane amount of money (especially for our humble abode). Well, he was able to weld something very similar, and schlepped it up to Bend in his luggage. So we now have light in our dining area!

Please excuse the crappy pic and unfinished trim on our sliding glass doors!

The next morning, we hit the trails. We started off local, on the Deschutes River Trail and got in a few good miles.

Josh slipped and fell...just kidding!

The next day, we took a lap around Todd Lake, usually one of our favorite spots. Right now, however, it's still got snow and the normally gorgeous wildflower field was super muddy and swampy. We all got serious wet sock, except Josh, who was only one who wore proper footwear. After the wet field, we had to tramp through knee deep snow on the shady side of the lake, so as you can imagine, our wet feet were frozen solid by the time we got back to the car. 

Bernice and I searching for the driest route through the field.

So for the next hike, we decided to do something with a clear cut trail. We took them to Sahalie Falls, one of our favorite spots. It's easy to get to, just off Route 126, and clearly marked with signs. 

This time, we hiked further down, rather than just hanging around by the waterfall. The trail was beautiful! You feel so far away from civilization.

Bernice and Josh on the trail!

A shot of the McKenzie River from the middle of a bridge.

The trail leads you past Koosah Falls, which I think is even more impressive than Sahalie Falls. It's not one raging fall like Sahalie, but more intricate. While Bernice and I were taking pictures, Josh disappeared down the ravine. 

Koosah Falls

We all scuttled down after him, grabbing tree branches and crab-walking the steep hillside.

The view from the bottom was stunning. Super misty and ethereal, and on a sunny day, I'm sure there's rainbows. The moss covered rocks and vegetation make it feel so lush! You could even see the spring, where the water comes up from the underground aquifers. The water here is so crisp and clear, it's turquoise in places.

to the left of the waterfall is the tiny spring, pouring from the lava rock.

On the walk back, we got viewpoints we missed on the way there, which were well worth a photo op.

The best part about Oregon is that you're never more than an hour away from a good beer and a good meal. After gorgeous scenery like that, all we had to do was drive about 30 minutes back to Sisters, Oregon, where we stopped in at the Three Creeks Brewery and had ourselves a snack!

a root beer float the size of Josh's head.

Bernice tasting all the brews on tap that day. The chocolate porter was my favorite!

It was a short but packed visit, and we miss them already. But we'll be keeping busy this summer, exploring more and more of the area...our new goal is to complete every hike in this new book we bought. It might take us a couple years, so wish us luck!

Iceland

While parts of the US have been getting pummeled with winter storms, we spent the week in.... Iceland! Our weather there was actually nicer than the east coast.

Iceland is very stark and beautiful, and the culture is fascinating. They were discovered by the Vikings, colonized by the Norwegians and the Danish, used as a strategic military outpost by the British and the Americans, and finally, given their true independence. The US Navy base closed recently, in 2006, and was turned into what is now their international airport and a university. 

outside the town of Fludir

We did our best to eat local Icelandic food for every single meal. They eat a variety of things that come from the sea, like whale, shellfish (especially langoustine), various local fish such as trout, arctic char, salmon, spotted catfish, and ling cod, and meat, in the form of sea birds (puffin, cormorant, goose, duck), lamb and horse. 

Arctic Char, a local fish. Similar to salmon, but lighter and creamier!

smoked salmon and hardboiled egg on a croissant - ate salmon every day!

minke whale. it tastes just like tender, delicious beef.

The Icelandic horse is one of the cutest horses I've ever seen. They're super friendly, fuzzy,  and come in so many different colors. Once an Icelandic horse leaves Iceland, it can never come back. They are one of the purest breeds in the world. 

Icelandic horses

Mike and I had one day to ourselves where we drove around the island a bit. I got to go to a wool factory and get some yarn and raw wool to bring home for felting and crocheting. 

The wool factory!

We also stopped at this beautiful natural swimming pool - Iceland's first, from 1891. It is filled from a hot spring right next to the pool, so it was extremely warm, like 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The whole place was quiet, steamy, misty, surrounded by snow, and completely surreal. We got there before it opened and had the whole place to ourselves. It is probably the most romantic thing Mike and I have ever done together. 

The Secret Lagoon

Secret Lagoon GoPro selfie!

We also got married! Our friends and family flew in and spent 5-6 days with us, touring Reykjavik, the Golden Circle, and the Blue Lagoon. It was a little stressful, but thanks to Pink Iceland, and Hannes, our wedding planner, everything ran smoothly and we had a memorable wedding. I am excited to see our Icelandic wedding certificate. We also have my wonderful cousin, Dennis Kwan, to thank for the following pictures documenting our trip!

The Harpa Concert Hall - it is gorgeous!

Me in a vintage 70s Icelandic cape, and Mike in an Icelandic wool handknit sweater.

the cold, windy ceremony. we had all the elements - earth, fire, water, and wind.

toasting!

after the ceremony, under the stars

at Gulfoss waterfall

the Blue Lagoon - like an enormous milky hot tub.

getting in-water massage treatments at the Blue Lagoon.

at Thingvellir National Park, walking between the Eurasian and North American plates.

Hallgrimskirkja church, and that's us, the tiny couple!

Since we've been together so long, we thought the wedding would be sort of anti-climactic, but it was really special. We feel like we've renewed our commitment to each other, and it was really nice to have that break in the middle of the renovation stress.

And now we are back in Bend, refreshed and busy at work on the house again. We'd like to move within the next week or so...it's a rush to the finish! Updates in the next post!