I really enjoyed coffee in the States and I’m hooked.
And surprisingly, the quality of a cup of coffee at the convenient store is GOOD.
I bought a cup at LAWSON on the way to the office…and it’s Good.
And it gave me a kick to work efficiently.
Well, I didn’t feel sleepy. hahaha
Are you a gamer?
I was at Luida’s Bar in a game called Dragon Quest.
Hoimi (Heal)!!!
Due to the international date line, when I arrived Tokyo, it’s already afternoon of the following day.
I safely arrived home and opened my suit case tiredly; then my eyes opened widely!!!
I hit a jack pot!
My suit case was inspected!
I wish I hit a jack pot at Vegas (casino)!
My stuffs were moved, but I had everything.
huuuuuu
This would be my last meal in the States… haaaaa
At last, I enjoyed my Peet’s Coffee at San Jose Airport.
I will continue to enjoy it in Tokyo because I bought three packs. Yeah!
Time to go back to Tokyo… sob, sob, sob
I asked for an extra blanket (got it) and also gave me a cardigan.
I didn’t know ANA rent out a cardigan!
I started watching a movie: Hidden Figures.
This movie is highly recommended to watch; very encouraging how three women contributed for development of a space rocket.
Their passion even changed the society.
I had two lunches on the flight.
This was the first lunch; beef was nice and tender.
I asked for Japanese (warabi-mochi) and cake for deserts.
Then watched another movie: Gold.
This is also recommended; interesting story, unpredictable!
Your Name: this is Japanese animation movie.
I don’t know why, but I cried…
Then I enjoyed second lunch.
After second meal, it’s end of journey…
I really enjoyed the buffet at Las Vegas.
On the way to the airport, I spotted the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel.
One day, I would like to stay over at one of Hard Rock Cafe Hotels.
Sayonara Vegas…it had fun during my stay.
A challenge to use a LCC carrier is the weight.
I am usually good at managing the weight without using a scale. fufufu
Oh, this is my first time to see a cosmetics vending machine.
And wow, there are Casinos at every gates!
There are many entertainments at the airport, but it’s time for boarding.
On the plane, I couldn’t enjoy movies because I thought I can watch movies by using Gogo Entertainment apps which should be should be able to use on any LCC carriers, but for the Virgins America, it seems it requires to download their apps for any entertainment on the plane.
However, I enjoyed one entertainment: their safety video.
It’s like a musical.
Yes, I happily pay attention to this video.
I had a nice American Chinese food for lunch: Panda Express.
I was told Panda Express plans to expand business in Japan.
I like American Chinese food and look forward to enjoying Panda Express’ food in Tokyo!
I did things that I must do in San Francisco.
Firsr, ride on a cable car.
Walk at Fisherman’s Warf and buy a Hard Rock Cafe’s merchandise.
Watch Sea Lions.
Eat Crab.
After dinner drove through San Francisco passing by few trains that were imported from overseas.
AT & T Park – San Francisco Giants Baseball Team Field.
And checked-in at the last hotel of this trip.
I was excited to watch the latest episode of Hawaii Five-O.
I woke up late to catch up my sleep after many adventures at the Grand Circle.
I enjoyed breakfast; there are many variety of food to enjoy hours.
Took a tram to Bellagio Hotel to check out iconic places in Vegas.
This is famous glass ceiling by Chihuly.
Bellagio started showcasing new theme – Summer at the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden.
This reminds me Menton Lenon Festival in France, but this festival is held in every February….?
There is the Guinness Certified World’s Longest Chocolate Fountain.
And the world’s famous water fountain dancing show also at the Bellagio.
Reached to the Forum Shops.
The theme of this shopping complex is Rome and sky changes for morning, day and night.
The VenusFort in Odaiba, Tokyo applys the same concept resembling this shopping mall.
There is a spiral escalator manufactured by Mitsubishi Electric (Japan).
It was fun going ups and downs.
I cannot take any photos at Casino area.
I took these photos at the border of Casino and the Forum and these are my best photos of Casino to share.
After exploring Vegas, dressed up for Sushi dinner at the Tokyo Boys.
It’s about 15 minutes away by a car; It’s worth taking a trip there because food is good – sushi is authentic.
I also enjoyed interesting coconut and strawberry sake.
After a nice dinner, watched the show: Cirque Du Soleil O.
We were lucky because when we arrived Ballagio where the theatre is located, could watch the night version of water fountain dance.
The Cirque Du Soleil O is an amazing show.
It was already 11:30 pm when we returned to the Monte Carlo Hotel.
I was in Vegas so should play for fun.
I returned to Tokyo.
I wanted to upload my adventure every day/night, but the US is huge; I was at deserted area where internet connection isn’t good.
It took me hours to connect to internet disabling to sleep…and some photos are not uploaded properly – I can view them on my iPhone, but not on my iPad…hummmm
Sorry, I decided to sleep to enjoy my events on Day 6 of My Trip to the US; I needed enough sleep and energy.
Changed to Hummer to drive sandy off-road and walk to the White Pocket.
Unfortunately, we cannot reach there with this Car which is cute and talks.
We need to walk a distance after getting off the car.
It’s hot and dry; need to drink water frequently to avoid dehydration.
Some rocks have the name.
This is called Brain Rock – hahaha.
Close relook for verification.
This area was elevated at Jurrasic period, about 200 million years ago.
The formation is unique and beautiful.
Originally sands/rocks are in red due to iron.
Rain and it’s water flows (rivers) which can become 1.5 m depth wash off iron and creats white pockets.
Imaging, cows to drink water from white pockets after rain.
We ate lunch (sandwich) at the shadow that we can find there – the place is rocky.
By the way, called Turtle Rocks because rocks look like back of turtle.
The view from our lunch place was nice, but we spotted a serious wildfire in Utah.
After lunch, we walked to admire the area and rocks.
Rolly Pop Rock – I would name it Layered Cake or Rainbow Ice Cream.
Once again, the place is unique and beautiful.
It takes 2.5 hours to reach the White Pocket from Kanab, Utah by Hummer (4WD).
And we need to walk under heat.
This is why I decided to take sleep.
After a great adventure, we departed Kanab, Utah for Las Vegas, Nevada.
Drove through the Zion National Park on the way to Vegas.
At Zion, we also enjoy looking at unique and beautiful rocks.
The Checkerboard Mesa.
A Birthday Cake?
West Temple and East Temple
The Arch.
And other beautiful rocks.
After enjoying the Mother Earth Nature, arrived CITY – Las Vegas.
Stayed at the Monte Carlo Hotel.
Dinner is buffet.
Hotel encourages to walk Casino to reach a restaurant.
Well, food is nice.
After dinner, went out for a quick walk because I spotted my Hard Rock Cafe!
The city doesn’t sleep; there are many people speaking different languages on the street at late night.
I went to breakfast at 6:30 am, thinking of occupying a restaurant to myself; but I was wrong…the line was already long….many guests are early risers….Ooops.
It’s funny, I just had my nice breakfast, but our first destination of the day was heading for our lunch place because the US is huge…
It took us over two hours to reach there….
We had a lunch at Goulding’s Lodge where the movie, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, was filmed by Director John Ford.
Captain Brittle’s headquarters is still there; today, it became a museum.
According to the museum, many movies are taken here.
These are some examples.
You can visit the museum for free and enjoy nice Navajo Style Taco (charged).
It’s nice and healthy because this is a vegetarian dish: fresh salad, cooked beans on a fried dough.
It was nice!
After lunch, visited the Monument Valley.
We can have take a best view of these iconic symbols at the parking area.
The monument on the left and right are a pair of mitten.
I forgot what our guide said about the right square one…? Could it be a cake?
Also Navajo Indians traditional house, Hogans are displayed.
A truck took us to many points in the park to admire these sceneries.
Elephant on the left and sleeping Snoopy on the right.
Close look of Snoopy Rock.
At the left, there are Three Sister and Submarine.
Close look of Three Sisters and Submarine.
It does look like a submarine with its hatch!
View at the John Ford Point.
Look how gorgeous these are.
Humans are so small in front of nature!
The tour took us further to have a great view like this.
Turkey Rock
Rain God Mesa – there are many lines on the side as if these look like rain.
The place is dry as you can easily imagine from these pictures; Navajo people played for precious rain here.
A tour took us places by an opened-car (truck).
It’s hot but recommended to get close to these amazing rocks that are beautifully sculptured by the nature.
It is so sweet of our driver, Mr. Jackson, to took ne to the place where Forest Gump was filmed.
Please Google and check the scene to find out why I’m running.
Arigato Jackson san!
There is another breath taking place.
Horseshoe Bend.
Colorado River bends like a hourseshoe.
This scenic view is preserved by Glen Canyon Dam; the dam controls water to stop further erosion.
I sat at the tip as if I’m fully occupying this place to myself. hahaha
This is the Glen Canyon Dam preserving Horseshoe Bend and filling Lake Powell.
After freshing up, I had a nice dinner at the hotel restaurant: artichoke soup, grilled chicken and lemon cake.
Yes, I had few glasses of Californian wine to enhance dinner.
I woke up early to go watch sunset at Mather Point, Grand Canyon.
The host of this event is obviously Elk Deer (sorry, I introduced this type of this deer Elf, but Elk) because she lives here.
The tip is called Mather Point.
I managed to squeeze to get a front row at Mather Point.
Sun is about to rise.
iPhone camera is not suitable to take sunrise; but I’m happy with these photos.
Grand Canyon grows softly under sunshine of sunrise.
It was so beautiful.
It was worth waking up at 3:40 am to depart hotel at 4:40 am to catch sunrise at 5:15 am.
Then returned hotel for breakfast.
This is my first time to see a yogurt vending machine.
After breakfast, went for Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour (operated by Papillon).
This is my first helicopter ride.
The ride was smooth and the scenery is gorgeous.
I would highly recommend the helicopter tour to feel how GREAT this Canyon is.
Colorado River. This river eroded the mountains to make the canyon.
For lunch, I had a typical American sandwich, B.L.T. Sandwich (beacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich) with strawberry ice cream.
After lunch, before departing for Antelope, watched Indian Hoop Dance.
He danced (or jumped) through using many hoops.
I wore a surgical mask before getting on a truck because the road is very sandy.
We cannot avoid sands because these sands make beautiful sceneries in a cave.
Our guide is Native American so he knew the cave very well, pointing out explaining what these resembles.
A face of bear in the center.
This is a closer look of bear.
A tear.
Bill Clinton’s nose.
Heart
Waves
Seahorse
Dragon’s Eye
Fire
At the end of the tour, he played a pipe for us, sounding so healing.
Thank you, Slow Horse!
After a great adventure, enjoyed salmon dinner listening to Country Music live band.
I’m going to stay two nights at Lake Powell Resort & Marinas.
This hotel is the only resort built next to Powell Dam.
It’s nice to have a lake (even artificial) view in the desert.
There is a coffee maker and Starbucks capsuls are available. Yeah!
I made a cocoa for my bed time drink.
I took a quick breakfast to catch a plane to Phenix.
San Francisco is a busy airport being a hub airport.
I took American to Phenix.
The art of Kusama Yayoi, a Japanese artist – famous for using polka dots in her art, was displayed at the corridor.
I watched the movie, Swan Lake, on my iPhone by downloading app, Gogo Entertainment.
The service is good but I could not finish the movie before landing.
I had a small refreshment.
I arrived the Red Rock Country, Sedona.
Sedona is the vortex of spiritual energy.
I was there and watched famous vortex site.
Bell Rock – the shape of bell.
Cathedral Rock – three mountains like the shape of teeth.
The Sacred Place for Native Indians – four rocks where Native Indians play.
Snoopy Rock – there is a sleeping snoopy.
See! I enlarge a photo to locate Snoopy (at the center).
I had a nice Mexican lunch at 89 AGAVE.
Main dish was shrimp fajitas! Yammy!
After lunch, went to shopping for power stones!
I bought four stones.
Yes, I need to bring back ENERGY with me.
Then went to the Vortex Site, Airport Mesa.
Thunder Mountain – this rocks gave inspiration to Walt Disney who had stayed here then, to design the Big Thunder Mountain. That is why the Big Thunder Mountain are red rocks. Look carefully, on the left there is a wheel and on the right, there is a tea pot.
I wish I could stay longer in Sedona, but departed for the Grand Canyons to watch the sunset there.
Rocks are so beautiful and changed colour as sun moves.
On the way out, a family of elves greeted me.
Sun has set and checked-in at the Best Western Premier Gtand Canyon Sqire Inn.
I had a bottle of local beer, onion soup, rib eye steak and cheese cake.
Today, I received strong vortex so theoretically, I’m strong; nonetheless, I should sleep for few hours.
Oyasuminasai.
sonokotchi 