The next country up was Japan! This was my favorite country when we went for our honeymoon, and I still love it, but I think I preferred Morocco this trip. I had read about the sugar person before our honeymoon and staked out a spot up front and she made a sugar otter (you don't get to keep them though. Sad)
From our Honeymoon! Obviously this has nothing to do with this trip, but I still love this picture.
I think it's sort of funny and sort of sad that they have these "Nikon picture opportunity!" posts around Disney World. I guess I just feel a tiiiiny bit insulted that I need to be told to take a picture of this giant honking temple gate thingy (and then how I've only spotted a couple, so like, are only a few places "worthy" of being official picture spots? Or are they like...sponsored by Nikon? So many questions).
Inside the "Spirited Beasts: From Ancient Stories to Anime Stars" exhibit, I took a few pictures of my favorite spirits.
Oni and Mochi bunny!
Stormy has a paci that has a moon and a sleepy bunny on it, and we call it his mochi binky. The moon bunny is one of my favorite stories, because the bunny makes mochi. How freaking adorable is that??
Tengu, another favorite of mine.
I asked Baloo about the Japanese spirits while we were there, because a lot of them talk about things like "demon spirits" (the Oni), because by a Westerners eye, that sounds evil, right? He said that despite their origins, most of the Japanese spirits are basically neutral, not good or evil. He said the Tengu have killed loooots of people (in myth), but it's all basically in defense of nature. One of the spirits I didn't take a picture of were the Kappas, which are one of the few that seriously freak me out...
There's a manga/comic (later a live action show, I forget if it ever became an Anime as well) called Train Man, or Densha Otoko. It's based on a possibly true story (it's been neither proven nor disproven) of a man who stood up to a drunken passenger on a train who was harassing some women, then later goes on to date one of the women (and uses online chat forums for advice and support). It's a pretty sweet story. In the show, they have an anime they watch, and the woman on the right in this picture is the main character of the anime, and she's based off of Moon Rabbit. She later got her own anime as well, Getsumento Heiki Mina (literally Lunar Rabbit Weapon Mina). In case anyone's ever cared about/noticed the crazy bunny doll with carrot rockets.
A couple building shots of Japan.
We spent a bit of time in the store, because it has the coolest stuff! I wish I could spend so much more money in there. I wanted a tea set, and a kimono, and a bunch of pretty wall scrolls and...
Annnnyway.
I did come away with some tea paraphernalia.
Tahdah! Owl tea cup!
We asked where the penny machine was, and were told this one was also in International Gateway.
We left Japan and entered Morocco! I don't remember seeing it at all last trip, but I don't know how I could have missed it! It's gorgeous! I guess some good things about having Stormy with us is that I'm more focused on keeping him happy, and he hates being in buildings or shopping, and loooves exploring. So this trip we saw a lot of just the buildings themselves (which are so spectacularly detailed!)
I figured it wasn't actually a store, like it says, and I voiced my disappointment that it wasn't. Baloo pointed out that it was still SOMETHING (the "Gallery of Arts and History") and I was more pleased about that then if it had been a store. I'm not sure why.
We entered to check out the jewelry, weapons, and clothes on display. Fantastic!
Baloo had seen me take a picture of the ceiling in China and looked up and realized how ridiculously intricate it was, and said "I should start looking up more" So here he is looking up, when he saw me taking another picture. After the picture he basically was going on about how crazy the details are.
Stormy, rocking out his humidity-attacked hair (just like his mommy!)
We went back out into the courtyard.
And then let Stormy do some free range. There weren't a whole lot of people here (so sad!), so we figured he could get some energy out. I am so glad we did! He found us the most beautiful, random spot. He ran through a very inconspicuous archway, and we were in this:
This is just....What?? It doesn't seem to be being used for anything (I figured maybe a character meeting spot, but Aladdin and Jasmine were meeting around the corner in the bazaar area, so I'm not sure)
Look at this! And there was no one in there! We stood in there letting Stormy explore for a good 10 minutes and not one single person came through.
He finally got tired of the empty room and ran back out into the street. While Baloo chased him around, I went shopping. Initially I wanted a scarf, but the only ones that came from Morocco were waaaaay too expensive (darnit!), but I eventually found a gorgeous candle holder that said 'handmade in Morocco', yay!
I went to the corner of the store (where lively music was playing) to get a pressed penny, and found that Stormy had followed his ears to the same area and was charming the cast members by dancing to the music! I couldn't get my camera out in time to take a picture, boo!
After the mini dance party was over, Stormy decided it was time to move on. We packed him up in his stroller and made our way to France!
I never really understood the order of the countries, I sort of wish they went in a little order. Heck, Alphabetical would be good enough for me...)
So I took a picture of the stand, and he asked if it was going on Facebook. "Maybe..."
and I am hoping to do the Princess Half next year and having a similar family trip with all of us. Loving this TR
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