here, there, everywhere

Back from our Golden Week* foray to Shimoda, which is at the far eastern corner of the Izu Peninsula and about a 2 hour scenic train ride from Numazu, and which has a nice, tropical, laid-back beach town atmosphere. Our hotel was small and cheap, with old porn VCRS stacked neatly under the TV and a friendly owner who asked us to transcribe the English lyrics to a country music song he was trying to play on the guitar, and whose friendly wife randomly gave us a can of beer each as we came home one night. 

The more I see of this entire area, the more I love it, and both of us were smitten by Shimoda, with its friendly beach-side coffee shops and winding footpaths that follow the shore. It reminded me a little of being in Hawaii; and I definitely hope we can go back every now and then.