How Can He Remember....

Jul 4, 2009 at 2:47 AM
7 comments

After 2 days in Tokyo (Disney and Mother Farm), we went to Hakone 箱根 for a 2 night stay in a hot spring hotel. It was 13 years ago when I went to Hakone, this trip is totally different and tailored just for my son. My happiness is no longer about myself but sprang from my son's.

Hakone 箱根, Fuji-Q Highland, Pirate Boat, Hotspring Egg, Glass Museum, Sculpture Museum

He is 4 and a half and he is already traveling. Watching him running around in brand new places makes me happy already. He often said "can we go to new new place?" and so we did. Venetian glass arts in Hakone Glass Forest, sculptures in open air harmonized with nature in Hakone Open Air Museum, hiking uphill in 大涌谷 to eat hot spring eggs, riding cable cars to see beautiful landscape, cruising on pirate boat, traveling by bus and train, spent 2 hours in Fuji-Q highland for Thomas Land (his favorite), etc. Will he remember all these?

RomanceCar Toy

He will remember, if I take a lot of photos, I'm sure. This justify me carrying 4 cameras :)

He is now sleeping soundly in hotel bed.

He was so happy when I bought him a 1100 yen romance car toy.

He loves Japanese food, especially noodles.

He smiles so sweetly to me whenever I look at him .... most rewarding!

Tomorrow, Sea Paradise.

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This is fantastic, Patrick. I'm sure he will remember. I think all of us still have these memories in the back of our minds somewhere, but just need something visual to bring them back up to the surface. You're right, it does justify carrying four cameras!

And it'll give your wife a story to tell.

"So your crazy father, he carried four cameras the entire time..."

[c’est top]

It is totally a romantic story between you, your wife and your son! :)

And sure, photos, photos and photos will bring your son a sweet memory, although when he grew up, he may not remember the details as he was so small at that time, at least he could feel your love from the pictures, knowing that his parents were so eager to take him seeing the new world outside hometown.

p.s. btw, your photos and articles make me eager to travel tp Japan. Haha!

Patrick, if I die before my time, I'd like to be reincarnated as your child.

When I was growing up, my parents used to put photos directly into photo albums and kept them in our living room, accessible on a low shelf, and one on the coffee table. I used to look at them all the time and re-live happy memories over and over. I think that's why I have a very vivid, detailed memory of my wonderful childhood.

Beside the point, but also great, my mother, an artist, turned one wall of our kitchen into a family art gallery. It was a constantly rotating display of our family's artwork, and she even framed some pieces. A shelf beneath held our sculptures and little books and things we'd made. We loved it and it really encouraged our creativity. She was so wise to do this.

Ugo! Wow! That's fantastic introduction in to art that you had as a child!

I think some things in this digital world are better analog, and photos and art are two of them.

I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with Patrick again during his trip here to Tokyo, and I discovered something very interesting from something that he told me.

He said that when he creates travel albums, he tries to spend time every day during his trip creating them, so that the memories remain fresh while he creates them and so that he won't have to try put all the pieces together after he gets back home.

I noticed that it's similar to what people often do with business cards after meeting people. Oftentimes the best way to manage business cards is to work with them soon afterward while the meeting with them is still fresh in mind. I guess you could call this a commitment to keep in good touch.

What Patrick does, then, is make a commitment to keep in good touch with himself and his family. And I guess for most of us, it's something that we neglect because we feel like "it's just us."

I've never such a man before. Amazing.

hey guys, let's not forget my wife is to be credited to make this trip happen, coz I didn't do a bit for the itinerary/planning. She did the dirty work which she enjoyed, while I did the play, presentation and archive parts :) It works great. So Ugo, before reincarnating you really have to check who's my wife in that life time :)

Beatrice, thanks for reminding me that romance can be found in everyday small things. We just have to appreciate these tiny things. If you plan you trip to Tokyo, you have better to get a list of great stores from me. You will need a lot of self discipline to control yourself $-wise :)

Raiman, we touched a lot of subjects that night. Wish you were not that easy to get drunk hahahah.

Ugo, I think I learned something from your comment. My Dad had all these Chinese painting hanging on the walls, changing them regularly, I saw him looking at them absorbed and often wondered why. He told stories about the painters' life too. Priceless environment we should recreate for the next generations.

Interesting discussion!

@ Beatrice, I'm so anxious to go back to Japan, too! Sounds like the guys here had way too much fun without us! :)

@ Raamenchan, your points about digital vs analog... well said. Digital is really great, but it is not everything. Love what you said about business cards, too, and the COMMITMENT to remember people and experiences, and to make and keep connections.

@ Patrick, We were lucky to have creative parents who appreciated art. We probably picked up a lot through osmosis. Such a rich visual I have in my mind, imaging your father absorbed in soaking in Chinese paintings. We'll never fully know how much our artistic parents influenced us, but it's so good to be able to appreciate the gift.

And yes, I stand corrected, I want to be reincarnated as yours AND your wife's child! Love reading on Scription about the ways in which you two show your son all the beauty and wonder of this world, and teach him to welcome the world into his heart with arms wide open. He's a fortunate little guy, not to mention, adorable. :)

How Can He Remember....

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