The sun was hot on our necks as we walked ten minutes from the train station to the gates of Flower World. It was easy to find. All we had to do was follow the flowers painted on the light posts - poppies for summer, cosmos for winter.
Just before the entrance we stopped to let Amy, my photographer friend, put her camera together. While we waited I peered under the log arches at the color riot raging ahead.
I never knew that poppies came in so many colors - pink, orange, red, white. Or in so many varieties - some had single layers of petals, others dozens, like a rose or the petticoats of a 19th century debutante.
We took a circuitous route through the field, stopping now and then to take pictures. On the hill above a train chugged by carrying a load of sightseers.
In case you were wondering, the yellow flowers spell out Kurihama, the name of the town.
Eventually we climbed the stairs on the other side of the field. At the top a most unusual sign met us.
"Apparently," I said, "Godzilla is that way."
We followed the path further up the hill, in search of the great lizard. Even while looking for Godzilla we stopped now and then to look at the flowers and take pictures of caterpillars. This, I believe, is the fundamental difference between men and women.
We did find him about half-way up the hill. He towered over the children's play area. Evidently, since his last movie Godzilla has been moonlighting as a slide. Who knew?
I lost track of how many hills we climbed and descended, but at the top of one was a bell, with two pulls. A line of older Japanese rested on benches in the shade. One man saw us staring at the bell and came over to ring it for us. Then he let Missy pull the other cord. It made a jerky tinny sound. We laughed, snapped pictures, thanked him.
More hills, up and down in the noon sun. We talked about the beach, as people do when hot and wishing they were there. Up and down again. I didn't mind the ups so much, but the downs made me feel like I would fall forward and never stop until I reached the sea.
Finally we reached the end of the park and saw the little train, pink as bubble gum sitting at the bottom of the last hill.
It wasn't until I got home that I noticed the sun burn.
I leave you today with a quote from Baz Luhrman's famous graduation speech, "If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it."
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