On our last day in Hakuba, the Custers, Pierce and I traveled the distance to see the snow monkeys... an hour bus ride, a 30 minute walk and we were finally there...
The snow monkeys are found in "Hells" Valley, it was called this bc when it was first explored the Onsen (natural hot springs) produced such a fog/steam they thought it looked like Hell. I forgot the Japanese word for Hell but you get the picture. The snow monkeys congregate around this area bc of the warmth the receive from the Onsen in the winter months... they really do take baths in the onsen.
Here are the boys looking out the window...
We had a little hike so I had to put Pierce on my back... Blake stayed behind to go skiing one last day.... Lets just say that I wore the wrong shoes I was slipping, sliding and falling at times the whole way up and down.
It was a beautiful hike (with 40lbs on my back).
Just a good picture of how far ahead Travis (carrying K-man) was from me... Jessica stayed behind to pick me up when I fell... :-)
We even had stairs... are we there yet???
Still beautiful...
We made it... this was the first guy that I saw... he was just amazing... and so close.
And then there was this guy just a little above me... love this picture of the snow falling around us.
They feed the monkeys little seeds that bury are buried in the snow and the monkeys will dig and eat them... so cute to watch. We were able to get really close to them bc they are totally use to people and they forbid any food and drink into the onsen area where the snow monkeys are...
They even clean each other... did you get it?
Travis had to take a closer look... here we girls are on the bridge.
Here is the onsen... take a look at all these monkeys basking in the hot water... so cute... but I do have to say that it was not too pleasant on the olfactory nerves... pee euw...
And check out those teeth...
A good picture to see how close we were to these monkeys.
Still cleaning...
I just love this picture... all lined up... and the one on the very end just got out of the onsen... can you see his wet coat.
The Custer Clan... with sleeping baby.
This guy made me a little nervous to get next too... bc he seemed pretty ticked off... the tour guide told us before we got there to not make eye contact with the monkeys bc they took it as a threat... and sometimes would attack... well there were no attacks here but alot of hissing... and how do you tell a 3 year old not to make eye contact with a monkey...
I love this picture... bc you get to see them crawling on this cable with some Japanese writing in the background... love it.
This next picture is very funny... bc not until I looked at the picture did I realize how close Travis and I were to each other.. we must have been walking along and then turned in to take the photo and hoping not to fall off the ledge we got a little close... funny that his wife Jessica noticed the same thing in this picture... he he he.
This by far is the best picture... Jessica took it and I just love it... totally looks like a national geographic picture...
After our trip I was not tired enough so I took another kid.. not really just wanted to even out the weight...
Another great day... sorry that daddy could not join us but I am glad that he got another trip down the slopes... stay tuned to see us head to Matsumoto.
4 comments:
Those monkeys are so cool!
Oh girl, you must have been exhausted after carrying Pierce on your back for that hike! Great pictures...monkeys are a little creepy to me, but they do seem to enjoy caring for each other (picking bugs out etc).
They are so cool! Did you take one home as a pet? I can't believe you did all that hiking with Pierce on your back - you're such a super woman!
no way with those monkeys! that is hilarious!
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