Sylvia's Scenario

First it was Boeing, then Microsoft and Starbucks, and now Amazon.  They put Seattle on the map.  Besides the fact that I've been an Amazon Prime member for years and Amazon definitely gets plenty of my money, I actually got to experience Amazon first hand with a tour of two of their buildings downtown.  There's no doubt that Amazon has changed Seattle.  I'm now an "old-timer" and it seems that the Amazonians are taking over the town and changing the culture of our beloved city in ways that are unbelievable to me.  There are now 40,000 Amazon employees in Seattle, mostly concentrated at South Lake Union (now called SLU) but they're also taking over the Denny Triangle and slowly moving into the downtown core.  There is definitely a little bit of animosity towards them for sure and we were all so relieved to hear when they announced they were looking for a second headquarter elsewhere.  In 2007, Amazon announced plans to build an 11 office complex at SLU

During our trip to Japan, we spent one day sightseeing in Kamakura that was once the ancient Capitol of Japan from 1185 to 1333.  There are many beautiful temples in Kamakura and it's a place that is always worth visiting when in Japan.  This is also where the giant Buddha is located called Daibutsu.  We visited Daibutsu in 2014.     Kamakura has a historic railway called the Enoshima Electric Railway or Enoden line that looks like a streetcar which dates clear back to 1902.  It is fun to ride and takes you to many of the sightseeing stops.  Kamakura is also right along the coast making for beautiful scenery.  It is about an hour train ride from Tokyo so it's similar distance as Nick's home town of Yokosuka.  Lots of people come from Tokyo to Kamakura on the weekends for the beach and it's laid-back, earthy vibe, organic restaurants and cafes, and lots of unique shopping.  We always enjoy our time in Kamakura and this visit was no