Installment 4: Kyoto Day 1

I didn't know I could be so small. All night on the bus I sat with my knees scrunched up next to my chest, all of me within the bubble of my own (smaller than an airplane seat) bus seat.

...Poor Ryan isn't as teeny as his wife and didn't sleep so comfortably since the chairs don't lean back so far.
So we spent the early morning (from 6am to 9:30am) getting cleaned up at the train station, which was very crowded with women and make up and toothbrushes that time of day, and sitting at Starbuck's.

When Stacey and Jeremy arrived at Kyoto Station we took the JR train line a few stops outside Kyoto station to the stop where it met up with the Sagano Romantic Train line, which gives a slow (and charmingly noisy) view of a winding river.

The walk from JR station to the Sagano Romantic Train Line station. Fresh air and open spac feels crazily free after the cramped bus ride.


The train is a steam engine with wooden seats. It actually stops on some of the bridges over the water so everyone can take pictures. There are tons of tunnels as we follow the river and cut through the hills and the noise is atrocious yet fun.


We get off at the stop for the Bamboo Forest (a site in the recenttly made Memoirs of a Geisha movie) for a nice walk. My favorite part is the 4 or 5 leaning and twisting trees that snake up through the bamboo. They give such perfect contrast for how oddly straight and tall bamboo trees are. As we walked through the bamboo there was a sudden downpour and we ran to buy some umbrellas. Ryan's famous policy of "Of course it didn't rain honey, I brought my umbrella" worked out famously since as soon as we opened our umbrellas the sun came out blazing, both holsters empty. Seriously, if Ryan does drag his umbrella around with him on a rainy day it is doubtless that the day will clear up quickly. Otherwise, rainy days in Chiba usually last for 40 hours...go figure.



This is a famous bridge in the fall. I've seen many pictures of it looking like it's on fire during the last days before winter. Unfortunately, this isn't one of those pictures, but Ryan did a good job taking it don't you think?



We walked to Koryuji, famous for "the most beautiful statue of the buddha." It was kinda cool looking, basically much different from many Japanase images of buddha that we have seen, but we don't have any pictures since there were white-gloved men in the viewing room, making sure we didn't take any. You could just google it...or click here The mossy grounds were nice though too.


We then found some decent food in a coffee shop where one teeny little lady was working by herself. Then we pretty much went to our hostel and passed out.

Installment 3: Tokyo

This is a short one, in 2 days I'll post our first day in Kyoto.

We went to Harajuku, a famous fashion center (for those that don't listen to Gwen Stefani) that same Saturday, after finishing our tour of Kamakura. This is the place where girls (and boys) wear goth clothes that look like maid outfits and twisted Alice in Wonderland outfits. This pic is from our visit there with Stacey and Jeremy.


These below are from our visit there in early January, with Abigail.




Sunday we went for a long walk to Konakaike Park. The story is, Konnakaike sounds like "Kakariko" from the SNES Legend of Zelda. If you leave KAKARIKO (konakaike park), and go through the FOREST (Showa no Mori) you end up at THE LEGENDARY/MASTER SWORD park (pictured in "Hello"). I thought I should share that strange coincidence. Also, the triforce is all over in Japan, it's a common family symbol.

Monday we went to Tokyo again! We visited the before-pictured (view archives) Asahi s*** building and Asakusa Shrine. Then we went to Ueno where EVERYBODY had off work since the cherry blossoms were in bloom.


Stacey and Jeremy dropped their things off at the youth hostel and then we went "shopping" ha ha, at Tokyo Ginza (literally: Gold District), where tin foil costs $50, just because of the "Ginza" wrapping. Of course, Ryan had to show Stacey and Jeremy one of his favorite structures which is a block or so away from Ginza. It's famous for looking (being?) like the hull of a massive ship. He is also drinking out of a baby coconut which he was extremely exited about and somewhat dissappointed that we didn't have room in our luggage (or apartment, really) to keep it.



After that, we parted ways. Not Ryan and I, but Ryan and I parted ways with Stacey and Jeremy who went to sleep at the youth hostel while Ryan and I had a looooooong overnight bus ride to Kyoto. Our partners took the bullet train in the morning and we met the next morning (Tuesday) a Starbucks near the JR Kyoto station.

Installment 2: Kamakura Hiking

So on Friday, Stacey and Jeremy and I (Ryan was working) went to Makurahi (a short train ride away) and had tea in a small garden. Normally when we have tea, the serving lady (usually just one person working) doesn't speak much since we're foreigners. But this time a different woman served us tea and, upon discovering I understood some of what she said, proceded to explain the bowls and meanings of the flowers painted on them as well as the tea and the sweet that goes with it (all spring themed this time of year). We were even priviledged to step outside the tea house and onto the lawn (no one is technically allowed out there) and Jeremy took a picture of Stacey and I and our new friend. Unfortunately, I forgot our digital camera >_< Those crazy Sparks have the picture on their SLR Camera.



Saturday we took the train 2 hours to Kamakura. The we got on a local line which is famous for it's intimate trail through neighborhoods (it's almost possible to touch the houses through the windows on either side of the train). Ryan couldn't help taking a pictures of some really happy and cute little kids.













On the way to the Great Buddah (the biggest bronze one in Japan) we stopped to have some purple potato ice cream and koroke (like a big has brown). I like the face that Stacey's making after she's tried Jeremy's ice cream.


















Then we walked into the area that hold the Great Buddah, in the top left you can see some leftover plum blossoms, the fading of which represents the arrival of sakura (cherry blossom) season.













Then we hiked the trail from the Great Buddah.


And stopped at Tokeji Temple. It's famous for being the first all-women temple. It's considered to be one of the oldest battered wives sanctuaries in the world. If a woman was running from her home at night, she could throw one shoe over the gate of the temple complex before she was caught, she was recognized as being under sanctuary of the temple. It's mostly famous now for it's gardens. The Sakura were blooming almost fully one some of these trees.



Next is of Ryan's favorites: Engakuji. It's a very large complex with a huge gate and a steep hill to climb with an open air tea cafe and a view of the hillside at the top. The train tracks actually cross through the temple grounds, the previous entrance was probably where Ryan was standing as he took the picture to the left. Now it's been moved to the other side of the tracks.



This is a gate at Engakuji which we love for the beautiful carvings.


A close up of one of the panels on the gate. Ryan had posted this same image a few months ago on his blog as well.



We stopped at En'noji to see "the scariest demon in Kamakura;" I can't help but always feel they're kinda cute and funny looking.


Our walk is almost finished as we got to the freshly painted Hachimangu shrine. Ryan got this charming shot of the guard looking away. We just really like the expression on his face.




After that we ate and rode the train to Harajuku. I will write about our time there tomorrowish ^_^.

Hello (Installment 1 of Many)

We said good bye to Stacey and Jeremy yesterday. It's funny, I don't know if people think I'm much of a crier (outside my family), but I'm a huge crier. So anyway, I cried~I'm being cheesy (and honest) but what better way to tell them how much fun it was to have them here? Plus, it was good that I cried, Ryan keeps me so happy that my tear ducts needed the exercise.

I'll be updating every few days with a few pictures. Ryan went camera crazy, so there aren't too many pictures of him. ._.

Anyway, they arrived on a Wednesday and on Tuesday we took them through our "daily life" sites.

We went to Showa no Mori where Jeremy made friends with Japan playground equipment (since we can't have this kind of stuff in the U.S.), and taste tested/became intimately aquainted with some of our local bamboo.



The we went to the park across the street from Show no Mori~we don't know the name of it, but we call it "The Legend of Zelda Park" since it has the same feel as the place in the SNES version in which Link finally gets the Master Sword.



After that was PuriKura (short for Purinto Caraa=Print Color) or Photobooth. They've gotten pretty high tech and we mutilated/photoshopped (that's how high tech their regular photobooths are) all our cute pictures into a fun mess.


Then we had Tako Yaki (tako=octopus yaki=fried) it's a piece of octopus leg set into gooey fried pancake-like batter covered in Japan BBQ, Mayo and seaweed sprinkles~YUM! It's super hot though.



And that was the end of the first day. Coming Next: Kamakura hiking.

Kyoto

We are now in Kyoto, there will be lots later.

Comfortable

"I gotta tell you how I'm feeling,
In case you haven't noticed,
The mystery is gone.
Infatuation's wearing off.
I gotta tell you how I'm feeling,
I think that you'll agree,
That we've become predictable,
But I really don't mind being this comfortable."


Photo By B.K. ^_^

It's a Birthday Party in My Mouth!

Ice Cream Release Dates
First, I'd like to announce that our local Baskin-Robbins has yet to sell Piece of Cake ice cream (last year's January special) again this year. This has become very problematic for us as we are rapidly losing weight since we no longer make our weekly trips to engorge ourselves upon two large scoops of it. We even had a weekly $10 ice cream budget which is now going into our I.R.A. and more than doubling our monthly deposit.

Still, we long for it and can say it's been more devastating than Steve Jobs's recent hyped up release of a $100 Ipod leather case and $300 stereo, which wasn't really that devastating and brings us all plenty to laugh about.

Poli Ticks
I've finally been bitten by the Poli Tick, an informative and maze-like talker of a bug. I was previously afraid to ever discuss politics with anyone except Ryan, really, because I was greatly convinced I would lose a good many friends. Even though I've been out of college for 2 years the habit of silence is hard to shake; thanks to Jenny's kindness (in showing me that people can discuss world events with real concern and without expensive amounts of cynicism), I have become to feel more brave:

The Sean Allen issue really hit home for me since Melissa is in high school and has to frequently deal with off-topic propaganda in the classroom. To be honest, it concerns me to have kids recording their teachers in the classroom. As a teacher I know we all accidentally slip up, even in our own topics which we're supposed to know everything about. These days, way too much is frequently made of small events/words that are simply the result of being human. There is just too much nitpicking and we certainly don't require a larger stock of noses to satisfy this need, we need self-control. However, when it comes to debating off-topic subjects frequently and in an underage classroom, it becomes important to me and I think this quote from Hannity sums up my opinion on the matter "Now, if they [teachers] are so confident to say it [personal political rampages] in front of a captive audience of students, young students, then they ought to be able to debate them publicly." I think the "captive audience" part is key. I won't say more because I always typetalk too much for it to be of benefit.

I love you Melissa, you are very brave.

Win a Prize!
Can you tell me what has changed on this blog, aside from the pinkness?