Week 51: Sprint to the end!

As mentioned last post, the parents were only here for about two more days, so I wanted to show them the wonders of the area.  Unfortunately, the heat (and humidity) decided to jump up again, so we were limited in what we could do.

Monday morning, my phone LEAPED out of my hands and threw itself to the floor.  The screen was really broken, so I resolved to get it fixed that night.  Until then, I couldn't take any pictures.

So here are the ones the parents took!

As mentioned, we went to Nara, specifically to see Nara temple, but more honestly,

EEEEEEEE!!!

To see the deer.

These are the Sacred Nara deer.  And they are not...REALLY tame.  Well, they're tame, but they're not pets.  There are warning signs up about how they might just attack you, so you really should watch out for them.  They're also called the "bowing deer of Nara" because they've been taught to bow before you feed them their crackers.

But with those giant antlers, it's a liiiitle bit intimidating.

We did go and see the temple.  Todai-ji.  It houses the largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana. And I'll admit,

Sucker's big.

It's really hard to get a good picture of this, because it is dark in there.  And it was really bright outside.  So this is what you get. :P  Of course, the building that houses it is very large as well.

that's it behind us.

It's burned down twice, and each time made a little smaller. Still huge.

We saw other interesting things on the grounds, like

A giant bell! (that I didn't ring)

a lovely spring

lunch!

a LOT of stairs

leading up to a beautiful view!

Ice cream!  (and a temple)

The entertaining thing about this particular temple is that every year they have a "water drawing" festival.  For purification purposes.  This temple is special in that it has only burned down once.  During a water drawing festival....Ah, irony.

It was getting hot, so we decided to go see a garden.  Nara is also known for Isuien garden.  Very large, very lovely, very popular.  We went to the one next door.  Very free.  And less crowded.

See, lawns aren't traditional in Japan.  Moss is.  Considering how much rain they get, and how humid it is, I am NOT surprised.

cushy moss!

And it was a nice end to the day.

Edward got to feel big.

Oh! I forgot to mention!  We rented bikes in Nara!

better than walking!

Tuesday, we went to Himeji!  To see Himeji Castle!

That...really is the reason we went.  No deer there.

First we went to the castle's garden.

and it was lovely

and did some quiet reflection

gentle brook calms the fire inside.

There are several sections to this garden, and it was fun to walk around.  However, this was the hottest day of them ALL.  So we shuffled off to the castle after a while.

and it was fun!

I know, you want to see the pictures the parents took of Himeji.  You'll have to check out mom's blog, 'cause I never got those. :P

The most entertaining part of this was when we went to lunch after.  Because EVERYONE was going to lunch after.  The lunch places were PACKED.  Eventually we found one (didn't even know what it was serving, didn't care) that was at least putting people in a queue to get around to them.  They do it an interesting way in Japan.  They leave the book out and let you write your own name on it, and how many people in your party.  Then when they have space, they come out, look at the book, and call your name.

We finally got lunch and I got to entertain myself by occasionally watching a teen who clearly had NO idea how to work chopsticks eat ramen.  (one in each hand)  I was impressed, because he DID end up eating it! Then we debated the merits of staying in vs going out.  It was HOT out there.  All pervasive hot.  Reflect off every surface and roast you hot.  HOT.  I'm not even sure how humid it was, because it was just hot.

We finally braved the outdoors, and even walked all the way back to the station!  In the shade, of course.

awww, we wore her out.

We were debating what to have for dinner, when we were like "I want something sweet"  So we went for pancakes.  It took FOREVER to get them (I think they cooked them two at a time or something) and they weren't like any pancakes I had ever seen before.

They were SO fluffy

like eating a cloud.

a very sweet, eggy cloud.

And they were FILLING.  I was surprised with how full I was after!  I kinda want to learn how to make them, but I get the feeling it's a very difficult recipe.  And it took SO LONG to get our food. :P

Wednesday, the sadness happened.

they went home.

And Edward abandoned me!

And I went back to my apartment and moped, ate and slept.

Thursday, I didn't have time to mope, because there was training to get to!

I didn't mention this before, but when I was traveling around, I got an e-mail that said "Hey, there's gonna be a Summer camp!  This will be great fun!  Let us know if you get this e-mail!"

And I was like ::sigh:: "I received this e-mail and I have questions"

And they wrote back "Thank you for volunteering for Summer camp!"

and of course my thoughts were "WAIT?! VOLUNTEER?!  you mean this was OPTIONAL?!"

Anyhow, training was Thursday, AAAAALL the way in Miki. Which, for those of you who don't know (all of you) is 2 hours away by train.  wheeeeee.  I figured I'd be early, so I started off early.  Which is a good thing as I got LOST.

creepy place to get lost.

Finally got there, RIGHT on time.  Nice place.  Good people I'll be working with.  The people in charge seem to know what they're doing.  After 3 hours training, they sent us back.  Yes, the commute was longer than the training.  wheeee.

Saturday (wait, what happened to Friday?  I don't know, I slept through it)
Anyhow, Saturday I went to the beach!

and it was hot

and I got a sunburn

And I went swimming and it was LOVELY.

That evening was the neighborhood Obon festival.  Obon is when families get together, including the ancestors from the "other side".  They come to visit and you have fun and spend time together, and the big Obon festival is seeing the dead ones off, back to their eternal reward.  It was the first festival I saw last year, but this year I decided I'd skip, being so VERY tired from travel and from the day.

so much for skipping.

I won a balloon!

green this year!

And they had the singer/dancer leaders

and this lady saw me watching, and so invited me in.

and it was fun!

some were easier than others, but there was a lot of repetition.

and I enjoyed it until I was too tired and went in.

These last photos are so good because a guy at the share house came to take pictures, saw me and asked if he could take some of me as well.  And I was like "YEAH! just get me copies!"  :)

I slept well that night.

Oh! and I didn't mention!  Sunday I got to go to the Sapporo Temple dedication!  They broadcast it to Japan, so Church was going into Kobe and watching the dedication.  It was beautiful.