It's a Gundam!!!

Today started early again, but at least this time we had bought an alarm clock so we new that we were on time. Japan, is basically the land of temples, and this is what we did again today. The first temple has over a thousand tori (the gates that stand at the entrance of every temple. So we hiked around there for a while and then caught a bus to the other really popular temple in Kyoto, where it began to rain. Then it was off to Shizuoka,which is where the main part of this trip comes in. There is a giant robot in this town on display and we finally got to see it. Thirteen year old me is so jealous right now. It was a kids dream come true and I am glad it happened. Then it was off to Yokohama where it took us far too long to find our hostel. Too tired to type a lot tonight, tomorrow is New Years and I will celebrate it before everyone, hope to right some tomorrow.

Morning's with no alarm clocks and other such events

There are nuances to travel, it is a skill, an art form, practiced by many, but mastered by few. As one has to remember skills once learned, so is the art of travel. There is a pace, a rhythm to the way the road feels on your skin. It is remembering how to take a shower while piling all your clothes on one hook so they don't get wet, washing underwear as you take a shower. Getting to your hostel after 36 hours of travel and having to make your own bed and not getting to tired to go get dinner. Mornings where you need to get up so you can catch a train, but having no alarm clock.
Woke up at 6:45, the perfect time for still making it to Tokyo station to catch the 8:00 train to Kyoto. One CC lemon, espresso, and chocolate danish later we are on the train to Kyoto. From Tokyo this is about the distance from SF to LA, but Japan knows the benefits of bullet trains and it only took three hours to get there (this should happen once the high speed rail is installed in California). We get into Kyoto around 11 and decide to have an early lunch so we can move for the rest of the day. Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), miso soup, rice, and cabbage salad. Very impressive restaurant and a hearty meal to keep us going. After this it was off to Tenryu-ji temple, which is on the outskirts of town and is about a 45min bus ride from Kyoto train station. This wouldn't be bad if it weren't for three things: the bus was super hot, Cuyler and I do not fit well in the seat made for two people, and there was a crazy man behind us who kept breathing in rhythm with the bus, humming, and preying to the toilet god(no joke). The conversation of the daY:
Cuyler: I think the guy behind us is crazy.
Me: Yeah he is, crazy is a universal language.
Get to Tenryu-ji and explore the temple and the grounds, which include a pretty impressive bamboo forest. Later on we were wondering around and fell upon monkey mountain, now some might as "what is that?" It is exactlly what it sounds like, it is a mountain with monkeys on it (140 to be precise). It is home to the snow monkey and they are all over the place, and the mountain has great views of the city.
After this it was onto the golden temple. I wont go into the details of this, it is a temple and it is gold.
Got to the new hostel, went out to get Okonomiyaki and then off to an Irish pub (oh YES!!!!) for a pint. All said and done it was a very productive day and looking forward to more tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow is the day that they reason for this whole trip will be revealed and it is marvelous. To yokohama!!!

American car sitings: 2

Making it

We have arrived. The flight from SFO to LAX was great, we got the seats next to the emergency exit, so extra leg room. Then got the same seats on the flight to Japan, which is good because Cuyler and I need all the extra room we can get. There isn't much to say about an 11 hour plane flight. You watch movies, you fall asleep, repeat too many times. The woman that was sitting next to Cuyler on the flight spilled her coke on herself within the first twenty minutes of the flight and then also spilled coffee at the first meal.
Finally, got to Narita and got to get smelled out by the police drug smelling dog who lingered to long for me to feel comfortable, but I was ruled out as being a drug smuggler. We get out of customs and into the train station where we are "randomly" selected to be interviewed by the police. They were stoked to find out I was an accountant and one even used the word "cool". It is great to be in a country that admires your work and where you can be cool for adding numbers all day (I think something was lost in the translation). Cuyler and I finally got to the train and then into Tokyo. First stop was scheduled to be a bar but we ended up running into this old temple in Asakura and the temple was Sensoji. We pulled little fortunes at the temple and I got the bad fortune (you will have a bad trip(no joke that is what it said)) but Cuyler got a good one so hopefully that off sets my bad luck. Off to finally get food and some beverage of the golden amber color.
It was after several beers that we decided it was time to track down where the hostel was,not the best idea. The map was not clear, and needless to say, why the hell are there two hostels in a two block radius with the word smile in the title. In the hostel, time to rest, tomorrow it is off to Kyoto and more adventures.

Japan Nine year reunion

So Cuyler and I have decided to back to Japan, which actually came about because they built a giant robot, took it down, and then we said if they ever put it up again we would go, well that time has come. We will be in Tokyo for New Years Eve which will be my third time in a foreign city for the new year, and the Japanese are super into New Year's so it should be exciting. We have decided to do the Mac special on New Year's eve by not getting a hotel room and just winging it, should be interesting...I am going to get a ton of red bull blog not sponsored by this). More to come!!!