Business Hotel New Sakamoto Matsusaka

... lecz nie po to przyjechaliśmy na Suzuka.

Jedno z ciekawszych doświadczeń to Pitlane Walk, czyli spacer po alei serwisowej i możliwość podejrzenia przygotowań poszczególnych teamów. Żeby nie było wątpliwości – nie były to ćwiczenia pokazowe, lecz prawdziwe przygotowanie do zawodów. Każdy zespół zajęty był swoimi obowiązkami, a zwiedzający mogli przyglądać si ...

We did the usual disembarkation and re-boarding to go through security in Nagoya. I threw the Japanese quarantine inspectors into a tizzy. I saw there was no line for the security checkpoint and didn't see them at the far end of where the line normally is, so I jumped the barrier and almost violated their quarantine. The decided I didn't have swine flu and let me through. I had only a few minutes between when I got to the gate and we started to board.

... nice austere architecture and clean unstained woodwork.

I'm still somewhat conflicted abouthtre exclusivity factor of Ise Jingu--at both shrines, the central complex is off limited to the public; in fact there are four or five layers of fences to keep prying eyes away. This complex contains the main halls for religious rites, the Imperial family prayer facilities and the treasure houses. For a publically ...

... just be 'let's learn English by talking to foreigners' I refrained from being to active on the Thursday soirees. However, on the trip I soon got to know the Japanese students better and realized that they really are very nice. We once again boarded a bus (which I almost missed due to late night essay working however my dorm mates were attentive enough to notice my absence and to drag me out of my comfy bed for which I was very ...

... to pay. The system works quite well and people never take off without paying. In the US, they don't trust you hence they ask for the fare first. Maybe it's because public transportation is a way of life in Japan whereas in the US public transportation is only for the poor. Who knows? Random Thought #3: Lack of Trash Cans One of the things you will notice in Japan is that there are no trash cans on the streets yet the streets are ridiculously clean. Apparently ...

... There is also a place that dresses up tourists as Maiko or Geisha. An opportunity Heather couldn't refuse. She decided to go for the Maiko (trainee Geisha) option and I spent an hour or so wandering around the town on my own before the transformation was complete. Despite a lot of white makeup she didn't look entirely Japanese, but the overall effect with ...

... ultimate Japanese experience when we spent some time in a games arcade. I even got blisters from the drums game! And I beat 2 Croatian blokes at some punching game! Hehe! Dom San! Now I
understand why the Japanese can spend so much time playing in them. We spent about half an hour there, but could easily have stayed all night. The fun, the fun!

The feeling of being free on a bicycle in Nara and in Kyoto, now, that is just a sensation that can never ...

... of pine needles above. Eventually we reached the lower buildings of the shrine which were surrounded by countless lanterns burning eerily in the woods. Here the crowd was loud and venders were selling charms and fortunes. We lingered around the magnificent building for a short time; then descended. It had been more about the journey than the destination. Hoping to get home before the trains stopped running; we had a quick meal at the station, than began our return adventure ...

... society (whacked being the technical term). Apparently a lady should open all doors where possible for a business man, offer up her seat on the train, poor drinks for him and a number of other degrading acts. I even saw this couple in a fast food restaurant yesterday make an order ,then the man went and sat down while his girlfriend/wife got some drinks for him and waited for the food then carried both trays over to the table. (ok its hardly criminal but still ...

... Heian shrine. Like Ginkaku-ji, Nanzen-ji was originally built as a retreat, this time for the emperor Kameyama, but upon his death in 1291 it was converted into a zen monastary. 1291. I stood and thought about that for quite some time, thought about how ancient Fort Boone had seemed to me as a young American. Now here I was among things that predated my country, or at least the European portion of its history, by hundreds of years. For people from European countries, or any other ...