Sunroute Okayama

... they will clean my room. It's not quite Japanese citizenship, but it gives me the feeling that someday I might feel like I really belong! Toyoko Inns also offer the Cinderella Liberty Plan--if you arrive after midnight and they still have any vacant rooms available, you can get the room at a substantial discount.

By the way, the pillows at Toyoko Inn appear to be filled with short plastic pieces, as if someone had cut a plastic ...

... Koen, a landscape park supposedly rivalling the 3 best parks in Japan. It can tell you it's more expensive than Kenrokuen, larger than Kenrokuen and wilder. Which means it was better-less sculpting, more branches. While the view was fine the highlight was meeting Kaisha-san, an eight odd year old man who walked and talked with me through the park. Surprisingly spry, he suggested climbs I wasn't sure I wanted to make. He was ...

Started today early with a really filling and hearty minshuku breakfast. Totally new experience, but very nice. The owners had a log outside with Shitake mushrooms so I got to pick a few and then grill them up myself at the table. I'm sure minshukus exaggerate what's normal fare, but I'm fairly certain most of what I ate could be eaten in the Japanese home, probably not all at once though... But I am really starting to like the idea of rice and pickled vegetables in the ...

... veramente da buttare via , non ho idea al momento di quanti km sono ma so molto bene che ho solo guidato nel traffico di quelli da esodo tutte queste citta` e o paesi che ho nominato sono coesi fra loro non c`e` un pezzo di terra libero che ti fa capire che stai lasciando un posto per un`altro.

... not so much to our tastes. Neither of us really took to the pickles and fish with rice for brekky! Overall it was a really enjoyable - but expensive stay in a ryokan. The welcoming was first class as was the service throughout, the place in general just had a lovely peaceful ambience, very civilised, we would defintely recommend it as a must-do to any visitor to Japan. We headed back to the station and caught the shinkansen to Hiroshima.

We stopped off on the way from Kobe to Kurashiki at Imbe in the area of Bizen which is very famous for pottery and ceramics. Daniella had read in the guide book that there was a place where she could try her hand on the pottery wheel. It was a small town and there were not many restauarants open as it was a Sunday so we grabbed a bite to eat from a local supermarket. While Daniella did her stuff on the wheel, Jon took a ...

he computer is working much better. we spent the night up on Ushirioyama (Ushirio Mountain) in a cottage (really a cabin) and had a wonderful dinner with the family. It was absoultely wonderful; fresh fish, beef, lotus root, and other things I am not sure of but good. we all slept in one room (well almost--Kazu and Patty ...

Day Three after breakfast at the Young Inn we were picked up by Rikako to head out to their parents house, which is where we were staying for the night. A BBQ lunch was planned with the whole family and it was great. Plenty of tasty food and great company. We Spent the ...

... is a bit confusing, because it can mean OK I will have some more food, or I am OK I don`t want any more food, and is usually interpreted as the former rather than the latter). Anyway, Leons family met us at the station. They are Nobo (Uncle), Suzuka (Aunt), Misato (Cousin aged 19) and Kaori (Cousin aged 13). The next few days were spent sightseeing, eating, and sitting around the table with dictionaries trying to speak to each other! A lot of fun.

... and Katsuaki`s watching the football. By the time extra-time starts, I can not keep my eyes open so I call it a night. When I meet an American the next day his "sorry about last night" has me worrying that there was another terrorist attack. I`m so very very glad that I don`t have to put up with football fans getting mopey. I`m afraid that I`m now out of time, so I`m going to have to play catch-up with my blogging over the next few days. Enjoy and comment, tah.