Nagano here we come the 1998 city of winter olympics

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So we get the train to Nagano and I am really looking forward to it as it is in the mountains as it used to be where the winter olympics took place in 1998. Now should I have thought the last time I went to somewhere that had the winter olympics (Whistler) I was so disappointed as it seemed really manufactured YES. Did I NO. Should I have YES. Well we arrived at Nagano station and yes it looked as manufactured as Whistler and was I disappointed YES as I had just left a great place in Tokyo for this.

Anyway you have to make the most of everything and that is what I did there was a Zenkoji Temple which was only around 2km from the hotel so I said off we go lets have al look. It was 2km uphill in 86 degrees so I was exhausted but what a sight. It was unbelievable and we went in the temple of enlightenment which is a pitch black tunnel below Zenkoji Main Hall. You walk in pitch black keeping your right hand on the wall and you free yourself of worldly thoughts and engage in self reflection and it said a spiritual awakening. There is also a key to the pure land which I found but Mike did not. Women are intuitive and can find these things Men on the other hand well say no more.

So we are walking around the gardens and see another temple Kyozo and decide to go in but yes I have lost my ticket so I gesture to the lady I have lost it and she lets me in no problem but what does Mike do run back to find the ticket whilst all the time it is in my camera case - Mike not happy with me.

Anyway we decided that we would go to Matsumoto so need to book the seats on the train. So we go to the booking office and I am brilliant at hand gestures so am speaking to this poor young lad with hand gestures on we want to go on the express train - Mike is amazed that this lad understood everything I was saying and we got the tickets.

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