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Published: January 16th 2009
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This month flew by like it had wings. I blinked and it disappeared.
August was my month of fireworks and dance festivals and September has been my month of bridges. Sounds strange, but it is true.
~Sakaide~ August 31st ~
The last day of August we went to the beach in Sakaide near the Seto Ohashi Bridge. It really is something living next to the sea. Sometimes I don’t notice, but it is always there outside my windows, on my bike ride to work. The Seto Ohashi is the worlds longest two tiered bridge system and connects Shikoku to Honshu with highway and railway. We chilled all afternoon near the base of the structure eating Bar-B-Q, drinking beer and playing Frisbee & volleyball - just a relaxing afternoon with friends. After sunset we set off fireworks and headed home.
~Zentsuji~ September 1st ~
The next day on Monday I went to Zentsuji Temple. I had visited before, but it was so late in the day when I was there that I didn’t get to do the whole tour. Under the main temple there is a cave (aka: a long dark hallway). You can walk through in the pitch black
and silence running your left hand along the wall and chanting “NAMU DAISHI HENJO KONGO”. Quite an interesting experience. Your senses are thrown by the complete lack of light & sound and you begin to doubt the size of the hall and sureness of your step. In the middle there is a giant golden Buddha and a motion activated light up and sound show. Kind of kills the atmosphere, but entertaining none the less. The grounds are large and peaceful. For being part of the 88 temple pilgrimage it really doesn’t have the touristy feel that a lot of the others do. My favorite thing about this temple is the statues of the Buddhist monks all around the park. Every one is of a different monk and has a different pose or expression from all the others. All are around the same dimensions and carved out of the same kind of stone.
~Shimanami Kaido & Imabari~September 14th ~
On the 14th I caught an early morning train to Imabari and met up with my coworkers, Sarah and Alexa, and two of Sarah’s students to bike along the Shimanami Kaido Bridge that connects Imabari on Shikoku to Hiroshima on Honshu.
We made it half way across the bridge that day and caught the bus back. In the spring we plan on starting in Hiroshima and biking the other half. The route is a series of bridges that span across the Inland Sea connecting 6 smaller islands in between Shikoku and Honshu. I was really excited about the trip and impressed by the beauty of the ride. We cycled across the first bridge and stopped for lunch at a “farmer’s market” which turned out to be a type of yakiniku (BBQ) place where you could cook up fresh veggies and seafood. The seafood is so fresh you actually pick it out of tanks while it is still alive. After lunch we continued and the ride consisted of many up and downhill rides and we were ill equipped for it. Our bikes were what I would call a “granny grocery bikes” that we rented and the basket on my bike was held together by glue. One of Sarah’s students had the back tire go flat on his bike before we finished. Besides bike troubles the islands were tranquil, the weather hot and the scenery pleasant. On Hakata we stopped again for Shio
(salt) ice cream which was scrumptious. Hakata is famous for salt and sells various salt products including cookies and ice cream. Delicious, I promise, I know it sounds a bit strange.
At the end of the ride we all had sore bums from the rickety bikes and long ride. We caught a bus back to Imabari and Alexa and I parted ways with the rest of the group and met up with the Imabari teacher, Simon for a night at the beer garden and karaoke.
~ Rebecca’s Goodbye and Kojima - the other side of the bridge ~ September 20th & 21st ~
The 20th was a Saturday night so I had to work and catch a train straight after work for Takamatsu so I could make it to the goodbye party for my Rebecca. Even though she worked for the “other company” we hit it off and she is one of the coolest people I’ve met. We had an izakaiya style dinner and celebrated her time in Japan as well as several others. Most of the foreigners there had been in Japan for around or over two years and were leaving. I really got a different mind
frame from the discussions we had about what we loved about Japan.
Sunday I caught up with Naomi, my co-worker, and went out to an izakaiya with her friends the next morning before we headed back from Kojima she took me to the park so I could view the Seto Ohashi from the Honshu side. It really is a stunning bridge.
~ Margarita Party ~ September 28th ~
The last Sunday of the month I went to an all you can drink margarita party with Alexa and my friendly neighborhood Grasshoppers bar. ^_^ We played games, drank, talked and danced for three hours before Alexa and I decided to head on out and go to Marugame Castle for a nice night view of the city. A good end to the month.
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Kate
non-member comment
Wonderful
You look beautiful and so happy! Hope you are having a great time. Saw on the way to bed that you had called. Harris turns the sound off on the computer when he uses it and we didn't hear it go off. So sorry. Can't wait to talk to you. Miss you so much. Lots of Love!!!