Vending machines and subway lines

---

Fast trains and clean streets, Oh how I love Japan! Tokyo and Takayama.

Arriving in Japan was one of the happiest moments of the trip. First because we were no longer in China and never had to go back if we didn't want to, we were in the first world now! Second because I wasn't really sick anymore other than a runny nose, and third and most of all my best friend Tandy was there at the airport to meet us. She is a pilot for Continental and was able to get some time off and catch a first class flight out to meet up with us and travel with us for a week, it was great.

We arrived in Tokyo somewhat late and after some difficulties deciphering the subway map, we made it to our hotel. The next morning it was a bit rainy so we wandered the streets only for a bit and then went to the National Museum and park surrounding it. We visited a big street marked near there as well and Tandy tried some food off the street that turned out to be rice goo wrapped in seaweed, not so good. From there we made our way over to the big Sony building to play with all their new stuff and marvel at the clarity of blue ray technology. The best was filming each other with the display cameras.

That night we had plans to meet up with an old friend of Aaron's from grade school, Patou. He is working in the financial arena in Tokyo and took us out to a great restaurant that served the food that sumo wrestlers eat. It was our first introduction to eating a lot of different things that we'd never seen before. I wasn't a fan of the raw sea snail, kinda like cat food. But otherwise the food was really good and you even call the waitress by clapping two pieces of wood together, ingenious.

The next day we left Tokyo for Takayama, a small town north of Tokyo. The train ride there was beautiful, through the green hills and over winding rivers. Takayama had been recommended to us by some people we'd met in Bangkok on new years. The town was covered in a layer of snow and there weren't many tourists. Our room was the first Japanese style room that we stayed in, with tatami mats and sleeping on the floor, it was awesome. I'm inspired to have a room with tatami mats now. Aaron's not so sure. After we had a tasty shabu-shabu dinner we had a few drinks and when we came out of the bar it was snowing. So magical!

The next day we got a bus out to their main exhibit which was an open air museum of old buildings and farm houses from all over the valley that had been moved there and rebuilt. It was like going back in time. All the buildings looked great with the snow covering them and it was so clear that you could see all the way out to the Japanese alps. All the buildings had these wood burning fires that in the old days they had burning 24/7. We visited a couple other museums back in town and caught the train to Kyoto.

---

Photos

My first photo in Japan
Aaron buying a Dr. Pepper from a curbside vending machine, we love the first world!

Orange is everywhere
Walkway in the park by the Tokyo National museum.

Filming eachother as usual
Tandy and I had a great time with the super nice video cameras!

Takayama village museum
Snow covered ancient houses, sweet!

Aaron and Tandy in the old farm house.
Despite the snow, it was not as cold as China.

View of the mountains and valley
it was a beautiful day