Sorry for the Delay!

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Hello everyone! Sorry for the late update. I have been very very busy. This past weekend I took saturday off and decided to hope the bullet train to Kyoto. I went out to Kyoto to visit my Japanese mom and dad. So after work I left with my Shinkasen ticket in hand. I arrived in Kyoto in under half an hour, it beats the 2 hour bus ride! Once out there I took a few trains to Mayumi's house (my Japanese mom). We ate a wonderful dinner of fried pork cutlets with a sauce that was slightly sweet. Saturday we headed out to Nara and some surronding areas. I was able to see many many sights. I went to the largest wooden structure in the world and fed some angry deer. Well the deer were not angry but they did bite my shirt trying to get food. The nicer deer bowed for food.

From there I headed to the Phoenix hall. This hall graces the 10Yen coin. Inside is a buddha who has a crystal or a stone set in his forehead which projects the light of buddha. Its pretty nice. I also had some Ocha, japanese tea, and sweets. I enjoy the japanese green tea a lot even though its bitter. We had a nice lunch of noodles and then for dinner I had a home cooked Japanese dinner. For me that was one of the best meals so far. The next day we trekked out to Osaka to visit the castle and still managed to see a temple in Kyoto that has a famous rock garden. After all that running around I hoped back on the shinkasen and made it back to Nagoya.

This week at work has been busy. I worked late on Wed, until 8 at night. The good news was I managed to get some pizza order for us late workers. The Japanese workers were pretty amused by the fact I kept hounding them to eat pizza with us. Work has been busy but very good. I have been working closely with my Japense counter parts. They have invited me out for next week. Of course they are teaching me Japanese, but its the kind that will probably get me in trouble.

I did not load all the pictures so MORE TO COME!

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Photos

The Shinkasen
The best ride you could ever have. This thing flies and you barely feel it.

Bullet's couldn't keep up
Here is the backside of the train. Its the same both ways.

Temple near a nice neighborhood
Here is a temple next to the house I stayed at. We walked out in the morning. I wore traditional Japanese sandels.

More of the Temple
Here is another view of the walkway to the temple.

A Japanese town
Here is a look street level of a Japanese town area thats not a urban city enviroment.

More houses
The houses may be smaller than most, but they do a great job getting a garden in the backyard.

Walking around Nara
Here is a gate to a house in Nara.

Another house in Nara
Here is a view of a house that was behind a gate. Maybe it was a temple. Who knows I couldn't get in.

Even Moss can be pretty
I liked this canal.

A huge Archway over the road
Ok, I will tell you this I was walking around these roads and figured ok this is foot traffic only. Wrong watch out for cars and scooters.

Inside the Archway
Here is a look inside it. It was HUGE!!!!

Scary Statues
Inside there were two statues. Both Fierce and behind a screen so no shots really came out well.

Second Statue
Here is the second scary statue.

The Deer attack the children!
Won't someone think of the children!!!! Ha, these kids were trying to feed the deer and they would get mobed. Then all these kids would run around screaming being chased by hungry deer. I could not stop laughing.

I was not too amused
Ok, so I do not look too happy here. Well just before this pick was snaped I had 10x more deer. I was bit in places that...well were not comfortable.

A gentle creature
Don't let the deer fool you. Even Chuck Norris is leary of deer.

A nice Island
I thought this looked nice.

Getting Closer to the biggest wooden structure
Here is the entrance.

HERE IT IS
IT WAS HUGE!!!!!!!!!!

Walking in
I just snaped this while walking in.

A Devil I think
I think this is a Devil type figure in buddhism. Either way I could not get a good picture of the buddha inside this temple. There are many buddhas but this one was huge!

If I hadn't been eating so much I would have given it a go
So there was this pillar you could try and squeeze through. My gut seemed to be a hinderance.

Comments

[Mom]

Day Off
Glad you took a day off to see the sites mijo. Robert and I were happy to see one of your pictures with you in it. You look good. We miss you!

[Nathaniel]

Never trust deer
They are an angry and violent creature.