delay

the rest of my China blogs are just going to have to wait until the long stretch between Vietnam and India. I need to spend my time reading up on VietNam as much as I possibly can before arriving! The more I know, the better my trip will be. Luckily, I took lots of notes since I was on my own. I had a lot of time with no one to talk to so I just wrote. Luckily, that should make it easy to recall stuff later on.

The important thing is that I managed to successfully get myself to Hong Kong

Ancient towns and shanty farms

Our trip to Hangzhou returned two and a half hours later than planned. I was supposed to meet Max and ToBen on the ship to spend the rest of my days with them, but because we were late I missed out meeting. I called Max and wanted to meet up with them, but I knew it would be difficult in this large city. In retrospect, I wish I had tried harder because I'm sure we would have worked out a spot to meet and I think the rest of my time in China would have been much more fulfilling had I been with them. Oh well though, I still had a great time and I proved to myself that I'm fully capable at traveling solo.
        Once I realized I'd lost my crew, I just tagged along with Colette and her friends for the evening. We stayed at a hostel in the Bund that was really more like a hotel, except the rooms were really cheap. I was in a dorm and it was only $8/night! Colette, Aleeza and Kristina stayed in a family room that looked just like a hotel. It even had towels imprinted with their logo for christ's sake! Totally unlike any hostel I've ever stayed in.
        Colette and I went to the top of the Jin Mao Tower (to the 87th floor) to check out the city scape. There's a bar there called Cloud 9 that is very swanky and provides great views (the view is the only reason we went). It was interesting seeing everything lit up, but I didn't really care that much. The Pearl Tower is very colorful and there are light shows on most of the buildings. Basically, the whole city looked like a rave. I'm just not that impressed by flashy lights and big buildings. I want to experience culture far more. Nonetheless, Colette and I had some good conversation and it was nice to bond with another woman because so far I've made few female friends.
        In the morning, the girls had to figure out how to get their train tickets. I didn't really want to tag along especially since everyone was stressing out, so I decided to trek out on my own. I booked a flight to Guangzhou through the travel desk at the hostel. While doing so this guy from New York (who was just checking in) stopped to talk to me and see what I was doing for the day. He had just arrived and had no idea what to do in Shanghai so I invited him to come to the Science and Technology Museum with me. Apparently he was here to start a business. We went to the museum, which was fun. They had lots of great exhibits! But I could tell his sense of curiosity wasn't nearly as strong as mine and he had this sort of “I already know it all” mentality and he would just rush through the exhibits while I wanted to take the time to really enjoy them.
        They had a great exhibit on wildlife habitats with life-sized recreations of the animals. The evolution of our understanding of matter was my favorite exhibit. Much of the information I had learned in my classes, but it was great to see it all laid out in a simple, concise manner. Plus, they had recreations of the actual experiments done to detect sub-atomic particles, which gives more of an insight into the creative process occurring in the minds of the scientists! They had a recreation of Thomson's Cathode Ray Tube, in which he placed a magnet near the ray and it bent the ray! This proved the existence of the electron and that it was indeed electrically charged particles that moved from one plate to the other. They also showed Rutherford's Gold Foil experiment, where he shot a ray of alpha particles (given off by a radioactive source) at a piece of gold foil and was shocked to find that some bounced back! Previously, it was thought that the atom was a ball of equal distributed charge and they particles should pass right through the foil. The fact that most passed through while some bounced back showed that the atom was actually mostly empty space with the positive charge concentrated in the center (the nucleus). I know this probably bores most of you, but these are the building blocks of the entire world around you! I find it fascinating to learn the experiments, the expectations and outcomes and then how the creative mind of scientist works its way around the issues and questions raised. But I guess that's why I'm studying science...
        There were also exhibits on cloning plant for food production, bioengineering more stable and productive plants. Even making ones that are tolerant of salt water! This could be very helpful since fresh water resources are limited and we all need to eat. Certain plants are naturally tolerant to salt water and scientists have isolated that gene and transmitted it to regular plants.
        So then we returned to the hostel and met up with the girls and went to the French Concession for dinner. We ordered way more food than we realized! Sichwan-style bullfrog, spicy crab, fried fish and some kind of mushroom dish. It was all delicious! The crab was a little difficult to eat, however, and it was VERY spicy! As we were leaving, we noticed there was a jazz club next door and there was a live band setting up, so we decided to stick around.
        The place was called the Cotton Club and it was clearly set up by foreigners. Everyone spoke English, the band members were foreign, at it had a very European vibe to it. Plus, the fact that it was in the French Concession region is a good sign that it has a European history. The music was nice and soulful but we didn't stay too long because we wanted to be able to get an early start the next day.
        I met with everyone for breakfast, but it was already established that I was starting my solo adventures that day. After eating I headed to the bus station at Shanghai Stadium to try to get a bus to somewhere in the countryside. I was originally thinking of Zhojiajiao, but there were no buses there (at least not through the bus stop I went to, I have a feeling that there were other, cheaper buses but I couldn't figure it out and everywhere people were pointing me to made no sense to me. This was the one place that I found where at least some English was spoken)
        So, I just asked where there were buses to and the woman told me the name of some town I had never heard of. At the time, I had no idea where I was going, I just hoped for the best. The bus left literally 2 minutes after I bought a ticket so I just hoped on and off we went.
        It ended up being an awesome adventure! The bus took me to this small water village called Zhaozhuang. There is an old town there that has been preserved much as it has been for hundreds of years (even a thousand years or so!). The whole place is just small alleyways and tightly packed buildings and canals. There are craftsmen all over the place making traditional crafts such as jade carvings, bamboo flutes, and bricks. There were also many local painters and small canoes that you could travel down the river on. It was a lot like a Chinese Venice. I stopped in small place for a tasty lunch of Wanshan-style roasted pig hoof, apparently the local specialty.
        There were also local fishermen. Some were sitting by the river with the same poles that are commonly seen. The farms also had fishing nets set up offshore to catch fish. There was a group of women sewing these nets in what seems to be the traditional manner.
        Some parts of it felt very touristy, especially the interior of Guanfu Temple temple. It was originally built in 1086, but everything inside felt very new. It was  filled with electronic lights and gadgets instead of traditional candles and incense; it felt very fake. Also, the statues were clearly painted gold-color and were rather tacky. At first, I didn't want to take pictures because I feel it is inappropriate (and often forbidden) to do so in a temple, but this didn't feel in any way like a real temple to me so I started to take pictures. The Daoist temple across the way was more enjoyable and less gotti.
        All the ponds and bridges were amazingly beautiful!
        “Zhouzhuang is surrounded and divided by lakes and rivers. Many stone bridges cross the rivers, showing distinctive views of the water-town. The Twin Bridges, which comprise of Shide Bridge and Yongan Bridge, are the most famous and are considered the symbol of Zhouzhuang. Built in the Wanli era (1573-1619) of the Ming Dynasty, the Twin Bridges are located in the northeast of the town. Shide Bridge is east-west and has a round arch, while Yongan Bridge is north-south and has a square arch. Crossing the two crisscross rivers (Yinzi Creek and Nabeishi River) and connecting at the middle, the Twin Bridges look like an old-style Chinese key.“
        Lots of people stopped me to take pictures of me. Clearly I am an anomaly in China, especially with my blond hair.
        Just outside of this area I could see some small family farms, so I made my way out there to walk around for a little while. I have to admit, it smelled pretty foul, like animal manure of all kinds and dying god-knows-what. I could hear the sounds of screaming animals. There were chickens and ducks and pigs all running around in their pens. I can guarantee, however, that these conditions are cleaner that most of the industrial meat facilities in the US. But I'm sure China has those kinds of things as well, or they must import meat from the US. Meat is far too common in all of their dishes for it all to come from small farms like the ones I saw. The contrast between the beautiful town preserved for tourists and the shanty farms just outside was interesting to observe.
        I had to return to catch the bus at 16:15 and was back at the hostel around 8. I read for a little but called it an early night, particularly because I wasn't feeling very well, I must have ate something that didn't sit well with me. In the morning I awoke and began my trip to Guangzhou

Hangzhou: A city rich in history, beauty and romance

I woke up around 6am to leave for Sunrise Tai Chi. We went to People's Square to receive lessons by a Tai Chi master. Tai Chi boxing is also known as “shadow boxing” and it is a slow, meditative form of martial art. We didn't practice any boxing, just the movements. In many of the large cities in China, people partake in communal exercises, such as Tai Chi. The people gather every morning to start their day off with Tai Chi, Chi Gong, or another form of exercise.
        Tai Chi is very slow and is supposed to give you a sense of peace and well being, which also getting your blood flowing for the rest of the day. The students attempted to follow the master, but many lacked the patience for the slow process. Locals were gathering and taking picutres of us. I'm sure we looked ridiculous. This one woman came over and started to help me, I think she could tell I actually wanted to learn what I was doing. Following her was very helpful because she went at her own pace whereas the master kept needing to stop so the translator could explain what to do. Several other groups gathered in the square and it was interesting to watch how in synch they all were with one another.
        After Tai Chi, we returned to the ship. About an hour later I had my second SAS trip, this one to Hangzhou. Hangzhou is a city about 2 hours outside of Shanghai. It is much smaller, with a population of about 4 million (that's considered a small city by China's standards). It is most noted for West Lake, a large, beautiful lake in the city that is surrounded by parks and gardens. It is regarded as one of the most romantic places in all of China. It is also one of the ancient capitals of China. It was the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom from 907 to 978 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty from 1123 until 1276 when a mongol invasion overthrew the Southern Song and the Yuan Dynasty was established (the capital was then moved to Beijing).
        I read a little about Hangzhou in a class I took last semester on Historic Lives of China. One of the people we studied, Su Dongpu was a prefect in this area starting in 1071. He was originally in the capital, but he disliked the difficult politics there because he felt he couldn't accomplish anything so requested an assignment elsewhere. In Hangzhou he
        “found it possible to administer the Green Sprouts program for the benefit of some of the people. His basic focus was on the variety of human nature and experience and his [had] suspicion[s] of all efforts to impose uniformity... Chinese policymakers all too often have lacked Su's suspicion of uniformity and have made great trouble for themselves and their people by trying to impose on all of China policies that [only] make sense for some important part of it....
        In the Hangzhou years, especially in the long, tranquil weekends in the hill monasteries, Buddhism came to affect him more deeply... Chan [the Chinese equivalent of Zen Buddhism] ways of being in the world without clinging to it deepened his own understanding of how he could respond to humanity in all its variety and not impose his own fixed ideas on it.” (From Mountain of Fame by John Willis- this was the book we used in my class).
        He lead several social welfare projects and also brought together 200,000 workers to build the Su Causeway to protect the quality of the lake and provide walking grounds. The causeway was built out of mud dredged from the bottom of the lake
        Su Dongpu was also a great poet, one of the most famous in Chinese history. One poem that he wrote while riding a boat on West Lake resonated in my heart. I read it several times during my trip there.

On A Boat, Awake at Night
Faint wind rustles reeds and cattails;
I open the hatch, expecting rain- moon floods the lake.
Boatmen and water birds dream the same dream;
A big fish splashes off like a frightened fox.
It's late- men and creatures forget each other
While my shadow and I amuse ourselves alone.
Dark tides creep over the flats- I pity the cold mud-worms;
The setting moon, caught in a willow, lights a dangling spider.
Life passes swiftly, hedged by sorrow;
How long before you've lost it- a scene like this?
Cocks crow, bells ring, a hundred birds scatter;
Drums pound from the bow, shout answers shout.

        Su Dongpu's story is a fascinating one. He accomplished much, wrote brilliant poetry, but his life was not without hardship. He was exhiled twice be the Chinese court for speaking out against its policies and was separated from his family. A disease he contracted during his later exile eventually lead to his death. Regardless, he refused to let his spirit be beaten! Despite living in horrendous conditions, he continued to write beautiful poetry, possibly even his best. He would not let his enemies succeed in bringing him down, no matter how hard they tried.
        He once wrote, “there is something to be seen in everything, and all pleasurable; things need not be especially strange or beautiful. One can get high on the dregs of wine, and full with nuts and vegetables. On this principle, where should I not be happy?” I have the utmost respect for him and I intend to read more of his poetry and biographies upon returning to the states
        After learning a little about Su Dongpu and his experience in Hangzhou, I knew I wanted to visit. So, I signed up for the SAS trip that was supposedly sponsored by Jiao Tong University. Unfortunately, none of the university students attended because it's Chinese New Year, so they were all with their families. A little disappointing since I was especially excited to visit the area with students who would know far more about its history than I, but that's okay; I still made the best of the trip. We had a small group, only four students and four professors, which made for a great balance. The bus ride from Shanghai took about 2 hours and went through lovely countryside. I was fantasizing about renting a bike and riding out into the countryside after returning to Shanghai, but there was so little time that it didn't end up working out. Someday I will return to China and bike all over. There is so much to see! I barely touched the surface in my week there.
        Anyway, we passed by farmers tending their fields, simple but pleasant homes with children playing out front, canals with boatsmen floating down, carrying goods to wherever. This is the China I wanted to see, not the big, westernized cities.
        Our bus driver got lost a few times, but eventually we arrived at the hotel. It was really nice, but I would have preferred one of Hangzhou's hostels. If I had known the Jiao Tong students weren't going to show, I would have come out here on my own, gone at my own pace, stayed longer at a hostel, made some pengyou's (Mandarin for friends) and rented a bike etc... but what can you do...
        After checking it, we ate a family-style dinner at the hotel and chatted a bit before getting on the bus to go to West Lake. Our tour guide, MingMing (which means double clever) arrived just in time. She was hilarious and full of spirit! She was the youngest guide I've ever met, only 22. She had quite the sense of humor, but she also seemed more interested in discussing Western popular culture (her favorite show is Gossip Girl) than traditional Chinese culture. Anyway, she took us to West Lake and we walked around the beautiful park for a little while. It was refreshing to see so many trees! Mingming told us that the saying goes, “In Shanghai, they have 60 people for each tree. Whereas in Hangzhou, they have 60 trees for each person.” Personally, I like trees :)  some people are good... but all the trees that I've encountered are good, so I'd rather have more of them :D
        Then we took a boat ride out on the lake. A walk through this park and then boat ride on the lake is known throughout China as the most romantic experience. So on the boat ride, this Chinese couple came and sat next to me. The husband started to talk to me, asking where I was from and such. He didn't speak much English, but the combination of his skills and the few phrases I knew allowed the conversation to progress. His wife is a doctor and he is an official in the communist party, apparently the head of the cultural department. He gave me his business card, but I couldn't read any of it. Later I had someone translate it and apparently is listed all the books he's published on Confucius. My friend Shaolong says its all rubbish and he's probably not even official. Maybe that's so, but believing its true makes for a better story, so whatever.
        Anyway, I asked the guy “Ni xiang gei wo zuo peng you ma?” (literally “you want with me make friends?”) and he signed for me to wait for a moment and went inside the cabin on the boat. He returned with his two children, his 21-year old son and 15-year old daughter. I don't know by what conditions he was allowed to have two children (China has a policy of one child per family), perhaps he paid the extra fee or he's an ethnic minority, I don't know. Anyway, I asked his kids if they wanted to be my friends and they both said yes. Neither spoke any English, however, so we just smiled and laughed a lot. I did ask “Ni xihuan pa shan?” (“Do you like to climb mountains?”) and they said yes (my reply was “Hao, wei wo shi shan” = “Good, because I am a mountain.”, I was just trying to be silly and I guess it worked because everyone laughed, hopefully they didn't think there was some weird meaning to that though, in English there definitely could be, but Mingming told me that in Chinese it would just be seen as silly).
        At first, everything seemed totally innocent. I found out the son's name was Li Zhe Jian, he's 21 and working towards his MBA. He and his family live in Fuzhou. Myself and the other students were trying to say that they should come hang out with us that evening, but we couldn't get the point across. So I went to get Mingming to help translate. Once she was there, the conversation no longer seemed so innocent.
        The father told Mingming that his son was looking for an American wife. Li Zhe Jian didn't want Mingming to translate that to me, but of course she did. I was just thinking of making pengyou's, apparently he was looking for a wife. The father said that he wanted to fly me back to China after my trip is over; they were serious. He said that the fact that we met on a boat in Hangzhou, the most romantic place in China, was a sign that we were destined to be together. It is our fate.
        After that, I turned silent. Clearly, Chinese marriage traditions are very different from what I'm used to. I sort of knew that already, but I hadn't actually experienced it. The father was trying to arrange a marriage between his son and this American girl he just met. The son was nice and everything, but I have no interest in getting married anytime soon and I don't think I want to move to China. Needless to say, we did not meet up again. After the boat docked, I smiled and waved good bye and that was that. Before the conversation turned serious, I took a picture with them, so now I have a snap shot of my apparent “family-to-be”. Crazy.
        After leaving the park, we headed to a tea village. The tea villages are beautiful! Apparently the tea farmers are the most well-off people in the area. They have their own homes (as opposed to renting apartments or condos as most others in the area do). The tea bushes are grown on the hillside. This is because they like only a little water and sun. If they are planted on a flat region, they get too much water. If they are planted on the mountain top they get too much sun. They are neatly arranged and make for some picturesque views.
        We got to pick some of our own tea leaves, but its not the right season yet so not many of the leaves were ready. Then we watched the drying process. It is the woman's job to pick the leaves and then the men dry them and prepare the tea for packing. First, the leaves are left to dry in the air. Then there is the first drying, then the leaves are placed in a basket to absorb the moisture and then dried a second time. The dryings are done in a large, warm metal bowl. It takes about 4 hours of constant stirring until the drying is complete.
        Then we went inside the tea house to drink some of their tea. It was tasty! The leaves absorb the water and its as if they were never dried! Definitely very different from bagged tea! After the tea village we went out to dinner and then returned to the hotel.
        Myself and the other students, Amanda, Alexandra and Colette went walking around after returning to the hotel. Amanda and Alexandra are sisters and are both from Puerto Rico. Colette is a mathematics and economics major from Maryland (and one of the few people who shares my passion for learning and distaste for superficial conversation. She also doesn't hesitate to speak her mind even if people dislike her or judge her for it. Her and I have really connected and are learning a lot from one another).
        Our goal was to find this Reggae Cafe that we passed on the drive to the hotel. We walked for so long trying to find it and then realized that it was right by the hotel, we just didn't notice it because it was closed so all the lights were off. Silly us. Whatever though, we still enjoyed walked around Hangzhou. It was still early though, so we went into a nearby bar in hopes to make some friends. The first place was pretty empty, but we were talking with this one guy for a little. He spoke some English but mostly I tried to speak Mandarin with him. I have such a hard time understanding it though! Even when they say a phrase that I've learned, I can make it out when they speak with the correct accent. My teacher on the ship is American, so he speaks Chinese with an American accent and it sounds completely different from when a native speaker talks.
        After an hour or so we decided to try somewhere else. The next place had lots of people hanging out, eating, drinking and playing games, so we went there. Then these two foreigners walked in and we made friends with them. Sean was from Ireland and Colin from Scotland, but they moved to China about 10 years ago to go to school. Now Sean works for a marketing firm in Shanghai and Colin works with trademarking in Beijing. We were able to talk to them about subjects that wound be difficult to talk to the natives about but they still had a lot of information. We asked about the one child per family policy and they told us that there are actually many loopholes that allow people to have more children. For instance, if you have at least 1/8 ethnic heritage (that is non-Han Chinese, Han is the dominant group making up about 90% of China's population) you are allowed more children to ensure that your lineage does not die out. They told us it is wise not to talk about Tibet or Taiwan or Obama's meeting with the Dali Lama, because it will most likely stir up some hostility.
        America is sending arms to Taiwan and Obama has agreed to meet with the Dali Lama (possibly regarding Tibet, although both Colin and Sean seemed to think this wouldn't lead to anything revolutionary). Both of these things upset the Chinese, who are very proud of their nation and do not want America meddling in their business. However, I don't know enough about these issues to talk much more about them. We talked about socialism in the UK, the downfalls of a consumer, overly-capitalist society etc. However, Amanda and Alexandra were getting bored and it was getting late, so we left. We exchanged emails and Sean met up with Amanda and Alexandra a few days later in Shanghai to go salsa dancing. Apparently he was hoping Colette and I would be there as well, but we were listening to live jazz in the French Concession instead.
        On the walk back to the hotel there were lots of fireworks in celebration of the New Year. Exciting!
        In the morning we went to the Chan Buddhism Lingyin Temple (which means “Temple of the Soul's Retreat”). The monastery was founded in 328 AD during the Eastern Jin Dynasty by monk Huili, who came from India. We saw the pagoda where his ashes are kept. There are numerous rock carvings and grottos. I wish I had been on my own so that I would have had more time to explore them all. They were really quite exquisite. When I return to China, I will without a doubt visit Hangzhou again and spend more time here.
        The rock carvings span many dynasties and are mostly of Buddha or other buddhist dieties. Most of which are along Feilai Fang (“The peak that flew hither”), a limestone rock formation. Legend holds that the peak was originally from India but flew to Hangzhou overnight as a demonstration of the omnipotence of Buddhist law. Inside the main grotto is a statue of the Bodhisattva Guanyin, the deity of mercy. There is a crack in the ceiling of the cave that stretches that allows a sliver of sunlight to shine into the cave. This is known as the "one thread of heaven".
        There was also a carving of the monk Xuanzang and his three attendants (including the Monkey King, Sun Wukong). Xuanzang made an epic journey to India and back to bring Buddhist scrolls and idols and is immortalized in the tale “Journey to the West” (parts of which I read last semester in my class). These carvings were defaced during the cultural revolution, however, when the Red Guards invaded the temple.
        My favorite carving was definitely the Laughing Buddha. He is also known as the cloth bag monk because underneath his arm he hold a cloth bag. The bag is supposed to carry all of your trouble. So if you are having trouble in your life, you should go to him and he will toss them into his bag and make you laugh and smile with his big grin and fat, joyous belly. The laughing, happy statues were built during the Song dynasty, when the Han people ha control of the empire. Some statues had a more solemn, serious appearance typical of Tibetan-type Buddhism and these were built under the Yuan dynasty, which was controlled by the Mongols.
        We only got to enjoy the statues in passing because our guide was rushing us to make sure we fit in everything she had planned, but I still managed to enjoy them and take in their beauty. Next, we went to the main monasteries and temples (the actual buildings). The square was packed with people celebrating the new year. Hangzhou has one of the longest new years in China. They take off 15 days! More than twice as long as most of the other regions. Hundreds of people were burning incense and making their prayers. I decided to walk around the outsides of the temples in the direction opposite of the way the guide suggested so that I could avoid the heaviest crowds.
        The largest hall is the Hall of the Heavenly Kings which houses a statue of the Maitreya Buddha in his manifestation as the Laughing Buddha. This hall is as large or larger than the main hall at many temples, reflecting its status as the center of Buddhism in south-eastern China.   (I didn't go in this one, too many people.)
        Across the courtyard from this hall is The Great Hall of the Great Stage (I did enter this one). It houses a traditional statue of Shakyamuni, the historical Buddha. The current statue was carved in 1956 from camphor wood and coated with 60 taels of gold! It is the largest wooden Buddhist statue in all of China. The walls are lined with statues of more than 150 Buddhist figures and the ceiling is decorated in brilliant color with traditional Buddhist symbols (including the swastika, which was originally a Buddhist symbol. The word swastika actually derives from a Sanskrit word meaning a lucky or auspicious object, Hitler just had to go and ruin its good name). There are three other halls as well as several dormitories for the monks. When I exited the Hall of the Great Sage, I noticed one of the monks trying to get down the stairs. There were so many people pushing and shoving, but he remained very patient. There is no need to rush. We caught eyes and smiled at one another
        After seeing two of the main halls, I walked outside the temples, trying to find a more peaceful part. There are many small ponds and statues around and most of the people stayed in the large, famous  buildings, so it wasn't difficult to find a quieter place. Then I had to return to meet the group and we headed to the Liuhe Pagoda (meaning Six Harmonies). The name comes from the six Buddhist ordinances and it was supposed to calm the tides of the Qiantang River. Of course it has no effect on the tides but it does serve as a navigational aid and watchtower.
        It has 13 floors (although only 7 ceilings, one for every two floors) and was originally built
during the Northern Song Dynasty (970-1127AD). It was destroyed during warfare in 1121 and then completely rebuilt in 1165 during the Southern Song Dynasty. The current pagoda is supposedly the one from that time, so it is 855 years old! I climbed all the way to the top (and a little too quickly I think, my legs were a bit sore the next day) to enjoy the view of the river and forest. The inside of the pagoda is decorated with blue, red and green designs and traditional Buddhist figures and motifs.
        Next we went to a silk factory, or more a display house (which makes me a little curious as to how things actually go down at the factories... I doubt its as clean and fair as they make it sound in the show room). The silk is unwound from the cocoons of the silk worm and each cocoon provides 1000-3000 ft of silk thread! The material is incredibly strong, soft, and resistant to odors and bacteria. It is also a fire retardant. Hangzhou brags about being the location of the best silk in all of China (but I bet every silk making town says that). Then we got back on the bus and returned to the ship.

Adventures with Chen Li Long!

        We arrived in Shanghai and I was amazed at the number of skyscrapers! I knew that it would be very developed, but the number of buildings in a little absurd. The city basically popped up over night! The majority of the world's cranes are located in Shanghai, working on these huge buildings. I was supposed to travel with Tian, Emerson and Karim to go the the Indian consulate so they could get their visas and then we were going to book flights to Guangzhou, but somehow I missed them.
        Instead, I spent the day with Max (Chen Li Long), Will and Keith. We went to Yuyuan Garden which was packed with people! It was a little overwhelming. But it was still cool to see because the buildings were much older than the rest of Shanghai. Before entering the garden, I hardly felt like I was in China. Everything was so westernized that I felt like I could easily have been anywhere else (other than the fact that most of the signs were in Chinese). The architecture around the Bund (where our boat was docked) is distinctly European, nothing traditional whatsoever. To be honest, I found the area rather boring.
        But then we walked through the gates of the garden and it was like a totally different world! Red paper lantern adorned the street, the buildings were in a more Chinese style and there we lots of nice little alleyways packed with food vendors and small shops. We walked down one of the alleyways to find a dumpling shop. Max did most of the talking for us (since he's from Shanghai) and basically served as our guide. However, he said he never really visits the city because there are too many people for his liking (which I completely understand, I'd stay in the outskirts of town as well if I lived here). He likes his peace and serenity, which is hard to find when your being pushed around by hundreds of people all rushing around to wherever. Nonetheless, he was kind enough to make one trip there to show us tourists around.
        “The garden was first established in 1559 as a private garden created by Pan Yunduan, who spent almost 20 years building a garden to please his father Pan En, a high-ranking official in the Ming Dynasty, during his father's old age. Over the years, the gardens fell into disrepair until about 1760 when bought by merchants, then suffered extensive damage in the 19th century. In 1842, during the Opium Wars, the British army occupied the Town God Temple for five days. During the Taiping Rebellion the gardens were occupied by imperial troops, and damaged again by the Japanese in 1942. They were repaired by the Shanghai government from 1956-1961, opened to the public in 1961, and declared a national monument in 1982. “
        The images wikipedia gives, however, makes the place seem very peaceful and lovely. Yes, it was beautiful, but it was far from peaceful with all the New Years and Expo festivities going on.
        We ate some delicious soup dumplings and kept walking. Everywhere we looked there were decorations for both the New Year and the World Expo. We were in Shanghai during the Chinese New Year, so there were good luck and fortune symbols everywhere as well as images of tigers (since it is entering the year of the tiger). The 2010 World Expo is going to occur in Shanghai, so there were also lots of decorations in preparation for that.
        The symbol of the expo is a blue gumby-like figure; he was everywhere! The extent of decorations was a little excessive in my opinion, and I was totally overwhelmed. But I suppose walking through this is all a part of the China experience. We walked on the famous nine-turned bridge and I felt like herded cattle. There were so many people that I could barely move my arms! There were many lovely ponds and buildings around, but its nearly impossible to thoroughly enjoy them when you have hundreds of people pushing you around and a cacophony of noise is polluting your eardrums. Clearly, I am not a city person.
        I had no interest in the hundreds of thousands of nic-nacs being sold everywhere nor in the chaos. My eyes were so huge with overwhelming shock that Max thought there was something wrong with me. I told him I was fine, just overwhelmed by everything.
        There was a very pungent smell in the gardens. I had also caught whiphs of it elsewhere. Its hard to describe... kind of like burning shit, ie very nasty. I think it was the most pungent smell I've ever come across. Max told me its the smell of stinky tofu, apparently its very tasty and the Chinese love it. I wanted to try some, because he told me it tastes nothing like it smells, but I never ended up succeeding.
        After leaving the garden we went to eat lunch and meet up with Max's girlfriend, who introduced us by her “English name”, Emma. I find it interesting that they all acquire English names, but I supposed it makes sense. We did the same in our Spanish classes. But I'd prefer to call them by their real names, however, they are difficult for me to remember and I probably botch the pronunciation :(  I guess that's why they tell us their English names instead.. because us ignorant English speakers fail and using their real names... :(
        Another of Max's friends joined us and we went on a hunt for a new charger for my camera. They took us to People's Square and we found the electronics department. Max told me his friend is the best bargainer in all of Shanghai, and she agreed to help me find a charger. They guy first wanted to charge 300 RMB (Chinese money, 7RMB=~$1) but she got him down to 150RMB and included another battery! I hate shopping and I'm a terrible bargainer, but it was really awesome to watch her haggle with the guy!
        Then we ate some delicious egg tarts (kinda like a sweet quiche) that are a dish from Macao (which was colonized by the French, so that explains the similarity to quiche) and headed to Max's house for dinner.
        He lives about 20 or 30 minutes outside of the city center in a much quieter part of Shanghai. The area is still very developed, with many tall buildings, but there aren't as many people all over the place. He lives in one of the many communities on the outlying parts of the city. These communities are gated  and a hundred or so families live in each one, often in small quarters (at least compared to the US, with our absurdly sprawled out homes).
        His house was beautiful and his family made us feel very at home! We ate dinner with them for Chinese New Year and then looked at photo albums of Max growing up. His mom was more than thrilled to pull out all the albums, but of course Max wanted her to stop, hahaha. One picture that really stuck me was one from about 12 years ago. Max and his class were on a field trip to Pudong (the modern, business district) and they took a class shot with the Pearl Tower in the background. What struck me was how few building there were! There were only about 3 or 4 tall buildings other than the Pearl Tower. Today, the entire skyline is packed! The city really did just pop up overnight.
        His family didn't speak any English, so I tried to use the few Chinese phrases I knew and we just spent a lot of time laughing. I explored the house a little and there were dead fish and a duck hanging in the bathroom! Apparently, they are for the dishes they prepare for the New Year. They marinate the food and then hang it to dry. I guess the bathroom was a good place to put them because it doesn't matter so much if it smells like fish.
        After laughing at pictures, we returned to the city center. The others went out but I returned to the ship because I needed to be awake early for Sunrise Tai Chi and my trip to Hangzhou!

Tomodachis and Serenity: Arigatai, Miyajima!

        Miyajima is a small island off the coast of Hiroshima. There are no bridges out to the island, so the only way to get there is by ferry. Mike, Brittany and I took the metro from Peace Park to Miyajima Guchi (the mainland station) and then started looking for the Miyajima Backpackers Hostel. We originally planned to stay in a traditional ryokan out on the island, but it was booked for the night. That ended up being a really lucky occurrence though because the hostel was awesome!
        Hisa, the owner, is from Hiroshima but has traveled all over the world, spending most of his time in Brazil and the States. He loved the environment of the hostels he stayed in so much that he decided to open one up in his own town. A year and a half ago he founded Miyajima Backpackers. Hisa is an awesome hostel owner! He speaks great English as well as Portuguese and of course Japanese. He told us of a great place to eat, so after checking in we went to grab some grub.
        The restaurant (I don't know the name... I think it was something like Miyajima Okonomiyaki) was DELICIOUS! They served the well-known snack of the area, okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki is a kind of thin pancakes stuffed with all sorts of goodies. Traditionally, it has octopus (or other meat such as squid or pork), green onions, mushrooms, other veggies, cheese and sometimes kimchi or mochi. Its also usually served with mayo and okonomiyaki sauce (kinda like a sweet Worcestershire sauce). They take all the raw ingredients and fry them on the stove at your table, hibachi-style (they didn't know what we meant by hibachi though, so I wonder if that's actually what they call it... I doubt it). In Hiroshima, they layer the ingredients, add way more cabbage than in other areas, add noodles and a fried egg. They brag that this is the “correct way to make okonomiyaki”. They fry the dough, layer the ingredients on top and add the sauces. Then you eat right off the grill using a metal spatula type utensil. It was AMAZING!!!! Even thought I just ate, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! MMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmm........ okonomiyaki..... mmmmmmmmmmm.......
        The waitress was really sweet. She hardly knew any English but we got the order across just by pointing, even the fact that the Mike and Brittany didn't want meat. We just kept smiling and laughing. Then we ordered beers and I was trying to ask for the caps for my collection, so we played pictionary! I think she was confused why I wanted the cap, but she gave it to me anyway, laughing the entire time!
        After dinner, we headed out to Miyajima to see the island by night. The island is the location of the Itsukushima Shrine. It is a UNESCO world heritage sight and one of the most beautiful shrines in all of Japan.

        “The shrine is dedicated to the three daughters of the Shinto deity of seas and storms Susano-o no Mikoto, brother of the great sun deity, Amaterasu (the tutelary deity of the Imperial household). The first shrine buildings were probably erected in the 6th century, and the shrine has been destroyed many times. The present shrine dates from the mid-16th century, having been rebuilt in keeping with its earlier 12th century design “ (from Wikipedia)

        It is most famous for its “floating” red torii. The image of the torii out on the water, with mountains in the background, is one of the most famous pictures of Japan, however, it only appears to be floating when the tide is high. It is very large and located offshore because the entire island was once considered sacred ground. Upon sailing to the island, your boat was supposed to pass though the torii to signify that you were entering sacred ground.

        “The gate has existed since 1168, though the current gate dates back to 1875. The gate, built of camphor wood, is about 16 meters high and was built in a four-legged style to provide additional stability. “

The island was considered so pure that commoners were not allowed to step foot on the island. They could only stand on the shrine itself for fear that they would ruin the purity of the island. The rest of the land was solely for the elite. To preserve the island's purity, cutting down trees is strictly forbidden as are burials. The island is covered in trees and wild deer and monkeys roam freely!
        So we went out to see the shrine lit up at night. Lamps make the torii, shrine and nearby pagoda all stand out beautifully! We walked around for an hour or so, engaged in amazing conversation, as we pet the deer and admired the beautiful landscape. Oh I forgot to mention, the deer are completely tame! They walk right up to you and nuzzle you and everything! Its so cute! In the Shinto religion, deers are sacred and considered to be messengers of the gods, so they have not been hunted. Thus, they have no reason to fear humans and instead regard them as friendly bearers of treats. We didn't give them any treats, but we did pet them and scratch them behind their ears :D
        We took the last ferry back to the mainland to return to our hostel. As we entered, Hisa was on his way out and invited us to join him for a beer around the corner. One main topic of conversation was the differences in the university system in Japan and the US, but I think they're mostly the same. Hisa said that in Japan, students work really hard to get into the best university, but then once they are there they hardly work at all. He said in most fields it is very easy to get the degree, so most spend their college years partying, For some reason, he seemed to think that this is different in the US. But I assured him that it is not. Of course, there are people who work hard, but they are generally at the to of their classes because everyone else is too busy partying to care about learning. At least that's how it is at my university. People view not showing up to class or doing the reading and something to brag about, so long as you still pass. I don't understand it; I thought the point of paying all that money to go to school was to educate yourself. But apparently its just to get a piece of paper that says you jumped through the hoops so you can get a better job and make more money. What a waste.
        After our conversation concluded we headed back to the hostel. It was one of the guest's birthdays so Hisa went to get a cake and we all sang happy birthday. Then we explored the common room. The walls were covered in awesome artwork! I took LOTS of pictures! There was a coffee maker that looked like a dog, artistic renditions of the giant red torii, as well as painting that one of Hisa's friends did. She's focusing on finger-foods from around the world. So far she had Italy (Bruschetta), Mexico(Maiz con Cha), the Philippines (Pisang Goreng), US (potato chips), France (canape), Brazil (champinones al ajillo) and Japan (I don't know what the food was, its in Japanese characters so I can't read it). She writes a description of how to make each food in the language of that country, paints the background in the colors of the flag and has a local of each country hold to food and serve as the model for her painting. The connection between all the paintings, the hands all look very similar despite the vastly different locations of their owners, signifying that we are all human, and are connected by that simple fact despite the differences in our foods, languages, flags etc.
        The common room also had several communal instruments including a guitar and a stand-up base. Mike played guitar, Hisa played bass and I sang my silly song (and some of Kimya Dawson's). Hisa whipped out some awesome Bob Marley tunes on the bass! He noticed my earrings earlier (they have Bob Marley's picture on them), so he knew I'd enjoy that. I swear, those earrings are the best thing ever! I always wear them when I'm traveling and they have yet to fail at making me friends. All around the world, people love Bob and his message! One love. One heart. Lets get together and feel alright!
        Oh, one funny thing to note. The bathrooms were co-ed (just to explain why I saw this...) and the sign on the urinal read “PLEASE STAND CLOSER!! Cuz your TOMAHAWK is not so long as you wish” -Silly Hisa- he put funny signs up all over the place. Another one was for the showers. Upon arrival you received a coin for the shower. If you didn't use the coin (none of use did) you could return the coin in exchange for a souvenir. The sign showed a sexy lady in the shower, only the face of the lady was Hisa's face!
        Before going to bed, I had Hisa write a note for me in Japanese saying “How can I recycle electronics in Japan?” I wanted this so that I could ask around and hopefully get some information, since I was unsuccessful so far, mostly due to communication barriers. At first, he wrote a very short phrase and then started laughing. I knew it wasn't the right thing so I showed it to some other people in the room and they all laughed. Apparently he wrote “Fuck off”. It was cleary just a joke so I just laughed at him and “slapped” him (gently of course) for being so mean. Then he wrote the real thing (on a separate sheet of paper so I wouldn't offend whoever I was asking). I had him add onto his “fuck off” comment by writing “be my friend or else I kill you!” underneath. I knew I wouldn't ever actually show that so someone I met, but I thought It'd just be a funny thing to have, especially since my goal is to say “want to be my friend?” in every language. This is just a harsher way of asking, but it still gets the point across, right? hahahaha
        Okay so we finally pulled ourselves away from the conversation and went to bed. We only slept about 4 hours and got up before the sun so that we could get out to the island around sunrise. I'm a big fan of getting up to see the sunrise! I think it is the most beautiful part of the day and far more worthy than sunset (if for no other reason than because it takes more effort). We were the first ones awake in the hostel and we left out bags in the dorm so that we didn't need to carry them around all day. I left Hisa a note on the same sheet of paper that he wrote on to let him know we were leaving the bags. It read...
        “Hisa,
                We will return by 1300 to collect our bags. I hope it is okay that we leave them here for a little while.
        If not... then...
        (In Japanese) Fuck off. Be my friend or else I kill you!
                JUST KIDDING! :D  
Alicia-”
So I guess that note did come in handy after all!
        We planned to take the first ferry at 6:04 AM, but were too busy drinking tea and laughing at the note that we missed it. Instead we bought tickets for the 6:30Am ferry and went to 7/11 to get some breakfast. I got a pastry stuffed with red bean past and a nice hot coffee out of the vending machine. The sun was rising. It was a clear day. Picture perfect! I set Totoro up on a ledge and placed the breakfast in front of him and took a cute picture of him eating breakfast in Miyajima.
        The sunrise was amazing! It was nice that we missed the first ferry because I got to take pictures of the sunrise with the ferry and island in the shot. Plus...
        When we got on the ferry, there were three Japanese students who got on as well. They looked about the same age as the three of us and they sat down on the bench next to us in the front of the boat. For some reason, I felt like they would be down to be my tomodachis! So far, I had totally failed in my mission of making Japanese friends (other than Akiko and her friend), but I felt like this time would be different.
        So I turned to the three guys and with a huge smile on my face asked “Tomodachi nate?”
        They looked at one another for a moment, and then replied, “Yea sure.”
        I was so excited!!!! Turns out they were on vacation as well. They were all from Kamakura and are students in their last year at a university Tokyo. I had just been to Kamakura! So I started showing them pictures of my time there and they knew all the streets and locations. It was crazy! I just went to their home! They were laughing at me, but I was being really silly so it makes sense. I might have been a little annoying to them as well because I kept wanting to show them pictures of my home and random stuff from my trip, but one of them Hajime, seemed genuinely interested (or at least good at faking it). His friend Kennichi also seemed excited to hear my stories but the third guy, Yuya, wasn't as into hanging out with us. I just think he didn't speak much English though. Hajime and Kennichi spoke great English! I was impressed! There was still a language barrier, or course, and sometimes it was very difficult to get across what we wanted to say and it too us a long time, but we always managed to work through it.
        We got off the ferry together and headed to the shrine. On the way, Brittany asked what they like to do for fun and Hajime said he really likes sumo and then he preceded to give her a demonstration :)  I couldn't stop smiling and laughing and skipping around! I was so excited to have made my tomodachis!!! I was so excited, that when we got to the shrine I was pretty loud. Oops!!! Hajime shushed me, and rightfully so. We were in a sacred place, it was time for me to settle down. I wa so embarrassed but they assured me that it was okay. I calmed down right away and they could see I felt bad. Plus, they expect Americans to be loud at inappropriate times. The thing is, I hate being what's expected.
        We kept our voices down for the duration of our time in the shrine and the three of them were kind enough to explain some of the auspicious figures and decorations around the shrine. There were the same pieces of white paper that I saw in Kamakura, intended to ward off evil spirits. Also, arrows (Hamaya) that were lit on fire and shot to get rid of evil energy should it make its way to the shrine.
        We were able to get a lot of information out the students for our projects as well. I asked them about electronic waste in Japan and discussed the project I'm working on. It was difficult to get across the meaning of sustainability at first, but I just kept trying. I was describing it as the process of protecting the earth so that its resources are still present for our children and our children's children. Eventually they got the idea. Protecting the environment is very important in Japanese culture, and it always has been. Its very much engrained in their past especially in Shintoism.
        It make sense. I mean, they are on a relatively small island nation so its clear what effects their actions have and their environment. Also, since they intended on being self-sufficent, they knew they needed to preserve the land for generations to come. Its not like in our country where we have vast spans of land to just dump whatever we want and dig up whatever we want, however we want and the vast majority of the population will never notice the damaging effects.
        So I asked about electronic waste and after probably 40 minutes of trying to figure out how to communicate, both for me, how to say things in a way they could understand (which can be hard, its best to ditch all grammar and use lots of body language), and for them, how they could find the words in English- a very difficult task especially when you're discussing a topic like this, which most English speakers can't even talk about. They told me that there is a company that takes the old electronics and takes them apart. They send any large metal or reusable parts back to the manufacturing companies to be placed in new electronics. Then what's left is crushed and the crushed material is sifted so that the heavy, metal pieces drop down. These are then remelted into a piece large enough to be reused and sent back to the manufacturers as well. The rest of the matter is thrown away. However, in Japan, throwing something away doesn't mean sending it to a landfill. It means sending it to an incinerator, many of which are waste-to-energy plants like the one I visited in Hawaii.
        So basically, Japan's got a great system figured out in terms of dealing with their waste. They still have the problem of companies claiming to use post-consumer materials when they actually don't, and most likely they also ship stuff to the big electronics dumps around the world. On the surface, however, all seems well.
        The word “mottainai” is a Japanese phrase that embodies their appreciation for the need to protect the earth. It basically means having a sense of regret when the intrinsic value of an object or resource is not properly utilized and is instead wasted. Its similar to the English phrase “What a waste”, but it seems to have a deeper meaning, as many other things in Japanese language and culture (as well as Chinese and I'd assume Korean). I don't know if that's just because these cultures are much older than those that use English or if we've just lost our way or if I'm just applying more meaning than is actually present because I'm a foreigner and maybe I can't really tell the difference...
        It was a great experience discussing global sustainability with Hajime and Kennichi. I could tell it was difficult to work out the communication. Every time we finally managed to understand one another, Hajime would let out a huge sigh and put his hand over his heart and I expressed my deep gratitude for his help. I had some of the best conversations yet with Hajime! There was never a dull moment! Of course, we were not constantly talking and we had to be very patient with one another to ensure that our ideas were properly conveyed, but that was half the fun. On one or two occasions one of my friends tried to say the points I was trying to discuss were too difficult with the language barrier, but I wasn't about to give up easily. I'm patient, more so than I feel they were, so I had no problem speaking slowly and simply and drawing diagrams or making hand gestures, anything to work it out. And it was worth it! We talked about many interesting things!
        We talked about why it is important to study history. In Japan, the students take an entire semester of US History and one on European history and I think one on Chinese history as well, in addition to more intensive studies of Japanese history, of course. Hajime said he thinks this is important because he gains a better appreciation for other cultures and also knows to learn from the mistakes of the past.
        We also discussed why materialism is unimportant and how there are many more things in life that provide real enjoyment and have deep meaning. He also told me that his favorite thing to do is ride bikes. He loves to take long bike rides around Japan because it allows him to go at a slower pace and really take in the surroundings. I told him of my friend James's epic bike adventure around the world and he was very impressed. I wish I could replicate the sound he made on paper, but its impossible. It was almost like “wow” but with a greater of amazement and appreciation that came from much deeper than just saying “wow”. I don't think I'll ever forget that sound. I think I caught it on video actually... good :)
        He made the same sound when I was telling him about my project and how we are traveling the world observing the different methods of  disposing of electronic waste. Then we are putting it together in a lesson plan that will be taught to students in the US (if its good enough) with the hope that it will impact people in our home country. He said he was very glad to help with such a project. I told him we'd give him credit for his part, but somehow I don't think that's important to him. He was shocked to hear that the US doesn't take good care of the Earth and that we just dump our electronics in China or India or Ghana. Clearly, that wouldn't fly in Japan if the people knew about it. Although maybe if Americans knew about it, we'd stop it as well. But so many like to be ignorant because ignorance is bliss right... well its also blatant stupidity when you ignore knowledge even when it smacks you in the face!              (woah... that got a little harsher than I'd intended... but I'm leaving it in the blog anyway...)
        Anyway, back to Hajime being impressed by my friend's adventure. Hajime had never traveled out of Japan (which amazed me because his English was so good!) so I told him he should go on a crazy bike adventure as well! I could tell he was nervous, as I would be, too. But the more I travel, the more I'm finding that the world really is a welcoming place and most people are kind.
        We made our wishes at the shrine and then received our fortunes, just like I did in Kamakura.  Only this time there weren't any English translations, so Hajime and Kennichi translated for us. Brittany's fortune wasn't very good, from what I recall, so she tied it up and left her bad fortune there. Mike's was a little good, but I can't remember the details of either. Mine was also a little good, not as amazing as the one I got in Kamakura, but still good. Hajime didn't translate all the advice and messages on it for me, but he did translate the only part that I needed to hear. Basically it said, “you will not find what you seek in your travels” (I changed it slightly to keep from giving away the wish). The combination of my two fortunes “try to keep your heart pure” and “you will not find what you seek in your travels” were just the advice I needed to hear.
        It almost felt like I was being sent signs... now I know I'm not religious, I “shouldn't” believe in these kinds of things and you can tell me there's no reason behind any of it, but I like the meaning I've applied to these “signs”. They don't need to be “Signs from God” or whatever. All that's important is that I feel the meaning in my heart and it lifts me up and guides me. Which it has.

When we left the shrine, we found another smaller one alongside. Hajime was trying to tell me the story of the history of the shrine but the communication was difficult, but I think that was mostly due to the fact that I was confusing the story he told with another story I'd heard. He did get across the names of the two samurai that the shrine honored  so I looked it up on Wikipedia...
        According to records, the samurai Taira no Kiyomori (the first to establish a samurai-dominated government in Japan) gave the shrine its present form. In 1153, after the death of his father, he became head of the Taira clan. In 1156, he and Minamoto no Yoshitomo, head of the Minamoto clan, suppressed the Hogen Rebellion. This rebellion occurred when Emperor Todo died and two of his sons, Emperor Sutoku and Emperor Go-Shirakawa disputed over the succession of the throne.  Taira no Kiyomori and  Minamoto no Yoshitomo backed Go-Shirakawa.
        On July 11th, they led 600 calvary and attacked a palace of Emperor Sutoku. The fierce battle ended with Kiyomori and Yoshitomo victorious and the two established the dominant samurai clans in Kyoto. However, this established a rivalry between the two clans. In 1159 a battle broke out between the two clans and Taira no Kiyomori was victorious and he seized Minamoto lands and established the first samurai dominated government. There was still the emperor, but he served more as a figure-head, much as he still does to this day. The head samurai, as Hajime explained to me (this part he managed to get across) is essentially the same as today's prime minister, the one with the true power.
        Then we walked by some shops on our way back to the central square. The others were peaking in the shops, but Hajime and I were so engrossed in conversation that I didn't even notice the surroundings. That is until we approached a momiji manju shop... the smell was intoxicating! Momiji manju is another local treat of this area. They are maple-leaf shaped pastries traditionally filled with custard or red beans. We got to watch them being made right there! Kennichi was so sweet, he bought an entire box so we each could taste one! They were delicious! Mmmmmmmm..... momiji manju.... mmmm..... I need to go back to Japan! Can I just live in Miyajima, please? No traffic lights, few cars, no roads to the mainland, no big buildings, lots of peace and serenity and trees and delicious food! Yes, please!
        After eating our treats we walked to the center square but it was packed with people! Hundreds of people were waiting in line for oysters and it felt like chaos (although very orderly chaos, afterall, it was Japan, even the chaos is orderly). There was an oyster festival going on that day, which at first I thought would be cool. But after having such a peaceful, enlightening morning with my new tomodachis, I found the crowds a little repulsive. My tomodachis were definitely turned off by it all and they decided to leave early. They didn't know there were going to be crowds like that. They were expecting a nice peaceful trip to Miyajima. Well, at least we had the morning then! Hopefully our presence added to their trip instead of detracting from it... I really hope we were obnoxious Americans and the whole time they actually just wanted us to leave, but judging by their smiles, I think they appreciated our presence almost as much as we appreciated theirs.
        We bid our farewells and exchanged emails. I told them that if they ever make it to California, I'd love to show them the same hospitality they showed us! I said arrigatai, which is a deep sense of thanks and gratitude, for all their help and friendship and then they went on their way. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday.
        Mike, Brittany and I worked our way through the crowds to sit and watch a performance that was going on on the stage. I think it was a noh play, at least that's what the information I read on the oyster festival said. But to me, it somehow seemed meaningless. Hajime told me that these plays are supposed to be done on a sacred stage in a shrine for a peaceful audience, and this was the exact opposite of that. It was a commercially-replicated production intended for tourists who had little to no interest or understanding. I couldn't watch more than two minutes of it before me desire to find peace and quiet overwhelmed me. So I told Mike and Brittany I was going to go for a walk to find a nice place to write and I'd meet them in an hour to take the ferry back to the mainland.
        I started walking, trying to escape the noise. I had no idea where I was going, I just let my heart guide me and I figured a good path would unfold. Sure enough it did. I started walking up into one neighborhood and towards the woods and slowly the noise started to fade away. I found a small footpath (or possibly deer path) into the woods and followed it. Eventually, I had to walk out my own trail, and I ended up finding my own personal meditation shrine. There was even a small, natural torii for me to walk through that was made of two trees leaning against one another. I walked through the gate and found a great patch of moss to sit on. So I sat and listened to the trees and wrote. I intended to write of my new friends and the days activities, but what I wrote was nothing like that...
        “The universe is unfolding just as it should. As it is meant to be. Everything has purpose and meaning, whether intrinsic or applied by the psyche of man is unimportant. Even those things that seem destructive and harmful can be turned around as an opportunity for change and new purpose in life. Without the darkness there cannot be light. Without the sorrow there cannot be joy. Without the lost, there cannot be found.
        I am found. I am at peace. The universe has a path for me, and I feel I have found it. It may be a lonely road at times, for others have not found their way and cannot understand how I feel, no matter how hard they try.
        I am in a forest, the path to this spot presented itself and guided me away from the chaos that is beneath.
        Near the shore there is a festival. Dancing and music and oysters. But they are not important right now. Or it is not that they are unimportant, its just that they are currently lacking their meaning. They are done to entertain tourists. To bring in money. Not so much to celebrate the joy and beauty around.
        If only I had a lute to play right now (and I knew how to play it, but for some reason I feel like if I had one I would magically be able to play it without any training). Then I could make music.
        But that would dull the sounds of the birds, of the wind, of the trees.
        No. I like it just how it is. No lute is necessary.
        These woods reminds me so much of my home. I could live here happily. But my roots are in Santa Cruz and I would rather those roots grow deeper than uproot them and more elsewhere
        ...
        I hope I do not lose sight of my path as many others have. But I sense that so long as I keep my heart pure and open and let my spirit be free, the universe will allow things to unfold exactly as they should.
        Arigatai”

        On my wandering back to my friends, I found several small simple, Shinto shrines. The best of which was at the top of this HUGE staircase and was perched overlooking the populated portions of the island. I had the spot all to myself. Actually, I think there was one man up there watching the oyster festival, but I was so in my own world that I hardly noticed. It was old and rustic, just what I like. Wandering down the hill, I befriended a few deer and a dog and observed some lovely plum blossoms.
        I felt very spiritual, very connected. Sure, maybe there is no planned path for us all, no fate, no god writing down our destinies. But that doesn't mean we can let out spirits be free and find meaning behind everything in our lives. Maybe it is more of an existential stance I want to take, but there's a certain romance in the spiritual realm that existentialism just doesn't provide...
       
         I felt very guided throughout Japan. Everything was working out even when they went “wrong.”
        For instance, if the ryokan hadn't been booked, we would have stayed there instead and never met Hisa or any of the others at the hostel. We would have never taken the ferry in the morning. Or if I hadn't been too busy drinking tea and missed the first ferry we would have never taken  the second ferry and would have never made our new friends. Sure, maybe other adventures would have presented themselves and who am I to judge whether they would have been better or worse, all I know is that things worked out better than I could have every imagined and that's only because a few things went “wrong”.

        We got back to the hostel and Hisa thought my note was funny. I told him and another man who was there (a traveler who had just arrived in Japan but was planning to work at the hostel and stay for a long time) about my friends and my project. This man (I wish I could remember his name, I should have written it down) gave me the web addresses of a few environmental sites that are meant for people starting projects to put some information down about what they are doing and then others read it and if they know of anyone who can help out, they connect you. It could be a great networking site, especially if this project carries on past SAS, but I shouldn't get ahead of myself just yet...
        We bid some more farewells and got on the train headin to Kobe. Arrived about 2 hours before on ship time, just as planned. Being back on the boat after all the adventures I'd had was bizarre. But its time to move on for more adventures! Off to China!

Hiroshima... words can hardly describe...

        So Akiko sent Totoro and I on our way. I was hoping to make friends on the shinkansen, but I knew this might be difficult because the Japanese aren't usually the most social people, especially on the trains. Nonetheless, I thought I would try. After setting my things down, I walked up and down the train asking people “Tomodachi nate?” which means “Want to be my friend?”. Everyone was either sleeping, pretending to sleep, reading or playing video games and they either pretended not to hear me or looked at me like I was crazy. Oh well... Totoro will be my tomodachi... So I just sat and listened to music and wrote in my journal for a while. It was only about 3 hours to Kobe by shinkansen. They're very fast! So fast that my ears had trouble equilibrating! They can go around 186mi/hr and are very punctual! Usually arriving within 6seconds of the scheduled time!
        I got to Shin-Kobe at around 8:30pm, which made me nervous because the hostel I booked for the night stopped checking people in at 9. So I was stressing a bit and rushing to get there in time. Because of this, I hoped on the right tram, but going the wrong direction, of course! But I just got off at the next stop and turned around, although I lost a good 10 minutes or so in the process. When I got to the stop for the hostel, I realized it was in a remote location outside of the city center and there wasn't anyone around to help me find the place. It was 8:50 and the directions said it was a 10 minute walk, but the directions were slightly wrong (or I didn't follow them right) and I got a little lost. Luckily, I found a couple walking and asked them where the Tojo Supermarket was and they pointed me in the right direction. From there I was able to find the Kobe Dears Backpackers House and I got there just in time. I arrived at 9:05 and the woman at the counter was just about to mark me as a no show. I'm sure that even if I was later, something would have worked out though.
        The hostel was cute, small, kinda like someone's house. Pretty much the exact description posted on hostel world. But it was very warm! Quite a relief from the cold raining weather outside. I put my stuff down in the girls dormitory and noticed a Semester at Sea tee-shirt so I knew there must be another student staying there. No one was around at the time though so I walked to the 7-11 to get a something to eat and a beer.
        When I came back to the hostel, who did I find in the kitchen but my friend Nils! It was such a great surprise! He and this girl, whose name I have forgotten, had arrived that afternoon after an evening in Koyosan with some other friends. Koyosan is a mountain village where there are several Buddhist monasteries, some of which you can stay in and witness their lifestyle. We spent the night exchanging stories and pictures from our adventures. I think this is one of the coolest things about Semester at Sea, we all do different things and have different adventures, and then we get to share stories and live vicariously through one another and experience that much more!
        The fact that they were at the same hostel worked out so well because we all had the same FDP in the morning and they already figured out how to get back to the boat (I had no idea, I just figured someone in the hostel would be able to help me when I got there). So we woke up at around 5:30, got out of there around 6 and got the the port by about 7:15. We didn't have enough time to re-board the ship for breakfast, so we just ate some sweet bread that a friend of his had and had coffee out of the vending machines. The vending machines in Japan are so amazing! They dispense HOT coffee in a can! And its delicious! :)
        Then we got on the buses for a five hour bus ride down to Hiroshima. I hardly even noticed how long the ride was. Nils and I were having such interesting conversations and the guide was provided some interesting info, so the time just flew by. One thing that the guide said that struck me was that people from the Tokyo region and people from Hanshin prefecture, in general, hate each other. People in the Tokyo area are very obsessed with high fashion and are proud of how much money they spend. Whereas people in Hanshin are proud of spending less. Thrift stores are common and the people are generally much friendlier and willing to strike up conversation. I definitely noticed this in my travels.
        She also told us that the Hanshin accent is more tonal than the Tokyo accent but Tokyo Japanese is considered standard Japanese. The two cities are also big rivals in baseball (Yes, the Japanese love baseball, too. See, I told you our cultures are very much the same). The Tokyo Giants are a very wealthy team and they tend to buy all the best players, so people in Hanshin dislike them. In Kobe, they support the Hanshin Tigers. She also told us what our Chinese animals mean. I was born in the year of the dragon which means I am supposed to be “healthy, energetic, excitable, and short-tempered.” I'd say that's a pretty accurate description of me...
        We learned how to fold paper cranes on the bus and I folded four of them and wrote wishes for peace in the lives of various people I know. One for a friend who was once on the path to succeeding in being the man he wants to be, but who is currently about as far from that path as can be. One for the girls I used to live with and party with in IV, wishing that they may find some peace in their lives. One for my father's friend, Mark, who passed away a week before from a heart attack (this was the bad news I had received before meeting with Akiko, I had put the thought in the back of my mind up until now to ensure I still enjoyed Japan). One for my father, wishing that he will be able to cope with the loss and turn the tragedy into something positive.
        Thinking of all these things was putting me in a very somber mood, but I suppose that is appropriate at Hiroshima. The first thing we saw when getting off the bus was the one building that is still left standing after all these years, the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall. Much of it was destroyed in the blast, but some of the reinforced concrete walls and the copper dome still remain. I could not help myself from crying as I walked through the park. I cried for loss of life during WWII, for the fact that our world possesses even more destructive weapons today and I cried for things in my personal life.
        Most of the students around me did not understand, and that only made the feelings worse. Two girls asked me to move out of the way as they said to their friend “Ooo Ooo! Take a picture of my in front of the bomb sight!” * smile *
        They were giggling and laughing. I couldn't help but think “This is not the place for that.” I just clutched my totoro doll and buried my face in his soft fur. Some other students kept coming up to me and asking where I got my doll and my shoes and blah blah blah blah. I think I may have snapped at them a little when I replied “Kamakura”, but I had no interest in talking about such things at the time. They should have noticed that. But I guess I can't expect others to be so empathetic...
        Some other girl was talking about how cool my cranes were. I said they were actually rather depressing, some people in my life really need peace and haven't found it. She said “That's still really cool * giggle *”. I wanted to slap her. But I didn't. I just clutched my Totoro. Some of these SASholes can be very inconsiderate. But I just went on with myself and my sorrow and my Totoro. Lots of the students were staring at me, but I wasn't about to pretend that I felt good or happy when I didn't.
        We placed a string of 1000 paper cranes into the Children's Peace Memorial which is dedicated to all the children who loss their lives or became ill as a result of the blast or radiation. The idea is that 1000 paper cranes should bring peace.
        Some girl said its just a cliché, all the paper cranes, they have no meaning. I told here they are just like anything else; they have just as much meaning as you put into it. If you want it to be a cliché, then its a cliché. If you put your heart and soul into it; it is meaningful. I don't think she liked my response though. She gave me a strange look. Clearly she doesn't understand. At least not yet.
        The same girl asked me if I was going to put my cranes in with everyone else. I replied, likely in a snappy tone, “No. Then it would be cliché, I need to have a moment with myself when I put them in. Only then is it meaningful.” She just walked away.
        The group put the paper cranes in. Everyone was smiling and throwing up peace signs. I suppose if I hadn't had all this personal stuff going on I could have smiled as well, since it is a memorial for peace. But with what I was going through, there was no way I could smile. All the photographers noticed the somber look on my face and seemed rather struck by it. I'm the only one in the photo not smiling.
        My friend Max was the one person who seemed to understand and respect my behavior. He chose to take pictures of me instead of the smiling students. He asked me if in English the color blue can also be used to describe an emotion. I said yes, but it just means to be sad. He told me that in Chinese, the emotion blue is one of being depressed, but also strong and capable of embracing the sorrow. He said this described me and wondered if there is a word in English for such a feeling. We couldn't think of one. I find that Eastern philosophies admire the diversity of feelings and think that one is strong if they can live in their sadness when it comes. In Western cultures, we are taught that strength comes from suppressing your sorrow and moving on without ever actually dealing with the issue.
        In the park, there was a peace bell. The message says, “We dedicated this bell as a symbol of Hiroshima Aspiration. Let all nuclear arms and war be gone, and the nations live in true peace! May it ring to all corners of the earth, to meet the ears of every man, for in it throb and plapatate the hearts of its peace-loving donors. So may you, too, friends step forward and ring this bell for peace!” -Dedicated September 20, 1964 by Hiroshima Higan-no-kai.
        There was a group of children eating lunch in front of the peace memorial. Apparently every schoolchild in Japan is required to make a trip to Hiroshima at some point in order to teach the next generation of the importance of peace.
         There is also a monument from Korea for the korean victims of WWII and the atomic bomb. The statues are covered with paper cranes and wishes for peace in our chaotic world. There is also a peace flame, which will only be put out when the last nuclear weapon is destroyed.
        After spending about an hour or so in the park, we entered the museum. This is where the most intense exhibits are presented. The world's first atomic bombing took place at 8:15 am on August 6th, 1945. The bomb was dropped by the Enola Gay; only two other planes accompanied it. The Japanese were used to dealing with huge fire bombing raids with 1,000s of planes, so they assumed this small number meant it was only a reconnaissance mission and they lifted the air-raid warning. The people had no idea what was coming. They had no idea what the US had developed. It is estimated that 350,000 people died as a result of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima.
        There was too much for me to describe it all.
        Here are some quotes from exhibits at the museum
         “I fought for 30 minutes before I could take the first picture. After the first, I grew strangely calm and wanted to get closer. I took about ten steps forward, but the scenes I saw were so gruesome that my viewfinder clouded with tears.”
        “With the stockpiling and proliferation of nuclear weapons still a major concern, can we still safely assume that humanity has the wisdom to survive the nuclear age?”
        “The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima created enormous suffering at the time, of course, but it continues to cause suffering today among those who were exposed. The never-ending pain and anxiety they inflict are what make such weapons inhumane. But we must never forget that nuclear weapons are the fruits of war. Japan, too, with its colonization policies and resulting wars inflicted incalculable and irreversible harm on the peoples of many countries. A critical examination of not just the atomic bomb but also war and the causes of war is prerequisite to learning the lessons of history.”
        “When Hiroshima was scorched plain, it was said that no plants would grow again for 75 years. However, grass quickly began to sprout and flowers and leaves appeared on trees.
        Even phoenix trees that had been burnt black by the A-bomb started to put out buds. They were alive. The devastated hibukusha received great strength from the sight if the emerging green. The vitality of the phoenix trees surely energized the people of Hiroshima to work for world peace and the abolition of nuclear weapons.”
        The hardest parts to see were the articles or clothing from children who were found dead. The re-creations of people walking out of the rubble, their skin falling of their bones as they begged desperately for water, totally unsure of what had just happened to them. These are what made the experience real, the human connections. The victims are no longer faceless numbers, but real people with names and families.
        If you are ever in Japan, I highly recommend going to the museum. Yes, it is intense, but it is worth it. It doesn't only focus on the destruction, but also on the rebirth that occurred after and the potential for humanity to learn from this disaster and move forward to a more peaceful age.
        After exiting the museum, I check my name off the list for the bus so that I did not have to return with the bus. Brittany, Mike and I stayed in Hiroshima and made our way to Miyajima...

A Most Pleasant Day in Kamakura

        The first place Akiko took me was Tsurugaoka  Hachiman-gu (aka Crane Hill Shrine). This is the most important Shinto shrine in Kamakura. It was oringally built in 1063 by Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and moved to its present location in 1191 by Minamoto no Yoritomo (founder of Kamakura). It also served as a Buddhist temple for most if its history.

        “As one enters, after the first torii (Shinto gate) there are three small bridges, two flat ones on the sides and an arched one at the center. In the days of the shogunate there used to be only two, a normal one and another arched, made in wood and painted red[2]. The shogun would leave his retinue there and proceed alone on foot to the shrine[2]. The arched bridge was called Akabashi (Red Bridge), and was reserved to him: common people had to use the flat one[2]. The bridges span over a canal that joins together two ponds popularly called Genpei-ike (源平池?), or "Genpei ponds"[4]. The term comes from the names of the two families, the Minamoto ("Gen") and the Taira ("Pei"), that fought each other in Yoritomo's day[4].
The stele just after and to the left of the first torii explains the origin of the name[5]:
The Genpei Ponds
The Azuma Kagami says that "In April 1182 Minamoto no Yoritomo told monk Senkō and Ōba Kageyoshi to have two ponds dug within the shrine." According to another version of the story, it was Yoritomo's wife Masako who, to pray for the prosperity of the Minamoto family, had these ponds dug, and had white lotuses planted in the east one and red ones in the west one, colors which are those of the Taira and Minamoto clans. From this derives their name.
The red of those lotuses is supposed to stand for the spilled blood of the Taira“
“Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū is now just a Shinto shrine but, for the almost 700 years from its foundation until the Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order (神仏判然令?) of 1868, its name was Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū-ji (鶴岡八幡宮寺?) and it was also a Buddhist temple, one of the oldest in Kamakura[10]. The mixing of Buddhism and Shinto had been normal for centuries until the Meiji government decided, for political reasons, that this was to change[11]. (According to the honji suijaku theory, Japanese kami were just local manifestations of universal buddhas, and Hachiman in particular was one of the earliest and most popular syncretic gods. Already in the 7th century, for example in Usa, Kyūshū, Hachiman was worshiped together with Miroku Bosatsu (Maitreya)[12].)
The separation policy (shinbutsu bunri) was the direct cause of serious damage to important cultural assets. Because mixing the two religions was now forbidden, shrines and temples had to give away some of their treasures, thus damaging the integrity of their cultural heritage and decreasing the historical and economic value of their properties[10]. Tsurugaoka Hachiman's giant Niō (仁王?)] (the two wooden wardens usually found at the sides of a temple's entrance), being objects of Buddhist worship and therefore illegal where they were, had to be sold to Jufuku-ji, where they still are[13][14]. The shrine also had to destroy Buddhism-related buildings, for example its shichidō garan (七堂伽藍?) (a complete seven-building Buddhist temple compound), its tahōtō tower, and its midō (御堂, enshrinement hall (of a buddha)?)[10].
In important ways, Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū was impoverished in 1868 as a consequence of this Meiji era policy. The imposed, inflexible reform orthodoxy of this early Meiji period was unquestionably intended to affect Buddhism and Shinto. However, the structures and artwork of this ancient shrine-temple were not yet construed as important elements of Japan's cultural patrimony.[15] What remains to be visited today is only a partial version of the original shrine-temple.” (from Wikipedia)
        We entered the shrine on the flat bridge, the arched one is still blocked off, although I don't know who is allowed to walk on it today. We purified our hands and mouths with water before climbing the stairs to enter the shrine. The majestic red building have white paper “zig-zag” shaped paper hanging from them to ward off bad energy. To the left of the main stairs is a large tree. It is over a thousand years old and decorated with the same white paper. Two statues of  warriors stand on either side of the entrance way to protect the shrine.
        When we approached the shrine, Akiko taught me how to make a traditional prayer. You toss in a coin, clap twice, bow twice, make your wish, and bow once and clap once (I hope I remembered the order right... but I think its more the depth of gratitude that you feel in your heart that is important). There was this adorable couple who came to make their wishes! They held hands and tossed the coin in together and then made their prayers. They were smiling so big! :D I hope their wishes come true, I sense that they will...
        After making the wish, Akiko and I went to get our fortunes. We each shook a small stick out of a box and each stick has a number. Then the woman at the counter took out the top fortune from the pile of fortunes in the box labeled with the number we each pulled. Akiko said my fortune was the second best one possible. It means good luck. Do not waver, and go forward. The fortune then has bits of advice to ensure your wish or prayer comes true. The advice differs depending on what you wished for (ie. A wish, prayers for marriage, relationships, illness, business or exams). I cannot explain why, but the advice I received “try to keep your heart pure” was exactly what I needed to hear. Hopefully my wish will come true... I sense that it will :)
        If you receive a good fortune, you are to take it with you so that it may follow you. If you receive a bad one, you can tie it up and leave it there, so that your bad fortune may not follow you.
        As we were leaving the main shrine, I noticed a smaller one along the side. There was a tree in front and there were 16 white doves in the tree! Definitely an auspicious sign! So I entered this shrine and many a small prayers there as well. However, I didn't get a fortune. One was enough for a day. The entire place gave me a great sense of peace and good fortune. It was so beautiful and serene
        After the shrine, we went to eat lunch. Akiko took me to a small restaurant where we ate tempura, udon noodles with soup, small fish and tuna. It was delicious! And much cheaper than some of the other places I had gone :)
        After lunch, we continued walking, making our way to the Big Buddha. I spotted a totoro store and got very excited! The entire place was dedicated to totoro and other characters of  Miyazaki and the Studio Ghibli. There were so many totoro dolls and cat bus and everything! I was in heaven :)
        My brother and I, along with most Japanese children, grew up watching Totoro. Everything was so expensive though, so I was very hesitant about purchasing anything... but then I remembered when I felt very lonely on the ship and all I wanted was a big totoro to cuddle... so I splurged and bought a stuffed totoro for 3700 yen (about $40). He's so soft and cuddly though! And he has definitely served a great purpose already, I'm sure he will come in handy many more times.
        So then Akiko, Totoro and I went on the to Great Buddha. While walking to the tram to get there we passed through a tunnel that had artwork by local middle school children on the walls. They were so great! I was amazed by the talent of the papercutting! They had cut temples and shrines and they were so intricate and beautiful! There were also small clay bento boxes made by elementary students with little clay rice balls and sushi in them, oishi! (tasty)   :)
        Then we got on a small local tram to go to the Kotoku-in temple. I saw a poster that reminded me of a Japanese “American Dad” type character, Akiko didn't know what it was but the friends that I made later on said it is a local comic strip in Kamakura.  The tram was so close to the surrounding building that you could practically reach out and touch them! I pondered how iritating it must be to the people who live in those homes, but I supposed you get used to it and I bet its very cheap to live there.
        The Great Buddha is inside Kotoku-in temple. It is made of bronze and was originally cast in 1252. It is about 13.35m tall and weighs 93 tons! You can go inside, but we chose not to because it cost 20 more yen and Akiko said it is just dark and there are stairs. The statue is much more majestic from the exterior! The statue was originally housed in a temple, but it was washed away in a tsunami in 1498 and it has been outside every since. This has caused the bronze to oxidize and give the buddha a green color. There is also a large pair of sandals (made of hemp or bamboo I think...) hanging on the wall that were meant for Buddha.
        It was here that I captured my “essence of Japan” photo.
        Professor Gogniat requested that each of us capture one shot that embodies what we view as the essence of Japan. I took a picture looking into a bronze sphere where traditional incense was burning. Through the other side of the sphere you can see a Japanese couple and the woman is wearing a mask over her mouth. I chose this picture because it captures both the traditional worship using incense, the modern couple in the background and the sense of devotion to the community that the Japanese feel. The later is shown by the mask the woman wears. In Japan, if you are sick you wear a mask to cover your mouth so that you do not inflict your illness on those around you. I feel like people would never wear these in the US because we worry too much about the appearance of the individual. In Japan, however, it is not the appearance of the individual that's important, its the health of the community. So that is my essence of Japan. Traditional, modern, community-focused.
        Next, we headed for the Hase Dera Buddhist temple. On the walk we passed by a weapons shop and I peaking in to see the ninja stars and swords. My friend Teri asked me to bring him back a sword, but that's not happening. First, too expensive. Second, I can't have them on the boat. Third, he has no need for one. They were in the range of about 380000 Yen (like $4000). Not worth it. Nonetheless, cool to see so I took a couple pictures.
        The Hase Dera temple has the most beautiful gardens! Unfortunately, I was feeling quite sick to my stomach at this point so I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have liked, but that's okay. Things happen. We went up to the top and sat to have some tea, which helped to settle my stomach. I took a picture of this great smiling Buddha statue that was chillin in the garden, he was so happy! No pictures allowed inside though. Inside were huge statues covered in gold. Very gotti. I've always found it a bit ironic that Buddhism is supposed to be about removing all material possessions, but the statues are often so materialistic and gotti... I supposed Chan Buddhism (or Zen in Japan) is supposed to be less about the gotti-ness and more about the mental states, but its hard to arise that sense of awe in commoners just by using thoughts. Or at least that's the idea I was taught in class last sememster. Personally, I find the natural world far more awe inspiring than any amount of glitz and gold, but I guess I'm not like most people...
        The zen garden outside was more amazing to me. I loved all the flowers and ponds and small stone figures. The harmony with the natural world is my favorite thing about Japanese architecture and landscaping.
        We had to hurry out of the garden, however, because the time I spent being sick was going to make me late for my shinkansen (bullet train). We got back on the tram and headed to Yokohama Central station. I had already missed the 5:05 train I intended to take to Kobe, so I had to wait for the 5:25 one. Akiko waited on the platform with me and then sent Totoro and I off to our next adventures.
        It was an amazing day with Akiko! I will always remember it and I hope to visit again someday. Especially now that I have made more friends in Kamakura who I'd like to visit as well. Hopefully everyone will come visit me in California, too! (or Michigan or where ever I end up)
Akiko-san Arigatai! It was a wonderful trip, all thanks to you!