So it was day 2 and Angy and I had discovered that our plan to spend a few hours touring around Tokyo before we headed off to Takayama would not work. It seems that we have to go from Narita to Tokyo, Tokyo to Nagoya, and then Nagoya to Takayama. All in all that adds up to about 7 hours on the train. Luckily we get to ride on the super fast Shinkansen bullet train for one of the legs.
When we made it to Tokyo all the bullet trains were booked until 1030, so we ended up having an hour and a half to burn. So we walked around Tokyo for a little while. We found a nice little spot to take a rest and do a little people watching. Of course I can assume that all the people we were watching were also examining us just the same. We noticed that there are alot men wearing suits in Tokyo. Also, there are alot of women wearing skirts. We figure that it has a little to do with the fact that all the girls have to wear little school girls outfits for school. Yes that includes the knee high socks and everything.
After out little gawking adventure I decided to pop into a little coffee shop that I had scoped out earlier. Angy waited outside while I in to get myself a nice hot cop of coffee. I confidently walked up to the counter, and the girl behind the counter assuming correctly that I could not read the menu on the wall (I am not sure what gave it away) slid a picture menu in front of me. I pointed to the high roast coffee, size medium (Actually about a size small in the US 8oz cup.) The girl said something in Japanese to me, turned around said something to the other girl behind the counter and then back and said some thing to a person standing behind and to the side of me. Assuming that she put in my order I stood there waiting like all the other patrons before me had.
Well, she kept talking to this guy behind me and I could not understand why he was not answering her. So I turned around and there was no one there! Oh crap, how embarrassing. She was talking to me the whole time. I just did not realize that she was trying really hard not to look me in the face. I am not really used to that sort of thing. Apparently she had not understood what I was pointing to with my fat finger. Fortunately there was an older Japanese gentlemen sitting next to me that spoke English, and he helped me complete my order.
Phew, glad that was over with. Finally my coffee was ready. But apparently before I got me coffee there was some guy behind me that she thought needed a little paper bag. Oops, there I went assuming there was someone behind me again. But really, who puts a cup of coffee in a little bag.
So we hitched a ride successfully into Nagoya and then from there we went to Takayama. The train ride was beautiful. We went up through the mountains, across rivers, through valleys, and many quaint little towns. It so fun and interesting to see how different everything is from the states here. Everything from architecture to toilets.
Once we hit Takayama we decided that we should check into the Temple were staying at and get ourselves situated. Well on the way there Angy found herself a little hole to step in, and decided take a nose dive. Don't worry, she's ok. It was kinda scary at first because she had that big ass bag on her bag and I was looking the other way. She just bounced back up none worse for wear.
We checked into our temple and went to the bus station to figure when the buses left the next day for Shirakawa-go. While there I started to hear this gangster rap in the distance. I turned around and it was a Japanese kid wearing an outfit that was all the same pattern as the blue bandanna on his head. Very funny and very out of place.
We have met people from all over the world already. This place seems to be quite a popular tourist town. We have met a family with three young boys under the age of 7 from Australia and a guy from Switzerland. Apparently he says that people in Japan love the Swiss. I'm not sure why?
Well, more later when we have time. Off to Shirakawa-go for one night, and then from there to Osaka to stuff our faces.
