So I'm starting to think Stacey and I have a horse shoe up our ass. First the Imperial palace isn't open to the public ever but because of the Emporers Enthronement we get in for the one week ever it will be open then today we get off the train in Nara and the lady tells us we got there on the one day a month you can go try kimonos and attend a tradition tea ceremnoy! So of course were pumped for that. It was held at the tourist information building by women who volunteer their time to show tourists Japanese culture and in turn the ladies told me they can practise their english, sounds like a good deal to me! I saw women walking around in Kimono's a lot lately and found out that they are having this coming of age thing this week for girls turning 20 so thats probably why we saw so many. I never realized the work that goes into putting on a Kimono! Definately a two man job if not three. So these little old ladies get everyone in and out of Kimono's for the day and show people how to participate in a Traditional Tea party. The folds on the front have to be just right the lady told me, perfectly balanced and creased. The Kimono's we put on today were for single girls and those ones have the long sleeves, the brightest colours, and the biggest more beautiful bow design on the back. (I joked with the woman telling her to give stacey a big bow so she can get a man lol) When your married your sleeves are small, less of a design in the back and the colour of the Kimono is not bright and one person can put it on themselves. The ladies even did our hair! The lady told me my hair make easy lol. They were so kind and informative. Those Kimono's are really hot though underneither. Made me wonder how those girls were walking around in them the other day without looking like they broke a sweat. Once Stacey and I were dressed, herself, I, and this girl from L.A we met had a tea party with two of the ladies. Green powder tea is what was served. The lady told us a guy brought the ceremony to Japan after being influences by the buddist tea ceremonies from China. There is a little tea house and I mean LITTLE the ceremony is held in and the space you crawl through is so hard in a kimono. When the hostest enters you bow deeply to her then the first guest drinks and makes a slurp sound when she finishes her last sip to show appreciation and manners. It is considered rude if you dont make a sound with the last sip. Then the tea is passed to me I bow to the other girl before I drink my tea but not a deep bow just a little one. But before we even drink the tea we start with a sweet desert. They gave us this little sweet bisquit with a big purple bean in the middle. The lady said they start with the sweet desert to drown out the bitterness of the tea to come. When we finish the tea we bow to the hostess. When we finished the lady even gave us a little token of gratitude for our company which was a folded kimono clad girl. She said she takes more than she thinks she gives but I think she gives so much!!! she was so informative and these ladies actually volunteer their time to do this! I told her I would remember it for the rest of my life. She seemed pleased at how greatful I was. AFter that we went to the Biggest Buddah in the world with our new Amerian friend. It's held in the Todai-Ji temple. I'm glad I have my new camera because my old one wouldnt have captured how amazing this thing was cause it was in dim lighting. It was huge and absolutely amazing! when you walk in the door there are two statues on eithier side of the door (I assume some kind of gaurdian statue) Then there it sits with two other statues on either side just a bit smaller. Some is gold and the others I'm not sure what they are made of. But before you even get to the temple you find deer everywhere!!! They are considered Sacred in Japan cause in they were the messangers legends. So there a tons and tons of deer. You can even walk right up and pet them. People sell food for if you want to feed them but if you have even a crumb you'll have like ten deer nipping at you those bastards aren't patient they want your food now! It was weird to see hwo many there were just chillin. They even have ppl paid to clean their shit. I told Stacey those deers are thinking "man we got a good gig hear those humans pay to feed us and even pick our shit up." No wonder they stick around, why wouldn't they can you blame them. After that we took the train back to the hostel and parted with from our American friend Kristen she went to pass me her card to add her to facebook then turned to Stacey and said I should just give this to you my impression so far of Josie is that she will lose it. Now how funny is that
