Pictures from the local park

Sorry it's been a couple of days. We had overnight orientation with the freshman at a nearby onsen (hot spring). Honestly, it was not very orienting since it was all in Japanese and directed at the Japanese students. It was confusing, and there were bedtimes and lining up and all sorts of things that made me feel like a kindergartener. The presentations by the school clubs were hard to understand... some of them not because of the language barrier. The traditional sport and art presentations were fascinating, but there were also students in doraemon costumes, and I still have no idea what the men in black body stockings were all about. They were funny, just... well, we're not in Kansas anymore, Toto, as they say.

The onsen was fantastic. Once the disrobing challenge was over, it was easier that I thought it would be to hang out and chat in the buff with the other girls. I could get used to the public bath scene. The water is so relaxing, and when you get too hot you can run to the cold tub to ice down. It's painfully cold, but after a couple of times switching back and forth, I got this amazing open feeling in my chest. It was definitely worth all of the confusing 'disorientation' institutional events. The food was amazing as well. I have some pictures which I will post later, but for now, you can check out the website for the onsen here. There's no English that I can find, but you can get some good pictures if you just click around.

Anyway, here is a slideshow of pictures from the local park ("kouen"). It is gorgeous. Lots of gnarled and tangled old trees, vendors, beautiful cherry trees just about in full bloom. I'm eager to go back now that the cherry trees are more in flower. I loved the ancient feeling of the trees. Apparently the site is home to the ruins of Gion Castle, dating back 5-600 years (maybe). Not much is left, but some of the trees have to have been there when it stood. I was amazed at the care taken to keep some of the oldest trees standing. If you look carefully at the pictures, you can see some are up on crutches or bound to keep the trunks intact enough to carry nutrients up from the roots and CO2 down from the leaves. The pictures don't really do the place justice, but this was the best I could do.

Lots of updates pending, but the lounge will close soon and I need to go study.