In Japan

We're staying in a Ryokan in Takohama Japan. That is one of those places there you sleep on a futon on the floor and take a communal bath and eat a sumptious meal.  I am hoping this gets through because I am just following my instincts with Japanese instructions on the webpage.  I will not be able to post any pictures yet. The ship has to cut off its internet when it arrives in the port, so I have been cut off from the outside world with the exception of a short post to facebook　

Yesterday, Tue. we arrived in Japan and docked to the stirring sound of a drum band at the port.  It gave us something to do while we waited to clear immigration.  Then it took a while to get through--fingerprints, photos,etc.  Then we scattered.  It reminded me of a game we played when I was a kid and one.  Someone was the fox and the rest were chickens and we scattered to all the winds.  That is what happened in port.  We had dinner with our extended family on Monday, and everyone was doing something different.  Some had bought a railpass which let them move about the country on the train. Most people were going into Tokyo on the first day, and that is what we did.  I have to say that the students figure out this travel thing pretty quickly--how to negotiate the rail system, currency exchange, etc. 

Nancy and I took the subway near the port to the rail station in Yokohama.  We got some help from generous Japanese who spoke English and seemed able to discern that we were trying to figure things out. They came up and asked if we needed help.  What a gracious country.  Then we caught the train in the rail station (had to figure out fares, routes, etc. ) and got to Tokyo. We spent some time touring the grounds of the Royal Palace, which was quite historic and interesting. We learned about shrines and just watched people. Then we went for a walk in the city (and got coffee at Starbucks).

Ｔｈｅｎ　　ｗｅ　ｗｅｎｔ　（ｔｈｉｓ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ　ｊｕｓｔ　ｃｈａｎｇｅｄ　ｆｏｎｔｓ）　ｔｏ　Ａｋｉｈａｂａｒａ．　　Ｔｈａｔ　ｉｓ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｌｃｔｒｏｎｉｃｓ　ｐａｒｔ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ａｎｄ　ｉｓ　ｂｌｏｃｋｓ　ｏｆ　ｔｅｃｈｎｏｌｏｇｙ　ａｎｄ　Ａｎｉｍｅ，　ｅｔｃ．　　Ｔｈｉｓ　ｗａｓ　ｐｒｅｔｔｙ　ｍｕｃｈ　ｓｅｎｓｏｒｙ　ｏｖｅｒｌｏａｄ．　　Ｗｅ　ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ　ｌｅｆｔ　ａｎｄ　ｇｏｔ　ａ　ｒｅａｌ　ｎｏｏｄｌｅ　ｄｉｎｎｅｒ．．　Ｔｈｅ　ｐｌａｃｅ　ｗａｓ　ｖｅｒｙ　ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｉｎｇ．　　Ｙｏｕ　ｗｅｎｔ　ｕｐ　ｔｏ　ｖｅｎｄｉｎｇ　ｍａｃｈｉｎｅ，ｃｈｏｓｅ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｍｅａｌ　ｆｒｏｍ　ａ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ，　ｐａｉｄ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｃａｓｈ　ａｎｄ　ｔｏｏｋ　ｔｈｅ　ｒｅｃｅｉｐｔ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｏｕｎｔｅｒ　ｗｈｅｒｅ　ｙｏｕ　ｓａｔ　ｗｈｉｌｅ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｆｉｘｅｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｅａｌ．　　Ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｄｅｌｉｃｉｏｕｓ，　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｓｌｕｒｐｅｄ　ｌｉｋｅ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｅｌｓｅ．．Ｔｈｅｎ　ｗｅ　ｍａｄｅ　ｏｕｒ　ｗａｙ　ｂａｃｋ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｈｉｐ－－ｎｅｇｏｔｉａｔｉｎｇ　ｔｈｏｓｅ　ｒｏｕｔｅｓ　ｂａｃｋｗａｒｄ．　　Ｗｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｑｕｉｔｅ　ｐｒｏｕｄ　ｏｆ　ｏｕｒｓｅｌｖｅｓ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｈａｖｉｎｇ　ａｃｃｏｍｐｌｉｓｈｅｄ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｆｅａｔ．

Ｔｈｉｓ　ｍｏｒｎｉｎｇ，　ｗｅ　ｃａｕｇｈｔ　ａｎｏｔｈｅｒ　ｔｒａｉｎ　ｗｉｔｈ　Ｔｈｅｒｅｓａ　Ｐｅｐｉｎ，　ｔｈｅ　ａｓｓｔ．　ｌｉｂｒａｒｉａｎ　ａｎｄ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｆｒｉｅｎｄ　ａｎｄ　ｈｅａｄｅｄ　ｔｏ　Ｔａｋａｙａｍａ．　　Ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｓｍａｌｌ　ｔｏｕｒｉｓｔ　ｔｏｗｎ　ｕｐ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｏｕｎｔａｉｎｓ，　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｉｓ　ｓｎｏｗ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｇｒｏｕｎｄ．　　Ｉｔ　ｉｓ　ｏｕｔ　ｏｆ　ｓｅａｓｏｎ，　ｓｏ　ｗｅ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｗａｌｋ　ａｒｏｕｎｄ．　　Ｔｈｅ　ｒｙｏｋａｎ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｕｎｉｑｕｅ　ｅｘｐｅｒｉｅｎｃｅ　ｔｈａｔ　ｗｅ　ｗａｎｔｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｔｒｙ　ｏｕｔ．　　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｔｏ　ｓａｙ　ｔｈａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｒａｉｎ　ｒｉｄｅ　ｕｐ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｗａｓ　ｂｒｅａｈｔ－ｔａｋｉｎｇ，　ａｎｄ　Ｉ　ｃｏｕｌｄ　ｄｅｖｏｔｅ　ａｎ　ｅｎｔｉｒｅ　ｂｌｏｇ　ｔｏ　ｔｈａｔ．Ｎｏｗ，　Ｉ　ｃａｎｎｏｔ　ｂｅｌｉｅｖｅ　ａｌｌ　ｔｈｅ　ｔｈｉｎｇｓ　Ｉ　ａｔｅ．　Ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｗｅｒｅ　ｅａｓｉｌｙ　１０　ｄｉｓｈｅｓ　ｉｎｃｌｕｄｅｄ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｅａｌ　ａｎｄ　ｌｏｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｆｏｏｄｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｈａｖｅ　ｎｅｖｅｒ　ｅｖｅｒ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｉｎ　ｍｙ　ｍｏｕｔｈ．　　Ａｎｄ　ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ａ　ｆｅａｓｔ．　　Ｉ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｐｏｓｔ　ｍｏｒｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅｓ　ｗｈｅｎ　Ｉ　ｃａｎ　ｇｅｔ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｉｎｔｅｒｎｅｔ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｍｙ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ．
Ｍａｎｙ　ｏｆ　ｕｓ　ａｒｅ　ｍａｋｉｎｇ　ｏｕｒ　ｗａｙ　ｆｒｏｍ　ｏｎｅ　ｐｏｒｔ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｏｔｈｅｒ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｃｒｏｓｓ－ｃｏｕｎｔｒｙ．　Ｔｈｅ　ｉｄｅａ　ｏｆ　ｌｏｓｉｎｇ　ａ　ｄａｙ　ｉｎ　Ｊａｐａｎ　ｂｅｉｎｇ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｈｉｐ　ｄｉｄ　ｎｏｔ　ａｐｐｅａｌ，　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ　ａ　ｓａｆｅ，　ｅａｓｉｌｙ　ｎｅｇｏｔｉａｔｅｄ　ｃｏｕｎｔｒｙ．　Ｎｏ　ｐｒｏｏｆ－ｒｅａｄｉｎｇ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｐｏｓｔ．