Kobe and Kyoto Japan

Man get's tired

Spirit don't

Man surrenders

Spirit won't

Man crawls

Spirit flies

Spirit live's when man dies

Man seems

Spirit is

Man dreams

Spirit lives

Man is tethered

Spirit free

What spirit is the man can be....

Michael Scott

Hi All,

We have had a busy couple days in Kobe then Kyoto Japan. For anyone who has been here they know travel is confusing. Of all the countries we have been in we found Japan a challenge. Many Japanese don't speak English much to my surprise. It does make some sense when you take into account that 125,000,000 people live in Japan that is made up of 6,000 islands!! and is a little smaller than California! Of this huge population almost all are Japanese w/ a very small immigrant population made up of mostly Koreans.

It is a country steeped in traditions some marvelous some terrible. The marvelous are the clothing , the ceremony , the Geisha , the plantings , the food , the architecture and so much more. The terrible tradition of whaling and killing bottlenose dolphin are an outrage! It is mind boggling this continues despite the world , the UN and IWC condemning it. It tarnishes Japans government as a whole in my opinion.

On to other topics, did I mention it's crowded. We took a 1 hr train ride to Kyoto and it was packed only to become more packed w/ every stop. At one point Traci thought the wave of new arrivals squeezing onto an already FULL train were going to topple the carriage and start stepping on the little ones. At that point I picked up little Dec and blocked for Layne. While Traci kept Anna close and glared at people letting them know she was not pleased. I simply leaned Declan on someones back to take some of the weight off my arm, they couldn't turn around or move to see what was happening plus I'm a bit taller than most and could breath just fine.

It is also the most expensive place we have been by far. Everyone is on a mission , all the businessmen are so serious in there dark suits. I can honestly say you don't here that much laughter or see many smiles . We were smiling at a Susi restaurant we went to around 4:30 one day. Of course we couldn't read the menu and everyone but one person spoke only Japanese. He informed us it was a crab only restaurant. So we will have crab. The kids started in on the typical destruction and antsy behavior. The nice hot towels they gave us pre-meal were all over the place then Declan tipped over a glass of water. You would have thought we lit the place on fire , about 6 people in tradition kimonos came running w/ looks of horror on their faces. The kids then started to walk around in the wooden flip flops they provide so you don't wear your shoes in the joint. We thought it funny they - no so much. We ate , we paid , we kissed , we left.

On to Toyko and the Marriott courtesy of Terry and Trudi's Marriott points (Thank you so Much)

We will keep you posted

We are currently sailing up the east coat of Japan.

Bye for now

J