Trains and Tacos

It was an eventful weekend, for lack of another word. After planting sweet potatoes and sunflowers in the morning(Ogawa keeps saying my eyes are like sunflowers because of my many colors, but I don't know if I agree, but I find the comment interesting...), I changed for my afternoon/evening in Kyoto. I went with Shogo to the party he invited me to with other foreigners and I made it from my train station to where I was supposed to meet him--Saidaiji Station all in one piece. Shogo met me there from his train and together we went to Kyoto. Unfortunately, I left my camera at home, but the good news is that just from walking out of the train station to the party by the river, I want to go back. The river cut right through the heart of the city and I think Kyoto is more beautiful than Osaka. Shogo pointed to people along the river and said it was traditional for dating couples to go sit on the shores and talk, since showing affection is something Japanese don't do in public. I see some people holding hands, and that's been about it. Anyway, the party was fun and I exchanged emails with an English teacher from Canada, a chinese girl who has lived in Japan for 10 years, and another Japanese 20-something woman who would also love to show me around. I'm excited to see where those connections lead but one unique man I met was in the gap between college and medical school, Ian. Ian has walked from Tokyo to Kyoto in 26 days and is still walking as I speak. He was very cool to talk to since, how often do you meet someone with the guts to do that?? I also wish him the best of luck on his walk, and on to med school :) 

Now, getting back home was something I won't forget but for now I want to. The last trains stop early in Japan and my new female friends wanted to leave at 10, so around then we left for the trains. Bao, my new Chinese acquaintance, had to go another way, but she told her friend to make sure I was okay on my trains! She only spoke Japanese and I surprised her with my hidden skills (I spoke mostly English at the party and it felt SO GOOD). I thought everything was worked out after we parted ways (so did she) before the 2nd train. As I was riding my next connection, a worker came to check tickets and I had to pay more since it was an express and then he told me I could only get as far as my last transfer since the trains were done. He recommended I call a taxi with my cell phone that didn't work. It was 11:10. 

However, on the next train two kind ladies tried to help me when I asked. The second called my host and Ogawa said he could pick me up at the last station, Yamamoto-Yagi, which is maybe 10 minutes from Yamatotakada. I was frustrated since I was so close and I felt terrible he had to pick me up after my goof, but I learned a valuable lesson in Japanese transportation and DON'T plan on repeating it. This time I have my very own map of the lines to commit to memory.

Today on the other hand, was a little bit better than my late night return. I got up and wanted to explore a local bakery and yep, just as I thought, delicious. I wanted to also buy some more yogurt at the wonderful SATY but I thought I would take the long way and that definitely was the right choice. There was a long line of small shops and stores, beautiful sweet shops and a book store I thought was really cool. I don't think I'm up to that advanced level yet, but maybe I could do a magazine... Later I returned home and at 3:30 or so, I went with Ena and Ogawa to AEON to buy groceries and food for my special dinner. I planned to make a Dorito taco salad, and I knew Doritos existed in Japan, but it was a little adventure trying to find sour cream and taco seasoning. We ended up at a specialty imported food store in AEON that carried food from all over and of course... America! I was so happy to see I could buy oatmeal and other things of the American sort because I'm starting to miss American snacks :( 

I made the Taco salad for dinner and our neighbor Taku-chan came over to join us. The good news is it was a hit! Of course, the beautiful thing about mexican food is that rice is a big part of some dishes, just like japanese food. So, add some Doritos, beef, cheese, lettuce and tomato, with a little rice--and they loved it. I saw everyone go back for more and Ogawa wants me to write down the recipe. At least for me, it was delicious to eat American-ish food, with a fork too. It was a very satisfying way to end the weekend adventure.