Random Photos

The streets in Gion, while we were waiting for the tea ceremony to be set up. This particular area had been kept in cobblestone/brick with storefronts in olden style to give a more traditional feel.

This little cat was so pretty. The neko was also terribly used to gaijin tourists with cameras. He did his best to ignore us and pretend we were not really there photographing him. ^_^

My memory is lapsing and I am totally forgetting the story behind the boy getting his pants pulled down by the dog. Its an iconic image the way the Morton Salt girl is in America.

One of the ubiquitous vending machines. I decided to be a little daring and try the iced coffee in the upper left. Yatashii, I believe, is the name. It was brewed right into the cup and then ice drops in. MMMMmmmmm so good!!

At the Narita Airport, waiting for the bus to take us to our hotel in Tokyo. Sitting down and watching the kanji scroll by on the sign was when I had the first "How are you going to do this?" panic moment when realizing that I could not read the sign. Most of the signs in the airport had enough English on them so that you never got that feeling; however, the kanji scrolled by fast on this sign, fast enough that it induced a panic moment. Never had another moment, even though deciphering the subway ticket system gave me fits at times. (Ok, the second time I got a little panicky was at the Shinjuku Rail Station - the place is a maze)