Your Imperialness

We set out early today, as the forecast predicted rain in the late afternoon (they were right by the way, which is why I'm home at 2:26pm prematurely typing this entry).

We happened upon a Buddhist temple, bustling with Sunday attendees in traditional garb. Notably, the elderly women (dressed in traditional kimono and platform sandals) hiked up several daunting filghts of stairs on their own to access the worship area. It's no wonder the Japanese are known for living long, full lives...

The landscape was beautiful, and led us to a cemetery behind the garden. It was here where we found our first Japanese strays (cats that is), both sitting on gravestone ledges as if keeping watch.

Game on, we were ready for more of a traditionalist day, off to the Imperial Palace, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3017.html

The entrance itself had a medieval feel with a moat separating the entrance from the rest of the downtown. Upon crossing into the palace area you find yourself in a lush park, lined with trees and stretches of the most well kept grass I've seen. It's the Tokyo equivalent of Central Park, wide open green space with skyscrapers peering in from all around. The Emperor (once considered a God) graces the people's presence only twice yearly- New Years and his Birthday in December. Maybe another leader should take a hint?http://www.525reasons.com/archives/cat_ignorance_and_oafishness.html

Bangkok cuisine was for lunch. Japanese offer many set-priced lunches, which tend to range from 800 to 3,000 Yen per person ($8 - $30). Many of the $aver tips recommend you eat your biggest meal at lunch, as this is bound to be the cheapest find of the day. Our particular lunch consisted of three courses and was set at $13. There were an assortment of appetizer tastes; two different seafood fresh rolls, a small salad and a crab something yummy. For my main course I picked a seafood noodle dish, which was quite wonderful, especially with the addition of a spicy pepper sauce. Dessert was an amazing espresso and a tapioca coconut concoction which was much too much for this girl. Overall, just the meal I needed after some previous poor choices. Tipping, by the way, isn't customary in Japan, so factor that into the $13, three course meal and we have ourselves a winner! http://www.kirainet.com/english/no-tipping-in-japan/.

Today, I sheepishly report, I experienced my first traditional Japanese bathroom, radio playing from the toilet, bidet and all. It's very alarming to see so many buttons attached to a toilet, and even more alarming not being able to read which ones turn things off, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toilets_in_Japan. And that's all I'll say about that.

The rain continues... looks like the rest of this Sunday may happen indoors.