I've been sick for the past week and a half and am in the process of making my apartment warm! It is starting to get cold here in Japan, dropping into the 50's and 60's...for me that is getting cold especially since the outside temperature means the inside temperature. So I went to JUSCO last night. Jusco is a big department store in Kashima, which is about 15 minutes away from Itako. I bought a down comforter, an area rug for my room, and a rug for my kitchen by the sink so my feet and body don't get cold! I plugged in my "hot fan" two nights ago and man do I feel like I am in the 1950's. I am preparing for the cold before it hits.
Tonight I am going to Tokyo for a big Halloween bash at Club Ageha. It should be fun and of course there will be pictures to follow. But I wanted to tell you about a trip I took two weekends ago. It was so fun! I woke up on Saturday morning and went up to Mito (about 1 hour) and then we traveled by train further north about another hour to Daigo. Daigo is a very barren but beautiful, mountainous area. There is a huge waterfall there :)
After we looked and took pictures at the waterfall some of my friends chose to go on a hike. I personally turned my nose up at a hike (I think I've had enough since Fuji)and had lunch with Amber, Annelyse, Sam, and myself! It was wonderful! We had udon and I ordered matcha tea. The presentation was absolutely beautiful! :)
After we had tea and lunch we walked around the shops and had ice cream :) I had caramel - it was oshkata (delicious, past tense)! We then drove up to the onsen (nude bath). It was definitely an experience but it was really fun! So we get to the onsen and you go to the dressing room and change into well, nothing and then you go into this steamy room with showers and the bath. You shower for as long as you wish washing every part of your body well and then you get into the bath and relax. Since it is the fall there were APPLES in the bath :) it was really fun once we all got over the fact of well you know :)
After about an hour of soaking we got out of the bath, dried off, changed back into our clothes, and went to check in at our adorable hotel! We slept in a traditional Japanese style hotel. I had three in my room including myself :) We slept on the floor :) We found a nice little izakaiya to eat dinner (eating on the floor and sitting on a cushion). We then went back to the hotel changed into pjs and hung out in the lobby until about 1 AM. It was great we were just talking, relaxing, and laughing :)
The next morning we went to a little bakery for breakfast and then we were off to the apple orchard to pick apples! I have never picked apples before but it was just so fun to have the experience!! :) I bought 6 apples. I still have 3 left :) They are still good!
After apple picking we were off to the cooking school to make sweets :) We had a small lesson on how to make __________ (brain poof). But they were fun to make and delicious!!! :) We were given dough balls with apple and pumpkin filling. We flattened the dough balls into small pizza crust looking shapes then we cupped the circle and added either pumpkin or apple into the center. Then you pinched the sides around the center and then we were able to paint the dough with a design! :)
After the cooking school we split off and went to our various homes :) It took me about 3 hours to get home but it was well worth the trek up north. We had such a fun weekend! Hope you enjoyed this little story.
until next time...I will be continuing to love every minute of Japan. My teachers are telling me everyday that my English is getting better and better. My students and I have such a nice relationship :) My students gave me thank you cards today :) I feel so welcomed and so loved here in Japan. I am loving each new day as though it were my last day here...
~miss you guys~ xo
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