Monday, February 20, 2012

Getting Stuck in Buddha's Nose: The First Trip to Nara

So on Sunday I went with a group of students to Nara to see the Deer Park and Todaiji Temple, home of Daibutsu, the giant Buddha. I have pictures I need to load up later of both the delicious food I had for lunch and the millions of deer that were just randomly around the paths. They were right there, and a little smaller than American deer. They aren't scared at all, they run you around and demand food.

Because we were in such a big group, it took us a while to make our way through the deer to Todaiji. Consequently, by the time we got to the temple, we had 20 minutes to go through the entire temple. You'll see in the pictures, but this place is huge. HUGE.


I did not take this picture, but this is just to give you an indication as to how big it is. Look how teeny the people are!!

So we had twenty minutes to take a million pictures of the Big Buddha that resides within as well as the other parts of the temple. I did not have time to souvenir hunt, so I definitely want to go back and take my time.

There is a big pillar in the temple that has a hole in the bottom. The hole in the bottom is the size of Buddha's nostril; if you can crawl through it you will have good luck. Stupid here left her zippie and jacket on and tried to crawl through. I got pretty stuck, and there was no way I was getting through with my own power. Three people pulled me through :) Good luck for me! Don't worry, there are pictures.

I also got a fortune! You shake a box full of sticks and one falls out the little hole, and the corrosponding number is your fortune! I got a "good luck" one. If you get one you do not like, you tie it on a tree so it will go away.

After we returned home, we went to dinner at another "American" restaurant called The Tomato and Onion. It had a bar with all you can eat curry, soup, drinks, and "salad" (there was actually lettuce when there is usually just cabbage, but not much you can put on it) that comes with particular meals. It was a little expensive, but we wanted to try it. I got a "New York" pizza with "mozzarella." There is no real cheese in Japan. There is cheese, and it tastes like cheese, but all cheese only has one flavor. The pizza cheese, which is literally called pizza cheese in the store, looks like mozzarella, but just tastes like generic cheese. I have a picture of the pizza too; it had pizza cheese and parmesan cheese on bread. There was no sauce to speak of. There was maybe a piece of tomato on each piece. It was good, but I don't see how they can call it pizza.

Interesting adventures. I'm typing this up at school, so when I get home I will put up pictures! You'll probably all still be sleeping anyway :)

EDIT: Here are those pictures!

~Rosie

5 comments:

  1. lol. Asian pizza is hilarious. It is never quite right...

    and no cheese? think of all the monies i would save on Lactaid!

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    1. lol there's still cheese, its just not quite right. And not as common.

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  2. Ah Rose. I finally had an opportunity to catch up on your blog. In reading your last story, it appears that you were a Buddah booger stuck in his nostril. Nice touch having to get pulled out by three people. Wish I knew Japanese and was in that crowd when they pulled you out. I can only imagine the comments. A Japanese version of Winnie the Pooh in the Honey Tree.
    The pictures of the Temple looked great and I was glad to see the Japanese people are not immune to the ills of American commercialism with their Thomas the Tank Engine train. Excellent!
    Keep posting. Hope you're having a good time. And let me know the deer hunting regulations there. Even I may have a chance. Love.

    FFU

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  3. Just wanted to say that this blog was the first place i went to on TabTab's tablet.

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  4. Budda booger. Now that's funny!! It doesn't appear that the good luck thing was true for you. I don't think I could have pulled you at as I would have been laughing too hard!! YOU HAVEN'T POSTEED THE PICTURES!! I HAVE TO SEE THAT!!!

    I am now current on your blog and look forward to more entries!! Hope you continue to have many more adventures!!

    Love,

    Your favorite cousin, Shelly

    P.S. Julia would you please let me know how to get my picture here and maybe how to post with my name vs. anonymous. I tried to pick the gmail profile but it tried to sign me up for a blog. Really? I don't need to publish to the world how horribly boring I am. It is better to let them think it then to publish and confirm!

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