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My host was Satomi. Here we are at the Golden Temple in Kyoto. Satomi was a wonderful host and was very kind throughout my stay. She treated me to wonderful food and a comfortable home. We went on sightseeing adventures both Saturday and Sunday. |
This is the door to Satomi's apartment. She and her huband built an apartment building about 12 years ago. She and her family live on the top (seventh) floor. Satomi's mother-in-law lives in an adjoining apartment. Both places are quite spacious and nice. |
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On Saturday Satomi and her ten year old niece Honoka brought me to a waterfall near their home. We walked up a mountain a very long way to get to it. On the way I admired this tree. Satomi explained that it was called a Momij tree and that you can eat the leaves. |
On the way down we stopped where they were frying the leaves. They were kind of like fried dough. I couldn't taste the leaves too much, but it was a nice sweet treat. |
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Here I am at the falls. It was a bit hot walking up to the falls, but the mist as we got closer provided a nice cool down. |
We sat for a long time in the sunshine watching the rainbows that formed in the mist. |
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Being with a local person, I was so happy to be able ask a lot of questions about just little things that I saw. Satomi had studied English in London for two years in college about twenty years ago. She spoke English quite well, so I was lucky to be able to converse with her. I have admired the manhole covers, they are all works of art. She explained to me that the one on the right features azaela blossoms which are the flower of Ikeda. |
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These are pictures of Satomi's family. On the left are her niece, two nephews and son. On the right her nephew and son. I had to take these photos because they were doing the same things American kids might do...Nintendo and arm wrestling. They had dinner with us on Saturday evening. |
I was so fortunate to meet Satomi's mother-in-law. My mother asked me a Blog question - Hi Mom! She asked: Was there a Grandmom or Grandpop? How were they treated? Is there special honoring of ancesters?
how were family meals observed? The grandmother (mother-in-law) was busy, busy making lots of the great food. Satomi said many times how wonderful a cook she was. It seems that the children all talked with her with great respect, but they were also very comfortable with her. She made me some beautiful gifts, two delicately folded paper Hina dolls - click to read about Hina dolls. http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/holidays/japan/girls_festival.htm. She explained that they are put out each year at Girl's Festival. She bowed very deeply when she met me. I will treasure her gifts always.
Dinner was served in time, no rush - sushi, tempura, rice and chestnuts (the nuts were delicious!). We ate when all the delicious food was layed out, it took time to get everything together. When it is time to eat all at the table put their hands together as if praying and say Itadakemas, which means what a feast, let's eat. And when done they also put their hands together and say -Gochisoosama- That was delicious. Everyone talks and enjoys the meal together.
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Satomi had me sleep in her bedroom. It was very lovely and comfortable. The bottom photo is of a lavendar wand. I took a photo of it because I made one of these with my garden club and it hangs in my kitchen. I was amazed that someone Satomi knows made one for her halfway around the world. Satomi and I had much in common. |
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We went on a bus tour of Kyoto. Our tour guide spoke in Japanese, so I didn't understand anything she said, but she had such a beautiful voice, it was like listening to music. Look she's wearing white gloves. A lot of people in the service fields wear gloves, taxi drivers, bellhops, tour guides. |
Satomi and I met up with another JFMFer Sandi and her host, Chiae. It was great to travel around with them because Sandi and I could speak English together and Satomi and Chiae could converse too. It gets difficult I'm sure for them to be translating for long periods. Translating seems like a difficult thing to do. I admired their ability to speak two languages so well. |
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We visited the Golden Temple in Kyoto. Its exterior is real gold foil. The photo doesn't do the reflection in the water justice. It is GORGEOUS. |
I will be making a sand/rock garden in my yard. Look at how they rake it so beautifully, daily. I'm mesmorized by the sand gardens. |
