We’re back in town for a while, making a lot of website updates.  We missed you.  And now, twelve jetlagged days later, the final installment of the photos from our trip.  Bits of (modestly researched) narration sprinkled throughout… We begin in Nara (outside of Kyoto) where we fed the deer.  Totally sanitary and approved by [...]

I was working on a blog post of a bunch of images of shrines and buildings and such but that is not really what makes Japan special.  So I give you two images of one of the sweetest, most self-less and wise people I’ve ever met: Kazue.  It is people like her that will bring [...]

Kyoto is fabulous.  Further observations: 1. Peace signs.  You must make them if you are under 25 and being photographed in front of a tourist destination.  Tricky, because you gotta take of your mittens and it is cold here. 2. Ninjas.  The floors of the Ninomaru Palace are called “nightingale” because they chirp at the [...]

Last night was epic and included such amazing highlights as Shabu-Shabu (all-you-can-eat meat dipping), two rounds of karaoke (the reverb fest in the below video), and lots of stuff lost in translation.  This morning we feel a bit lazy and we’re leaving for Kyoto today but we have no idea when the train leaves…  So…  [...]

Can’t no[Delta] hold us down, oh no. We got ta keep a-movin.’ Our first day in Tokyo was a tremendous success: temples, Harajuku, Shibuya, Shinjuku. We have a great tour guide in Maya (a friend from high school), whose Japanese is so perfect, people are taken aback.  — some hours later – Kess forgot to [...]

One of the things I learned at my ten year reunion is that I am capable – just for a second – of lifting former Gopher basketball starter Jeff Hagen.  However, that incident has now forced Kess and I to explore the natural healing powers of the East.  Also, my sister is studying abroad in [...]