08/07/09 - Down with the Buddha
Not much sleep. It was comfy but with no Air-con and we found ourselves waking together... At midnight?!?!?!?! We thought it was morning? Boy racers still speeding around and what sounds like a Monsoon! (Or the paper like walls?) Still with a taxi booked at 6.30am. Sleep was prefereable to noise, rain and racers (though they allowed me to find and open the windows - most hostels have unopenable windows it seems)
\\\\\\\\\\\\Gah ran out of money again\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ and time!
So the taxi was early and I rushed down, bags all ready... alone. Karen was still getting things sorted and packed. After I tried to explain and even went back to the room (with bags in the back of the taxi - wouldn't do that if I wasn't in Japan I tell you!) soon we were off to the station. Got on the train and soon back on Honshu, in Aomori.
So arriving we wanted to see japanese largest buddha. Simple. We wen to get a welcome card (half price bus if nothing else) and then waited to get the bus. Then realised we had about an hour so ran off to see some of the local sights. Photos mainly as we arrived in the museum in time to run back for the bus! The bus was a good one and took a while to get there, but we clambers off (us two alone) and headed off for Buddha time.
Indeed there were Buddha. Following the pass we saw all sorts of demons and heros before finding the giant construction of holiness. Best of all. After seeing it and even going around inside it, Karen asks we where this "big Buddha" is. (She was waiting for the big laughing Buddha, not the Amida Buddha) I soon corrected her to shared laughter. This was cut short when we realised the "hourly bus" was only hourly in 4 hours time. We had nearly two hours to kill. Which around buddah, isn'recommended (they don't like killing). We had some food (myself a desert special being green tea concentrate - mmm not at ALL sweet - and some bean paste with melted riceball, which after the chewing gum like state, was quite nice!
Back on the bus I decided we'd never make the village of legends and goblins (boohoo, I wanted the book - I will ask in Tokyo) we made it back to Tokyo before deciding we weren't likely to get much further. Failing to find a place (after the one recommended was nearly double in price - 60 quid a head, we went for a smaller one at Karen's behest and the directions of a street caller. (It was the one I was looking for anyways) but we went back to him and decided to eat at his. He said what do you want, I said surprise us.
We put a limit on it as we were led to an expensive small restaurant with gormet food. He did cook some VERY nice food! But Karen couldn't belive I'd said "surprise us". I pointed out she had been there. And said nothing. But the food was good (spending the money on food rather than accomodation - much more my style) After getting full, with drinks and being happy, we went for an early night to wake up early for the new day. Next was west!
