Week 3

Going to a concert last Tuesday led to a party invitation last night. Dinner at a friend's house led to a date tonight. Who knew that being social led to being more social?

I didn't end up doing much of anything last Monday (no work, a national holiday) but it was good that I had some time to rest as the next day was a long one. I woke up at 8am Tuesday morning, packed my camera in my backpack and headed out. My first stop was Krispy Kreme doughnuts for breakfast (luckily there wasn't a line that early in the morning.) Next I took the Kintetsu train and a cable car to the top of the mountain range that divides Osaka and Nara prefectures (Mt. Ikoma.) After taking some pictures of the amusement park at the top (which was closed for the winter) I headed into Nara city for lunch. Fed and watered I took the JR train line North to Uji. Uji is in southern Kyoto near the boarder to Nara and is famous for the Phoenix Hall of Byoudo-in temple which in turn is famous for being on the back of Japanese 10 yen coins. After touring Byoudo-in (which had a lovely museum) I wandered around Uji for a bit before finally taking the Kaihan line back into Osaka. Back in the city, I headed to the evening's concert venue. It was my second time seeing the band (The 50 Kaitenz) and I, again, thoroughly enjoyed the show. After the concert a bunch of fans went to a restaurant near the concert hall for an after party (which ended with an invitation to a New Year's party being held the following Sunday). It was quite the long, rewarding day.

As for the story of the dinner that became a date... well the story's not over yet...