On The Move

Today was a travel day.  Our large group of 160 broke up into groups of 16 by host city.  Our group was one of only a few that was flying.  After an early start, we traveled by bus to the airport, ate a wonderful Japanese boxed lunch and boarded the plane.  We barely made out Mount Fuji as the clouds were beginning to thicken.  Yes, it got pretty bumpy!!!  The flight was just over an hour and as you can tell we did land safely.  Thank you Buddha! 

Our bus ride from the airport took us another hour to Wakayama City.  A few facts we learned along the way...The population of Wakayama City is 1.1 million.  There are about 2.5 million in Wakayama Prefecture (State).  Cities are expressed in the units or bushels of rice they produce (3.1 million a year in Wakayama City).  And of most interest...When someone sneezes no one says anything to you.  However, if you sneeze once it means someone is talking about you.  If you sneeze twice it means someone is talking ill of you.  If you sneeze three times it means some is talking about you and likes you.  If you sneeze four times you're getting a cold.  If you sneeze five times you should go to the hospital.  I think our guide made the last two up though!  She does have quite a sense of humor.

Once at the hotel we got our room keys and had just about exactly five minutes to return to the lobby.  Next adventure...Wakayama Castle.  Originally built in 1585, Hideyoshi Toyotomi ordered his brother to construct the castle.  He did begin building it, but left before it's completion.  His vassal, Kuwayama, was paid in koku (bushels of rice) to complete the castle.  It changed hands a few times, always in exchange for koku...if it was only that easy for us now!  The castle today is not original as it was destroyed during the war and reconstructed in 1958.  Anyway, it was pretty cool and tonight I will post a picture of it.  But, right now I have to get my umbrella, jacket, kick off the slippers, put on the shoes and head to meet friends for dinner.