If you walk from one stone to another without any difficulties  with your eyes closed  you shall be lucky with your love. If you ring a bell your life shall be long. If you touch a statue on the same spot where you have pain, your pain shall disappear. If you go through a hole that represents Buddha’s nostril you shall live happy life. If the smoke covers your hair the bad spirits shall go away. If you drink water from the fountain of life you shall gain on longevity and health. If you write your problems on a piece of paper and then put it in a water your probles shall be flushed away. If you go through a dark tunnel your spirit shall be reborn. If you get a bad-luck fortune paper, leave it on the tree and the gods shall take care of it. If you fall on a special street you shall have problems for two or three years… And these are only few of the promises that you get in all kinds of temples (sacred place for Buddhists) and shrines (sacred place for Shintos) around here. And the best part is that it’s huge fun!!!:) You have to try everything, touch everything, play with everything, shake things, pick up objects… and hope for the best results. You can easily become addicted to it:) And everybody is doing it. On the photo Y and R are touching the bull for…mmm, well who knows for what.

Yap, Nara and Kyoto, places close to Osaka with important cultural heritage and some of the japanese natural treasures, were main destinations this weekend. After my saturday morning presentation to the staff at University (that’s right-people here work at least 6 days per week, 12 hours per day!) I went to Nara. And when you come to Nara you are greeted and followed by herds of DEERS!!! Some emperor decided that it’s bad to kill a deer and now there are tons of deers all around the town. You try to make a nice photo of a temple with the biggest statue of Buddha and all of a sudden something starts chewing your T-shirt! You only wish that the enourmous Buddha could stand up and shout at these hungry creatures!:) On the photo here you can see the messages written to gods.

Kyoto is bigger and has more temples and shrines and you’re blown away by its beauty. If you’re lucky you can see a lot of maikos (apprentices for geishas), and if you’re luckier even male maiko!!! Let’s say that after all that touching, twirling and moving objects the natural conclusion is that I’m one lucky person-I saw maiko man!!!:) It’s the same as maiko just bigger.

Here are maikos from the back.

We also took part in a tea ceremony which is done in a tea room covered with tatami, and performed by trained lady in kimono that gives you tea and sweets. You are on your knees and recieve a tea cup with a bow and then you have to turn a cup three times before drinking from it for three times .

from right: R, K, R, Y, Y, my place, T, P waiting for the tea.

With all this delicacy you even forget how your knees hurt. I’m still looking for the main substance that makes this beautiful experience so fullfilling.

On the photo lady giving sweets.

More about japanese slippers, their colourful shops, how I was petting mantas and how my workday looks like next time. For now it’s hello kitty cool!!!

Itekimas-see you.

And another gastroenterological question: Where do they get pineapple from?

a)Hawaii

b)Korea

c)Moon

I’m just preparing you for the great quiz finale!:)