Nara Photos

Hello, dear viewers.  Well, the stars apparently aligned, because after weeks of tinkering, I got Blogger to FINALLY upload a few photos.  Let me add that Blogger is still buggy and annoying and to make this work I had to use Internet Explorer, which is easily the most incompetent, unfriendly piece of garbage I never want to use again for something like this.  Can't believe we all used to use that...anyway, I digress.

I'll update more later, but for now, I just want to share these pictures since, I'm tired and I have schoolwork to do.  More on that later.  Also, while I have about 3 dozen photos I'd like to upload, because of the unfriendly nature of Internet Explorer and Blogger, I only managed these few.  Sorry, but that's all I could do.

 This shot is of me standing next to a Shinto monk begging for alms.  While this is a bit kitchy and touristy, I still went for it because I like his ensemble.

 These are of me feeding deer with my assembled friends.  As you may remember fronm my last post, the deer are insane and will just as soon steal all your bread crumbs as humbly accept them from you.  Here, I am being snubbed.

 While here, my friend and guide Keiko is being attacked.  Granted, not really, but she thought the dear were scary because they REALLY liked her.

 This is the great Daibutsu of Nara.  It is literally impossible to capture the scope of this thing on film and this picture does not do it justice, but trust me, it is immense.  Sadly, this was the closest I could get and I can't show the outside of Todaiji because of the aforementioned problems with my photos.

 These next few pictures are a lot of fun.  Maybe you remember me talking about a hole that's the size of the Daibutsu's nostril that people climb through for goodluck?  Well, this pillar has the hole in it.  These shots are of me and my friends struggling our way through it, with varying results of hilarity.  I'm up first.

 Then Keiko...

 Tiffany...

 And Megan.  This was an interesting experience and I wish I could share more but, buggy website to deal with and all that.  I do have a special treat though.  The next pictures are of me in my Bon Dance Kimono.  While I lack the headband I wore during the actual performance, this is pretty much how I looked dancing on stage.  Front and back.

For those who couldn't tell, my hair is in a top knot.  it's actually pretty cool looking and fun to wear.

And that's about as good a segway as I can manage for what comes next.  See, after the hell that was my Japanese Midterms...we had REGULAR midterms.  So, the last two weeks have been work, work, work, study, study, study, and no time for rest or sleep.

I do have some updates I will probably post soon, so be patient.  I did my Bon Dance, which was satisfying, but ungodly stressful, made cookies and performed in a Halloween Costume contest, which was hilarious and very uplifting, and went Clubbing.  I seldom ever go clubbing seriously and have only done it once or twice with my friends back home.  This was my first real all night experience at a club.  Look forward to hearing all(okay, not ALL but most) of the juicy details later.  Until then, I still have a ton of work to do and some people I'd like to mingle with.

So, until later, I'll sign off for now.  I've wet your appetite for next time, so I hope you come back expecting, because it should be...interesting.