A Final Shot...

...of Mark and I in the ramen shop where we had lunch in Takayama. It was really warm in there compared to the outside, which fogged up the camera lens. It was like a dream...

Mmmmm... grease!!!

Do you see the grase slide near the top right-hand side of this picture? Do you see the river below? I just don't know quite what to say about this.

Hamming it up!

Too bad the sun was behind them... Mike and Mark are hamming it up for the camera!

On the Bridge

Day Two in Takayama... Mark and I are standing on the bridge between the newer part of town and the old city center, posing in traditional Japanese style. :) I'm wearing my brand-new cute pink-and-white way-overpriced Roxy stocking cap, purchased early this morning because it was COLD!

The Best Place Ever

The Hida-Takayama area is in the mountains of Japan, well-removed from the coast. This makes it one of the few places where you can "point and shoot" at an unreadable menu and not get something with raw fish, fish eggs, or dried fish flakes in it. In fact, this area is famous for their delicious beef. This evening, we revisited the Best Place Ever for a delicious meal of Hida beef with Houba miso (the local variety, also much better than in Nagoya). Mmmmmmm...a little taste of heaven! Since we'd last been here just a month ago, the owners remembered us, which was pretty cool. Mike and Mark got the house's complimentary sake, and I got a yummy little purple donut thing, apparently an Okinawan specialty. Seriously. The Best Place EVER.

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Robert Frost

The Evidence

One would think that a snowball thrown into a third-story window would remain on the third story, no? Well... no. Not in these houses, where many of the floors aren't solid after the first level. Here are the remains of the successful snowball, indeed on the first level of this house. :) The last time we were here, some ladies were sitting around the fire in this building sipping tea in just about the same place the snowball landed. We sure are glad that it wasn't teatime this time!

Snowball Trouble

Mike and Mark are taking turns throwing snowballs at the upper window of this house here. Before too long, they succeed, much to the surprise of the people who were touring the house at the time...

The Original Squatty Potty

I am not making this up. Those who have visited Japan - and many other places in the world - know that there are two styles of toilet in common use. There's the traditional American/Western-style stool, with which we are all familiar. Then there's the squatty, which is essentially a porcelain hole in the ground over which you, well, squat to do your business. In this picture, you will notice below Mark a big hole lined with stones, over which are laid some widely-spaced boards. As you can see, Mark is hanging from a rope suspended from the ceiling in order to maintain his balance. And there you have it... the amazing origins of the squatty potty. A place where you really don't want to lose your balance.

Snowball Success

Mike's quest to create the perfect snowball is successful! "Oooooooooo... isn't he STRONG???"

Baby Bellies

I think that Mike's developing belly envy. :) Look, we match!

The View

The view was very pretty. I took this while waiting for the boys to finish with their snowballs. ;)

Grrrrrr...

Mike's mad because his big snowball didn't hold together very well. It looked like good packing snow... but not so much.

Snowballs!!!

Playing in the snow was the favored activity of the day and attracted a great deal of attention. The passers-by were thoroughly entertained by the sight of these big gaijin (foreigners) playing in the snow.

Shoes off!

In true Japanese fashion, we were required to take our shoes off pretty much anywhere we entered. We peeked in a lot of doors this time around - it's just too cold to be taking the shoes off all the time! Here I am being obedient and preparing to walk across the snow in stocking feet in order to preserve social harmony. You can't tell from this picture that I'm several feet off the ground here and had to clamber up some slippery rocks to pose for this picture... which made Mike extremely (and understandably) nervous and may have actually served to disrupt social harmony. A girl just can't win... :)

Doing as Nature Intended

The sign upon which I'm leaning reads: SHOUBENJO Urinal {Don't Use!} Although it is difficult for people of today to think that a urinal is installed near the front door, it was used to being common. Mainly men, occasionally women, used it. I bet it was the pregnant ladies who used it... but maybe not in winter!

Pretty Picture #1

A beautiful winter scene.

Snowball fight!

Mike's looking for trouble. :)

Winter in Takayama

We took another trip to Takayama on New Year's weekend, hoping to meet winter up there. As you can see, we did! Mike and Mark had lots of fun playing in the snow. :) Mike and I are standing in front of the pond at the entrance of Hida Folk Village in this picture.

Okay, one more :)

Okay, just one more from the Takayama trip. :) There's still no snow in Nagoya, but it snowed like crazy on the way home from Takayama! Here's the highway sign warning us of hazardous conditions on the way home: a picture of a snowman and something about "yuki", which means snow. I love the sign... but doesn't it seem that if you need someone to tell you it's snowing you just might be in trouble? :)