As we took off from the Cleveland airport I found the highway that Molly had driven us on just earlier that morning. Luckily it was a clear morning, for the most part, and I kept my eye on the highway looking for the familiar loop ramp onto the highway from Oberlin. I kept thinking maybe I had missed it, thinks look surprisingly different from above. Then I recognized the familiar loop, the slight turn onto E. Lorain St. Then I saw the red tile roofs and the vast silver dome of the indoor athletic feilds of the college. It was Oberlin! It seemed more like a moth eaten carpet of trees than the town I knew from the ground. But as we continued, the town became so small I could fit it in my palm. I`ve looked for it many times while flying out of Cleveland, that was the first time I have succeeded.
We are in Chicago now. Thirteen hours away from Tokyo. From there it is two hours to Osaka, our destination. There are many Japanese here at the gate, waiting to go home I can only assume.
We are in Tokyo now, have been for almost an hour. The flight wasn`t as bad as I feared it to be. Mostly because I busied myself watching Thor, Pirates 2, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Water for Elephants.
As soon as we landed, I could tell the difference. There next to airport and between the landing strips I could see the grasses right out of Japanese art and Miyazaki films. I could see a bamboo patch.
As soon as I stepped off the plane, i could smell Japan. I`ve always been able to smell the difference. Or sometimes in America I will get a wiff of what I consider to be `Japan`s scent`. It is a warm smell, maybe a little on the musty smell, like tatami matts and old kimonos. Whatever it really is, I love it.
Now I am at Keiko and Saibins house in Osaka. We got in around 8 pmI think...I stopped knowing about the time once we left Chicago. Keiko had made a dish called Oden. It has boiled eggs, noodles, meat, fish paste patties, wrapped mochi (and for those of you who have wacthed Spirited Away, do you remember the large brown sack-looking thing that the girls parents were eating when they were becoming becoming pigs? I think it was mochi wrapped in fried tofu...but I could be wrong...) and konyaku in a broth. She brought it to the table and you just pick out what you want. My favorite, konyaku and mochi:)
Then I took a very relaxing shower. Organized my belongings and snuggled into my bed. So soft and cozy. The smell of tatami matts. Keiko got new sliding doors and instead of blue and green rectangles like before, there is a delicate landscape painting.
I read a chapter of Evangelion 1, the books Qun recommended to me. So far so good!
I think it is Saturday in America...I hope the boys have fun at homecoming!
Today we are going to Nara. Once Keiko, Sabin, Mom and Michael get back from bird watching I can eat breakfast!!! yum.
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