David has posted?a detailed post of our first days in Nara in our Siberian blog, but these are the highlights for me:
- Meeting David’s host family again and watching his mother happily cook more food than an army could eat for dinner (we have nicknamed her as the Takemoto Army cook), There is enough food at every meal to feed a battalion.
- Having four grandchildren playing (very noisily) in the same 4 metre square room as the other 10 adults.
- Listening to David conduct fluent conversations about me in Japanaese and only occasionally picking up words that I could understand such as “Father”, “Coffee” or “Internet”.
- Wandering around the world heritage shrines and temples of Nara.
- Visiting a 200 year old farmhouse where David’s host parents have their vegetable patch.
- Climbing a 1250 metre high mountain and having to be aware of bears and wild boar.
- Sleeping on the floor in the Tatami Room at David’s house on a futon.
- Visiting a hot spring and having a modern version of a traditional Japanese bath.
It all sounds very interesting,although living in 4 sq.m with children would be a challenge. The family sounds unusual by Japanese standards.
A hot spring would be very welcome here at the moment!