Japan Experience in a Ryokan

SS:

To kick off Nanci’s birthday week, I selected a traditional ryokan located in a mountain village called Takayama.  We traveled by bullet train, which in itself was thrilling; then  we changed trains and caught a local for a two hour enjoyable ride cutting through the mountains while traveling along a river.



This isn't so easy to read. don't cha know!



Nanci was excited, that is until I mentioned that she had to check her shoes at the front door, collect special slippers. There we would be given three robes to wear throughout the weekend.  One robe, she was to wear to the communal Japanese bath.  Communal Bath…we are east coast girls, we don’t do communal baths….but we did…when in Rome, do as the Romans…and yes we were the chubbiest.

The second robe is for sleeping.  And the third robe is a kimono for dinning.  “ I am not wearing a kimono, not today, not tomorrow, not ever,”  She said. 

As you can see from the pictures, she caved in.

As we entered the dinning room [ the only westerners in the joint], everyone smiled a us.  Later everyone sang Happy Birthday in English to Nanci.





I'm so pretty, so very pretty!!!



In pursuit of the carp that swim  up stream

I think by now you have learned that Nanci falls under the sign of the dragon...the story goes on the river in the right photo, if the carp can swim up the waterfall, it will become a dragon....and it should in my opinion!