July 15th, Nara

We headed out to Nara today. We remembered our last trip, where we connected with a local volunteer, a retire who took us around and explained things about Nara we had long forgotten about. What we still remember was that she told us that she was volunteering to meet other people and to practice her English. She also said that she is studying calligraphy. We asked why calligraphy. "Why, to sign the notes at the funeral, of course," she explained. In retrospect, her Ikigai was in order :)

We walked toward Nara Park, stopping at a cute calligraphy shop to get a few things, check out deer-shaped sweets sold in the stores, and marveling the crowds headed in the same direction as us. Some people were wearing caps or other things on their heads with deer antlers. 

When we got to the feeding ground was obvious why. Something cute we noticed this time. A little Japanese boy bowed to the deer, who bowed back and then got his treat - a cookie that vendors sell right at the park. 

It's an interesting cultural practice/adaptation. Japanese visitors taught deer to bow to get their treats and that's what they do... sometimes coming closer and bowing with their horns dangerously close, demanding.  

We had a great time feeding deer, sometimes running away laughing when they got too close or when there were too many of them.

After that, we headed to see the Great Buddha of Kyoto. Awesome monument and temple. Isabella got separated from us for a bit and got confused with our directions, and accidentally walked out of the paid area around the temple. 

After that, the attendant did not allow her to get back in to rejoin us. That resulted in some scary and unpleasant moments for all of us. Fortunately, everyone has cell phones and never has to worry about running out of data with unlimited Airalo plans & Life360. We ran to get her. Dan's facial expression was sufficient to warrant no further objections from the attendant to allow her back in.

The blind rule-following is starting to get old. We had an interesting situation a few days ago where I found someone's cell phone left on one of the chairs in the lobby. I brought it to the registration desk to return it. There was a line waiting. I did not want to wait in line and brought the phone over to the desk to drop it off and get on our way. "Get back into line," literally barked the hotel employee who, prior to that, was a picture of Japanese grace bowing to guests every few minutes. I must have broke his matrix. 

In the evening, we headed out to grab a bite and found ourselves in the middle of the Gyon festival. On that day there were several blocks blocked out for pedestrian traffic, and what looked like several hundred street food vendors were setting up. We also passed some floats being set up on the side streets but based on the calendar, they were supposed to be out on July 17th. 

We called Novichenoks to join us but soon, it became clear that everyone in Japan must have arrived to celebrate. The areas blocked for traffic were much larger than we thoughts and the streets were filled to the brim with the crowds. It felt a bit claustrophobic, but worse still was how traffic police were behaving. Never felt more like cattle prior to that evening. Novichenoks dropped off to grab something near the hotel. We braved for a bit longer, stopping to check out street "tacos" that consisted of "everything" - eggs, meat, spices, scallions, rice, spring sprouts and more. Then we attempted to find a proper restaurant for the four of us but it was hopeless. We just grabbed some pizza and the like at a coffee shop in the covered market and settled for the day :)