seeing japan from a train window....

First, I had to just post this picture that I really love from my train ride back from Nikko to Tokyo yesterday:

On Wednesday morning I left Tokyo for a town called Nikko, about a 2 hour train ride away. It is a very populare time of year to go to Nikko, as the autumn leaves are changing, and there were mostly Japanese tourists on the train. The town itself is very small with not much to see, but it leads up to a beautiful and sacred bridge called the Shinkyo Bridge, which sits at the entrance to Nikko National Park:

The national park itself is absolutely stunning, with moss-covered trees bigger than i've ever seen before and beautiful, lavish temples. (Toshogu Shrine, Rinnoji Temple, Futarasan Shrine). Inside the park there are many old stone lanterns that are now green with moss, even mini shrines for the children to make a wish or a prayer to.

I stayed in a cute little lodge about a 20 minute walk out of town- I wish someone would have warned me not to go after dark, as it was pitch black and I couldn't have found my way alone- I ended up stopping a nice Japanese couple on the street who were out for a walk and headed the same direction as me to take me there. It was a very small and quaint lodge with only 3 staff members, and when I arrived they were cooking dinner for the guests who had pre arranged it. I had already eaten in town, so I just sat and chatted with a Japanese mother and daughter and an American couple who live in Japan and were visiting Nikko for a few days.

Yesterday I took the bus from the town of Nikko up into the mountain, up possibly the windiest road I have ever seen. I took a video on the bus because no one will believe me when I say that at each curve it felt like the bus was going to tip off the side of the mountain! The bus dropped me off at Lake Chuzenji, where I walked around the town there and went to see the beautiful Kegon Waterfall. It was very early still and there was a thick fog from the observation point, but I took an elevator that they had carved into the mountain and found myself with a great view of the beautiful waterfall!

After a very relaxing and different few days in Nikko, enjoying all of the beautiful nature, I hopped back on the train to come back to Tokyo, pick up my suitcase which I had left at my hostel while I was gone, and then hopped back on the subway all the way across town (transferred 3 times!) to go and meet Chloe and her brother Malcolm at his apartment. I'm so happy that Chloe arrived safely, and can't wait to continue my travel adventures with her!

Today we got breakfast near Malcolm's place, and then set off to see some areas of Tokyo that I hadn't seen yet. It is a national holiday today, so no one is working and the trains and streets were flooded with people enjoying their day off, dressed like they were ready to walk down a runway! People here really go all out dressing up and keeping with the latest trends, and I have felt way too casual going out for the day in my "travel clothes!"

We are relaxing right now and trying to decide what to do tonight, but I think it will include going to a traditional Japanese restaurant where Malcolm's girlfriend works as a waitress (dressed in Geisha clothes). Should be fun! Tomorrow is our last full day in Tokyo and then on Sunday morning Chloe and I leave for Vietnam.

thats it for now!!