Today had to be the busiest day yet in our Japanese adventure. The day began at 9:30 and I didn't get home until almost 10pm. Usually on these long days I am enjoying a relaxing dinner or drinks if we're out late - today we were on our toes all day long!
Before I get to our busy schedule, let me tell you about some of the folks we were with. There was one Rotarian who was cracking us up all day - he was ordering everyone around, belting our orders for taking photos and making sure we moved when it was time ... and so on. He was a nice guy, but it was hilarious! This was also the first day where we felt we were dragged around and had no idea where we were going. As usual we had a blast, but I felt a bit like a puppy dog at one point!
It began with a visit to the Mayor of Utsunomiya. We briefly met the mayor and he told us what Utsunomiya is famous for: Gyoza, jazz and cocktails. I've experienced two out of the three so far!
After the mayor it was on to the Governor of Tochigi. We had already briefly met him, but this was a more formal visit. However, first we went up, down and around the building looking at the sites and taking more photographs. We finally met the governor shortly before noon. He is such a distinguished looking, tall man. As we left, he presented us with a teacup made by one of the artists from Mashiko.
Our next stop of the day was for a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and kimono fun. We tried on kimono's first - we were given a choice of several and each one of us chose a different one - no fighting. Terry tried on a samurai suit - he looked so good. It was a lot of fun getting all dressed up. We then had our tea ceremony while still dressed in kimono. However, it was more trouble for Sheila and I since we both preferred to sit cross-legged and it wasn't exactly dainty, but it was fun. Also, my dislike of beans preceeded me and instead of the bean paste treat, I was given a plate of sugary snacks.
Our long day continued with the opening ceremony of the District Conference. The kickoff began with a lovely dinner that included music from a trio, a flamenco dance exhibition and a singer. We also were able to visit with so many of the Rotarians that touched our lives over the last month. It was nice to see our host families and the people who showed us their favorite parts of Japan.
Our next stop of the day was for a traditional Japanese tea ceremony and kimono fun. We tried on kimono's first - we were given a choice of several and each one of us chose a different one - no fighting. Terry tried on a samurai suit - he looked so good. It was a lot of fun getting all dressed up. We then had our tea ceremony while still dressed in kimono. However, it was more trouble for Sheila and I since we both preferred to sit cross-legged and it wasn't exactly dainty, but it was fun. Also, my dislike of beans preceeded me and instead of the bean paste treat, I was given a plate of sugary snacks.
Our long day continued with the opening ceremony of the District Conference. The kickoff began with a lovely dinner that included music from a trio, a flamenco dance exhibition and a singer. We also were able to visit with so many of the Rotarians that touched our lives over the last month. It was nice to see our host families and the people who showed us their favorite parts of Japan.
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