Beppu

Beppu is to Japan as Coffee Bay is to South Africa.

Beppu is a place I will be returning. In fact, Helen and I made a pact that by the time she gets her PHD we will return back to Beppu.

Although Helen has most of the bright travel ideas, I saw one little blurb about these hidden springs in Beppu and I was hooked. Luckily, Helen shares my love for hot springs. In fact- when we were in San Miguel last spring break with the family we babysit for we decided we would travel Asia together. (We were at the esconditos, or the hidden springs, right outside of San Miguel.)

Beppu is in the South of Japan. It had a lot of volcanic activity thousands of years ago which created a bubble of heated springs in the earth's crust. There are 88 different mostly fresh water onsens (or heated baths) in Beppu. Other than the onsens, It is a charming, park-filled, mountainous town.

We stayed in this really nice, clean, quiet hostel which had an onsen and free bikes we could use. Typically our days consisted of yoga, our daily visit to the bakery, biking around to all the onsens, and lots of eating!

Basically it is paradise!!!!!!!!

Everyone in Japan if so gentle & friendly. Generally they do not speak English but they are more than willing to try to help you out. In this instance (just like many others in the past) a lady we stopped when we were trying to find the hidden springs stopped everything she was doing, marched us back to her house, where she got her brother to personally drive us to the springs.

Doesn't it look like I am superimposed on this picture?

On another one of our onsen adventures we went to a mudbath!

We stayed in for like 15 minutes. When we came out of our mummy like sand covering we were completely drenched in sweat. Then we showered off and relaxed in the indoor onsen.

On our journey to another onsen we stopped had a yoga session, and a peanut butter picnic. (It is safe to say that I will be avoiding peanut butter for a long period of time when I do come back home!)

We decided to play around with our custom timers....

Temples

The first temple that Helen & I went to was in Tokyo. Now we have been to many others throughout Japan & China. Many of the temples have altars dedicated to different Gods or buddas that you can pay homage to in many different ways. The most common way is by buying & burning incense.

Traditionally, before you enter a temple you wash your left hand.

Then you wash your right hand.

Next you rinse out your mouth.

Finally there is a lot of incense.

The incense reminded me of the EHS chapel days.

After our first temple we were on our way back and got to see live Japanese performance! In Japan and in China we have seen some performers though it is way more seldom. Most of them also lack a hat or a tip bucket which took me off guard.

First Day in Tokyo

In one day we had 2 great meals, went to the park, saw some traditional dancing & fighting, scoped out the cherry blossom trees, and went to a baseball game. It is nice to have friends in cool cities!

The view from Megs Apartment!

I got to Tokyo late at night and we just had a good girl session with Megumi & Helen. I went to bed riled up & I will not ever be able to put into words what it was like waking up to this skyline. It was the longest 60 shock filled seconds of me trying to rationalize from a dead sleep where I was.

Megumi was an incredible tour guide!!!!! 

Here come the CHERRY BLOSSOM TREES:

We even saw a Geisha!!

Here comes a home run & a major dance party!

When your team scores everyone opens up their mini umbrellas & pops them up and down. There are flags, horns, streamers you name it. It kinda felt like I was at a UT football game. The whole crowd had hints of energy similar to the UT Hell raisers. Honestly, I was still in shock & a little down about leaving Coffee Bay. After the first run was scored, Helen & I jumped up with such excitement that erupted in a fabulous dance party. At that moment I fell in love with Japan, and I knew how much fun Helen & I were going to stir up. 

 This picture does not do the beer cart ladies justice... But they would wear their hats perpendicular to their head. They do not even wear it, they actually bobby pin it in their hair. It was hilarious!

We made our own seafood pancakes after the game. 

The worlds busiest intersection.

This dog has become a bit of a legend in Tokyo. He marks a famous meeting spot. His owner was a well known professor in Tokyo & everyday he would walk him to school & wait for him in this spot. It was said that even after the professor died the dog would still go to this spot & wait for him. Tokyo grew especially fond of the dog, and after he died they made a statue to remember him. The area is right by the worlds busiest intersection so many people still use this spot to meet up.