It's a symbol of what?

Today I got to go to Asuka, an area south of Nara, to view some burial mounds, temples, demon toilets, and phalli. 20 or so of us took the train from Tambabashi to Asuka and then rented bicycles to white up the Japanese country side. Great scenery, yakisoba, and dirty looks from old people. As usual, every one declined to be photographed. Pictures.

Also: Soba, udon, 3 types of tempura, tsuyu with daikon and green onion, and salad.

And: Burger patties with a sweet mushroom and pepper sauce, egg soup, tako salad with sweet mustard and ponzu shoyu, slaw, rice, toasted rice tea, and melon bread. I'm starting to gain weight here.

And: 4 for 23 on old lady pictures.

I have never before wanted to punch a doe in the head.

On Tuesday I went to Nara with two adorable Japanese guides (the best way to travel, even outside Japan). We went to see the big Buddha, got bit by a bunch of deer, went to a famous mochi place, and an excellent udon restaurant. Pictures right here (kind of a big album, sorry).

Also: Deer are assholes. They will bite you, tear at your clothes, chase little kids, and stink up a national treasure out of spite. In Chinese folklore, deer were servants of the devil, joyfully spreading famine and misfortune by day, and eating children in front of their parents by night. I read that in a textbook.

And: Yakisoba, creamy potato soup, homegrown veggies, and English tea. Once again, in your faces.

And: Yesterday I was awakened a bit early by my very first earthquake. I promptly went back to sleep.

Konnichiwa, bitches.

Original, right? I thought of it myself.

More stuff from Sunday. After sushi, we tromped around Nanba and saw all the shops. The whole area is like a giant outdoor mall. It's insane. After a few hours, we went to a Mexican restaurant. You know, just to say we did. Despite having spaghetti sauce on it, my burrito was excellent. To make it even sweeter, there was a Thai man playing songs who perfectly (no joke) imitated 3 Doors Down, James Taylor, and several other American artists. After that, I was presented with a birthday cake on which I broke a tooth. Fun, fun, fun. Linky.

Also: The Japanese say Mekeeshko for Mexico. Mexicans? Mekeeshko-people, of course.

Moral: If an item is advertised as edible, it's barely edible.

美味しそう！

Sunday was my birthday and I went to what we were told was the largest aquarium in all of Japan. It was a very impressive place. The highlight, perhaps, was all of the Japanese people saying, "That looks delicious" in front of the various tanks. Naturally, we went out for sushi afterward. Pics.

Also: Kaitenzushi is dangerous.