More things to do in Takaoka

Thursday 23rd July 2009
Yesterday we had a very formal day.
Firstly we dressed in our best clothes and went to the Rotary Meeting. It was very formal and very interesting. The District Govenor was visiting too. The club is made up of about 60 men and 1 woman. She does all of the office work for the club. We had lunch as part of the meeting. We had eel!!! I ate it but I'm not sure that I like it. I managed to spill my soup. How embarrassing!!! Mr K had to make a speech and one of the men translated it. Sharnelle also had to make a speech but she spoke in Japanese. Most of the time we did not know what was being said. After the meeting was finished they had a photo taken. It was just like having a class photo. We had to be in it as well. I thought that it was very funny and I got the giggle when it was being taken.

One of the Rotarians then drove us around sight seeing. We went up the mountain first. From ther we could look back over the city. Next we stopped at an enoumous bell. It is the biggest in this area. We got to ring it. We then went to a famous Rock Island. The people here have a legend or story about it. Sharnelle had been there before but the last time she was there it was covered in snow. Next we went to the Takaoka History Museum. It was a little bit hard to understand it all as it was all in Japanese. And finally we went to a Tea House. We sat at a Japanese table which I don't find very confortable really and had an iced coffee. Iced coffee in Japan is really just very strong iced black coffee. We had to add a lot of sugar and a lot of milk.
We were then dropped back where we are staying.

We had just enough time to get changed and ready to go out to dinner with the people who have hosted Sharnelle and the president of the club. We went to a Chinese Restaurant which was just in the next street. It was a beautiful place to eat and the food was yummy. I think that they had ordered the food just for us as there was no raw fish and we had Aussie Beef!!!! Some of the people knew some english and they helped translate for those who didn't. When we got back Mr K, Felicia, Sharnelle and I played cards for a long time. It was very late when we went to bed.

Today we slept in and then we went for a walk to the park and visited the Takaoka Museum. We went to an Italian Restaurant for lunch. There were some teenage boys who kept staring at us and took our photos. I gave them some Australian stickers!!! After lunch we went to Sharnelle's school. Mr K and I met with her home class teacher and then we all went to English Speaking Club. We talked about Australia and how to pronounce some words. The girls then taught us how to makr paper cranes.
It was a small group but they were very friendly.

At the school there is a whole room just for shoes. Each student has atleast 3 pairs of shoes at school because they have an inside pair as well as sports and then the pair that they wear to school. It was very interesting to visit the school.

Tomorrow is our last day here. We will have to pack our bags ready for our trip home. We have to some how try and fit in all of the things that Sharnelle wants us to take home.
Mrs K. x