PAPA'S BRAND NEW COAT

One of Lee's usual goals when he leads Smithsonian tours is to so engineer the trip so that participants eventually feel comfortable enough to strike out on their own, at least some self-guided exploration.  This despite the language barrier, the sense of being illiterate in the face of all those Japanese characters and the general uneasiness that comes from roaming around in an unfamiliar culture / location.


Well, we're way ahead of the game this time around!  Ted just now returned from a battery-assisted bike ride to a local coin laundry several blocks away from our hotel here in Kurashiki.  He managed to find the place on his own (with the aid of a Japanese language map marked up by a helpful hotel clerk), to get himself there with help from some friendly locals and to return safely, clean and folded clothes in hand!

Furthermore, this morning, in big city Fukuoka, Sean and Ted explored Canal City all on their own for over an hour, giving Lee enough time to hunt down and purchase a BEAUTIFUL coat he'd seen on display in a shop in the same shopping center (the very one he's wearing in today's shots below from Kurashiki).

Later, towards noon, they even went off by themselves in Hakata station in search of some "frozen chicken wings" (recommended by Greg) while Lee made seat reservations for our 128 minute  shinkansen  trek to Okayama and beyond to Kurashiki.  The initial foray was unsuccessful, but persistent Ted set off again and returned with a full dozen -- which promptly disappeared, delicious as they were!

Dinner this evening was at Lee's favorite local restaurant, one specializing in misokatsu, a pork cutlet served with a lip-smacking miso dipping sauce.  Mm, mm, mm!  Aside from a leisurely stroll around Kurashiki's historic district and some local shop browsing, that's how we spent another bright, fairly warm and enjoyable day here in the Land of the Rising Sun.