Packing is always the worst thing about traveling, especially with so many stops that we make. We always have to plan in advance. If we have to leave super early, I try to pack the night before so that theres little to do in the morning. If we have more time during the day in the city in which we woke up, I know I can take my time in the morning. But it still means packing in the morning because we have to check out before starting the day's explorations. This was one of those days. I packed and we left for breakfast.
We got to the dining room and were led to a table already set with a traditional Japanese breakfast. A pretty large one actually. Having had one of these before, we knew there would be little to our liking. Kansekei dinners are usually ok, but breakfasts are somewhat harder. I dont know what it is about the Japanese and their tendency to make everything sweet. Tofu? sweet. Eggplant? Why not add sweet syrup? The same thing goes for a few other of their dishes which I could not identify. Normally, we would deal like good little boys and girls. This time however, there was something different in the air. As we walked in, a waitress followed us with a tray of food and took it to another table. On that tray, there were two plates filled with scrambled eggs, veggies, orange juice, tapioca (Im not sure about that one, but it definitely was some kind of white pudding/yogurt). There was coffee on the table, and ours only had tea. Oh, and the best? Each person got two mini Challahs. Ori and I both looked at each other and knew that was not to be our breakfast, but we didnt understand why or how we could change.
You ask.
No, you ask.
No, you ask.
Chicken.
And all throughout we couldnt stop laughing at how much we were craving a simple scrambled egg and veggies.
Finally, we asked one of the waitresses. She had no idea what we were talking about, so she called another. The second one eventualy explained that the first morning you eat Japanese, the second n
aight you earn the right to choose a Western breakfast or Japanese.
Oh. We both said with slight disappointment (more than slight, but we didnt want to insult her too much about her local food). She was so sweet, she offered to bring us challas. You want bread, yes? She asked. Yes, please, we both answered in unison.
OMG, we are such horrible tourists. Why come to Japan and not eat our food? she probably thought as she brought us warm from the oven mini challas.
Ok, so I have to pause and vent here for a second. I had to pause my wriing this entry for changing trains. And guess what? Half the entry and the photos and collages have disappeared when I just re-opened the ipad. And yes, I DID save, continuously! I guess Im lucky its the first that this happened on this trip, but seriously? Did it have to happen? And it was such a good entry! I was so descriptive and even wrote an cute little story. And its all gone now. So for the first half hour after finding out, I had no desire to rewrite this entry at all. But Ori looked sadly at me - no entry for today? So, I guess Ill try to rewrite it. But I make no promises about it being cute or funny or anywhere nearly as good as the last time I wrote it.
So, where was I? Right, breakfast. Ok, we ate our warm challah (and some of the other stuff) and left for the hike. On the way out of the lodge, we noticed a sign on the wall warning of bears and that we should carry bells to warn the bears of our arrival. I was sure someone was pulling our leg - lets laugh at the tourists kind of joke. I felt like we were in the Japanese version of the Family Trap and Japanese Hailey Millis was laughing at us. For those of you who dont know or can remember what Im talking about, in the Family Trap, Hailey Mills tries to make her father's fiance look a fool when she tells her to hit two sticks against each other to warn off the mountain lions. Not only is it funny cause it wouldnt work, but funnier yet, the father later tells the fiancee there are no mountain lions in that area. Thats how I felt. Odds are bells wouldnt work, and what are the odds that there are bears in that area specifically? So we left with no bells.
Thankfuly, the clouds had cleared up and the sky was as blue as had we painted it ourselves.
When we got to the eastern point of our hike, there was a little pond. They had made the area into a total tourist spot. There was a cafe and real rest stop and --- an entrance fee! Yup, a 300 yen entrance fee per person to the POND. Ori and I were both shocked and more than a little annoyed that they were taking advantage of the tourists this way - local and international. The entire Kamikochi area was open and free but to see this particular pond they charge. Ridiculous.
We stopped there by the river and had a Takayama apple (yum!) and recharged for the western side of the hike. 
You like the above shot? That was alomost a very expensive shot. This was taken seconds before I almost dropped Oris phone into the lake under this bridge. Oops. I think that might be the last time that Ori asks me to photograph him using his phone.
Ensuring that the phone was safe and in perfect working condition, we crossed the bridge and continued the hike. The colour of the water changed every few kilometers. At some point it was black, mostly though the river was a beautiful and as clear as tourquois glass.
There was another little pond a few hours later where we stopped for another break. By this point there the day trippers had arrived and the paths were a little busier. This is the point we learned that the bear bells is no joke. Every few minutes we would pass another local with bells on their bags. Oops. The point was further reinforced when we saw the following sign:
We thought we would hide out at the little pond for a bit and try out the drink I had bought at the convenience store the night before. Japan is notorious for odd drinks and we try to taste different ones. When Ori chose a beer I thought Id try some plum drink. So there we were in the middle of nature and I pop a can of cooler and took a sip. Oy! It was not what i had expected. And here i was in the middle of nature and now stuck with a full can of alcohol. I looked at Ori and he looked at me and neither one of us knew what to do about this can. Oy. There was a group of three Japanese who looked at us during this exchange. At first I thought that they were thinking that im just one big alcoholic. But they pointed at the can and said something. Ori pointed at the can and offered it to the guy. He motioned back in his hands that hes driving but thank you. The other two girls giggled and said "Oyshi" Oyshi? Ok. If you say so. I then offered it to her and she giggled, and smiled back. Woohoo, here you go! I gave her the can and thats how i got rid of the can. She was happy, I was happy. And back to hiking we went.
Before going on with the day, I have to show you a photo of the little pond. It really was a tiny little puddle, but Ori took a fabulous photo of it. 
The scenery and the attmosphere was so amazing we were on a natural high from nature.
and...
And then there was this one - 
And so we said goodbye to the Japanese Alps and went back to Takayama.
The colours were different shades of bronze - from shiny bronze to the old torquoise of the antique variety.
We went on and just couldnt stop taking photos. This is one of me wearing a Samurai tshirt doing a semi Samurai pose. And no, I was not drunk. I told you, I hardly had a sip of that disgusting drink. Ori on the other hand... no,... just kidding.
But wait, it got better. remember how I wrote earlier that our bus had to stop to let monkies cross the road (no chicken jokes here please), well, when choosing the route for the hike, I suggested to Ori that we go in that direction just in case we see them again. Well, as we got near that area, Ori touched my shoulder and said - Sivan Look! And there off in the distance were two monkies. I got out my other lense so that I could take better photos from afar and not scare them away. We were both quiet and taking pictures. Others were not as careful. There were two Japanese women who were walking towards us and the monkies from the other direction. They were ohhing and ahhing about the monkies and didnt quiet down at all as they got closer. Worse yet, when they saw that there was a babby monkey they just got louder and more high pitched. We just wanted to yell at them to shush. Funnier yet, as we walked, we were stepping on dried leaves. Ori asked that I try to avoid the leaves as the sound scares them off. Really? I asked? Those women screeching doesnt budge them but the cracking og the leaves will? We both laughed at the ludicrosy of that idea. So we too walked closer.
We had so much fun with them we just walked around with them and after them and they totally ignored us. The big one actually walked passed me. Cool!
They eventually walked into the forrest and we continued on our hike.
and..
And suddenly I was transported into a Group of Seven painting instead of being in Japan.
Wow. No words can truly describe the feeling of being among these mountains. Tomorrow - Hakone!
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