> > After lunch we went to the beach!!! I say the ocean for the first time in my life!
>
> You have no idea how hard this is to believe. Even though I *know* you live in a big wide country, I find it almost impossible to imagine that *anyone* could drive for even a day and still not reach a coast.
[snip]
> Hearing someone say they've never seen the ocean gives me the same reaction as if someone said they've never seen the sky. Wow. I wish I could visit where you come from, and see if inland is as weird to me as visiting a beach is to you.
>


I just have to say how I admire your way with words! I feel *exactly* the same.


> > The grounds were absolutely beautiful but, of course, it was on top of a huge hill again. What do the Japanese have against building on the ground, where it's easy to get to.
>
> I don't know which is the correct answer, but some that spring to mind:
> 1) In Japan there's a shortage of flat fertile low-lying land for growing food. So when there is some, you don't waste it by sticking temples on it.
> 2) Tsunamis?
> 3) A more strategically important location? OK, maybe not so important for temples, but then again I believe political rivalry came into temple-building as much as anything else.
>


4) Since we're talking temples, I assume we're dealing with old buildings. I imagine they were built in less peaceful times than ours, where a temple should (a) have a remote location and/or (b) be able to defend itself, hence the strategy issue. The latter would be especially important if japanese temples were used like medieval churches as a place of refuge for the locals.


> >Well, that is all of my trip. If you were able to survive till the end of it I congratulate you. It's not to interesting but I promise it was even harder for me.
>
> I thought it was very interesting and if you have any more stories about your trip I look forward to reading them.
>
> Brunnen-"and pictures! Where are the pictures?"G

A trip to a place like Japan deserves to be described to as wide an audience as possible, especially because you met some Real Japanese People (TM) - and didn't stay in a hotel room all the time.

jul"there must be pictures!"ian