Cherry Blossom Festival

So it is day 2 of the exchange and I have to say that I am whole hertedly enjoying my time (and the fact that jet lag didnt hit as hard as I had anticipated). I am in a homestay in Ainosato with a mum Rie and her daughter Honoka. Rie speaks English and Honoka learns with me each night. It is cool because as I teach her English, she tries to help me with Japanese...

We have had a very sincere welcome beginning with a group of Hokkaido Uni of Education students greeting us at the airport, having two seperate welcome parties so far and the care of our home stay`s.

Yesterday we met other exchange students who have been living in Hokkaido for 6months to a year now and were invited to go out with them. They took us downtown Sapporo to the cherry blossom festival...I was instantly awe struck when we reached the park...although we are at theend of cherry blossom season, there were still blossoms everywhere. I took so many photos that my camera died and took over Jon`s... :) he didnt mind...

We walked through the first park and eventually happened upon the second which was even more intriuging than the first...there were trees everywhere: this park was like a forest in the middle of the city. When we got a little further into the park there was a small pathway leading up the hilly terrain...along the sides of the pathway there were vendors similar to ones that are seen on the midway of stampede...

As we reached the top a peak began to appear that was not part of the environment, it was a Shinto shrine. Before we could go up to the shrine we had to wash in a special basin in a specific order:
fill the cup with water from the basin, wash your right hand by itself
fill the cup and switch the cup from left hand to right
was your left hand independant of the right
dip cup once agan and tip cup so that the ater can run down the long handle of the cup onto your hand
place cup back on holder
do not wipe water from hands, allow to dry naturally (unfortunately for us it was very cold and windy out...and the water was not warm either...)

We then walked up to the shrine. One by one, or in pairs, we walked up to the main gates and thre a 500yen coin into a wooden box with slits in the top. You then bow twice, clap twice, turn and leave...really wonderful experience...

I was so thankful to our new friends John, Christie and Alex for our amazing day...it was a once in a lifetime opportunity...

I apologize if my spelling is `off` or if my words run together...I cannot get internet on my computer and am not used to this keyboard that wants to continually turns my words into Japanese characters....