toyama city, again. library computer, locked down tighter than a coed res-hall.

again, i can't post pics today because this computer's been bolted, bound, and resricted to only it's most basic function.. sorry.

anyway, i left toyama a few days ago for kanazawa and it's famous garden, kenrokuen! that garden looked good all over after a long day of hitch hiking out of an ugly and industrial city. i was at peace there for 25 min. then they closed and kicked me out. i walked around aimless until i realized the last bus to my hostel had gone even before the garden closed. it didn't look that far on the map - but the map did fail to show the elevation.. there i was climbing a big ass hill after dark with little to guide me. thank god the hostel had a hot bath and a beer vending machine. uhg. i got out of there the next morning and set my horizons north to the noto peninsula and it's northern most attraction, wajima. i took a bus.

in wajima i found the ohanami spot and checked out the town. it was a really little town in the middle of no where - attrative, and with a healthy tourist draw, but little and nowhere. i walked all over! i got some radical ocean views but by the end of the day i was contemplating the term "ankle support" for the first time in my life. i wonder if that's a sign of getting old or if i should have just worn my hiking boots instead of my nike's. i stopped to take a bath at a public onsen off the main drag. i payed an old lady 370 yen to share bright green boiling bath water with a wrinkled old man (and she really should have paid me for all the peeking she did). i felt good and clean, though and with the sun gone climbed the hill to the long row of lit up cherry trees.

i've got a routine now - i hang around and play to myself until i get invited to a party and then i take the leftovers i'm gifted to offer a party of my choosing - that is who ever looks fun or has good food. i sell a few cds as i go - it's my job and it's even more fun than teaching english!

everyone said rain before morning, but i was the last one on that hill at 1:00 am. i had the place to myself and rather than paying 5000 yen for a smoky efficiency at a business hotel, i decided to just camp! this worked out fine, save the disapproving look from the 6:30 dog walker. i got some wind and rain, but i was under a pavilion and stayed pretty dry. i'm pretty well recovered for not getting much sleep, but don't think i'll get too many more chances to do that again. i'm headed north! it's going to get cold from here.