10 Things I like about Nara

Not in any particular order:

1. The art on their train

2. This particular Deer!




We call it the Appa Rardy Deer because it reminded us of our dog at the time - old and arthritic but super cute!




3. Their epic signages





4. This lane of lanterns and walk through the forest







Although Nara is a very urbanized city, there are some really beautiful reserves and walks that you can enjoy in the heart of the city.  Every now and again, you'll find you that you have company.



5. The various beautiful temples scattered around every turn.











Don't even ask me what temples we visited because I have NO IDEA.  There were just too many to keep track of!  Each one was unique and breath taking to behold.

6. This old ass tree!
It's older than America by 4 or 5 fold!

 


7.  This Giant Buddha or Daibutsu!  It's just massive!

 



8. Making a mark on the temple...literally.
There were lots of renovations happening during the time we were there.  One of the ways they fundraised the projects was by selling tiles that we can buy and will be used on the new roof or whatever they needed repair.  Genius if you ask me and I can personally claim that I helped endevour.



9. Getting accosted by school children wanting to interview you for an English assignment
I know it sounds weird but it was the funniest thing walking around and having all these grade schoolers prowling the temples looking for foreigners.
No joke.
We'd walk and hear whispers of kids saying "Gaijin" and point at us excitedly before running up to us for an interview.
It was absolutely cute, but after a while, we had to dodge them just so we could make our bus and train ride on time.

10.  Deer Everywhere...and they BOW!
 

 

I LOVE NARA!!!

Memory Lane 懐かしい...Nara & Shika

Exhibit A: Deer Munchin' on Map

So we were in Japan for our second honeymoon and I wanted to go to Nara because everyone says stop by there.

Let me tell you, Nara is my FAVORITE stop in Japan next to Kawagoe Koedo in Saitama.  On this trip, We went from Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Miyajima in Hiroshima (close 2nd), Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Obama, Sapporo, Furano, Tokyo, Saitama.

...Now that I'm listing it down...yeah, it's quite a few places.

So back to Nara and these shika or deer.

They were very ballsy deer, but polite.  And yes, I did say, 'polite'.  They were trained to bow at people in hopes that you would give them a cracker or senbei.  Yes, we tried the senbei too and they just tasted like a plain rice cracker with no frill or whistles.

Anyhoo, when you DON'T give them senbei, they do tend to get your attention though other means.  I'd like to redirect your attention to Exhibit A: Deer Munchin' on Map.  NO, We didn't GIVE the deer the fuckin' map; the deer took it! (just like the monkey's in Malaysia, but that's a story for another time)

So, my husband didn't have any more senbei and was sitting quietly, looking at the map and minding his own business - I wasn't here so I'm just taking his word for it.  Well, I guess an opportunistic deer thought it could harass a lone human without its other deer buddies for competition.  The deer got the last of his senbei but didn't like not being fed, so when my husband ran out and went back to reading his map, the deer suddenly took a hold of the corner of his map and tug-of-war insured.

Shika 1 (+1 map) --> husband 0

The map ripped at his fingertips and he was left with only a corner while the deer spitefully chewed at that map.

Examine Exhibit A again.

That deer has a nice little snarl that almost says, 'Fuck you, try and take this back'!

Apparently, the deer was chewing that thing for a while just staring down my husband trying, to soften up the staunch, waxy paper before swallowing; probably all the while thinking, 'fuck you, human.  I get what I want!'

I think my husband gave up at that point and shot a picture just for evidence when he retold the story.


I on the other hand, didn't give a shit or give in to their deer pressure and had absolutely NO PROBLEM pushing them away when they got too demanding.


Exhibit B: Me Not Giving a Shit...because Fuck them!

Those deer are definitely something else, but I still love them.