Day 3...Temple 12

It is apropos that today is the 12th of September and we completed the trek to temple 12. I “fliped” (took videos with the Flip camera) the walk, but I don't think the video shows how difficult the climb is and the it doesn't make you feel the sweat that poured out of our pores. It was a challenge and both Emi and I feel slightly better now that it's behind us although we know that there will be other difficulties ahead.

Just some unrelated thoughts:

The innkeeper at our last ryokan made riceballs for all the henros residing there without any charge. She runs her inn on the honor system. You put money in the basket if you use the washer and dryer, and you have to remind her if you had beer or soft drinks. She'd never make it a go at home.

At one rest stop along the trail I thought I saw a Japanese killer bee. These bees are large, bigger than a bumble bee but with the same yellow and black stripes. Unlike African killer bees, these bees can actually kill you even if you're not allergic to the venom. I saw a dead one some years ago and took a picture of it, but this one was flying and it scared the ---- out of me. Maybe I was seeing things that weren't there but I wasn't taking any chances. I told Emi to run and run we did.

I was thrilled to see a slew of mushrooms on the trail.
I use to study them, and they still hold my attention. I took a lot of pictures of them. I could identify several aminita species, a bolete, and yesterday I saw a puffball just slightly smaller than a vollyball. Like other crazy science type people I was as happy as a drunk in a bar. I took pictures of them all.

The furo at tonight's ryokan, Nabeiwa-so, is a large wooden jacuzzi style tub. Even though we are drained by the high temperatures each day the hot water is wonderful. It soothed our aching muscles and joints and cleaned the dirt and sweat off our bodies.