September 30

September 30th...a really long day.

Length is relative, but I can confidently say that 23 miles was a long walk. Further to make matters worst it rained the whole day. I admit that it wasn't pouring but it was steady and I cursed the rain without stop.
The first third of the walk was on a narrow road that followed the very scenic coast. It was amazing that it hadn't hadn't fallen into the ocean so precarious was it's hold on the land. It was as if someone had built a road on the Napali coast. It didn't make sense to me especially since there was only one factory like building situated between the beginning and end. It had no identification signs and we only saw a few cars on the road, all coming and going probably from that mysterious location. I think it was Japan's area 56.
Before starting the next third of the walk on the Osaka Pilgrim Route, we stopped to recharge ourselves with a “mooningu setto” at a coffee shop. Emi asked for directions to the trail, the book map being totally inadequate, and the proprietor drew us a map and then kindly made us musubi for us to take along. The kind acts never stops. I'm beginning to wonder if Japan is different from the world, but I would like to think that all people are nice, aren't they? The shop owner was really a shodo master; she ran the coffee shop part time. Her real thing was zen paintings. She had one of her paintings on the wall, and I liked it so much that I had taken a picture of it before I knew that she had painted it. Sugoi desu nee.
The Osaka Pilgrim Route was through valleys and mountain passes, a quiet beautiful walk. It was only the last kilometer when things got ugly. The path suddenly shifted upward and we had to climb what seemed straight up. By the time we got to the top, where highway 56 runs, we were soaked inside and out, from the rain and our sweat.
The last third was on the highway, a two lane blacktop. It was noisy, not too picturesque. By then all we wanted was to get out off the rain and off our aching feet. Fortunately, our lodgings were at the temple. Oh, did I tell you that the day ended at a temple? Well it did. Our “room” is 16 tatami mat with sliding doors that can be open so that you have one really large room, but we'll keep it closed, thank you very much.
We're now sitting here waiting for dinner. It is 5:15pm and dinner is at 6pm. There isn't a TV in the room, so we are listening to the rain drops and watching the temple recede into the gloom of the night.