Barbara's Questions

My dear friend Barbara wrote me today wanting the REAL scoop on the Riley/Baumert Girls visit to Japan.  She asked me a few questions and so it gives me great pleasure to answer each as they came across my e-mail.

Question:  Did everyone do the naked bath? 

 YES!!!!  Marjorie and Suzy were a little more enthused about the bath than Julie was, but everyone did, in fact, shed their clothes and get into the water.  Julie and Suzy had a little private bath in the Kyoto Ryoken Hotel.  I was there and witnessed it personally and was totally thrilled to see , as Barbara says, "American girls doing Eastern things."  At the Heta Hot Spring - Julie had had enough, but Ken, Yumiko, Suzy, Marjorie and I could not get our fill and went back to the bath time after time.  (At the request of Barbara, I will not show any photos of these naked events.

Question:  Has Ken had enough of females for a while?  

NEVER!!  He still loves us all.  (Actually I am afraid to ask him.)

Question:  Does Yumiko wish you were more like one of her Aunts who is so much cooler than her mom?  

NO WAY - and if so - no allowance for the next six months!!

Question:  Are you relieved not to consider breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a crowd each day?  

Oh my - the answer is yes.  In fact, I was thinking about take-out for the three of us Kono's for the rest of our stay in Japan.

Question:  Any picky eaters like me?

Let me just say that my home cooking was never appreciated so much by any crowd at any time in my life.  

Question:  What kind of shopping did you do?

Wood block prints, Japanese dresses, crane insence burners, more wood block prints, chop sticks and chop stick holders, green tea, Japanese spices, more wood block prints.

Question:  Anyone feel unwell? 

Not a chance.  We walked, talked, laughed, cried, and really had a wonderful time.

Question:  What did I miss?

You missed it all and we missed you.