Day 6 Hitchhiking Henro

Hitchhiker 17 to 18 Onzan-ji
19 Tatsue-ji

Miles according to book: ink (hitchhiking)
Actual miles walked: 5.6

We started out with good intentions by walking to 18 and 19. Our reservation was at a hostel around six miles beyond. I was feeling a bit queasy, and felt worse than I had for the last two days. Perhaps it was sleeping out in the cold? Or was it psychological after the temple staff warned us not to drink the tap water from the bathroom. Oops! Is the water contaminated? Is this why I feel queasy? I realize now that they wanted us to drink the "blessed" water from the temple fountain. I don't know, but I suspect the water source is the same. The warning has to do with general ideas of cleanliness...you don't drink "water from the toilet room."

At any rate, we were slogging along. I was feeling queasy and a gas station attendant grabbed us and asked us where we were from. America. That is the only answer anyone can understand. He mentioned all the places in the u.s. He has heard of. New York, Mississippi, Florida. At any rate, he was pumping gas and the pumped became very excited. America! Do you need a ride? We looked at each other and decided yes, absolutely!

She took us to our hostel...or so we thought. Our room was a stunning bamboo tatami room with a fireplace in the middle. We were served tea and treats. Their friends stopped by with ossettai for us -- fresh strawberries. We thought it was a hostel, so no meals, and went out to find a restaurant and to visit the Hinamatsuri festival -- dolls from all over Japan. the dolls have spirits....a perfect horror movie topic since there were thousands on display.

Our host and hostess were delightful. He hand made the bamboo and tatami room we slept in --- with a fire pit in the center. He also played the bamboo flute for us. they made us a delicious home style meal with no raw fish! It seems that elegance in a Japanese meal is defined by raw fish so that every guesthouse attempts to raise its Michelin rating by serving it. It was a relief to be served a nabe with pork belly and potato salad (and kennyaku and pickles and rice,met etc).

We loved this artist couple!