Makoto remarked that we hadn't done any tourist sight seeing this trip so he suggested a trip to Nara today. We met him and his wife and girls in Namba station and caught the train to Nara. Took about 30 mins. Nara ws once the capitol of Japan in medieval times before it moved to Kyoto and then to Tokyo. The town is nice and the area around the temples is a world heritage site. The main attraction is the giant Buddha it's 50 feet high and the largest Bronze Buddha in the world, housed inside the largest wooden building in the world. This thing is big, I mean REALLY big! You can't help but wonder how on earth they could build something so big and so beautiful so long ago. Really impressive sight and also a bit humbling. Sean spotted a five storey Pagoda on the way to the main Temple and was reading the little blurb about it in english, he says to me "I thought all the stuff was old it says this one was refurbished"....I said read the rest mate it was refurbed in 1426! Not a lot going on in Australia in 1426 let me tell you. Makoto's Brother and his girlfriend and daughter met us in Nara as well so we had a really nice afternoon walking around the park dodging the wild deere that are everywhere!

We said goodbye to our friends and headed to Mystery trip bar.....again

Not a lot happening so we had a couple, Sean switching from Bourbon to Tequila which I cautioned against, but what would I know? ;)

We decided to call into Bar Courage for a couple of nightcaps before grabbing some Ramen at Ippudo. We got talking to some nice Japanese guys, one of whom is heading to Manly in a few weeks for a month of English lessons. I told him how to get to the Steyne Hotel and how to say"Go Manly!" Two things which I am sure will stand him in good stead for a 4 week stay in God's Country.