The Kansai Stanford Alumni group sponsored a lunch event and invited all of the SCTI-ers to attend. There was free food, so of course pretty much all of us showed up. Lunch was at noon, but before the eating festivities we had the option of visiting a kimono making factory/shop, Nishijin. There, we watched a mini kimono fashion show and got to go upstairs and see some very old kimono pieces and cloth patterns. We even got to watch an old lady work a Jacquard loom and another woman pulling silk from the cocoon of the silk worms. Poor silkworms, they get boiled so the silk can be drawn into thread. I guess that means vegans can't wear silk.
This lady was all over that loom.
By the time we got to the guest house on campus, where lunch was held, I and pretty much everyone else was famished. But there were formalities and speeches that postponed the meal. I ate like a pig. There was a man sitting across from me who had a slightly surprised and slightly amused (at least I'm telling myself it was amusement and not disgust) face when I returned several times to my seat with large quantities of food covering my plate. The food was so good and there was so much of it, I just couldn't help myself. I am a growing girl and I eat what I like. Let's see, there were pizzas, sushi, okonomiyaki, salad, sandwiches, yakitori, yakiniku, and cake, oh, and fruit. I love the fruit here. I'm salivating just thinking of that spread.
Yum. Silk worms.
After lunch there were self introductions. The SCTI students introduced ourselves in Japanese, while the Kansai alum introduced themselves in English. All in all that self introduction bit took about three hours. Yes, loooooooooooong.
Afterwards Rachel, Kenny and I finally went to Kyoto Eki and exchanged our passes for tickets. Yes! Success, finally. I was still full when I arrived home. Ah, to be full for more than an hour is a beautiful feeling. Although it didn't feel to beautiful when I had to put down dinner on a full stomach. But no complaints. Food, and especially good food makes Anya a happy girl.
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