trips and festivals

So a long awaited entry is finally here!
I've forgotten a bit that has happened due to busyness, but I'll try to get it all in!
I'll start with the K reunion 2 weekends ago:
So I left Kyoto from Shijou Karasuma station on the express train to Osaka on a sunday early afternoon. about 45 minutes and $3.50 later, I was in Osaka Umeda area. I was a few hours early for the K reunion dinner, so I decided to wander the streets of Osaka. Pretty soon after leaving the station, I stumbled upon a music festival lining the street for about a mile and a half. As I walked down the street I kept hearing contrasting music styles as people just set up along the street and started playing. (P.S. there is an annoying clave clacking sound that comes from the temple across the street occasionally, and it is annoying me right now, but I digress). I was made to dance in a circle with several old women, and also was invited to join an improv performance and an electro-funk band (who gave me their cd!). After this, I met with K people and we had a tabe-nomihoudai (all you can eat and drink). Of course we had to eat so much because 2 people on opposite ends of the table thought they were ordering for us all... The aircon on the wall was named "cleanpoo"... I am always amused by japanese names for things...
Last saturday I randomly took a trip to Tokyo to visit Yuki and anybody else who could come (of course that ended up only being Neal) I got on the bus friday night at 11h40p, and arrived in Tokyo at 6h20a. The night Bus was cheap and not too bad, though I recommend this list for anybody planning a night bus trip:
-eye mask
-melatonin/sleeping pill that is good for 6 hours
-comfy pillow (blanket and slippers are provided)
-change of clothes
-toiletry bag
These items made the trip SO much easier!
I sat around the station for a bit in the morning waiting for Neal and Yuki to wake up, and a hobo approached me and tried to give me money cuz he thought my parents had forced me to move out and I could not afford a place to live (THAT WAS A FIRST...esp since I'm used to old ladies and young guys randomly talking to me in Kyoto/Osaka).
We had a delicious lunch in the station department store, then walked to the government tower. Yuki left us, and Neal got the 2 of us lost in Tokyo, he kept walking in circles, so I finally took over and got us to Shibuya from Shinjuku. We shopped a little in Shibuya (and random;ly ran into Takumi), then Neal departed and I met with another friend. We went to a restaurant themed like an old o'temple. We did photoboothing, and windowshopped some, then headed back to Shinjuku park where we just hung out and talked until my bus back to Kyoto arrived at 10h40.
On Wednesday, we got out of class early to view the Jidai Matsuri (festival of the ages). JMD came into town to see it with me. I got a ton of great pictures, but it was kind of boring...
That evening we went with moto to the Himatsuri in Kurama. All I have to say about that was it was packed like a crowded train, there was alot of fire and oshiri (butts) (the festival guys were wearing fundoshi (picture sumo uniforms, but on skinny guys)).
my Tuesday Japanese teacher is officially obsessed with my teeth... and I don't know why... its kinda crazy...