Japan is awesome and I finally had a good run this morning. The humidity is ever-present but the air was cooled by early rains and I had, guess what, another headwind for Dot. The run route was not very attractive, except for being along a river for the first mile. I had alot of dodging to do as I ran down a fairly busy road through villages and past businesses opening up for the day. It was interesting to observe the morning activities as I moved from sidewalk to sidewalk, around cars and planters, and over numerous grates set in the shoulders and walks to carry away rainwaters. In some places these grates are placed every six to eight feet because of the magnitude of water produced by the monsoon like rains. We experienced one such storm last night on our drive to the hotel.

We had another 12 hour plus day in the van yesterday. Today we'll be taking a ferry to save about 150K to our hotel in Toyohashi. We will cross the Ise-wan channel. I hate to admit to eating fast foods but we have been nothing but on the road since we came here. So yesterday I joined Emmanuel and David for a Japanese McDonald's feast and it was awesome. A grilled chicken sandwich made with local chicken, cooked well, tender and not greasy. This was with fresh lettuce, tomato and spicy ketchup, plus non-greasy french fries and a fresh brewed iced coffee. Later we stopped at a highway service area where I dined on soba noodle soup, a delicacy we had to pay much for when it was on a menu in my hometown. It was a huge bowl with vegetarian broth, soba noodles, scallions and other delicately cut vegetables for the equivalent of $2.70 U.S. I jibed with Emmanuel and David that my run was good because of the "junk food" and invited them to do it again. "McDonald's is [h]awesome" said Emmanuel immediately.

We are now entering a mountainous region and have passed by the Yoshino Nature Reserve which is on the UNESCO World Heritage site. Below it is the Yoshino River which appears very clean with quite a bit of recreational activity going on in its waters. The country is very festive with colorful banners and signs along the roadways and bridges. Last night the streets were set with what I called "red blinkies" marking the curbs and road edges. Some of the decorations are whimsical and there are lots of Japanese lanterns along roadways and adorning homes.

This morning I ate breakfast on the 9th floor of our hotel overlooking the pagoda style Wakayama Castle surrounded by a moat and wall. Inside one of the castle walls a playground has been built and a number of kids were playing soccer and doing martial arts. It was 7am. Outside the wall is a new-looking well built pedestrian and bike path which was active with joggers and bikers. This country is fitness-oriented and most of the people are very lean. They eat healthy foods and they eat with chopsticks which slows down the chewing process and aids digestion, plus it makes you feel full sooner so you eat less. I had fresh fruits and yogurt and experimented with some breakfast noodles with plum sauce. It was all wonderful including the coffee. The buffet array was a breakfast of champions with some standard Western fare and some local delicacies. I've been enjoying the look on the faces of the Chinese and now Japanese when I pull out my silver chopsticks, bought in Mongolia, and eat with them instead of the standard fare wood break apart ones.

The Japanese are gentile and civilized. The country is light years ahead in convenience amenities and technology. Everything is wired. It is a country of many cities with tall buildings and lots of wealth. It is also a very consumptive society, from too many vehicles to the over packaging of its products and the air conditioning everywhere. Some of this is offset by programs such as their recycling. Recycling bins are located all over the place and people use them. The infrastructure appears sound with good roads, functional lighting and effective signage and markings. There are many, many road tolls and they are very expensive, which must be one possibly the main means of paying for these roads.

The Japanese attention to detail is obvious, even in the landscapes. I've not yet encountered anything in a Japanese hotel room that does not work. Things were always broken in our Russian and Mongolian Hotels. The Japanese are not stingy about electric outlets which we need for charging our equipment. Since we left Europe, outlets have been rare and treasured and negotiated for amongst teammates. The scenery is like a paintbrush, particular and beautiful, especially in the mountains. Rice fields are planted throughout the lowlands amongst the homes and other village structures and in the open areas between. They are a bright almost kelly green and after planting are covered with several inches of water until the rice kernels develop like wheat on the blades. The lower mountain villages had rows and rows of perfectly manicured lowlying bushes of green tea. The mountains are amazingly beautiful, steep with switchback passes, tall and thick stands of trees, mountain flowers galore at this time of year, gorges and babbling brooks and streams. Most of the steel bridges are painted a pretty red.

I love the Japanese people. They seem extremely happy and talk to you with big smiles on their faces with a sing songy intonation. They are very respectful and their presentations, such as of food and table settings, are lovely and ordered. On my run this morning I cherished the older women on bikes or pushing their carts to the market. Some are in garb of olden times and others contrast them with modern glitzier attire. They are all neat and clean. We have not yet seen the other side of Japan, the poor and underprivileged, the population affected by crime and societal problems such as drugs. I'm told these are issues throughout the country but I expect it will not become visible to us until we get closer to Tokyo. Today I asked the Silver Team to go out with me in Tokyo for a karaoke night since we will have 48 hours between our last run in Japan and our first in the U.S. I am in disbelief that we are at Day 60 and about to return home with just one third of our journey left to complete. In just one more day it's off to span the Pacific Ocean.

Back in the States I will return to the Green Team for at least three days. There will be some team reshuffling and I'll know in a matter of days where I will be. Team Silver feels like we are travelling alone through Japan. it will great to see our other teammates, many of whom will be on the airplanes with us on August 1. I'm excited about seeing Mt. Fujiyama tomorrow, at the base of which I was born oh so many years ago. Off to Tokyo with the spirits of my parents within me.

Water is life. Pass it on!