Sunday, December 23, 2007

I wanna go fast

Woo! Shinkansen! So there I was flying across Japan at 186 mph on a train that badly smelled like cigarettes. I went 320 miles in just two hours.

I knew that, in good weather, you can see Mt. Fuji from the train window. For some reason, everyone on the opposite side of the train car had the curtains pulled down over the windows, and I was afraid that the mountain would pass by on that side and I wouldn't get to see it. I was also scrutinizing the green hills we were passing, worried that Mt. Fuji would go by and I wouldn't recognize it. Then we emerged from a tunnel and - oh yeah. That's definitely it.

No wonder Mt. Fuji is Japan's pride and joy. (Second only to the fact that they have four seasons.) The picture and video really don't do justice to how impressive this sight was. Surrounding it was just flat plains, and it seemed to float on a pillow of clouds, this huge, snow-capped, beautiful mountain. I've seen so many photos and drawings of Mt. Fuji, and then it was just suddenly there. It was awesome.
The photo below is kind of funny because of all the ugly industrial development in the foreground. But hey, it kind of makes a statement, don't you think?

6 comments:

Candice said...

I remember seeing Fuji-san on the shinkansen back to Osaka from Tokyo. It was definitely a sight to see! Glad you made it to Tokyo safely. :)

Doug said...

ohhh myyyy gooodnessssss I really love that bottom picture. it is so beautiful, it looks like heaven floating above hell. Heaven because it's so far away, so white and unattainable. Hell because it's everything that's not heaven.

It really is like you said, floating on clouds.

Appendage said...

I like culottes.

Kelley said...

Heaven floating above hell...good description, Doug.

Dad, are you eating with the dirigibles or something?

Appendage said...

Who is this Dad you speak of?

Mo2 said...

Ooo, that train is too fast! I think I'm going to be si.......Oops, too late.