I AM HEEEERRREEE!!!!!!

Different view of my room.	View of my closet (lots of space inside).
Extreme closeup of tatami mat... ahhhh!! wonders of tatami.	BIG KITTY!!!!
I feel sorry for the Japanese person in the costume, wondering what's up with all the gaijin.	Kitty AND bunny. The bunny's head reminds me of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man.
This pic has a story. That grandmotherly looking Japanese lady in the center came up to the large group of foreigners (us) who were playing HackySack (hard to tell here). She wanted to know what was going on. We told her, and she decided she wanted to play too, so she did.	This is on the way to the Hirakata fireworks festival. The girl in front of me is Krissha (sp? Swedish). Those are all people.
The back of Alex's head and one of the hundreds of food stands along the way to the park for the festival.	Many of the people dressed in traditional Japanese garb, such as kimonos. This picture still does not give you an idea of just how many people were in attendance.
The view in the opposite direction, same place.	I tried very hard to keep getting pictures of ALL THE PEOPLE. I have NEVER seen that many gathered. Not at the fair, not at concerts, not at edgefest, nowhere.
Same deal.	Lars wanted pictures of the fireworks. I did my best.
Fireworks!!!	We left several minutes before the end of the show. I tried to get good pictures of the crowds from the top of the staircase leading into the park... it began raining about five minutes later.
This picture began my battle with the crane. There are many cranes in our area, beautiful tall white birds, that have the uncanny knack of running (not flying) away as soon as we get our cameras ready.	The Fujiya Restaurant in Osaka. Today was Adora's birthday!
Sideways Alison, Sideways Richard.	Sliver of Rob, then sideways Lauren and sideways Ursula. :)
Not so sideways Adora.	Dominique!
Rob.	Very nice group shot, after the singing dolls in the foreground finished their rendition of "Happy birthday!"
A karaoke storefront on Doyama-cho in Osaka.	Another cool storefront.
President Tanimoto addressing students and faculty at the Welcome Meeting.	The American Consul General addressing us.
The Australian Deputy Consul addressing us.	Inside Mandarake's (The coolest bookstore ever) lies this cast of a T. Rex head, going for a LOT OF MONEY (i don't remember how much. Lots).
What it looks like inside the mouth of a T. Rex. :)	Ursula with camera.
Group shot. Dominique, Lauren, Stephanie, Richard and Ursula. :)	Group photo as the staff of Mandarake's realizes we're taking pictures of the skull and immediately makes us stop (I couldn't see what was going on, but its a great pic nonetheless).
Fishheads, fishheads, rolypoly fishheads. :) You're just supposed to EAT these. Straight.	EWWWWW!! They've got EYES! For the record, I was entirely too squeamish to try one.
Ursula and.. Gah!! Alison broke her neck!! :)	Dominique, Richard, and Lauren, who would KILL me for posting this picture.
Richard (and Ursula, actually) was not too squeamish to try them, tho. :)

MORE TO COME!!!

Birthday photos!!
(Infamous) Trip to Galveston
Moving Jimmy and Stephanie to Wisconsin
The last few pre-departure pics!
First set of pictures from Japan!