June 19th - Saturday

Every trek needs a bit of down time and this morning is ours! We can't meet Andy for lunch until noon and his school is practically right next door. That means we have the whole morning to ourselves! Betsy and I get downstairs about half an hour before the breakfast window closes. We are greeted with salmon! With it we have rice and misu soup, pasta salad and an item that I think is bean curd and a bit sweet. There is also ginger and a small berry with a seed and pickled something else. The attendant helps me with the coffee machine and even stirs for me! The sugar dispenser is so clever! Each time you tip it over it pours out one spoonful of sugar so you know exactly what you are getting!

The salmon is delicious and we're so glad that Ginger gets downstairs in time to have a bit. She is careful not to have so much that she triggers her allergy. Betsy conveys to the man at the desk that we are looking for Wifi. He hands her an ethernet cable, so we go back upstairs to check our mail and blog.

Everyone convenes downstairs before noon and we walk two buildings down to Andy's school. Shimon College is located on the fifth floor and once we figure out where the entrance is we're home free! Andy is still in class so we are allowed to wait in the reception area which allows us to see him in action! This morning he has a small girl of about four. We try not to be too obtrusive, but there is one-way glass in John, Andy's boss's, classroom and we can see him doing a counting and running game. He looks like he is having more fun that the kids!!

Another of the teachers chats with us until Andy comes out and we also get a chance to meet John who tells us how pleased they all are to have Andy working with them and that he was chosen over thirty other applicants. Listening him talk about his work you can tell that he is wonderful with the kids and extremely dedicated.

There is a cafe in the same building called Ra Ra's and Andy guides us downstairs. It is a fixed menu and today's choice is excellent with meat, hard-boiled egg, carrot something, tomato, and rice and soup. Afterwards we have our choice of iced coffee or hot tea and they treat us to either vanilla or gree-tea ice cream! And the whole meal is only five dollars!!

Andy has to get back to work :( but we don't!! We head to the train station to catch the local to Gifu so we can visit the castle. Have I mentioned how invaluable the Japan Rail passes are? We hop on and off the train just like we owned the railroad! Sometimes we can even get reserved seats, and all for free (or it feels like it since the passes are already paid for!) This stained glass is in the Gifu station.