After this we took a ferry to Miyajima, a small island famous for the �gfloating torii�h that�fs surrounded by water at high tide. It�fs definitely more impressive at high tide. We stayed at a sweet ryokan (inn) with a nice view of the sea. After a soak in the big ofuro (bath), Mrs. Bing (not actually with us) paid for a really nice dinner. Then we wandered out to go see the torii at night. That weekend there was a typhoon sweeping across southern Japan, but that night it was just starting to rain. Afterward we headed back to the ryokan to chill in one of the huge rooms.

You know you�fve got cultural exchange when you�fre picking up Japanese drinking games. Kono naka de is a favorite. It�fs also a great way to practice Japanese. (Of course, surely I�fm just drinking water�c) Someone says, �gKono naka de�cichiban�c�h (�gOut of everyone here, the most�c�h), to which everyone responds, �gyoo!�h. Then he/she describes someone else in the room (e.g. the tallest person, the person who likes anime the most, etc.)�c in Japanese, of course. Then everyone points to the person they think best fits the description, who then has to (you guessed!) drink. I learned some rather�cinteresting things about my friends that night�c