Sunday, 14th December!

Chrissy: Today was our full day in Nara. We got up fairly early to eat the Japanese breakfast here, which was miso soup, rice, a strange tofu dish over a FIRE, pickles, lotus root, other veggies, and some other veggies, as well as a baked fish and eggplant. Only little dishes, but it added up to a humungous meal.
We went out with an Australian friend we met last night. The lady at the front desk told us about some deer event happening at 9:30, so we rushed over to Nara Park (it's gigantic) to where it was happening. There were a bunch of people milling around, and then one guy with a french horn (or some other kind of horn?) got up and said something, and then started to play his horn. About 20 seconds later, a herd of deer came pelting out of the woods 50 metres behind him and ran towards him. It wasn't dangerous or anything. It was a really cool spectacle. Chucky thinks that they let them out of an enclosure in the forest, but I think that they were called from afar. We were handed out senbei which is a kind of cracker, to feed the deer. They were really pushy and some tried to eat my coat and bag. One jumped up on Chucky, so it looked like a kangaroo. There were all these little children with the senbei, who were shorter than the deer and were terrified!
Then we went for a walk in the park, which includes many interesting sights. First, we walked to Todai-ji temple, which is the biggest wooden building in the world and contains a really huge Buddha. I don't know if it's the biggest buddha, but it is certainly huge. In the same building, behind the Buddha, there is a huge wooden column with a hold through the base. I have been informed that this hole is the same size as the great Buddha's nostril, and that whomsoever shall pass through it shall be blessed with enlightenment. So we did. We are enlightened.
Continuing the walk, we went to another Buddhist hall where there were monks chanting and praying. I felt weird about watching so I walked away. There were some interesting water features around.
Chucky and our new friend had lunch at a place that sold souveniers and lunches. I watched and drank coke because I was still so full from breakfast. Then we went further into the park to a Shinto shrine area which was really pretty. The Shinto shrine was in a rainforest-type place, still with deer everywhere. They were really tame, and were quite happy to let you walk close to them and take photos.
We walked back to town and got some lunch for me from the Circle K (where strange things were afoot). Yum.
Then Chucky MADE me go out immediately to find a doughnut shop he read about. We walked some arcades and things and found some really amazing secondhand clothes shops. The best one had a cafe at the front, and then a tiny tiny selection of secondhand kimonos and a display case full of retro jewellery, then there was this stage area/display area, and then there were tables where young women in kimonos and colourful sneakers were crocheting things. I felt so left out, I really wanted to join in.
There were a host of other rad second hand clothes shops around too. I bought a ... vest ... which is awesome.
Found our doughnut shop, where Chucky got something. A doughnut. Then we met up with our friend and got Okonomiyaki. Yay! I want my dessert.