June 25 Kushiro Wetlands Park and Karaoke evening

I got up early to see the Japan World Cup match (5am), and wore my Japan jersey for good luck, but unfortunately they lost.   After a quick breakfast we boarded the bus for an hour-long ride out to see Kushiro-shitsugen National Park, which is the largest wetlands area in Japan.  This vast wetlands covers 104 square miles, and has the Kushiro river meandering through it.  After such busy days of visits to schools and town oficials, we all appreciated the chance to get out into nature and relax a little.  We had a guided walk for about an hour down a very pretty planked trail into the wetlands, and were given a talk on the flora and fauna of the area as well as some history of the original inhabitants thousands of years ago.  It was a sunny mild day, just perfect for a walk.
On the way back we stopped at the "Restaurant of Oz" (we couldn't pass it up with a name like that) for some curry and rice, then back to the hotel.  Yes, we were not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

That evening we all (all 12 teachers and our two Japanese escorts) went out for traditional Japanese-style karaoke.  This is not your sleepy bar stage kind of karaoke!  Here you go to a building where individual rooms are built with bar tables, chairs, and karaoke and screens.  The door is closed and hilarity ensues. The music is loud loud loud!  Food and drinks are brought in non-stop (part of the price), and everyone just got more and more crazy with it.  After three hours we were all exhausted and had butchered many great songs, but it was SOOOO much fun.  We all had a blast!!!!!!!!

Here I am rocking out to Journey!