Blanc et Noir

Saturday the 12th was a fantastic day. Here is part one.

Carpooled with Johanna down to Kobe, where we found easy, cheap parking. Took a bus into Sannomiya with no problems. Met up with Patrick for Italian. We had a minor snafu with the snotty waiter, but then Ken and Yuko joined us, and the tiramisu soothed all stress.

Ken and Yuko were off to their bday party, and we remaining four tramped off to the theater to check the times. We'd just missed the show, but bought our tickets for the next one. Then we found Ian, who'd been caught up in lame-o hospital bureacracy for hours. Walked and chatted a bit, but our secondary goal had been put into effect: Attend final day of Rodin exhibit. So Ian left to score some chow, and we continued walking.

How many times have Aaron n I missed Rodin in Japan? Twice. The first time was in Tokyo, where an ORIGINAL!! cast of the Gates of Hell is located in Ueno Park. We kinda saw the gates, but since the museum was closed, we certainly didn't get a good look. The second time was in the fall-- there was an exhibit in Himeji that my parents saw, but Aaron n I missed it somehow. So I was determined to finally see some damn Rodin, and Saturday was the last day.

After hiking a bit, we grabbed a taxi. This guy was the best, most polite taxi driver ever! So friendly and very hospitable. Yeah, that's weird to mention, but he was def great.

At the museum, Aaron, Patrick, and I received free tickets, so we split her attendence cost as Johanna was paying when we received the tickets. Then we wandered the exhibit. All 190 pieces were originals from the Musee Rodin, with 59 being plaster, which apparently aren't loaned often due to their delicate nature. Many of these pieces were reductions of figures on the Gates of Hell. Obviously, most were under glass, but a few large bronzes were scattered throughout the rooms, begging to be touched. Don't worry! Somehow I restrained myself, but really, large bronzes just beg to be stroked-- and the tactile look of Rodin was so tempting...