Brain Days

 The local chapter of the Japan Association of Language Teachers (JALT) had a two day seminar in Sendai about recent advances in the understanding of the brain and the potential effect on teaching languages. The first day was held in our usual venue in downtown Sendai. It started at 9 a.m. and finished at 5 p.m. Afterwards most of us went our onto the sidewalk and waited for a charter bus.

 While we were waiting this crow came and watched us. I guess it was surprised by the large number of foreigners, about half the group.

 The bus took us to the next town, Akiu, where we went to an onsen (hot spring) hotel. This picture shows the lobby and a coffee shop in the back.

 The were lots of decorations. This is a blow up of the picture in the above picture.

 At one place I found a large Chinese style ceramic and a screen.

 After a chance to settle into our rooms, we had a banquet. There was much more food than is usual at this sort of an affair. Most of the time all the food is eaten and some people are still hunger, but this time we could not eat anywhere near all of it.

This is what I got on my first trip to the serving line. It was not only plentiful but it was also delicious.l

Dessert was interesting - a chocolate fountain. The objects in the left hand basket are marshmallows and in the right cubes of French bread. We had the room for the whole evening and the hotel does not mind if  you bring in your own drinks. We stayed there eating, drinking, and talking until it was time for bed.