I feel like the Queen!

 If you've taken any notice of the title to this post, you may be wondering what it is all about, well I will keep you in suspense for a little longer!

First a few thoughts about Japanese bathrooms beginning with the toilets ( you probably were not expecting that!)

Japanese toilets are the gold standard in this department, even in motorway service stations they all have the same complicated range of functions - beginning with heated seats! A bit of a shock the first time, when you are not expecting it, but they quickly become a bit like heated steering wheels, you wonder how you managed without one before!


Every toilet has this range of buttons by the side of it, often in slightly different configurations, so I always needed my glasses on! There are buttons for providing a jet of water to different parts of one's anatomy, a deodorising button and in some cases even a button to play a little song while you use the facilities!

Once you have mastered all of this, you then have the added complication of finding the flush mechanism, not always as obvious as you might think, as some are included in the little buttons on the display above, some are on the cistern as we are used to, and others are nearly impossible to work out, as Trev and I found out in the hotel bathroom in Osaka, when it took both of us over 5 minutes before we found the handle and got it to work!
One welcome feature in every hotel we stayed in was the provision of bathroom essentials, the obvious shower gels, shampoo and conditioner etc but also toothbrushes and toothpaste, little folding brush/combs, razors and shaving gel, sachets of make up remover, facial wash and moisturiser, and special Japanese body washing cloths - net like cloths, very good for working up a lather and creating an exfoliating type action. 

Our dinner tonight will be a farewell meal for which everyone has dressed up a little bit and we all meet up in the spacious hotel bar where a real person is playing the piano, a very nice surprise as he plays a selection of classical as well as 'easy listening ' standards while we are there. We are saying goodbye to our Australian friends Dyan and Ian, their daughter and son in law, who have been very good company on the trip and who have the unenviable task of getting up at 4.30 in the morning to begin their trip back to Brisbane, which will take  nearly 24 hours.
The tables are immaculately set out, as is the Japanese love of order, but I notice beside my seat a special place card with my own individual menu printed on it!  Having needed to inform Great Rail of any food allergies or intolerances, I had dutifully recorded my need to avoid chilli and paprika, which our Japanese tour guide had written out in Japanese characters for me to show in restaurants (a real help, apart from the fact that I then had to try and explain, often in sign language and gestures, that this wasn't a life threatening allergy, just an intolerance) 



The hotel had made me a special menu with alternatives for those dishes which did contain chilli and paprika, written it out in English and Japanese. Along with others on the tour with more serious allergies, it meant we were served first too, which is when those we were sitting with commented that it must be a bit like being the Queen, hence the page title!
It's all very enjoyable, beautifully cooked and presented as we have found with all out hotel meals on the tour.

A little extra comment written today 16th April
We've been to our Pilates class today, the physio taking it has had lots of photos from her parents who are also holidaying in Japan.They sent a picture and explanation about the toilets too!

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