Tuesday, March 19
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Nagano and Zenkoji Temple
My friend and I drove to Nagano and got there around 1:30. Driving on the left side of the road is very weird, and I kept wanting to tell him he was in the wrong lane! LOL After checking in quickly at our hotel across from Nagano Station, we went to Zenkoji Temple. The area is very pretty. The street leading up to Zenkoji is lined with cafes and shops, but unfortunately, we didn't get to spend much time walking around. The inside of the main temple is pretty big; you have to take off your shoes and pay a small fee to get in. Towards the back of the temple, there are steep stairs leading down to a dark chamber below; the point is to feel around the walls until you find a specific thing (they don't tell you what), which you should rub for health and happiness (or something like that). The chamber is so pitch black that you can't see your hand one inch from your face, and it was kind of spooky, because you don't know how long the chamber is and because you feel like you're going to run into the person in front of you! Finally, near the end of the chamber, I found and rubbed a brass door handle-type thing in the wall. I was glad to go back upstairs and see again. :)
Men's Short Program
The first 24 skaters were so-so, but the last group was spectacular!!Here's what everyone landed: