So i was in Japan for the World Cup a couple of years ago with the whole family, my younger brother, Mother and Father. We saw some games but also did some touring, one particularly memorable stop was the city of Kyoto.
Kyoto is one of Japans oldest cities and is full of temples and history. As such we thought it would be a great idea to stay in a trational Japanese Riokan (sp?) which roughly translates into a hotel in western terms. The idea behind a Riokan was to inspire total relaxation. To paint the picture for you, this place was thousands of years old, no locks were on the doors and when you entered the building they took your shoes from you...it was designed to totally seclude you from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Anyway, after this traditional 16 course meal served to us in our rooms, we retired for the night. Laying on the tatami mat floors, on what esentially was a fouton mattress, i had the strangest dream...
In my dream I really needed to take a piss, so i get up, stumble around looking for the bathroom...no luck. I leave my room and walk up a flight of stairs only to find a host of doors. Somehow i settle on a door and enter, after a little more stumbling in the dark, i have found the potty and make hay.
Thats all i remember. I woke up the next morning startled at how real this dream had seen, but i disregared it as my powerful imagination and went to my parents room for breakfast.
On our way out of the Riokan, we came down a hallway that we had not on the way in. As we rounded the corner i looked left and was aghast. I recognised the stairway, but how could this be...i had never been here before. Scanning through my memory banks i was finally able to latch onto the reference image...it was the stairway i had motored up in my dream in a desperate delusional search for the potty. That was no vivid dream i had, i had actually gone to the bathroom in someone elses room.
To this day i wonder whether i scared the shit out of some little Japanese people just trying to get some rest. At 15 i was 6'1'' with blond hair and blue eyes, people stopped me on the street to take pictures of me...can you imagine what it must have been like for them if i took a leak in their bathroom half awake? They must think Americans are crazy!