Konnichiwa
HAPPY 80th BIRTHDAY "tanjoobi" to my Dad Bernie Slick!!!! Hope your having some sweet "amai" spice cake "keki" to celebrate your special day today 9/30/08. Sending warm thoughts and good wishes your way.
It has been a very rainy last "seng" 2 days day here in Japan. A steady drizzle is falling and my red "akai" bucket out on the back deck is filling once again. It filled to almost 5 "go" inches when the 13th "juu-san" typhoon "taifu" of the season "shizun" rolled through a couple weeks ago..and now the 15th "juu-go" one is here and I wonder how much will fall this time? I guess I missed the 14th"juu-yon" one..must have went a different direction, as I heard nothing about it, nor do I remember alot of rain "ame" ?? anyhoo..
Yesterday "kinoo" I spent time in the house and actually had to put the heater on. It is very cool "Suszushii" and damp "shimeppoi" here. In the morning I did Honduras stuff and Emails and then I was off to my Japanese class above the grocery store. After class I stopped in the bakery and bought myself a fresh loaf of sesame bread "pan" and a really good cranberry and cream cheese pastry YUM!! Then I stopped at the other grocery store for a few more items and went back home to get out of the rain and to try and make some sense of my class notes with a dictionary at my side. It seems the teachers "sensei's" talk mostly and don't often times write things down, and for me the visual learner, that is sometimes quite confusing. I like to see "miru" and hear "kiku" the new information at the same time.
I am starting to get more japanese words "kotobas" and phrases "ku" in my memory bank,and now I just need to have more daily opportunities to start using them. I was hoping that would start today "kyoo", but looks as if I am still playing the waiting game a few more weeks? Darn! :-(
I went back to the school today and did get to visit "hoomon" Sharon-sensei's classes with 2 "ni" other lady volunteers Chiaki-san and Tomoku-san. She taught English "eigo" to the 1st graders and then to the 4th graders. It was alot of fun and I really enjoyed 1st grade where we made farm, zoo and pet shop animal sounds and, colored "irozuku", sang "utau" songs "uta", moved like the different creatures... Yes I was in HOG heaven!
Then we moved up to the 4th grade classroom and talked "hanashi" about the calendar "karenda" and the months "getsu" of the year "nen" and what happens in Japan each of those months, birthdays ", ordinal and cardinal numbers...They were less excited about it, that is for sure. I made a few suggestions after that I thought might help her. I think she like my japanese teachers, may need to write "kaku" the words on the board as well. I shared how some kids might be more visual then auditory and you need to give them both and let them decide what works best. I said too, there maybe some kids that really want to know more and so give them all the info you can and let them use what they want and/or need. She appreciated my ideas and help.
Of course I got alot of quick glances my way..remember they do NOT stare and the other two ladies said the kids were asking who is the tall lady? I felt like most kids were quite receptive to me and especially when I of course, almost jumped in their laps to help them.:-)
I am thinking it was probably a good thing I went to the sports day on Saturday "do-yoobi" and suppose some might have seen me there as well and so maybe I was a bit familiar to a few ?
When we were leaving, it was lunch time and so I took a few pictures as we walked through the halls. They bring carts up to each of the rooms and the kids as you can see serve their own lunches. Today they were having bonito Fish pieces with sauce and sesame seeds, soup, rice and some pickled veggies I think. Tomoku said we can eat lunch "chuushoku" with them for 300yen if we like sometimes. Cool I would love that!!! Plus I then get to try real japanese cuisine and I don't have to cook it myself.
So we went back down to the meeting room and had a little bit of a discussion over some hot green "midori" tea "ryoku-cha". I was hoping they would tell me to come back tomorrow, but I guess they are having another meeting without me on Oct 24th so they can figure out how best to put my native speaking skills to use?
Tomoku said the Pres and Vice Pres, want it to be a long term relationship, and so I guess I will just have to be patient and wait and see what comes of it. I wish I knew more what they expected of me, but I guess they don't even know yet themselves? This is a new thing for all, is what I understood when I left this time. I just hope it doesn't take too much longer for it all start to fall in place, when I have such limited time here. :-(
I guess I will just stay focused now on my japanese for the next few weeks and then CJ's mom will be here too, so I will have stuff to keep me occupied. I also took and presenrted them with a CD of the pics I took at Sports Day on Saturday and they were very grateful for them and even showed me how they are going to put some of them in the school newsletter. Cool! They had been busy working on a rough draft while I was in the classrooms. I guess they didn't understand that I gave them the CD as a gift to keep, as they tried to give it back to me.
So I am back here at home and now listening to the kids walking home from school at the bottom of the hill and hoping this really does happen and soon. I feel kind of like I have a straightjacket on. Why does it have to be so formal, I just want to hang out and help. Heck I will wash dishes in the kitchen,something,please...just let me start interacting?
Hopefully, I wasn't too aggressive and scared them away? I also felt it was important to let them know I was leaving Jan 9-April 1st for MN and Honduras, so who knows if that now, will affect my helping them out or not? I hope not, I just wanted them to know up front, that I have limited time here and to hopefully get the ball rolling...SOON!
Oh well, we shall see. Thanks for letting me vent..now back to my studies.
"Karra"
Monday, September 29, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Sept 26th-28th My friend Susan Seitz has gone home
Konbanwa Good evening everyone,
I hope you all had a good weekend. CJ and I have had a rather quiet one and it has been nice to just hang around the house all day today. I needed a day of not going anywhere and just chillin.
I woke today to hear from my dear friend Bob Seitz that his dear wife Susan is now home with Jesus. She died in MN at the hospice with her sister and family all around her on Friday morning the 26th of Sept. She had spent almost 1 week at the hospice where they made her very comfortable during her last days here on earth. She will be missed, but may she now rest in peace.
I believe I left you on Friday when I was headed out into the bucking wind on my way to Japanese class. I made it in time to a very full class with many a new student. It was a very crowded room and it made it a bit difficult for this older lady to hear my sensei talk.:-(
After class I walked home along the mom and pop shopping street stopping to pick up a few different fresh veggies and some new types of rice crackers. They are mighty tasty and each week I find another kind I seem to like better than the last. That could spell trouble.
Friday night CJ and I went out for dinner with John who is in from MI. We went to a local American bar here near our house, as John likes American food and hanging out at placess with local flavor. So we pulled up a stool at the bar in Benny's Place (I have not done that in years) and had some hot wings while we talked with Benny from St Louis and Go the Japanese waitress. They were both very nice and friendly, but the smoke was the killer for me. UGH! The guys had cheeseburgers and BBque pork sandwiches and I had the usual Chicken salad. The food was great and it was a nice place with sports jerseys and memorabilia hanging all around. They had dart boards too, but I couldn't stand the smoke any longer, so we didn't get to play. John and Tad who joined us later stayed and CJ and I headed back home for our Jumbo-cho dessert and bed. CJ had got 1 for John too, but he did not come back with us, so we sadly ate it on his behalf yesterday afternoon.
Saturday Sept 27th
CJ worked around the house on his work stuff as he needed to get things ready for his work trips to China this week and then to MN the week after.I have already been to Shanghai, China, and so I am not going this time. Plus I don't want to miss my Japanese classes or the school opportunities.
So while CJ worked at home, I went to the elementary school for their Annual Sports Day Program.
My what a fun day that was. I spent from 9am to 3 pm there with a 45 minute lunch break at noon to run home and get a quick sandwich and some fruit to eat with CJ. I watched the kids from preschool-6th grade dance, sing, run races, do artistic dance and gymnastic numbers,japanese drumming and singing numbers and the brass band played a song or two and the choir and all the kids in the school sang. It was a colorful day with lots of action and fun was had by all.
When I went back at after lunch, my friend from the Shrine Festival met me at the front gate and escorted me to the head table under the tent canopy. So the 2nd half of the day I sat at the trophy table with the president of the school Hattori-san and another elderly gentlemen who was visiting from a city up north somewhere. When the lion came by he came near my head with an open mouth and so I stuck my head in like he bit it off and I could hear chuckles from the crowd around me. I hope someone got a picture of that, because I didn't. HAHA..
Like who didn't take the opportunity to sneak in a legit photo of the one token GIGANTIC American there? I think everyone had a camera or two around their neck and wrist, so my guess a few pics may surface somewhere down the road. Yes I do feel at home with all the other camera crazy folks here:-) I perhaps have found my match here in Japan, with the other camera lovers?
I also met a very nice english speaking lady Penny. She just moved here from Taiwan two days before and her son Takoro was a BIG boy in 3rd grade. He was so happy and smiling so big all day long as he took part in all the different activities. Her husband was her for work and the son came to visit for 2 months this summer and decided he didn't want to move back to Taiwan , so she quite her job in an english preschool and moved here too.
After the program was complete, I met CJ for our Saturday class at the church. We learned about numbers, times, months,day year...Back home I some supper and then took a hot shower as I got a bit of a chill standing out in the cooler weather at the school and then I went to bed early. My head was feeling very full still and my throat a bit sore/raw from my cold and all the dust I was breathing in at the school as well. I am trying to rest and get some good sleep as I don't want to be sick next week when I get to go to the school.
Sunday Sept 28th,
We slept in today and then I was busy sending out notices to the Honduras folks about Susan, worked on our computers,language lessons,work stuff for CJ, talked with many a WI relative on the phone, watched the final matches of the SUMO tournament on TV and then now I am off to bed as soon as I finish this blog up. I am still not feeling up to par, so I will get more bed rest in hope of fighting off this cold, sore throat and stuffy head.
Good night
Karla
I hope you all had a good weekend. CJ and I have had a rather quiet one and it has been nice to just hang around the house all day today. I needed a day of not going anywhere and just chillin.
I woke today to hear from my dear friend Bob Seitz that his dear wife Susan is now home with Jesus. She died in MN at the hospice with her sister and family all around her on Friday morning the 26th of Sept. She had spent almost 1 week at the hospice where they made her very comfortable during her last days here on earth. She will be missed, but may she now rest in peace.
I believe I left you on Friday when I was headed out into the bucking wind on my way to Japanese class. I made it in time to a very full class with many a new student. It was a very crowded room and it made it a bit difficult for this older lady to hear my sensei talk.:-(
After class I walked home along the mom and pop shopping street stopping to pick up a few different fresh veggies and some new types of rice crackers. They are mighty tasty and each week I find another kind I seem to like better than the last. That could spell trouble.
Friday night CJ and I went out for dinner with John who is in from MI. We went to a local American bar here near our house, as John likes American food and hanging out at placess with local flavor. So we pulled up a stool at the bar in Benny's Place (I have not done that in years) and had some hot wings while we talked with Benny from St Louis and Go the Japanese waitress. They were both very nice and friendly, but the smoke was the killer for me. UGH! The guys had cheeseburgers and BBque pork sandwiches and I had the usual Chicken salad. The food was great and it was a nice place with sports jerseys and memorabilia hanging all around. They had dart boards too, but I couldn't stand the smoke any longer, so we didn't get to play. John and Tad who joined us later stayed and CJ and I headed back home for our Jumbo-cho dessert and bed. CJ had got 1 for John too, but he did not come back with us, so we sadly ate it on his behalf yesterday afternoon.
Saturday Sept 27th
CJ worked around the house on his work stuff as he needed to get things ready for his work trips to China this week and then to MN the week after.I have already been to Shanghai, China, and so I am not going this time. Plus I don't want to miss my Japanese classes or the school opportunities.
So while CJ worked at home, I went to the elementary school for their Annual Sports Day Program.
My what a fun day that was. I spent from 9am to 3 pm there with a 45 minute lunch break at noon to run home and get a quick sandwich and some fruit to eat with CJ. I watched the kids from preschool-6th grade dance, sing, run races, do artistic dance and gymnastic numbers,japanese drumming and singing numbers and the brass band played a song or two and the choir and all the kids in the school sang. It was a colorful day with lots of action and fun was had by all.
When I went back at after lunch, my friend from the Shrine Festival met me at the front gate and escorted me to the head table under the tent canopy. So the 2nd half of the day I sat at the trophy table with the president of the school Hattori-san and another elderly gentlemen who was visiting from a city up north somewhere. When the lion came by he came near my head with an open mouth and so I stuck my head in like he bit it off and I could hear chuckles from the crowd around me. I hope someone got a picture of that, because I didn't. HAHA..
Like who didn't take the opportunity to sneak in a legit photo of the one token GIGANTIC American there? I think everyone had a camera or two around their neck and wrist, so my guess a few pics may surface somewhere down the road. Yes I do feel at home with all the other camera crazy folks here:-) I perhaps have found my match here in Japan, with the other camera lovers?
I also met a very nice english speaking lady Penny. She just moved here from Taiwan two days before and her son Takoro was a BIG boy in 3rd grade. He was so happy and smiling so big all day long as he took part in all the different activities. Her husband was her for work and the son came to visit for 2 months this summer and decided he didn't want to move back to Taiwan , so she quite her job in an english preschool and moved here too.
After the program was complete, I met CJ for our Saturday class at the church. We learned about numbers, times, months,day year...Back home I some supper and then took a hot shower as I got a bit of a chill standing out in the cooler weather at the school and then I went to bed early. My head was feeling very full still and my throat a bit sore/raw from my cold and all the dust I was breathing in at the school as well. I am trying to rest and get some good sleep as I don't want to be sick next week when I get to go to the school.
Sunday Sept 28th,
We slept in today and then I was busy sending out notices to the Honduras folks about Susan, worked on our computers,language lessons,work stuff for CJ, talked with many a WI relative on the phone, watched the final matches of the SUMO tournament on TV and then now I am off to bed as soon as I finish this blog up. I am still not feeling up to par, so I will get more bed rest in hope of fighting off this cold, sore throat and stuffy head.
Good night
Karla
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Sept 24-26th, 2008 l am learning Japanese finally:-)
OHAIYO GOZAIMASU
Good morning all.
I am getting ready to head out to my Friday Japanese class soon, as it takes me about a 1/2 hour to walk there and the wind is blowing in some mighty big gusts today, so I hope to be walking with them and not against them.
I came down with the sore throat and full head CJ has had the past few days and so I have been in the house alot, except for when I go to my classes. I now have classes on Mondays above the grocery store, Thursdays at a study center, Fridays at the library and CJ and I have one on Saturdays at the catholic church. I am really glad I am going to the 4 different places, as they all teach in a different way and so I think I will learn lots of new things at a faster rate. I am hopeful anyway, that is how it will work out. Of course I get to know more people too, and that is always fun!
I went on Wednesday to the class, but it ended up being for kids only. Darn.:-(
I told the teacher I thought that would have been the perfect class for me, but I went back yesterday for the adult class and had lots of fun in my 1 on 1 class with Kondon-sensai. We went over the hiragana characters and we also talked of food items and names of certain things I have been looking for in the store. She goes to Korea for 2 weeks, so no class again with her, until the 16th of October.I have lots to practice between now and then, and was excited I could actually read some packages when I stopped at the grocery store on the way home from class to get a few items. YEAH!
I have been busy cleaning the house,doing my japanese lessons, my computer work for the hogar in Honduras and checking up on and sending lots of emails,notes and prayers to friends and family. In the afternoons if I am not at class I have been watching the top divisions SUMO wrestle on TV too. I guess I kind of got hooked into it. I really want to try and figure out the names in Kangi, but I am not having much luck with that, and they all seem to look the same with their hair all styled the same way?
We are starting to get fall like weather here now and all the ladies are out walking the streets with colored scarves around their necks and in boots of leather, UGH, suede fringed,rubber..... There is a BIG BIG SALE going on here right now down in the high end shopping area, and there are people and cops directing traffic everywhere.
It is the season for Asian pears and squash right now too,and so we are enjoying lots of both. I love the asian pears as they are so sweet and juicy.... like a cold refreshing drink in every bite.
Well I had better run so I can eat some food and then be off for my walk down the bluff and across town to the library.
More later
Good morning all.
I am getting ready to head out to my Friday Japanese class soon, as it takes me about a 1/2 hour to walk there and the wind is blowing in some mighty big gusts today, so I hope to be walking with them and not against them.
I came down with the sore throat and full head CJ has had the past few days and so I have been in the house alot, except for when I go to my classes. I now have classes on Mondays above the grocery store, Thursdays at a study center, Fridays at the library and CJ and I have one on Saturdays at the catholic church. I am really glad I am going to the 4 different places, as they all teach in a different way and so I think I will learn lots of new things at a faster rate. I am hopeful anyway, that is how it will work out. Of course I get to know more people too, and that is always fun!
I went on Wednesday to the class, but it ended up being for kids only. Darn.:-(
I told the teacher I thought that would have been the perfect class for me, but I went back yesterday for the adult class and had lots of fun in my 1 on 1 class with Kondon-sensai. We went over the hiragana characters and we also talked of food items and names of certain things I have been looking for in the store. She goes to Korea for 2 weeks, so no class again with her, until the 16th of October.I have lots to practice between now and then, and was excited I could actually read some packages when I stopped at the grocery store on the way home from class to get a few items. YEAH!
I have been busy cleaning the house,doing my japanese lessons, my computer work for the hogar in Honduras and checking up on and sending lots of emails,notes and prayers to friends and family. In the afternoons if I am not at class I have been watching the top divisions SUMO wrestle on TV too. I guess I kind of got hooked into it. I really want to try and figure out the names in Kangi, but I am not having much luck with that, and they all seem to look the same with their hair all styled the same way?
We are starting to get fall like weather here now and all the ladies are out walking the streets with colored scarves around their necks and in boots of leather, UGH, suede fringed,rubber..... There is a BIG BIG SALE going on here right now down in the high end shopping area, and there are people and cops directing traffic everywhere.
It is the season for Asian pears and squash right now too,and so we are enjoying lots of both. I love the asian pears as they are so sweet and juicy.... like a cold refreshing drink in every bite.
Well I had better run so I can eat some food and then be off for my walk down the bluff and across town to the library.
More later
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sept 22-23rd more Japanese classes and Autumn Equinox
Monday was mostly spent on the computer doing many an Email and then some studying of my Japanese a bit before attending yet another new class. This class was fun and I met many new people from India, Indonesia,China, Korea, Taiwan, CalifornianMexican Hong Kong...My senasi Watanabe-san was very helpful and patient with me. My 3 classes are each conducted very differently, so I am hoping I might learn a bunch of things at a faster pace. :-) It was a one and 1/2 hour class for 100yen. You can't beat that price, now can you?
This is what I said as I went around to each table to introduce myself to the teacher and her student.
"Sumimasen" Excuse me
"Haggime maste". Nice to meet you
"Watashi wa Karla des" My name is Karla
"Amerika kara kimashta" I am from America
"Yamate-cho ni sundimas" I live in Yamate-cho neighborhood
"Dozo yoroshiko" Pleased to meet you
How about that!!! :-) Are you impressed? haha
Back home and made some salad to go with our pizza
Tuesday Sept 23, Autumn Equinox
This is a national holiday and so CJ is home from work today and right now he is off to the electronics store for a cable of some sort, so that we can watch movies on the TV through our lap top computers. He too has had a bit of a head cold the last couple days.
This is one of 3 days here in Japan where families visit the graves of the deceased and to freshen up the graveyard, put fresh flowers in vases,light incense, put those wood sticks with writing in the slots at the back of the gravestones .... I was going to go and see if there were any people in the cemetary close to here, but I have been on this computer all day, and now SUMO is starting on TV so I am going to go check that out instead.
I also had a nice chat with my dear friend Bob Seitz today via phone and he is watching over his dear wife Susan who is sleeping alot the last few days. I had hoped to tell her I love her and that she has put up a good fight,and I hope she is resting comfortable and will be at peace when her time comes to go home to her Jesus. She was heavily sedated and in a deep sleep, so Bob will whisper in her ear for me. He is doing as well as can be expected considering their circumstances and he of course has good days and then some bad. It is a tough journey they are on, but he and the girls as well as Susan are getting great support from the people at the hospice. I miss her already and it will be difficult to know she might possibly be gone when I go back home in a few months. I am praying for a miracle, but I am not sure if that is at all possible at this time...only the man upstairs knows that for sure. My thoughts and prayers are with you all
Kobanwa
Karla and CJ
This is what I said as I went around to each table to introduce myself to the teacher and her student.
"Sumimasen" Excuse me
"Haggime maste". Nice to meet you
"Watashi wa Karla des" My name is Karla
"Amerika kara kimashta" I am from America
"Yamate-cho ni sundimas" I live in Yamate-cho neighborhood
"Dozo yoroshiko" Pleased to meet you
How about that!!! :-) Are you impressed? haha
Back home and made some salad to go with our pizza
Tuesday Sept 23, Autumn Equinox
This is a national holiday and so CJ is home from work today and right now he is off to the electronics store for a cable of some sort, so that we can watch movies on the TV through our lap top computers. He too has had a bit of a head cold the last couple days.
This is one of 3 days here in Japan where families visit the graves of the deceased and to freshen up the graveyard, put fresh flowers in vases,light incense, put those wood sticks with writing in the slots at the back of the gravestones .... I was going to go and see if there were any people in the cemetary close to here, but I have been on this computer all day, and now SUMO is starting on TV so I am going to go check that out instead.
I also had a nice chat with my dear friend Bob Seitz today via phone and he is watching over his dear wife Susan who is sleeping alot the last few days. I had hoped to tell her I love her and that she has put up a good fight,and I hope she is resting comfortable and will be at peace when her time comes to go home to her Jesus. She was heavily sedated and in a deep sleep, so Bob will whisper in her ear for me. He is doing as well as can be expected considering their circumstances and he of course has good days and then some bad. It is a tough journey they are on, but he and the girls as well as Susan are getting great support from the people at the hospice. I miss her already and it will be difficult to know she might possibly be gone when I go back home in a few months. I am praying for a miracle, but I am not sure if that is at all possible at this time...only the man upstairs knows that for sure. My thoughts and prayers are with you all
Kobanwa
Karla and CJ
Sept 21 , 2008 ...SUMO is a BIG event here in JAPAN
So CJ and I hopped on the train and then a subway to the north east side of Tokyo in Ryogoku. There we entered the The National SUMO Stadium "Kokugikan" to watch a days full of matches with boys and men of all sizes and shapes push and shove each other over the raised straw line to a quick victory.
For those of you that don't know how SUMO works I will try to give you a hopefully quick lesson on the rituals and order of the day. Of if you want a quick and concise version check out this website. IThis is a great web page with a ton of information. I highly recommend it.
http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/
We of course arrived later than we anticipated, with all the craziness that came with the messages from the night before and so we by passed visiting the Sumo museum. We can always go back another day after the tournament "basho" is over, and visit the stables "beya" too, where you can silently watch the training taking place from 5:30am-10am with an appointment. Fun!
It is a bit silly they are not open after the matches we thought, as we would have visited then, but we really wanted to get inside and see what was going on with the actual bouts taking place up close and personal right before our very own eyes.
When you go early in the day you can sit wherever you want until someone comes to claim their ticketed seat, and so CJ and I of course bee lined to the front and center area of the "in the round" style auditorium. I actually sat further back than I could have in the cheaper box seats as I wanted a place to drape my legs on one of the tiered bench seats. I knew I could not sit in the more expensive boxed off area "masu" seats where you sit "Indian style" or "Geisha style" on my knees on a purple cushion "zabuton" for the whole day if I actually planned to walk out of there on my own power. I don't get how people can do that, my legs just do not do that anymore. Numbness sets in way to quickly for me and my legs feel like cement tree trunks. I get enough of that when I sit way to long at my computer :-)
I also saw on TV a few days before, how those BIG BOYS sometimes fall into the first 3 rows of spectators and so I did not want to be crushed by one of them, with their 100kg (220lb)+ bodies, nor to feel their naked rolls of sweaty muscle and unsightly,cellulite,hairy,bruised and beaten flesh come in contact with mine. :-?
Sumo has 6 Divisions-- 4 lower ones and 2 upper ones Juryo and the top Maku-uchi. The top 2 groups fight at night from 4-6pm. Those bouts are on TV as well and that is when the place is full if all ticket holders show up. So from 830am-300pm or so you really can sit up close, and it is very cool and fun to be right in the thick of the action.
So the young boys or new recruits wrestle in the ring "dohyo" for the first time in a test competition called "maezumo". Some are right out of high school or college and you can tell, because they still have their short crew cut hair styles. We were too late and did not see any of these fight but we did see 3 of them with their ceremonial aprons come out for some type of recognition. They wrestle first thing in the morning starting at 8:00am.
At 8:35 the Jonokuchi-Makushita divisions wrestle. These are 2 of the 4 bottom "trainee" divisions which compete for 7 out of the 15 days of the tournament. On any given day, approx 1/2 of these men in the 4 divisions will compete. The trainees who complete this process, then earn the right to have their names appear on the "Banzuke" or offical listing of rank for the next tournament.
Their are 6 major tournaments "sumo basho" a year Jan,May and Sept in Tokyo, March in Osaka, July in Nagoya and Nov in Fukukoa.
At 2:30 in the afternoon the Juryo Division enters the ring and they have their Ring Entering ceremony "doyo-iri" where the wrestlers from the west all enter down one aisle in reverse order of their rank with their heavily embroidered ceremonial aprons "kesho-mawashi" on and climb up onto the dohyo and circle the ring. These aprons are made of beautiful silks with richly embroidered designs and hemmed with gold fringe,costing anywhere from 400,000-500,000yen ($4,000-$5,000). When they are all up there in a circle they go through a short ritual and then depart before the east rikishi enter from the other side and do the same thing.
The leading roles in the dohyo-iri ceremony are reserved for the YOKOZUNA top rikishi in the west and east. The YOKOZUNA from each side do their own individual ceremony after their division peers do theirs. He comes down the aisle attended by a senior referee "gyoji" and 2 other rikishi in aprons from his division and gets in the ring and does the ceremonial rituals. The YOKUZUNA also wears over his other apron a massive braided hemp rope weighing 25-35 pounds tied in the bow at the back and ornamented in the front with zig-zag strips of paper representing lightning. This is a familiar religious symbol in the front of all Shinto Shrines and in houses at New Years hanging from the shelf where they make offerings to the gods. The shinto style roof "tsuriyane" that hangs over the dohyo too has colored tassels at each corner representing the 4 seasons of the year- white, red, green and black.
Their individual bouts then take place and since there are no weight requirements like in western wrestling or boxing it is possible for wrestlers "rikishi" to be pitted against an opponent twice his own weight. We did see that and a few times the "little" guy actually won the bout.
A bout is won by forcing the opponent out of the inner circle or throwing him into the dohyo. You don't have to fall in or completely out of the circle to lose the match either. The rikishi whose body part touches the ground first loses. That could be with a finger, toe, knee, hand, elbow, top knot of the hair inside the ring...Or the first toe or heel out over the straw ring loses as well. There is no hitting with fists,(they can and do slap), hair pulling, eye gouging, kicking in the stomach or chest permitted and it is also against the rules to sieze the part of the band covering the vital organs. They can pull on the other part of the G string or "mawashi" .
The rikishi when wrestling are naked except for this silken loincloth which is made of a piece of silk approximately 10 yards long by 2 foot wide folded in 6ths and then wrapped around the waist 4-7 times depending on the girth of the man. This is a fundamental part of the equipment as 70 of the winning tricks are acheived by maneuvering the opponent with a grip on his Mawashi. The strings which hang from the front are silk stiffened with glue and they are only ornamental and often times thrown away.
So an individual bout begins by the "yogoshi" they are the group that usher spectators to their seats, build the actual ring with straw hay bales, clay and sand before the tourney begins, sweep the salt from the dohyo between each bout, work the corners during the tournament.... He steps into the center ring and facing the west first he opens a folded fan and calls out in a chant like voice which echos through the stadium especially early in the day when the place is half empty ...the west, name of rikishi, beya he is from, then he turns to the east as says the same about that eastern rikishi.
Then the 2 rikishi and the gyoji enter the ring,for the "shikiri" and go through a series of symbolic movements. While they busy doing that the gyoji then says again in a chant like voice the two opponents names and east/west. They bow and face the middle and then do a couple of leg lifts to stamp out the evil spirits, squat in "get set" position like a football center and glare at each other, before moving back to their respective corners. There they get a cup of water from the previous bout winner or rikishi to fight after them depending on what side they are on... so to cleanse their minds and bodies by rinsing their mouths with water the source of purity and then wiping with a paper towel. The rikishis come back to the center and squat again and do hand claps in front of them and up above their heads to show they are weaponless and their hands are empty.
Then they squat again in the middle and then back to their corners and this time they wipe their faces, underarms chests with a towel and then grab a handful of salt to throw in the ring to purify it and also help insure and prevent against injuries. The salt throwing is the privilege only of the 2 high divisions "Maku-uchi", "Juryo" and "Maku-shita" rikishi. They come back to center and squat again and glare some more. They may get up one more time and go back to the corner to get more salt, psyche themselves up by face, leg, chest, mawashi slapping to rid the hands of salt before returning to actually fight.
The Maku-uchi have 4 minutes to do this, the Juryo 3 minutes and the lowest rank comes in and must begin to wrestle right away. This is building up and getting their psychi ready and the crowd excited. Then the match begins with them in the get set position and the first one to touch down in the center or step out of the ring loses. The actual wrestling is over in a matter of seconds usually. After the bout, they both stand in the ring bow once more and the loser leaves and the winner squats and the gyoji chants winner and the rikishi does some hand movement to acknowledge he won grabs his paper and steps down out of the dohyo. He hands his paper to the corner yogoshi who ties it up with his fringe ornament and towel and then he waits to pass the water cup to the next guy. On the losers side the wrestler in the 2nd bout to come comes and gives water to the new opponent.
About 3:30pm or so and after the Juryo division is done there is another ring ceremony with all the highest ranked Maku-uchi Division rikishis in their aprons. Rikishi on the east side of the Banzuke perform first on odd numbered days and ones on the west fight first on even numbered days. These are sumo's elite men and they are fighting for The Emperors Cup. Which is given to the rikishi with the best record after the last match of the last day of the tournament. They also give out special awards for performance, fighting spirit and technique.
Each day after the matches are complete their is a bow ceremony around 6:00pm. A designated rikishi from the Mauku-shita division performs the colorful bow ceremony. This is to symbolize the gratitude felt by the day's victors. Then they cover the dohyo for the next day with a canvas cloth. The spectators also toss the purple seats cushions down onto the ring after the last match ends or maybe it is when they are unhappy with the winning decision?? I saw it on TV and it happened when we were there 2 times. So it could be for both reasons?
All in all it was an enjoyable day and very interesting. I met a lady Lindy from New York who was there and she gave me alot of information I did not get from the above website. She was an engineer for Corningware and used to live here for 2 years and was back on business. I too met and had my picture taken with one of the rikishi', but I have no idea who he was and I could not tell when he was in the ring? He did sign my notebook, so I will have to ask my sensai what he wrote.
I must say, I like the more fit and athletic looking men, it seems like a much healthier sport too when they are strongand muscular and not so fat.
I found it very interesting at the end how they all just walk out of the stadium and into the streets to stroll home in their colorful yukata robes and flip flops with umbrella in hand if needed and with no entourage or body guards helping them move the masses to get back safely and without harm to their respective beya. I don't think that would ever happen in the USA...again there is that respect for personal space. Cool!
Back on the train and subway through Yokohama for a Jumbo-cho of course and then home to catch the highlights on TV.
For those of you that don't know how SUMO works I will try to give you a hopefully quick lesson on the rituals and order of the day. Of if you want a quick and concise version check out this website. IThis is a great web page with a ton of information. I highly recommend it.
http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/
We of course arrived later than we anticipated, with all the craziness that came with the messages from the night before and so we by passed visiting the Sumo museum. We can always go back another day after the tournament "basho" is over, and visit the stables "beya" too, where you can silently watch the training taking place from 5:30am-10am with an appointment. Fun!
It is a bit silly they are not open after the matches we thought, as we would have visited then, but we really wanted to get inside and see what was going on with the actual bouts taking place up close and personal right before our very own eyes.
When you go early in the day you can sit wherever you want until someone comes to claim their ticketed seat, and so CJ and I of course bee lined to the front and center area of the "in the round" style auditorium. I actually sat further back than I could have in the cheaper box seats as I wanted a place to drape my legs on one of the tiered bench seats. I knew I could not sit in the more expensive boxed off area "masu" seats where you sit "Indian style" or "Geisha style" on my knees on a purple cushion "zabuton" for the whole day if I actually planned to walk out of there on my own power. I don't get how people can do that, my legs just do not do that anymore. Numbness sets in way to quickly for me and my legs feel like cement tree trunks. I get enough of that when I sit way to long at my computer :-)
I also saw on TV a few days before, how those BIG BOYS sometimes fall into the first 3 rows of spectators and so I did not want to be crushed by one of them, with their 100kg (220lb)+ bodies, nor to feel their naked rolls of sweaty muscle and unsightly,cellulite,hairy,bruised and beaten flesh come in contact with mine. :-?
Sumo has 6 Divisions-- 4 lower ones and 2 upper ones Juryo and the top Maku-uchi. The top 2 groups fight at night from 4-6pm. Those bouts are on TV as well and that is when the place is full if all ticket holders show up. So from 830am-300pm or so you really can sit up close, and it is very cool and fun to be right in the thick of the action.
So the young boys or new recruits wrestle in the ring "dohyo" for the first time in a test competition called "maezumo". Some are right out of high school or college and you can tell, because they still have their short crew cut hair styles. We were too late and did not see any of these fight but we did see 3 of them with their ceremonial aprons come out for some type of recognition. They wrestle first thing in the morning starting at 8:00am.
At 8:35 the Jonokuchi-Makushita divisions wrestle. These are 2 of the 4 bottom "trainee" divisions which compete for 7 out of the 15 days of the tournament. On any given day, approx 1/2 of these men in the 4 divisions will compete. The trainees who complete this process, then earn the right to have their names appear on the "Banzuke" or offical listing of rank for the next tournament.
Their are 6 major tournaments "sumo basho" a year Jan,May and Sept in Tokyo, March in Osaka, July in Nagoya and Nov in Fukukoa.
At 2:30 in the afternoon the Juryo Division enters the ring and they have their Ring Entering ceremony "doyo-iri" where the wrestlers from the west all enter down one aisle in reverse order of their rank with their heavily embroidered ceremonial aprons "kesho-mawashi" on and climb up onto the dohyo and circle the ring. These aprons are made of beautiful silks with richly embroidered designs and hemmed with gold fringe,costing anywhere from 400,000-500,000yen ($4,000-$5,000). When they are all up there in a circle they go through a short ritual and then depart before the east rikishi enter from the other side and do the same thing.
The leading roles in the dohyo-iri ceremony are reserved for the YOKOZUNA top rikishi in the west and east. The YOKOZUNA from each side do their own individual ceremony after their division peers do theirs. He comes down the aisle attended by a senior referee "gyoji" and 2 other rikishi in aprons from his division and gets in the ring and does the ceremonial rituals. The YOKUZUNA also wears over his other apron a massive braided hemp rope weighing 25-35 pounds tied in the bow at the back and ornamented in the front with zig-zag strips of paper representing lightning. This is a familiar religious symbol in the front of all Shinto Shrines and in houses at New Years hanging from the shelf where they make offerings to the gods. The shinto style roof "tsuriyane" that hangs over the dohyo too has colored tassels at each corner representing the 4 seasons of the year- white, red, green and black.
Their individual bouts then take place and since there are no weight requirements like in western wrestling or boxing it is possible for wrestlers "rikishi" to be pitted against an opponent twice his own weight. We did see that and a few times the "little" guy actually won the bout.
A bout is won by forcing the opponent out of the inner circle or throwing him into the dohyo. You don't have to fall in or completely out of the circle to lose the match either. The rikishi whose body part touches the ground first loses. That could be with a finger, toe, knee, hand, elbow, top knot of the hair inside the ring...Or the first toe or heel out over the straw ring loses as well. There is no hitting with fists,(they can and do slap), hair pulling, eye gouging, kicking in the stomach or chest permitted and it is also against the rules to sieze the part of the band covering the vital organs. They can pull on the other part of the G string or "mawashi" .
The rikishi when wrestling are naked except for this silken loincloth which is made of a piece of silk approximately 10 yards long by 2 foot wide folded in 6ths and then wrapped around the waist 4-7 times depending on the girth of the man. This is a fundamental part of the equipment as 70 of the winning tricks are acheived by maneuvering the opponent with a grip on his Mawashi. The strings which hang from the front are silk stiffened with glue and they are only ornamental and often times thrown away.
So an individual bout begins by the "yogoshi" they are the group that usher spectators to their seats, build the actual ring with straw hay bales, clay and sand before the tourney begins, sweep the salt from the dohyo between each bout, work the corners during the tournament.... He steps into the center ring and facing the west first he opens a folded fan and calls out in a chant like voice which echos through the stadium especially early in the day when the place is half empty ...the west, name of rikishi, beya he is from, then he turns to the east as says the same about that eastern rikishi.
Then the 2 rikishi and the gyoji enter the ring,for the "shikiri" and go through a series of symbolic movements. While they busy doing that the gyoji then says again in a chant like voice the two opponents names and east/west. They bow and face the middle and then do a couple of leg lifts to stamp out the evil spirits, squat in "get set" position like a football center and glare at each other, before moving back to their respective corners. There they get a cup of water from the previous bout winner or rikishi to fight after them depending on what side they are on... so to cleanse their minds and bodies by rinsing their mouths with water the source of purity and then wiping with a paper towel. The rikishis come back to the center and squat again and do hand claps in front of them and up above their heads to show they are weaponless and their hands are empty.
Then they squat again in the middle and then back to their corners and this time they wipe their faces, underarms chests with a towel and then grab a handful of salt to throw in the ring to purify it and also help insure and prevent against injuries. The salt throwing is the privilege only of the 2 high divisions "Maku-uchi", "Juryo" and "Maku-shita" rikishi. They come back to center and squat again and glare some more. They may get up one more time and go back to the corner to get more salt, psyche themselves up by face, leg, chest, mawashi slapping to rid the hands of salt before returning to actually fight.
The Maku-uchi have 4 minutes to do this, the Juryo 3 minutes and the lowest rank comes in and must begin to wrestle right away. This is building up and getting their psychi ready and the crowd excited. Then the match begins with them in the get set position and the first one to touch down in the center or step out of the ring loses. The actual wrestling is over in a matter of seconds usually. After the bout, they both stand in the ring bow once more and the loser leaves and the winner squats and the gyoji chants winner and the rikishi does some hand movement to acknowledge he won grabs his paper and steps down out of the dohyo. He hands his paper to the corner yogoshi who ties it up with his fringe ornament and towel and then he waits to pass the water cup to the next guy. On the losers side the wrestler in the 2nd bout to come comes and gives water to the new opponent.
About 3:30pm or so and after the Juryo division is done there is another ring ceremony with all the highest ranked Maku-uchi Division rikishis in their aprons. Rikishi on the east side of the Banzuke perform first on odd numbered days and ones on the west fight first on even numbered days. These are sumo's elite men and they are fighting for The Emperors Cup. Which is given to the rikishi with the best record after the last match of the last day of the tournament. They also give out special awards for performance, fighting spirit and technique.
Each day after the matches are complete their is a bow ceremony around 6:00pm. A designated rikishi from the Mauku-shita division performs the colorful bow ceremony. This is to symbolize the gratitude felt by the day's victors. Then they cover the dohyo for the next day with a canvas cloth. The spectators also toss the purple seats cushions down onto the ring after the last match ends or maybe it is when they are unhappy with the winning decision?? I saw it on TV and it happened when we were there 2 times. So it could be for both reasons?
All in all it was an enjoyable day and very interesting. I met a lady Lindy from New York who was there and she gave me alot of information I did not get from the above website. She was an engineer for Corningware and used to live here for 2 years and was back on business. I too met and had my picture taken with one of the rikishi', but I have no idea who he was and I could not tell when he was in the ring? He did sign my notebook, so I will have to ask my sensai what he wrote.
I must say, I like the more fit and athletic looking men, it seems like a much healthier sport too when they are strongand muscular and not so fat.
I found it very interesting at the end how they all just walk out of the stadium and into the streets to stroll home in their colorful yukata robes and flip flops with umbrella in hand if needed and with no entourage or body guards helping them move the masses to get back safely and without harm to their respective beya. I don't think that would ever happen in the USA...again there is that respect for personal space. Cool!
Back on the train and subway through Yokohama for a Jumbo-cho of course and then home to catch the highlights on TV.
Sept 20-21, 2008 sadness befalls 3 families in the USA
Konnichiwa
It has been a few days since I wrote in here and that is cause I can't seem to focus on any one thing at the moment. I have so many thoughts feelings and emotions running through my head these last few days it is hard to get any sense of balance for me. So who knows where my rambling will take me today...YES that was a warning!!
Saturday Sept 20th
CJ and I hung around the house, enjoyed a nice long chat with Kalen and Michael on Skype and gave them a video tour of the house, watched TV, did book work, computer Emails and some laundry while it rained outside. The last of the typhoon rain we thought as it had now moved out to sea? In the afternoon clouds cleared and the sun shone brightly as we made our way to the local Catholic chruch for our 2nd group lesson of Japanese. We learned how to write a bunch of words in hiragana and katakana characters. We then took a walk down to the store and got a few BIG asian pears to take to the SUMO match tommorrow, which are now in season as well as some very big grapes.
Back home where we had Tacos for supper and then relaxed and CJ watched more TV while I worked on Hogar stuff.
Sunday Sept 21
We awoke to what became an unbelievable day of sad news for us. I woke up to 2 Emails that sent shock waves through my body, mind, heart and soul and then I actually physically felt more shock waves as 2 earthquake tremors rolled through the house and we rocked and rolled for a few minutes. All is ok with us, but the others are struggling through some painful experiences
First I had been Emailing many of you to ask for prayers of support and strength for my Honduras pal Bob Seitz and his wife Susan who he was in the midst of moving to a MN hospice center for what is most likely Susan's last days on earth here with all of us. He wrote to tell they us he got her settled into her new home and she is resting comfortably, but now asked us all to pause and send prayers to yet another family suffering a painful loss. One of his dear friends, family members had just run over and killed 1 of her 6 young children when moving her mini van.:-( As I was answering Bob back, CJ yelled up the steps after checking our phone messages back in MN and there was our a message with notice of ourt 3rd bad news of the day.
My dear childhood friend Randee Molitor you remember her, the miracle girl who had stage 4 pancreatic and liver cancer 5 years ago and she is still here and now has a few tumors in her lungs that they are working on at her Grad school of chemo classes. Her husband John then had emergency by pass heart surgery shortly after she got out of the woods for a bit, and so his twin brother Bob went in for a check up too and the docs found he needed heart surgery as well, but they also found non hodgkins lyphoma and so they couldn't do it....John's brother Bob Molitor suddenly just died in July and now the news of their lastest tragedy.
On Sept 6th John (who was home from his job in Indiana-he lives there during the week and comes back to WI on weekends, as his Milwaukee company closed down shortly after his heart surgery) and his middle daughter of 3 Lauren were working at her college sorority car wash in Milwaukee area and John was on one side of the SUV and Lauren was on the other side of the SUV working away washing the vehicle. Then a big Coca Cola truck came around the corner and tried not to hit the SUV, but he ended up trapping Lauren in between his truck and the SUV and dragged her all along the SUV and then dropped her at the end of it with 2 crushed lungs.
Lauren is now in the intensive care unit TRAUMA 1, and is gravely ill and on a respirator and in a drug induced coma....in a Milwaukee, WI hospital. She may need a trachetomy down the road, and she is expected to be there for at least 3-4 weeks and her parents and sisters are keeping a bedside vigil. There have already been many fundraisers and prayer vigils taking place for Lauren and if you would like more info or to follow her story check out their families Caring Bridge site.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/randee
Randee has had this site in place since she was diagnosed with her cancer 5 long years ago, so it has all the stories of what her and then John and now Lauren are going through.
I ask that you please keep all these families in your thoughts and prayers, as the Molitors are sure that is why they are still here and able to experience yet another day.
And so,after trying to digest all that new and confusing information, I made some phone calls of support and sent out some Emails to notify others of the tragedies and to hopefully solicit their support and prayers. Thanks to all of you that extended that our way and most importantly to our dear friends.
CJ and I then made our way to the SUMO basho. It seemed rather crazy, that all we had on the agenda for the day was to go and watch some VERY BIG boys push each other around, while so many others lives were just turned upside down, but that is what we did. Wish there was more I could do to help, but being so far away across the oceans left me no recourse but to be a network link.
It has been a few days since I wrote in here and that is cause I can't seem to focus on any one thing at the moment. I have so many thoughts feelings and emotions running through my head these last few days it is hard to get any sense of balance for me. So who knows where my rambling will take me today...YES that was a warning!!
Saturday Sept 20th
CJ and I hung around the house, enjoyed a nice long chat with Kalen and Michael on Skype and gave them a video tour of the house, watched TV, did book work, computer Emails and some laundry while it rained outside. The last of the typhoon rain we thought as it had now moved out to sea? In the afternoon clouds cleared and the sun shone brightly as we made our way to the local Catholic chruch for our 2nd group lesson of Japanese. We learned how to write a bunch of words in hiragana and katakana characters. We then took a walk down to the store and got a few BIG asian pears to take to the SUMO match tommorrow, which are now in season as well as some very big grapes.
Back home where we had Tacos for supper and then relaxed and CJ watched more TV while I worked on Hogar stuff.
Sunday Sept 21
We awoke to what became an unbelievable day of sad news for us. I woke up to 2 Emails that sent shock waves through my body, mind, heart and soul and then I actually physically felt more shock waves as 2 earthquake tremors rolled through the house and we rocked and rolled for a few minutes. All is ok with us, but the others are struggling through some painful experiences
First I had been Emailing many of you to ask for prayers of support and strength for my Honduras pal Bob Seitz and his wife Susan who he was in the midst of moving to a MN hospice center for what is most likely Susan's last days on earth here with all of us. He wrote to tell they us he got her settled into her new home and she is resting comfortably, but now asked us all to pause and send prayers to yet another family suffering a painful loss. One of his dear friends, family members had just run over and killed 1 of her 6 young children when moving her mini van.:-( As I was answering Bob back, CJ yelled up the steps after checking our phone messages back in MN and there was our a message with notice of ourt 3rd bad news of the day.
My dear childhood friend Randee Molitor you remember her, the miracle girl who had stage 4 pancreatic and liver cancer 5 years ago and she is still here and now has a few tumors in her lungs that they are working on at her Grad school of chemo classes. Her husband John then had emergency by pass heart surgery shortly after she got out of the woods for a bit, and so his twin brother Bob went in for a check up too and the docs found he needed heart surgery as well, but they also found non hodgkins lyphoma and so they couldn't do it....John's brother Bob Molitor suddenly just died in July and now the news of their lastest tragedy.
On Sept 6th John (who was home from his job in Indiana-he lives there during the week and comes back to WI on weekends, as his Milwaukee company closed down shortly after his heart surgery) and his middle daughter of 3 Lauren were working at her college sorority car wash in Milwaukee area and John was on one side of the SUV and Lauren was on the other side of the SUV working away washing the vehicle. Then a big Coca Cola truck came around the corner and tried not to hit the SUV, but he ended up trapping Lauren in between his truck and the SUV and dragged her all along the SUV and then dropped her at the end of it with 2 crushed lungs.
Lauren is now in the intensive care unit TRAUMA 1, and is gravely ill and on a respirator and in a drug induced coma....in a Milwaukee, WI hospital. She may need a trachetomy down the road, and she is expected to be there for at least 3-4 weeks and her parents and sisters are keeping a bedside vigil. There have already been many fundraisers and prayer vigils taking place for Lauren and if you would like more info or to follow her story check out their families Caring Bridge site.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/randee
Randee has had this site in place since she was diagnosed with her cancer 5 long years ago, so it has all the stories of what her and then John and now Lauren are going through.
I ask that you please keep all these families in your thoughts and prayers, as the Molitors are sure that is why they are still here and able to experience yet another day.
And so,after trying to digest all that new and confusing information, I made some phone calls of support and sent out some Emails to notify others of the tragedies and to hopefully solicit their support and prayers. Thanks to all of you that extended that our way and most importantly to our dear friends.
CJ and I then made our way to the SUMO basho. It seemed rather crazy, that all we had on the agenda for the day was to go and watch some VERY BIG boys push each other around, while so many others lives were just turned upside down, but that is what we did. Wish there was more I could do to help, but being so far away across the oceans left me no recourse but to be a network link.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Sept 19, 2008 Japanese, enka music, typhoons, sumo
Kon ban wa "good evening"
I had a fun day at my new Japanese class held about a 1/2 hours walk from here at the library. There were about 12 students I think that attended and 6 different teachers who worked with 2-3 of us each. I was in Iiekia-senai's group with a man from India and a girl from Korea. He Dainesh-san moved here a month ago and she Lee-san and I "Karra" came in July. There were two ladies from France, another one from Korea, a Chinese lady, an Indian women an Argentinian and I don't know about the others? Our group practiced a bunch of sentences with I like.... I don't like, Do you like, I am from , I am , What is your name, My name is...
Two of the teachers were very nice and friendly when I arrived early and we had a short visit together before the rest of the class showed up. So now I have a class on Fridays, Saturdays with CJ and I am going to go try another one down by the grocery store on Mondays. Yipee!! I figured 3 a week is better than just one if and when I get to work at the school/s that will be more practice too. I am bound and determined to get some of this lingo down. :-)
I like that they are all in different parts of Yokohama too, so I will meet people from a variety of places, get exercise when walking to get to and from them and also learn a new language as well. Yeah! I enjoyed my walk back home in the drizzle, smelling more flowers and stopped at a few more of the mom and pop shops on the other side of the street this time.
Also stopped to look in a CD/Book/DVD shop and they had DVD's and CD's to rent so I rented a Japanese Enka music CD. I had read about it in the airplane coming back from China. The artists name is Jero. He is a young man singing the old style Japanese music. It actually is very nice and relaxing,kind of a pop jazz type style. I am listening to it right now, as I type this blog.
It has been raining off an on all day and I assume it will go on all night since the
13th typhoon of the season is blowing by just south of us. By the weather maps on TV earlier tonight, it looks as if it might miss us here in Yokohama. I guess other parts of the country got the same amount of rain they usually get in the whole month of September in one 24 hour period.:-? They are warning people to be on the look out for landslides and flash floods. Streets have turned into rivers in certain parts southwest of here. One man said it is the worst he has ever seen it in 60 years. WOW!
CJ is still out at his dinner meeting and I am getting ready for my shower and bed as soon as I finish this post. I caught some of the Tokyo SUMO tourney on TV while eating dinner tonight and I am VERY excited to go and see it live on Sunday. I have been reading about SUMO on the web, so I hope I will kind of get some of what is going on when I get there. I too, came across a news station dubbed in English so it was nice to catch up a little on the local weather and actually know for sure what they were saying, especially with severe weather knocking at our door. The wind is actually picking up now and the rain is falling harder than when I started this. They said it should be past us by dawn, so who knows what will go on while I sleep. I wonder how wet CJ will get walking home from the train station?
Well I guess that is about it for tonight. I am pooped and have taken in lots of new information today and so I will no go and rest my weary head.
More from a very wet and soggy Japan tomorrow
Sleep tight
Karra and Chuck
I had a fun day at my new Japanese class held about a 1/2 hours walk from here at the library. There were about 12 students I think that attended and 6 different teachers who worked with 2-3 of us each. I was in Iiekia-senai's group with a man from India and a girl from Korea. He Dainesh-san moved here a month ago and she Lee-san and I "Karra" came in July. There were two ladies from France, another one from Korea, a Chinese lady, an Indian women an Argentinian and I don't know about the others? Our group practiced a bunch of sentences with I like.... I don't like, Do you like, I am from , I am , What is your name, My name is...
Two of the teachers were very nice and friendly when I arrived early and we had a short visit together before the rest of the class showed up. So now I have a class on Fridays, Saturdays with CJ and I am going to go try another one down by the grocery store on Mondays. Yipee!! I figured 3 a week is better than just one if and when I get to work at the school/s that will be more practice too. I am bound and determined to get some of this lingo down. :-)
I like that they are all in different parts of Yokohama too, so I will meet people from a variety of places, get exercise when walking to get to and from them and also learn a new language as well. Yeah! I enjoyed my walk back home in the drizzle, smelling more flowers and stopped at a few more of the mom and pop shops on the other side of the street this time.
Also stopped to look in a CD/Book/DVD shop and they had DVD's and CD's to rent so I rented a Japanese Enka music CD. I had read about it in the airplane coming back from China. The artists name is Jero. He is a young man singing the old style Japanese music. It actually is very nice and relaxing,kind of a pop jazz type style. I am listening to it right now, as I type this blog.
It has been raining off an on all day and I assume it will go on all night since the
13th typhoon of the season is blowing by just south of us. By the weather maps on TV earlier tonight, it looks as if it might miss us here in Yokohama. I guess other parts of the country got the same amount of rain they usually get in the whole month of September in one 24 hour period.:-? They are warning people to be on the look out for landslides and flash floods. Streets have turned into rivers in certain parts southwest of here. One man said it is the worst he has ever seen it in 60 years. WOW!
CJ is still out at his dinner meeting and I am getting ready for my shower and bed as soon as I finish this post. I caught some of the Tokyo SUMO tourney on TV while eating dinner tonight and I am VERY excited to go and see it live on Sunday. I have been reading about SUMO on the web, so I hope I will kind of get some of what is going on when I get there. I too, came across a news station dubbed in English so it was nice to catch up a little on the local weather and actually know for sure what they were saying, especially with severe weather knocking at our door. The wind is actually picking up now and the rain is falling harder than when I started this. They said it should be past us by dawn, so who knows what will go on while I sleep. I wonder how wet CJ will get walking home from the train station?
Well I guess that is about it for tonight. I am pooped and have taken in lots of new information today and so I will no go and rest my weary head.
More from a very wet and soggy Japan tomorrow
Sleep tight
Karra and Chuck
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Sept 18th, 2008.... smelling the flowers in the rain
Hi all
Well I guess the tears flowing from my eyes as of late seem to match the rain drops falling from the skies outdoors with the typhoon close by to Japan. There have been alot of both around here the last few days inside and out. I haven't had a good cry in a while and so it feels good to release alot of pent up emotions, thoughts and feelings, I guess I have had some stored up for awhile while I have been running to and fro.:-) Ahhhhhh...
Life as always is mixed with so many happy and sad emotions, thoughts and feelings for me, and these overcast cloudy days just make me want to hole up in my house and listen to gentle and soothing music, while thinking about and taking the time to send good thoughts to all the different people in my life and to root them on from afar, in what it is they are going through at this point in their life. So, I am finding while way over here across the pond...that I am very thankful for Email, Skype phone, Facebook and this blog so I can do that almost instantaneously. :-) It is good for me to be in touch with all of you and I thank you for your patience and for listening to me babble.
As in life, so many good things are happening for some: living in a new world and learning a new culture and language, another school year and new found friends, graduation in a far away land, a fun rugby team, boyfriends back and a new apartment is found, First CD dropping, intership grated, modeling contract offered and a move to NYC, escape from a car accident with no injuries, new grandbaby coming soon,getting visas for 2 girls from Honduras to study in the Czech Republic,fun vacations had,new relationships starting, opportunities to travel to new places, relationships rebuilt after years of knowing one another,a high profile music career being launched....
While others suffer or are dealing with: learning a new language and understanding cultural differences, too darn many different health issues of all kinds?,life without a loved one, recent deaths of family members, a sister dying suddenly of a heart attack and a brother of hodgkins lymphoma, a wife/mom going into hospice care after a lengthy and very difficult fight with 2 kinds of cancer,then a broken leg and now blood plasma problems,a few different sons with drug addiction issues in and out of rehab centers and prison, divorces, not passing tests, a mom in the hospital with blood trouble, others with chronic coughing and flailing night terrors, young kids with car troubles, a stalker let out of jail, friends continuing their battles with cancer and heart conditions ...
and then there is YOU , having to put up with me, a friend who has the gift to gab and write LOOOOOOOOONG drawn out stories because she can! I know many of you are hoping I will stop writing for a minute and perhaps start studing my Japanese lessons more ...so I can soon talk to folks here in Japan and possibly then I won't need to write as much. Isn't that right? I know there are more than a few of you thinking that? :-) haha
BUT, don't think your going to get out of this lair that easy. Never fear, I will always be here...even if I am all alone recording my thoughts, feelings and ideas.
Got a note from Kalen today and she told me to stop and smell the flowers in the midst of all my frustration and seeking answers/peace of mind; and I am happy to say I did just that yesterday as I walked along in the rain. I even took a few pictures of them. Surprise Surprise !!:-) They didn't really smell too much,but they looked very pretty with all the rain droplets sparkling on them and the colors were very vibrant on some with the gray cloudy backdrop.
I too enjoyed watching the colorful rainbow of umbrellas as a bunch of high school girls walked somewhere?, while the moms and kids went off to school with their various styles of boots,ponchos and umbrellas keeping them dry. I thought the multi colored umbrella handles at a local daycare/preshool looked like a bunch of caged ducks. Maybe it is because that is what one could feel like here as of late.
Met a nice little Japanese lady Tomoko-san who used to be Charlie the produce guys english teacher, and she helped me figure out on my map, where to go to find my class for tomorrow. She spoke very good english and was a bit worried about me walking in the rain and thought I should be taking the bus. She too was sweating and wiping her brow furiously as we talked and I teased her and said I was glad to see someone perspiring as much as I. She said it was because she was nervous. I asked her why she was nervous and she said because of her english. I told her don't be nervous talking to me and that her words have been perfect so far. She was so sweet and then thanked me for letting her practice her english. Now how cute is that?
I should have taken a pic of her and Charlie together at his neat as a pin and very organized fruit/veggie stand, but he was busy flitting about like a butterfly waiting on all his customers as we blocked part of his sidewalk now that I think of it. Oops!
Let me say here, that I LOVE that "Honmoku-dori" street with all the mom and pop shops. I am starting to get recognized by some, as I make my way into the different shops to spread the wealth and buy an item or two and it is fun to be greeted with a smile and a few shared words between us. YEAH!
After a very long walk I did find my 2 class buildings for today and Monday and so I hope to bear the elements (guess rain is in the forcast till next Tuesday) and make my way at noon to see who I can meet today and what new Japanese words I might learn.
CJ has a late dinner meeting tonight and so I will enjoy tacos myself afer I get back from another walk in the rain.
On my way home yesterday I ran into 2 Harajuku looking girls only a couple blocks from home. They were all dressed in their frilly pink/white and red ruffled dresses, with cute shoes, tights, bags and parasols. I said how "CUTE" they looked and asked if I could take their picture. They happily obligued and I had all I could do not to ask them to come visit and chat with me in my house. One day I hope that will happen.
Last night I met with CJ and John who was in from Michigan for supper. I felt so sorry for John as he just got in the day before and he was in total jet lag mode and you could tell he was really suffering trying to stay awake. He ordered a beer and couldn't even remember what kind when they brought it, so you know he was bad.haha
We ate quickly and had a nice short visit at Stove's,before sending him back to the hotel to bed. I know how hard that is to try and stay awake when your so dog gone tired, it actually makes me feel physically ill and so I did not want that for him.
There was some big rally of some kind as we made our way into Yokohama station for the subway home and people were gathered and cops were everywhere. I tried to ask some young girls if it was political or not, but they did not understand what I was saying. I thought I heard America amongst the Japanese he was rattling off way to fast, but we never did see anything on the news about it when we got home.
So I had better get my futons made, some clothes in the washing machine and some breakfast eaten before I head off on my long hike to the Japanese class. I could ride my bike, but I think it would be harder to get up the long hill on that, than it is to walk. Plus I can take pictures easier when I am walking .
Saturday we have Japanese class in the afternoon, Sunday will be spent all day at the SUMO wrestling tournament "baso", and then another new Japanese class on Monday.
so I will say by for now....Enjoy your day or night.
KaRRa-san and Chuck-san
I think I will have them say my name like that as they have no "L" in their alphabet here and it is VERY hard for them to say Karla. :-)
Well I guess the tears flowing from my eyes as of late seem to match the rain drops falling from the skies outdoors with the typhoon close by to Japan. There have been alot of both around here the last few days inside and out. I haven't had a good cry in a while and so it feels good to release alot of pent up emotions, thoughts and feelings, I guess I have had some stored up for awhile while I have been running to and fro.:-) Ahhhhhh...
Life as always is mixed with so many happy and sad emotions, thoughts and feelings for me, and these overcast cloudy days just make me want to hole up in my house and listen to gentle and soothing music, while thinking about and taking the time to send good thoughts to all the different people in my life and to root them on from afar, in what it is they are going through at this point in their life. So, I am finding while way over here across the pond...that I am very thankful for Email, Skype phone, Facebook and this blog so I can do that almost instantaneously. :-) It is good for me to be in touch with all of you and I thank you for your patience and for listening to me babble.
As in life, so many good things are happening for some: living in a new world and learning a new culture and language, another school year and new found friends, graduation in a far away land, a fun rugby team, boyfriends back and a new apartment is found, First CD dropping, intership grated, modeling contract offered and a move to NYC, escape from a car accident with no injuries, new grandbaby coming soon,getting visas for 2 girls from Honduras to study in the Czech Republic,fun vacations had,new relationships starting, opportunities to travel to new places, relationships rebuilt after years of knowing one another,a high profile music career being launched....
While others suffer or are dealing with: learning a new language and understanding cultural differences, too darn many different health issues of all kinds?,life without a loved one, recent deaths of family members, a sister dying suddenly of a heart attack and a brother of hodgkins lymphoma, a wife/mom going into hospice care after a lengthy and very difficult fight with 2 kinds of cancer,then a broken leg and now blood plasma problems,a few different sons with drug addiction issues in and out of rehab centers and prison, divorces, not passing tests, a mom in the hospital with blood trouble, others with chronic coughing and flailing night terrors, young kids with car troubles, a stalker let out of jail, friends continuing their battles with cancer and heart conditions ...
and then there is YOU , having to put up with me, a friend who has the gift to gab and write LOOOOOOOOONG drawn out stories because she can! I know many of you are hoping I will stop writing for a minute and perhaps start studing my Japanese lessons more ...so I can soon talk to folks here in Japan and possibly then I won't need to write as much. Isn't that right? I know there are more than a few of you thinking that? :-) haha
BUT, don't think your going to get out of this lair that easy. Never fear, I will always be here...even if I am all alone recording my thoughts, feelings and ideas.
Got a note from Kalen today and she told me to stop and smell the flowers in the midst of all my frustration and seeking answers/peace of mind; and I am happy to say I did just that yesterday as I walked along in the rain. I even took a few pictures of them. Surprise Surprise !!:-) They didn't really smell too much,but they looked very pretty with all the rain droplets sparkling on them and the colors were very vibrant on some with the gray cloudy backdrop.
I too enjoyed watching the colorful rainbow of umbrellas as a bunch of high school girls walked somewhere?, while the moms and kids went off to school with their various styles of boots,ponchos and umbrellas keeping them dry. I thought the multi colored umbrella handles at a local daycare/preshool looked like a bunch of caged ducks. Maybe it is because that is what one could feel like here as of late.
Met a nice little Japanese lady Tomoko-san who used to be Charlie the produce guys english teacher, and she helped me figure out on my map, where to go to find my class for tomorrow. She spoke very good english and was a bit worried about me walking in the rain and thought I should be taking the bus. She too was sweating and wiping her brow furiously as we talked and I teased her and said I was glad to see someone perspiring as much as I. She said it was because she was nervous. I asked her why she was nervous and she said because of her english. I told her don't be nervous talking to me and that her words have been perfect so far. She was so sweet and then thanked me for letting her practice her english. Now how cute is that?
I should have taken a pic of her and Charlie together at his neat as a pin and very organized fruit/veggie stand, but he was busy flitting about like a butterfly waiting on all his customers as we blocked part of his sidewalk now that I think of it. Oops!
Let me say here, that I LOVE that "Honmoku-dori" street with all the mom and pop shops. I am starting to get recognized by some, as I make my way into the different shops to spread the wealth and buy an item or two and it is fun to be greeted with a smile and a few shared words between us. YEAH!
After a very long walk I did find my 2 class buildings for today and Monday and so I hope to bear the elements (guess rain is in the forcast till next Tuesday) and make my way at noon to see who I can meet today and what new Japanese words I might learn.
CJ has a late dinner meeting tonight and so I will enjoy tacos myself afer I get back from another walk in the rain.
On my way home yesterday I ran into 2 Harajuku looking girls only a couple blocks from home. They were all dressed in their frilly pink/white and red ruffled dresses, with cute shoes, tights, bags and parasols. I said how "CUTE" they looked and asked if I could take their picture. They happily obligued and I had all I could do not to ask them to come visit and chat with me in my house. One day I hope that will happen.
Last night I met with CJ and John who was in from Michigan for supper. I felt so sorry for John as he just got in the day before and he was in total jet lag mode and you could tell he was really suffering trying to stay awake. He ordered a beer and couldn't even remember what kind when they brought it, so you know he was bad.haha
We ate quickly and had a nice short visit at Stove's,before sending him back to the hotel to bed. I know how hard that is to try and stay awake when your so dog gone tired, it actually makes me feel physically ill and so I did not want that for him.
There was some big rally of some kind as we made our way into Yokohama station for the subway home and people were gathered and cops were everywhere. I tried to ask some young girls if it was political or not, but they did not understand what I was saying. I thought I heard America amongst the Japanese he was rattling off way to fast, but we never did see anything on the news about it when we got home.
So I had better get my futons made, some clothes in the washing machine and some breakfast eaten before I head off on my long hike to the Japanese class. I could ride my bike, but I think it would be harder to get up the long hill on that, than it is to walk. Plus I can take pictures easier when I am walking .
Saturday we have Japanese class in the afternoon, Sunday will be spent all day at the SUMO wrestling tournament "baso", and then another new Japanese class on Monday.
so I will say by for now....Enjoy your day or night.
KaRRa-san and Chuck-san
I think I will have them say my name like that as they have no "L" in their alphabet here and it is VERY hard for them to say Karla. :-)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
September 16-17th, 2008 visited the school and met Ruiko
As I was writing this on 9/17,...it was my little petite Japanese neighbor Ruiko at the door with a bouquet of flowers in hand who was here to welcome me. We have been seeing each other here and there as we leave the house and she kept telling me she is going to stop by one day to meet me, but never had, as we both are constantly coming and going.
Well today, she finally caught up with me and who knows it was probably a bit scary for her as I was in a venting and questioning mood and so I laid it all out on the table and asked her if in fact what I have been reading is true and she said "Yes, alot of it is". Some are trying to change that now in the younger generation though and many women are now working as well as, so the men are helping with kids and house stuff. Yeah! She too said, she thinks alot of people just through their old clothes away out in the garbage instead of having sales. The garbage collection though is like a Goodwill sort of thing, so I am sure they get into resale shops more than likely. I wondered right away though, if there would be a way for me to collect stuff for Honduras, but then as I thought more about it and the trouble I had getting into that little ,narrow ,red chinese dress ...well perhaps the Japanese ladies figures are much smaller and petite. Those latin girls have way more curves with their bigger hips and chests and so no way.
So let me tell you a bit about Ruiko. She is a Japanese women who is married to an American. She travels alot to the south of Japan where her dad lives alone and she cares for him every so often. John and she have 3 kids. Two older boys in college and an adopted Chinese girl Rui-Li 12 years old. She and the girl live here and John lives during the week in Tokyo. She likes to play tennis and belongs to the health club. She also plays the Japanese 13 string instrument(forgot the name) and is taking voice lessons for fun. She said some night she will have me over for dinner to hear her play. That would be fun.
After a tour of our house, which she loved and had never been in before. She lives in the other half of the duplex and her house is not Japanese at all...no Tatami rooms. They have lived there for 3 years. I told her if we move out and she wants to move in we will let her know. She laughed. We had a glass of water and the little egg cakes we bought from the Ramen museumn, while we visited or maybe more like...while I questioned her? :-) She was very open and friendly. It was very easy to talk with her and she got all my jokes too so that was good. Ahhh yes it does feel good to talk again to people. :-)
The cakes were egg shaped and have white chocolate coating and inside it looks like a egg with a gold cake in the middle and white on the outside. Kind of like the Cadbury chocolate eggs look. She had never seen those nor heard of jumbo-cho either. CJ will have to bring some home for them one night. I told her if she hangs around me enough I will teach her things about Japan that she has never heard of or seen. Just as it always is with the locals knowing less about the place then a visitor. Like me living in MN for 10 years and I really know nothing about MN.Sad to say :-(
She also looked over my Japanese class info and made a call to a place that has class on Fridays. It looks like it might be in Japanese after all, so I will go check it out on later this week.It was nice to have met her and I hope I did not scare her off?
Now back to yesterday. I left the house in a heavy rain in search of the YWCA and the daily Japanese classes for 3000yen for a 3 hour class. That is $30 or $10 an hour, alot different than the $1 or $2 classes everywhere else and at the YWCA too. I thought they gave classes for lower rates? Anyhoo, I wanted to check it out and see if it might be worth a week or so to attend? When I got there I had blisters on both my heels and they were burning like crazy. First time I have worn shoes since I've been here. Ouch. The cute little old lady told me no those are english classes not Japanese. Ok to be honest I was glad that the expensive ones were not what I needed.
She then noticed my heels and had me sit down and ran to get me bandaids. She was so cute and I told her I didn't know I was going to get nursing care while I was there as well. I dropped my sweater on the floor and she quickly picked it up. She was so attentive I thought I might just like to stay there for the day and have her pamper me a bit more. Just kidding. So I thanked her for her kindness and extra bandaid supply and then left with them both in place for about the first 10 steps out in the rain. I was quickly back to the burning and off towards home and to get these darn shoes off my feet and some relief.
So I got back home and was feeling a bit more frustrated and now thinking what is my next option for interaction with people and so I called the school. I had sent an Email before China, but never heard back and so I thought I would call and see what was up. I talked with Miyamoto and he said yes that they could possibly still use my help and so I asked if I could come and see the school. So I went there yesterday at 2pm and he said they would like me to help with English classes. The English teacher Sharon is on vacation and will be back Sept 30th so I will go back to have a meeting with her then. He too asked me to come again tomorrow and so I went back today and had a nice meeting with Toyan the volunteer interpretor and the President or Pinicipal Hattori-san. He said they would really like me to help with English classes and so I will check in with Sharon on the 30th.
He also invited me and CJ as guests to the Sports Day on Saturday Sept 27th, so we will go there in the morning before our Japanese classes that afternoon. That should be fun. I also asked if there was any cutting or preparation work I could do for kinder classes or paper shuffling for mailings and such until the 30th, but he said not really, and that they would rather have me work on making up packets for the English classes. Perhaps I can help more with other stuff in years to come. I guess he plans for me to be around awhile? He too said the Japanese teachers are not real keen on having help in the classrooms with people who don't speak Japanese, so I will slowly have to work my way around these folks I think :-)
So now I am getting more excited and am thinking possibilites are beginning to open up, and I just hope it it doesn't end up being another full-time, non-paying position. For some reason I seem to get myself into alot of those situations? Hum ?
Called and talked with my friend DOona and was good to chat with an old friend again.
The door bell rang again this afternoon and it was to my surprise Ruiko with her friend Reiko. So I teased her and told her I was very happy to know I did not scare her off and she was already coming back for more. :-) Ok, so I already know those two ladies names are going to get interchanged and mixed up. Yikes!
Reiko works at a preschool down on the Japanese side of the bluff and they might need help with their after school program and to also teach some fun english classes. She wanted to know if I was interested in possibly helping her out and if so she would ask more about it with the supervisors there..so who knows that might be another option? She said she knows the kids pretty well and they are kind of wild with her and she needs someone more strict. I told her well I may be the wrong one for that, as discipline is what I had trouble with when in college and student teaching. So who knows I have a feeling it might very well end up a bit like the english classes the other volunteers do when at HTS in Honduras. I have avoided those till now as I am usually so busy with the letters, photos and such. Who knows perhaps I can teach them Japanese classes when I go in March 2009? Ok so I have rattled on way to long.
So I went from nothing to now hoping they don't think I am a certified english teacher. I told them all I really wanted was some day to day interaction with japanese people and would help in whatever way I can. I sure hope all my days and nights are not spent making up lesson plans. I did make sure that whatever I help make or buy is on their budget and not mine.
Ok so now I am exhausted myself and so I will leave you to think about, decipher or just hit Pass and avoid all of the above. CJ is home with some fresh fish and I need to get a salad and some veggies ready.
I don't even have a clue what to tell you to expect tomorrow.
Sayonara
Karla the jabber wocky
Well today, she finally caught up with me and who knows it was probably a bit scary for her as I was in a venting and questioning mood and so I laid it all out on the table and asked her if in fact what I have been reading is true and she said "Yes, alot of it is". Some are trying to change that now in the younger generation though and many women are now working as well as, so the men are helping with kids and house stuff. Yeah! She too said, she thinks alot of people just through their old clothes away out in the garbage instead of having sales. The garbage collection though is like a Goodwill sort of thing, so I am sure they get into resale shops more than likely. I wondered right away though, if there would be a way for me to collect stuff for Honduras, but then as I thought more about it and the trouble I had getting into that little ,narrow ,red chinese dress ...well perhaps the Japanese ladies figures are much smaller and petite. Those latin girls have way more curves with their bigger hips and chests and so no way.
So let me tell you a bit about Ruiko. She is a Japanese women who is married to an American. She travels alot to the south of Japan where her dad lives alone and she cares for him every so often. John and she have 3 kids. Two older boys in college and an adopted Chinese girl Rui-Li 12 years old. She and the girl live here and John lives during the week in Tokyo. She likes to play tennis and belongs to the health club. She also plays the Japanese 13 string instrument(forgot the name) and is taking voice lessons for fun. She said some night she will have me over for dinner to hear her play. That would be fun.
After a tour of our house, which she loved and had never been in before. She lives in the other half of the duplex and her house is not Japanese at all...no Tatami rooms. They have lived there for 3 years. I told her if we move out and she wants to move in we will let her know. She laughed. We had a glass of water and the little egg cakes we bought from the Ramen museumn, while we visited or maybe more like...while I questioned her? :-) She was very open and friendly. It was very easy to talk with her and she got all my jokes too so that was good. Ahhh yes it does feel good to talk again to people. :-)
The cakes were egg shaped and have white chocolate coating and inside it looks like a egg with a gold cake in the middle and white on the outside. Kind of like the Cadbury chocolate eggs look. She had never seen those nor heard of jumbo-cho either. CJ will have to bring some home for them one night. I told her if she hangs around me enough I will teach her things about Japan that she has never heard of or seen. Just as it always is with the locals knowing less about the place then a visitor. Like me living in MN for 10 years and I really know nothing about MN.Sad to say :-(
She also looked over my Japanese class info and made a call to a place that has class on Fridays. It looks like it might be in Japanese after all, so I will go check it out on later this week.It was nice to have met her and I hope I did not scare her off?
Now back to yesterday. I left the house in a heavy rain in search of the YWCA and the daily Japanese classes for 3000yen for a 3 hour class. That is $30 or $10 an hour, alot different than the $1 or $2 classes everywhere else and at the YWCA too. I thought they gave classes for lower rates? Anyhoo, I wanted to check it out and see if it might be worth a week or so to attend? When I got there I had blisters on both my heels and they were burning like crazy. First time I have worn shoes since I've been here. Ouch. The cute little old lady told me no those are english classes not Japanese. Ok to be honest I was glad that the expensive ones were not what I needed.
She then noticed my heels and had me sit down and ran to get me bandaids. She was so cute and I told her I didn't know I was going to get nursing care while I was there as well. I dropped my sweater on the floor and she quickly picked it up. She was so attentive I thought I might just like to stay there for the day and have her pamper me a bit more. Just kidding. So I thanked her for her kindness and extra bandaid supply and then left with them both in place for about the first 10 steps out in the rain. I was quickly back to the burning and off towards home and to get these darn shoes off my feet and some relief.
So I got back home and was feeling a bit more frustrated and now thinking what is my next option for interaction with people and so I called the school. I had sent an Email before China, but never heard back and so I thought I would call and see what was up. I talked with Miyamoto and he said yes that they could possibly still use my help and so I asked if I could come and see the school. So I went there yesterday at 2pm and he said they would like me to help with English classes. The English teacher Sharon is on vacation and will be back Sept 30th so I will go back to have a meeting with her then. He too asked me to come again tomorrow and so I went back today and had a nice meeting with Toyan the volunteer interpretor and the President or Pinicipal Hattori-san. He said they would really like me to help with English classes and so I will check in with Sharon on the 30th.
He also invited me and CJ as guests to the Sports Day on Saturday Sept 27th, so we will go there in the morning before our Japanese classes that afternoon. That should be fun. I also asked if there was any cutting or preparation work I could do for kinder classes or paper shuffling for mailings and such until the 30th, but he said not really, and that they would rather have me work on making up packets for the English classes. Perhaps I can help more with other stuff in years to come. I guess he plans for me to be around awhile? He too said the Japanese teachers are not real keen on having help in the classrooms with people who don't speak Japanese, so I will slowly have to work my way around these folks I think :-)
So now I am getting more excited and am thinking possibilites are beginning to open up, and I just hope it it doesn't end up being another full-time, non-paying position. For some reason I seem to get myself into alot of those situations? Hum ?
Called and talked with my friend DOona and was good to chat with an old friend again.
The door bell rang again this afternoon and it was to my surprise Ruiko with her friend Reiko. So I teased her and told her I was very happy to know I did not scare her off and she was already coming back for more. :-) Ok, so I already know those two ladies names are going to get interchanged and mixed up. Yikes!
Reiko works at a preschool down on the Japanese side of the bluff and they might need help with their after school program and to also teach some fun english classes. She wanted to know if I was interested in possibly helping her out and if so she would ask more about it with the supervisors there..so who knows that might be another option? She said she knows the kids pretty well and they are kind of wild with her and she needs someone more strict. I told her well I may be the wrong one for that, as discipline is what I had trouble with when in college and student teaching. So who knows I have a feeling it might very well end up a bit like the english classes the other volunteers do when at HTS in Honduras. I have avoided those till now as I am usually so busy with the letters, photos and such. Who knows perhaps I can teach them Japanese classes when I go in March 2009? Ok so I have rattled on way to long.
So I went from nothing to now hoping they don't think I am a certified english teacher. I told them all I really wanted was some day to day interaction with japanese people and would help in whatever way I can. I sure hope all my days and nights are not spent making up lesson plans. I did make sure that whatever I help make or buy is on their budget and not mine.
Ok so now I am exhausted myself and so I will leave you to think about, decipher or just hit Pass and avoid all of the above. CJ is home with some fresh fish and I need to get a salad and some veggies ready.
I don't even have a clue what to tell you to expect tomorrow.
Sayonara
Karla the jabber wocky
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
September 16th, 2008 Reflecting on Cultural Japan
WARNING WARNING...ok so I need to vent a little here...So if you don't want to know what is going on in my crazy mind then skip to the next post.
So,like I said,..... I have been reading some information on cultural and family things here in Japan that have annoyed me a bit, and so I am thinking on that alot and wondering just what I might hear if I could talk to the many different women I see out on the streets never looking me in the eye and always at the ground as they pass by.
Are they happy, sad, shopping cause they love it,or because there is nothing better to do? Who are they dressing up for if there husbands never come home till they are fast alseep at night with their kids on either side of them? If they could change things what would they be?
Alot of my frustration is about the workaholic lifestyle the men have had here for years and how it affects the husband/wife relationships and family life here with the dad and his kids/wife/family. Too me, it is very sad, and exactly what I and many others have tried hard to prevent from happening in our own lives. By the sounds of it, there might not be too many old school happily married couples nor maybe even some younger generation ones?
Or perhaps, it is my own defintion of "happily married"? There for sure, are alot of women out shopping to buy "cute" things. Is it to soothe themselves as the husband is out with the guys, from work or with other women? :-( What do they do with all the stuff they buy in their tiny little apartments? Do they have garage sales-I have yet to see one?
I think by what I hear and read, the younger generation is hopefully trying to change that and I hope CJ and I might be able to impact that as well when he is here. I know I am going to put up the fight on my end of the bargin and try and make it known that the family group is more important at night, than time with the work family and being out at the bars drinking all night long. I know I can't change a culture, but I can at least model and be supportive of behavior I see as more positive and or desirable?
Again as I travel, it is just another time and another place with the same old male chauvenistic ways. UGH!!
So you can see, as we live here longer we learn a bit more and experience some of the not so positive things(at least in my mind)and ways in which they live as a culture. I knew this before I came, but to live it,hear and see some of it is another thing. It was my biggest concern I voiced to CJ before I came and it will continue to be my concern and something I will try to learn more about and find some possible understanding of if possible.
In one source I read,...It is like the dad is not even a part of the family. He is just the money source and the wife and kids have their life and he has his with his work family. He has babies with her, and then once she is a mom no more intimacy with her (possibly with other women?). He may even sleep in a seperate room so as not to disturb her and the children who often sleep together when he comes home late from work and drunk at night.Is this really something to emulate or pass on to the next generation? The sad part for me is that they many don't know any different. This is what it is, how they have been raised. Heck, I know it would make me want to stay single and dating and not get married if that was the case. Seems a lonely existance and perhaps I speak of that from some of my own personal experience, perhaps even more than I might like to admit. So yes... here I am now admitting it. It does get sad and lonely at times, and when you aren't a career women such as I, you even question it more and wonder what is this life really all about. What is important, money, things, time with each other.....and how do you make it all work so your both satisfied, fulfilled and happy?
Ok so thanks for listening..the door bell just rang........................
So,like I said,..... I have been reading some information on cultural and family things here in Japan that have annoyed me a bit, and so I am thinking on that alot and wondering just what I might hear if I could talk to the many different women I see out on the streets never looking me in the eye and always at the ground as they pass by.
Are they happy, sad, shopping cause they love it,or because there is nothing better to do? Who are they dressing up for if there husbands never come home till they are fast alseep at night with their kids on either side of them? If they could change things what would they be?
Alot of my frustration is about the workaholic lifestyle the men have had here for years and how it affects the husband/wife relationships and family life here with the dad and his kids/wife/family. Too me, it is very sad, and exactly what I and many others have tried hard to prevent from happening in our own lives. By the sounds of it, there might not be too many old school happily married couples nor maybe even some younger generation ones?
Or perhaps, it is my own defintion of "happily married"? There for sure, are alot of women out shopping to buy "cute" things. Is it to soothe themselves as the husband is out with the guys, from work or with other women? :-( What do they do with all the stuff they buy in their tiny little apartments? Do they have garage sales-I have yet to see one?
I think by what I hear and read, the younger generation is hopefully trying to change that and I hope CJ and I might be able to impact that as well when he is here. I know I am going to put up the fight on my end of the bargin and try and make it known that the family group is more important at night, than time with the work family and being out at the bars drinking all night long. I know I can't change a culture, but I can at least model and be supportive of behavior I see as more positive and or desirable?
Again as I travel, it is just another time and another place with the same old male chauvenistic ways. UGH!!
So you can see, as we live here longer we learn a bit more and experience some of the not so positive things(at least in my mind)and ways in which they live as a culture. I knew this before I came, but to live it,hear and see some of it is another thing. It was my biggest concern I voiced to CJ before I came and it will continue to be my concern and something I will try to learn more about and find some possible understanding of if possible.
In one source I read,...It is like the dad is not even a part of the family. He is just the money source and the wife and kids have their life and he has his with his work family. He has babies with her, and then once she is a mom no more intimacy with her (possibly with other women?). He may even sleep in a seperate room so as not to disturb her and the children who often sleep together when he comes home late from work and drunk at night.Is this really something to emulate or pass on to the next generation? The sad part for me is that they many don't know any different. This is what it is, how they have been raised. Heck, I know it would make me want to stay single and dating and not get married if that was the case. Seems a lonely existance and perhaps I speak of that from some of my own personal experience, perhaps even more than I might like to admit. So yes... here I am now admitting it. It does get sad and lonely at times, and when you aren't a career women such as I, you even question it more and wonder what is this life really all about. What is important, money, things, time with each other.....and how do you make it all work so your both satisfied, fulfilled and happy?
Ok so thanks for listening..the door bell just rang........................
Sept 14 and 15, 2008 Costco and the Ramen Museum
Konnichiwa
How did you like your break? What break you ask? ......Well, I haven't written anything in 4 days and no one has written and said "Hey, come on, where is the news"? So I am guessing I have probably worn you all out and perhaps your sick of reading my long drawn out accounts of each day? ...
But Alas, and never fear you hard core DIE-HARD fans that are looking for more bathroom reading material...I am still here alive and well. :-)haha
I have to be honest with you and tell you I kind of hit the wall this past weekend and felt like the "Japanese honeymoon period" might be over for me. It has been a bit boring here for me as of late, and I am OBVIOUSLY in need of more conversation with people and was feeling a bit lonely or more like stir crazy, I guess. I was a bit disappointed to find I was too late in getting into the one Japanese class on Monday and Wednesdays. Darn! Then I too was anticipating what might happen later this week when I go to look for more classes and how that was going to work with my school schedule if I get one....In the midst of another transition period I guess and perhaps I'm just anxious as to how it is all going to play out?
So now, I am adjusting to a another new routine and with more changes to hopefully come in October, as it looks like I will probably get to have some interaction of some kind with the kids at the school. Yeah!
Since I last wrote on Saturday we have been hanging around the house a bit more , catching up on sleep, relaxing and regrouping. We didn't go see Sumo after all, but did end up taking the subway down to Costco Sunday eve to load up on the last of the blueberries and a few more items we can get there cheaper than the stores close to home. You can get 6 cans of black olives for 6 or 7 dollars when one cost almost $4 at the regular store, so that is worth the trip in itself. We too happily found some refried beans and so now our Taco Friday's are complete. We really were missing those two ingredients. Yeah! Costco was the place to be Sunday night I guess, as the checkout lines were 10-12 people deep and the restaurant was packed with families having pizza dinners. Overflowing shopping carts were lined up like a fence. I should have taken some photos in there? Darn!
Monday Sept 15th was a National holiday and CJ had off work. It was Respect for the aged Day and the only thing I could find out about it was that the older generation 60 years and up got free admission to certain tour spots? Cj was not in the mood so no SUMO today either.
That afternoon after a very early morning phone chat with Kalen and Michael (he is happy to be back in Chicago)and then another couple hours of sleep, we made our way to the Ramen Museumn in Shin Yokohama for an early dinner.It is a little museumn with a 1958 facades and 8 different restaurants each with their own specialized Ramen recipe. We tried 2 different kinds this time. One pork and one garlic. They were very good. We then got a fried cinnamon bread stick and I also visited the old time candy store to get a few old school Japanese treats. I was going to get some 10yen stick type of crispy treat and then I asked the guy dressed like a cop what flavors they were. I thought the purple one was grape and the red one was strawberry..but luckily I asked, as they were cow tongue and octupus. Yech! :-( The other colorfully wrapped flavored sticks were shrimp, salmon, soy sauce, chicken feet, fish, corn, ....I did get a corn one, but have yet to eat it. It feels kind of like a big baked straight Cheeto through the package, but I keep thinking about the cow tongue and so I have yet to open it.
After the museum we then walked through the shopping and restaurant areas of the train station looking at the fake food displays and checking the prices on items in the grocery stores. We ended up standing and watching through the window, the chef at one restaurant preparing their most popular dish. The guy first grilled a hamburger and while that was cooking he put a piece of foil down with green beans on it and a few pieces of bacon it looked like. When the burger was done he laid that on top and then covered it all with some beef gravy type looking stew.Sealed it all in the foil and when he placed it on a hot iron skillet the foil puffed up like those old Jiffy pop popcorn foil pans. He served it with a baked potatoe and some green herbed garnish. We figured it must be some kind of salisbury steak type dish? Doesn't take much to entertain us I guess.:-)
Of course, we stopped by Jumbo-cho on the way home for our favorite dessert. I have eaten more desserts here the past 2 months than I have in years. I am thinking I had better watch it a bit, especially once the colder weather sets in and if I am not out walking as much to burn it off? Back home and CJ watched some Formula One racing on TV and I chilled and read over some Yokohama websites my friend sent to me, with some disturbing cultural info and ways they do things here.
So yes now I am thinking, contemplating... and that seems to be the way I get when the warm weather begins to go away and the cooler air blows in...
How did you like your break? What break you ask? ......Well, I haven't written anything in 4 days and no one has written and said "Hey, come on, where is the news"? So I am guessing I have probably worn you all out and perhaps your sick of reading my long drawn out accounts of each day? ...
But Alas, and never fear you hard core DIE-HARD fans that are looking for more bathroom reading material...I am still here alive and well. :-)haha
I have to be honest with you and tell you I kind of hit the wall this past weekend and felt like the "Japanese honeymoon period" might be over for me. It has been a bit boring here for me as of late, and I am OBVIOUSLY in need of more conversation with people and was feeling a bit lonely or more like stir crazy, I guess. I was a bit disappointed to find I was too late in getting into the one Japanese class on Monday and Wednesdays. Darn! Then I too was anticipating what might happen later this week when I go to look for more classes and how that was going to work with my school schedule if I get one....In the midst of another transition period I guess and perhaps I'm just anxious as to how it is all going to play out?
So now, I am adjusting to a another new routine and with more changes to hopefully come in October, as it looks like I will probably get to have some interaction of some kind with the kids at the school. Yeah!
Since I last wrote on Saturday we have been hanging around the house a bit more , catching up on sleep, relaxing and regrouping. We didn't go see Sumo after all, but did end up taking the subway down to Costco Sunday eve to load up on the last of the blueberries and a few more items we can get there cheaper than the stores close to home. You can get 6 cans of black olives for 6 or 7 dollars when one cost almost $4 at the regular store, so that is worth the trip in itself. We too happily found some refried beans and so now our Taco Friday's are complete. We really were missing those two ingredients. Yeah! Costco was the place to be Sunday night I guess, as the checkout lines were 10-12 people deep and the restaurant was packed with families having pizza dinners. Overflowing shopping carts were lined up like a fence. I should have taken some photos in there? Darn!
Monday Sept 15th was a National holiday and CJ had off work. It was Respect for the aged Day and the only thing I could find out about it was that the older generation 60 years and up got free admission to certain tour spots? Cj was not in the mood so no SUMO today either.
That afternoon after a very early morning phone chat with Kalen and Michael (he is happy to be back in Chicago)and then another couple hours of sleep, we made our way to the Ramen Museumn in Shin Yokohama for an early dinner.It is a little museumn with a 1958 facades and 8 different restaurants each with their own specialized Ramen recipe. We tried 2 different kinds this time. One pork and one garlic. They were very good. We then got a fried cinnamon bread stick and I also visited the old time candy store to get a few old school Japanese treats. I was going to get some 10yen stick type of crispy treat and then I asked the guy dressed like a cop what flavors they were. I thought the purple one was grape and the red one was strawberry..but luckily I asked, as they were cow tongue and octupus. Yech! :-( The other colorfully wrapped flavored sticks were shrimp, salmon, soy sauce, chicken feet, fish, corn, ....I did get a corn one, but have yet to eat it. It feels kind of like a big baked straight Cheeto through the package, but I keep thinking about the cow tongue and so I have yet to open it.
After the museum we then walked through the shopping and restaurant areas of the train station looking at the fake food displays and checking the prices on items in the grocery stores. We ended up standing and watching through the window, the chef at one restaurant preparing their most popular dish. The guy first grilled a hamburger and while that was cooking he put a piece of foil down with green beans on it and a few pieces of bacon it looked like. When the burger was done he laid that on top and then covered it all with some beef gravy type looking stew.Sealed it all in the foil and when he placed it on a hot iron skillet the foil puffed up like those old Jiffy pop popcorn foil pans. He served it with a baked potatoe and some green herbed garnish. We figured it must be some kind of salisbury steak type dish? Doesn't take much to entertain us I guess.:-)
Of course, we stopped by Jumbo-cho on the way home for our favorite dessert. I have eaten more desserts here the past 2 months than I have in years. I am thinking I had better watch it a bit, especially once the colder weather sets in and if I am not out walking as much to burn it off? Back home and CJ watched some Formula One racing on TV and I chilled and read over some Yokohama websites my friend sent to me, with some disturbing cultural info and ways they do things here.
So yes now I am thinking, contemplating... and that seems to be the way I get when the warm weather begins to go away and the cooler air blows in...
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Sept 12-14, 2008 ..We are now taking Japanese classes
...WARNING WARNING...Slick-san's "Japlish" is coming soon....:-)
It has been a slow last few days here in Japan as we resettle after our trip to China. CJ had a late night dinner meeting on Thursday..so late that I thought he might have missed the last train and stayed overnight in a capsule hotel bed. He ended up taking a taxi home and showed up right as I was calling his cell phone to see where he was, before I myself headed to bed. I grocery shopped one day and then hung around the house and did chores while waiting for the furniture delivery guy on Friday. It is nice to have the TV up off the floor and at eye level for better viewing. I am finding CJ is enjoying sitting in front of the TV while I prefer chatting and writing to all of you on my computer:-)
On Friday night I met CJ and Carolyn the controller from Graco in MN for a Shabu Shabu meal. For those of you who do not know what that is, let me explain. You have a gas burner in the middle of your table and they put a cast iron pot of water on it. Then they give you a plate of veggies...we had little long stem brown mushrooms, white longer stemmed mushrooms, a few thin slices of squash, a few carrot slices, bok choy cut up, chinese cabbage squares, cellophane noodles,rectangle cubes of tofu, and a plate of very thinly sliced marbelized beef.
Then you put some of the veggies in the bowling hot water to cook. Once the veggies are close to done, you add the beef which cooks very fast and then you spoon out some meat and veggies to each person. You eat it all by dipping it in your 2 different sauces. One sauce is like soy suace with scallions and sesame seeds floating on top and the other is an orangish colored creamy and spicier sauce. I have no idea what is in it , but it reminded me of the sauce at Bennihanis if anyone has ever been there, back in the states?
After our veggies and meat were all gone. The guy brought out a plate of wide noodles. He first skimmed some of the fat off the top of the water which was now getting rather thick from all the veggies and meat cooking in it. Once he had the fat removed he added the noodles and let them cook for a bit. Now this was our soup. It looked a bit like dirty dish water to me, and it tasted quite bland to me as well, so I poured in my left over sauces and then it was just right and quite tasty if I say so myself.
When we were done with our noodle soup, they brought out a little bowl of sherbet for each of us. The meal was actually better than I expected and it filled me up more than I thought it would when they first brought it out. We then took Carolyn on the subway to see our house and for some dessert. All the pastry shops were closed in Motomachi by the time we got there and so we stopped at the Union Foods store and got some raspberry, lemon and strawberry sorbet cups and coconut "cocona" macaroons. We all enjoyed our very little taste of sherbet at the restaurant and guess we were craving some more. We gave Carolyn a tour of the house and then sat and talked a bit over our treats before walking her back to the train station and her subway ride back to the hotel. It was a nice relaxing night and beautiful weather.
Saturday we hung out at the house all morning and talked with Kalen and my dad and mom on the phone, did some book work, computer Emails and watched some TV over taco salad. At 3 pm we went to search out our first Japanese language class. It was held at the local Catholic church and they charged 100yen for a 2 hour class. It was very nice and the teachers were very helpful and friendly. The schedule through Christmas shows they will have a few parties, a bazar and so that should be fun.
That is CJ getting his slippers on when we entered the church hall before going up stairs to the classroom and then us with the teachers after class. They by the way, were very excited to hear I wanted to put their photo on my blog. :-) We missed the first class of Session Two which was last week when we were in China. They went over the Hiragana letter chart. Those are the written symbols for Japanese native words and so they were reviewing them this week with flash cards. I recognized a few from books I had checked out and read over way back in June before we moved here. Then she gave us a katakana alphabet chart and we went over that. Katakana are the foreign words that the Japanese have now made part of their language. It was a bit confusing when she wrote a phrase with both types of lettering in one sentence. Yikes...that is when the headache started.
There was about 10 or 12 other folks there, but they had name tags out for about 20. It is a drop in type of class I think and so people come and go I think. We met two women after class one from New Zealand and another from New York. They both work for the same company having something to do with trees. "Tree huggers", I said and the younger one said, "Yes kind of, but we cut them down too". We did not have much time to talk as there was another class from 7-9 at a different location that we wanted to check out as well.
So off we were to find that building. We walked down many steps and past Ishakowicho station and over the canal to the hostel area of town. We had a bit of a scavenger hunt trying to find the place with the map. Once we found the right building and went up to the 7th floor we ended up in a balcony hallway overlooking rooftops below us. We figured it was going to be in a person's apartment and we were 1/2 hour early (got there quicker than we thought) so we were deciding what to do when a lady came out of the #701 door. She was on the phone and we asked her about the class and she said something to the person on the phone and then handed me the phone.
The man on the other end of the line said in English that they had changed the location of the class about a year ago and he thought perhaps they were not having class tonight as it is a 3 day holiday weekend. Tomorrow Sept 15th Monday is Respect for the Aged Day. I asked her if she was the teacher and she said, "NO" and shook her head and kind of giggled. I asked her if he was the teacher and she didn't answer me. Then she and I passed the phone back and forth while she told him something and then he told me. I asked him if she could tell us where the new location was or mark it on the map I had and he told me she was too lazy to try and tell me, so she would walk us there.
So we bid him farewell and we were off down the elevator, down the street and around the corner with her. She walked very fast and seemed a bit nervous. She did not talk at all. When we got to the building which was about 5 blocks down we went into the building and up to the 2nd floor. There was a sign on the door that said "Kalabaw no Kai"..whatever that means? Anyhow, it was in another apartment building and we now at least knew where to come next week if we want to attend the class. I think I want to go back just to see how little the apartments are. It was a very small elevator and a narrow balcony right up against other buildings. These classes are advertised at 200yen for a 2 hour class. So we will see what I think next week. It is held from 7-9pm.
We were kind of thankful there was no class, as CJ and I were both a bit tired and trying to soak up what was just thrown at us in the other class. Oh Boy, do we ever have alot to learn?!
Some of the words we learned at our first classs were window "mado", stamp "kite", map "chizu", japanese "nihongo", english "eigo", school "gakko", eye glasses "megane", church "kyokai", hospital "byoin", hair cut store "biyouin", bicycle "jitensha", today "kyou", next week "raishuu", library "toshokan", carboard box "danborubako",break time "kyukei", wine "wain", Beer "biru", bed "beddo", shirt "shatsu", Cheese "chizu", pool "puru", chocolate "chokoreto", toilet "toire",bus "basu", soccer "sakka", personal computer "pasokon", air conditioner "eakon", bath "ofuro", I then learned that toilet used to be "benjo", but that is now considered a "dirty" word. :-(
Some phrases we learned were: See you next week "mata raishu". Mata=again and raishu=next week. What does it mean? "Imi wanan desuka?" imi=mean What is that? "Are wa nan desuka"? What is your name? "Onamae wa nan desuka"? Where is the toilet? "toire wa doko desuka"
The subject comes first in sentences and these are how you say the words but they are written in the different characters as well, but I do not know how to do that on the computer. So we have many steps to learn? YIKES! It was fun though and very intriguing to me. I'm excited!!
We made our way back home in the very thick and humid air and under the brightly shining full moon, before the clouds covered it over. This is the weekend the Chinese celebrate with moon cakes as well and go to parks to watch the FULL Harvest moon and pray for good crops and share cakes with friends which represent unity, trust, respect and love. It is a BIG holiday over in CHINA and people wait in long lines to get their box of cakes. They even had an article in the paper about ticket scalpers being thrown in jail for hawking overpriced Mooncake lottery tickets. I guess we should have bought one to try if they are that important..they must be good?
So today we tentatively planned to go to Tokyo and possibly try to see some SUMO, but when we woke to a very overcast and humid day we both felt like just hanging out at home and relaxing while catching up with bookwork, Emails, this blog, expense reports, language lessons, TV...It probably is beginning to sound like all we do is book work, but we get an envelope from my dad every week and so we are trying to keep up with stuff here in Japan ,as well as, back in MN.
We enjoyed phone chats with both our kids and they continue to keep busy...
Kalen is awaiting Michael's return to Chicago this weekend after his stint with Montana Shakespeare is over. She may have found them a new and bigger apartment come October? She is busy with work and school, while apartment hunting and checking out possible job opportunites for after graduation and their trip here to Japan in December. Michael will now look for a job of some kind as well in either or both theater and whatever ?, so to make ends meet in between acting jobs.
Graham is busy with work,school,rugby,rugby and more rugby. He is now playing on the UMD Penguins club team and loving it. They have a tournament next week in Elk River I guess. He too, plays some intramural volleyball, ultimate frisbee and enjoys weight lifting as well.
Well I had better get some breakfast or now brunch I guess, as it it 10:02am on Sunday. The sun looks like it is trying to peak out of the clouds which left a few drizzles earlier as I sat here writing... so who knows maybe we will venture somewhere later today?
Have a great weekend everyone.
Karla and CJ
I wish I could write some of the Japanese words in the characters to really impress you :-)haha
It has been a slow last few days here in Japan as we resettle after our trip to China. CJ had a late night dinner meeting on Thursday..so late that I thought he might have missed the last train and stayed overnight in a capsule hotel bed. He ended up taking a taxi home and showed up right as I was calling his cell phone to see where he was, before I myself headed to bed. I grocery shopped one day and then hung around the house and did chores while waiting for the furniture delivery guy on Friday. It is nice to have the TV up off the floor and at eye level for better viewing. I am finding CJ is enjoying sitting in front of the TV while I prefer chatting and writing to all of you on my computer:-)
On Friday night I met CJ and Carolyn the controller from Graco in MN for a Shabu Shabu meal. For those of you who do not know what that is, let me explain. You have a gas burner in the middle of your table and they put a cast iron pot of water on it. Then they give you a plate of veggies...we had little long stem brown mushrooms, white longer stemmed mushrooms, a few thin slices of squash, a few carrot slices, bok choy cut up, chinese cabbage squares, cellophane noodles,rectangle cubes of tofu, and a plate of very thinly sliced marbelized beef.
Then you put some of the veggies in the bowling hot water to cook. Once the veggies are close to done, you add the beef which cooks very fast and then you spoon out some meat and veggies to each person. You eat it all by dipping it in your 2 different sauces. One sauce is like soy suace with scallions and sesame seeds floating on top and the other is an orangish colored creamy and spicier sauce. I have no idea what is in it , but it reminded me of the sauce at Bennihanis if anyone has ever been there, back in the states?
After our veggies and meat were all gone. The guy brought out a plate of wide noodles. He first skimmed some of the fat off the top of the water which was now getting rather thick from all the veggies and meat cooking in it. Once he had the fat removed he added the noodles and let them cook for a bit. Now this was our soup. It looked a bit like dirty dish water to me, and it tasted quite bland to me as well, so I poured in my left over sauces and then it was just right and quite tasty if I say so myself.
When we were done with our noodle soup, they brought out a little bowl of sherbet for each of us. The meal was actually better than I expected and it filled me up more than I thought it would when they first brought it out. We then took Carolyn on the subway to see our house and for some dessert. All the pastry shops were closed in Motomachi by the time we got there and so we stopped at the Union Foods store and got some raspberry, lemon and strawberry sorbet cups and coconut "cocona" macaroons. We all enjoyed our very little taste of sherbet at the restaurant and guess we were craving some more. We gave Carolyn a tour of the house and then sat and talked a bit over our treats before walking her back to the train station and her subway ride back to the hotel. It was a nice relaxing night and beautiful weather.
Saturday we hung out at the house all morning and talked with Kalen and my dad and mom on the phone, did some book work, computer Emails and watched some TV over taco salad. At 3 pm we went to search out our first Japanese language class. It was held at the local Catholic church and they charged 100yen for a 2 hour class. It was very nice and the teachers were very helpful and friendly. The schedule through Christmas shows they will have a few parties, a bazar and so that should be fun.
That is CJ getting his slippers on when we entered the church hall before going up stairs to the classroom and then us with the teachers after class. They by the way, were very excited to hear I wanted to put their photo on my blog. :-) We missed the first class of Session Two which was last week when we were in China. They went over the Hiragana letter chart. Those are the written symbols for Japanese native words and so they were reviewing them this week with flash cards. I recognized a few from books I had checked out and read over way back in June before we moved here. Then she gave us a katakana alphabet chart and we went over that. Katakana are the foreign words that the Japanese have now made part of their language. It was a bit confusing when she wrote a phrase with both types of lettering in one sentence. Yikes...that is when the headache started.
There was about 10 or 12 other folks there, but they had name tags out for about 20. It is a drop in type of class I think and so people come and go I think. We met two women after class one from New Zealand and another from New York. They both work for the same company having something to do with trees. "Tree huggers", I said and the younger one said, "Yes kind of, but we cut them down too". We did not have much time to talk as there was another class from 7-9 at a different location that we wanted to check out as well.
So off we were to find that building. We walked down many steps and past Ishakowicho station and over the canal to the hostel area of town. We had a bit of a scavenger hunt trying to find the place with the map. Once we found the right building and went up to the 7th floor we ended up in a balcony hallway overlooking rooftops below us. We figured it was going to be in a person's apartment and we were 1/2 hour early (got there quicker than we thought) so we were deciding what to do when a lady came out of the #701 door. She was on the phone and we asked her about the class and she said something to the person on the phone and then handed me the phone.
The man on the other end of the line said in English that they had changed the location of the class about a year ago and he thought perhaps they were not having class tonight as it is a 3 day holiday weekend. Tomorrow Sept 15th Monday is Respect for the Aged Day. I asked her if she was the teacher and she said, "NO" and shook her head and kind of giggled. I asked her if he was the teacher and she didn't answer me. Then she and I passed the phone back and forth while she told him something and then he told me. I asked him if she could tell us where the new location was or mark it on the map I had and he told me she was too lazy to try and tell me, so she would walk us there.
So we bid him farewell and we were off down the elevator, down the street and around the corner with her. She walked very fast and seemed a bit nervous. She did not talk at all. When we got to the building which was about 5 blocks down we went into the building and up to the 2nd floor. There was a sign on the door that said "Kalabaw no Kai"..whatever that means? Anyhow, it was in another apartment building and we now at least knew where to come next week if we want to attend the class. I think I want to go back just to see how little the apartments are. It was a very small elevator and a narrow balcony right up against other buildings. These classes are advertised at 200yen for a 2 hour class. So we will see what I think next week. It is held from 7-9pm.
We were kind of thankful there was no class, as CJ and I were both a bit tired and trying to soak up what was just thrown at us in the other class. Oh Boy, do we ever have alot to learn?!
Some of the words we learned at our first classs were window "mado", stamp "kite", map "chizu", japanese "nihongo", english "eigo", school "gakko", eye glasses "megane", church "kyokai", hospital "byoin", hair cut store "biyouin", bicycle "jitensha", today "kyou", next week "raishuu", library "toshokan", carboard box "danborubako",break time "kyukei", wine "wain", Beer "biru", bed "beddo", shirt "shatsu", Cheese "chizu", pool "puru", chocolate "chokoreto", toilet "toire",bus "basu", soccer "sakka", personal computer "pasokon", air conditioner "eakon", bath "ofuro", I then learned that toilet used to be "benjo", but that is now considered a "dirty" word. :-(
Some phrases we learned were: See you next week "mata raishu". Mata=again and raishu=next week. What does it mean? "Imi wanan desuka?" imi=mean What is that? "Are wa nan desuka"? What is your name? "Onamae wa nan desuka"? Where is the toilet? "toire wa doko desuka"
The subject comes first in sentences and these are how you say the words but they are written in the different characters as well, but I do not know how to do that on the computer. So we have many steps to learn? YIKES! It was fun though and very intriguing to me. I'm excited!!
We made our way back home in the very thick and humid air and under the brightly shining full moon, before the clouds covered it over. This is the weekend the Chinese celebrate with moon cakes as well and go to parks to watch the FULL Harvest moon and pray for good crops and share cakes with friends which represent unity, trust, respect and love. It is a BIG holiday over in CHINA and people wait in long lines to get their box of cakes. They even had an article in the paper about ticket scalpers being thrown in jail for hawking overpriced Mooncake lottery tickets. I guess we should have bought one to try if they are that important..they must be good?
So today we tentatively planned to go to Tokyo and possibly try to see some SUMO, but when we woke to a very overcast and humid day we both felt like just hanging out at home and relaxing while catching up with bookwork, Emails, this blog, expense reports, language lessons, TV...It probably is beginning to sound like all we do is book work, but we get an envelope from my dad every week and so we are trying to keep up with stuff here in Japan ,as well as, back in MN.
We enjoyed phone chats with both our kids and they continue to keep busy...
Kalen is awaiting Michael's return to Chicago this weekend after his stint with Montana Shakespeare is over. She may have found them a new and bigger apartment come October? She is busy with work and school, while apartment hunting and checking out possible job opportunites for after graduation and their trip here to Japan in December. Michael will now look for a job of some kind as well in either or both theater and whatever ?, so to make ends meet in between acting jobs.
Graham is busy with work,school,rugby,rugby and more rugby. He is now playing on the UMD Penguins club team and loving it. They have a tournament next week in Elk River I guess. He too, plays some intramural volleyball, ultimate frisbee and enjoys weight lifting as well.
Well I had better get some breakfast or now brunch I guess, as it it 10:02am on Sunday. The sun looks like it is trying to peak out of the clouds which left a few drizzles earlier as I sat here writing... so who knows maybe we will venture somewhere later today?
Have a great weekend everyone.
Karla and CJ
I wish I could write some of the Japanese words in the characters to really impress you :-)haha
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Sept 10-11, 2008 ...Back to breezy and cool Japan
Good Morning "Ohayogozaimasu" from Japan
We had a good travel day yesterday and got back from China to Japan with no problems. We enjoyed just hanging out in our house last night and watching a bit of TV with cool breezes blowing through the opened windows.
On the way home from the Narita Airport it was fun to watch the rice harvesting taking place in the fields as we passed by on the train. I know nothing factual about rice harvesting, and so this is all just a guess on my part? It looks as if they first drain all the rice paddies, and then when the stalks are dry some plants were cut by hand and laying in bundles,some looked like they were hung on a fence to dry and yet many other fields had a person driving a little machine thrasher through the rows chopping it right then and there. I did see by one field a row of bags along the path that looked to be full of rice kernals?
There too, was smoke from different areas and I wondered if they burn the last of the stalks left in the ground in preparation for planting a new crop?
Someday I would love to be able to visit a rice paddie and get educated on the process.
Today is a cool and very breezy fall like day here in Japan. I have all the windows open and the fresh air feels so good. It feels about 20-30 degrees cooler than it did over in China. It was hot there. It is good to be home and getting things in order again. I am busy unpacking, doing laundry, sorting mail, checking Emails, updating this blog, and will go get some groceries soon to, so we have some food to eat.
CJ will be busy all day and night as the president is in from MN today. CJ was excited for him to come and see what progress they have made so far in cleaning up the building.
Hope this finds you all well and suppose all your kids and grandkids are back in school now. It is odd the school year here in Japan starts in April. So the kids here just went back from their 1 month summer vacation, but it is NOT the start of a new year for them.
I hope to go check on Japanese language classes and volunteering at the school next week after the holiday on Monday. September 15th here in Japan is the Respect for the Aged National holiday. I have no idea what they do to celebrate it, but I asked CJ to ask someone at work today? We are hoping to possibly go see a SUMO wrestling match on Monday as well, since CJ does not have work that day?
Well I had better run and switch over the laundry and then get going to the store.
More later from Japan.
Karla
We had a good travel day yesterday and got back from China to Japan with no problems. We enjoyed just hanging out in our house last night and watching a bit of TV with cool breezes blowing through the opened windows.
On the way home from the Narita Airport it was fun to watch the rice harvesting taking place in the fields as we passed by on the train. I know nothing factual about rice harvesting, and so this is all just a guess on my part? It looks as if they first drain all the rice paddies, and then when the stalks are dry some plants were cut by hand and laying in bundles,some looked like they were hung on a fence to dry and yet many other fields had a person driving a little machine thrasher through the rows chopping it right then and there. I did see by one field a row of bags along the path that looked to be full of rice kernals?
There too, was smoke from different areas and I wondered if they burn the last of the stalks left in the ground in preparation for planting a new crop?
Someday I would love to be able to visit a rice paddie and get educated on the process.
Today is a cool and very breezy fall like day here in Japan. I have all the windows open and the fresh air feels so good. It feels about 20-30 degrees cooler than it did over in China. It was hot there. It is good to be home and getting things in order again. I am busy unpacking, doing laundry, sorting mail, checking Emails, updating this blog, and will go get some groceries soon to, so we have some food to eat.
CJ will be busy all day and night as the president is in from MN today. CJ was excited for him to come and see what progress they have made so far in cleaning up the building.
Hope this finds you all well and suppose all your kids and grandkids are back in school now. It is odd the school year here in Japan starts in April. So the kids here just went back from their 1 month summer vacation, but it is NOT the start of a new year for them.
I hope to go check on Japanese language classes and volunteering at the school next week after the holiday on Monday. September 15th here in Japan is the Respect for the Aged National holiday. I have no idea what they do to celebrate it, but I asked CJ to ask someone at work today? We are hoping to possibly go see a SUMO wrestling match on Monday as well, since CJ does not have work that day?
Well I had better run and switch over the laundry and then get going to the store.
More later from Japan.
Karla
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Sept 9, 2008...Karla enjoys another foot and body massage
Hi all
Well it is my last day here in Shanghai and I spent it like every other day, walking the streets. I headed to a different area of town and actually got smack dab in the middle of a few different hutongs. I saw many more fruit, veggie and meat markets all the same, as the one across the street from the hotel. When walking through one fish stand, I yelled to a lady to come get her eel that was on the loose and slithering it's way across the lane. Watched a boy make pork filled dumplings, and right next door I bought some Blue and white dragon rice pattern bowls from a man who was not very talkative at all. He had cheap prices though and I got 2 bowls for 8rem where as the other guys I asked earlier in the day elsewhere wanted 10rem for 1.
In another neighborhood area, I came across what looked like a wholesale book store plaza where teachers might come to buy books for class or possibly books stores ? I got a few kids chinese english books.
I made my way back to the massage place and enjoyed another 1 hour foot massage and then a full body one as well. What a well spent $10.00 for 2 hours of pampering.
Now I am back in my to hotel room and jotting this post before my 24 hours of internet runs out. I will eat soon and then repack my bags. CJ will be out late for his last dinner meeting tonight and then we leave tomorrow morning for Japan. Yeah!
I have enjoyed my stay here in Shanghai, but I am ready to go home. I have covered lots of ground and saw so much of the same, day after day, that I only took 12 pictures today..I think that is a record for me.
I definetly feel I would have had a different trip if I knew some of the language. I felt a bit frustrated at times, as I really was not able to communicate with as many as I would have liked. Found my dictionary too late to really get into it this trip, but if I get to go to other areas of China later on, I will be sure to study up some before returning.
It has been a colorful, scented, and sound filled trip with lots of construction all over this big city. I am so looking forward to going home to my quiet house on the hill in my clean little neighborhood, cooking some meals and not being on vacation for a little bit. It has been fun, but I need to get a life again and into a routine learning some Japanese I hope and maybe some volunteer work at the school.
More from Japan later this week
Karla and CJ
Well it is my last day here in Shanghai and I spent it like every other day, walking the streets. I headed to a different area of town and actually got smack dab in the middle of a few different hutongs. I saw many more fruit, veggie and meat markets all the same, as the one across the street from the hotel. When walking through one fish stand, I yelled to a lady to come get her eel that was on the loose and slithering it's way across the lane. Watched a boy make pork filled dumplings, and right next door I bought some Blue and white dragon rice pattern bowls from a man who was not very talkative at all. He had cheap prices though and I got 2 bowls for 8rem where as the other guys I asked earlier in the day elsewhere wanted 10rem for 1.
In another neighborhood area, I came across what looked like a wholesale book store plaza where teachers might come to buy books for class or possibly books stores ? I got a few kids chinese english books.
I made my way back to the massage place and enjoyed another 1 hour foot massage and then a full body one as well. What a well spent $10.00 for 2 hours of pampering.
Now I am back in my to hotel room and jotting this post before my 24 hours of internet runs out. I will eat soon and then repack my bags. CJ will be out late for his last dinner meeting tonight and then we leave tomorrow morning for Japan. Yeah!
I have enjoyed my stay here in Shanghai, but I am ready to go home. I have covered lots of ground and saw so much of the same, day after day, that I only took 12 pictures today..I think that is a record for me.
I definetly feel I would have had a different trip if I knew some of the language. I felt a bit frustrated at times, as I really was not able to communicate with as many as I would have liked. Found my dictionary too late to really get into it this trip, but if I get to go to other areas of China later on, I will be sure to study up some before returning.
It has been a colorful, scented, and sound filled trip with lots of construction all over this big city. I am so looking forward to going home to my quiet house on the hill in my clean little neighborhood, cooking some meals and not being on vacation for a little bit. It has been fun, but I need to get a life again and into a routine learning some Japanese I hope and maybe some volunteer work at the school.
More from Japan later this week
Karla and CJ
Monday, September 8, 2008
Sept 8 ,2008 KJ's 3 hour boat cruise on Huangpu River
After some computer work this morning and a late breakfast I made my way down to the Bund to see about tickets for the river cruise. I got there about 11:3am and found the 3 hour cruise was not until 2pm. It was a very hot and sunny day, so I just decided to sit under a trellised bench area in the shade and people watch for an hour and a half till I could board the ferry.
I sat where there was a family selling cantelope and watermelon on a stick. They had a little portable wood table that he could pick up and move very quickly when the cops came by on their golf cart and told them to get off the area. They were busy non-stop and went through 8-10 melons while I sat there I think. They had their stash of melons hidden in the hedges. When the dad would get down to 5 pieces or so of cut melon then he would send his teen age daughter into the bushes and she would come out with another melon or 2. Then he would cut the rind off, put 2 sticks in it and begin to slice sections off. Many people of all ages stopped to get a fresh fruit treat. They had like a team of 4-5 people. The cutter, the melon retriever, the vendors, and the lookout for the cops person. Their whole procedure was down to a science.
At 1:30 I boarded the ferry and found a nice spot in the back with a breeze. There was about 20 white folks on the tour. I met one couple from Pennsylvania whose son lives here and they are visiting him. The other couples all seemed to be from Europe by their accents that I could hear anyway and everyone seemed to be pretty quiet and just enjoying being together relaxing on the top deck so it was a rather quiet tour. I was busy taking pics so I was just fine.
A deaf guy Wang had some stampers he carved and sold so I bought one with 2 coi fish and had him put my name on it. I also found CJ an interesting,one of a kind Happy Buddha Paperweight. We rode all along the Huangpu river out to where the Yangtze River joins with it, before flowing into the China Sea. It was a long journey and full of many ships, big and small,lots of color, big huge cranes in orange and blue that looked like dinosaurs to me. I could not believe the size of some of the ships. People waved at us from numerous different ships, boats, barges as we passed by. They gave us each a little bag of goodies too. I saved mine and will share them with CJ tomorrow.
On our way back we had such a pretty view as the sun was going down and cast some nice shadows and color on the buildings.
The skyline was so 3 dimensional looking and with so many different shades of blue-it was very pretty.
Back at the dock and I headed for the hotel. Stopping first at a few book stores where I found a dictionary and some english testing books for seniors. I wanted to see what kind of info they use to teach english. Ate dinner in the hotel and had pizza and salad. CJ came by, just as I was asking the girl to box up my leftovers and so helped me eat the rest I was going to take away. Then he went out with the guys and I came back up here to type these posts. He is sleeping now and I too am headed that way as soon as I finish this up. He has a 6:30 taxi tomorrow morning and I have my last day of exploration? I think there is only one direction I have not gone yet, and so I wil go west tomorrow and hopefully find another place for one more foot massage tomorrow afternoon or night.
Good night
Karla and CJ
I sat where there was a family selling cantelope and watermelon on a stick. They had a little portable wood table that he could pick up and move very quickly when the cops came by on their golf cart and told them to get off the area. They were busy non-stop and went through 8-10 melons while I sat there I think. They had their stash of melons hidden in the hedges. When the dad would get down to 5 pieces or so of cut melon then he would send his teen age daughter into the bushes and she would come out with another melon or 2. Then he would cut the rind off, put 2 sticks in it and begin to slice sections off. Many people of all ages stopped to get a fresh fruit treat. They had like a team of 4-5 people. The cutter, the melon retriever, the vendors, and the lookout for the cops person. Their whole procedure was down to a science.
At 1:30 I boarded the ferry and found a nice spot in the back with a breeze. There was about 20 white folks on the tour. I met one couple from Pennsylvania whose son lives here and they are visiting him. The other couples all seemed to be from Europe by their accents that I could hear anyway and everyone seemed to be pretty quiet and just enjoying being together relaxing on the top deck so it was a rather quiet tour. I was busy taking pics so I was just fine.
A deaf guy Wang had some stampers he carved and sold so I bought one with 2 coi fish and had him put my name on it. I also found CJ an interesting,one of a kind Happy Buddha Paperweight. We rode all along the Huangpu river out to where the Yangtze River joins with it, before flowing into the China Sea. It was a long journey and full of many ships, big and small,lots of color, big huge cranes in orange and blue that looked like dinosaurs to me. I could not believe the size of some of the ships. People waved at us from numerous different ships, boats, barges as we passed by. They gave us each a little bag of goodies too. I saved mine and will share them with CJ tomorrow.
On our way back we had such a pretty view as the sun was going down and cast some nice shadows and color on the buildings.
The skyline was so 3 dimensional looking and with so many different shades of blue-it was very pretty.
Back at the dock and I headed for the hotel. Stopping first at a few book stores where I found a dictionary and some english testing books for seniors. I wanted to see what kind of info they use to teach english. Ate dinner in the hotel and had pizza and salad. CJ came by, just as I was asking the girl to box up my leftovers and so helped me eat the rest I was going to take away. Then he went out with the guys and I came back up here to type these posts. He is sleeping now and I too am headed that way as soon as I finish this up. He has a 6:30 taxi tomorrow morning and I have my last day of exploration? I think there is only one direction I have not gone yet, and so I wil go west tomorrow and hopefully find another place for one more foot massage tomorrow afternoon or night.
Good night
Karla and CJ
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Sept 6-7, 2008 ...CJ and I walk the streets of Shanghai
Ni hao,
Sorry I have not written the last few days. I have been very busy walking 5-7 hours a day and when I get back to the hotel I am pooped and into bed early, and one night I was out to eat with CJ and the guys.
We are having fun here in China, but I will be ready to go back home to my quiet little neighborhood in Disneyland, Japan later this week.
I will write more later today I hope, but right now the weather is nice and sunny, so I am off to see if I can take a river cruise on the Huangpu. I did make 2 photo albums on FACEBOOK about the sights I have seen so far here in Shanghai so check those out..
Well it is about 9pm on MOnday night 9/8 and CJ is out to dinner with the work guys and I just got back from my supper of pizza and salad here in the hotel, so I will try to get you up to date on this past weekend.
CJ had off both Saturday and Sunday and so we enjoyed walking the streets of Shanghai together. Saturday we slept in and then after breakfast I took CJ on a tour of my market street. We saw more fruits and veggies, and then all the seafood and meat products. Fish heads, eel, chicken parts of all kinds ,turtles, bags of frogs, crabs, shrimp,...The oddest thing was the 10 tiny freshly skinned alive birds tied by their feet in bundles of 5. The hearts were still beating and heads twitching. CJ tried to get a video of it but some lady bought the 5 that were moving the most and by the time he got his camera out, they guy already had them in a bag for her. I wonder what kind of birds they were and if she was making soup?
Then we turned down the street I saw from the hotel and had a good show as a man sold a live chicken to a lady and right before our eyes, he slit it's throat, plunged it in hot water to soften the feathers and then plucked them all and butchered it,removed the guts....We then meandered through the streets looking for the french concession.
We passed through another street where they were busy making peking duck, boiling shrimp, tying up crabs to cook....Next stop was down a street that had all kinds of antiques and old trinkets for sale. Mao Sa Tung hats, figurines, pins,....We were looking for the spice market but I don't think we saw it. We did see one guy selling green and gold raisins that were very tasty. Down the road a bit we then came upon a foot massage place and so I went in to see how much it cost. 30 rem for 1 hour, that is $5.00. So I immediately sat down and had my feet pampered for the next hour. First they soaked them in hot rose water....Ahhh! CJ had his fingernails cut by the guy with a straight edge razor while they worked on my feet. Then they said they do full body massages upstairs for 30 rem as well and so of course we did NOT pass that deal up. We both had a full body 1 hour massage for 30rem each. When we were all said and done it cost us 100rem or $16. I couldn't help myself I had to give them each a 10 percent tip. It was too crazy of a price. I felt like a new woman and CJ was more relaxed than ever.
We then continued zig zagging our way through town up and down the streets that looked like they had some action on them. We finally got to the french concession area and enjoyed a walk in the Fuxing Park. It was very busy with families flying kites,little girls working hard paddling paddle boats on the pond. There were many different tables where groups of men were busy playing cards and crowds of more men gathered around the tables to watch. Other smaller tables and benches were full of men playing chinese chess and chinese checkers I think? There were also men and women doing ballroom dancing.
When exiting the park I had a good laugh when the park rules sign stated "No visitors shall urinate or shit"......YES it really said that..see photo. On the street outside the park they were having a Thai festival. We walked past the stands and saw a man carving veggies into flowers, got some travel brochures, sampled some herbal toothpaste, saw a man painting umbrellas, listened to a bit of music....
Then we made our way back to the hotel via numerous other parks and a rest before dinner out with the guys. We ended up at an old historic Irish pub O'Malley's. The boys enjoyed their Guinness beer with some big onion rings, potatoe wedges and Irish meat pies. I ate more grease that night then I have in years and so I stuck with a salad. UGH! The Guinness girls were there and having some kind of pool competition. If you ordered a Guinness you could play for free, but they all declined. CJ and Mike did get their photo with one of the girls. Back home and to bed.
Sunday Sept 7, 2008
Sunday we slept in again and then headed in the opposite direction after breakfast. CJ wanted to walk through Yuyuan Garden area and so we headed that way first. We instantly were swarmed by the watch and bag folks, so needless to say we made our way through there very quickly. We did walk over by the tea house and watched all the people walking across the bridge while watching the coi in the pond below. Next we walked toward the Bund area as CJ wanted to see that area as well. It was a beautiful day out, so quite a few people were around. Continuing on, we walked north of the Bund and around the curve in the river. When we got all the way over there,we could never find the walk along the water. Darn! So we just walked back through all the neighborhood streets and looked for roads that had action. We passed some workers dressed in blue who were all sitting around a big table and having a soup lunch. Then we came upon another huge shopping area and with that more watch and bag guys.:-( There were two guys that followed us for 4 blocks I think. Finally when I turned around and took his picture he left. There were so many people out and about it was ridiculous. I told CJ "NOW this is the crowded CHINA you hear about."
I so do NOT like the whole shopping thing and much prefer my little market streets with all the different looking and smelling foods. I think we hit all the shopping mall like areas in that stretch of town. It was so nice to get to the People's Park and to sit in the green grassy shaded area for a bit. Three college students from some province in the middle of China came by and chatted with CJ and I for about a 1/2 hour or so. They were buisness and english majors and did very well with it.
We then made our way back to the hotel and to the Chinese restaurant. I had won ton soup, black bean chicken,and white rice. CJ had teriakyi beef, garlic veggies and rice. We shared a really interesting and BIG desert. Fruit pancakes. There were 5 very brightly dyed and colored crepe skins folded into rectangles with whip cream and fruit inside. One had banana, another apple, mango, blueberry, papaya. I can't believe someone would eat that all on their own. It was tasty and the waitress Joyce was so cute and sweet. I don't like their English names. I prefer their real Chinese names. Seems more authentic to me.
Sorry I have not written the last few days. I have been very busy walking 5-7 hours a day and when I get back to the hotel I am pooped and into bed early, and one night I was out to eat with CJ and the guys.
We are having fun here in China, but I will be ready to go back home to my quiet little neighborhood in Disneyland, Japan later this week.
I will write more later today I hope, but right now the weather is nice and sunny, so I am off to see if I can take a river cruise on the Huangpu. I did make 2 photo albums on FACEBOOK about the sights I have seen so far here in Shanghai so check those out..
Well it is about 9pm on MOnday night 9/8 and CJ is out to dinner with the work guys and I just got back from my supper of pizza and salad here in the hotel, so I will try to get you up to date on this past weekend.
CJ had off both Saturday and Sunday and so we enjoyed walking the streets of Shanghai together. Saturday we slept in and then after breakfast I took CJ on a tour of my market street. We saw more fruits and veggies, and then all the seafood and meat products. Fish heads, eel, chicken parts of all kinds ,turtles, bags of frogs, crabs, shrimp,...The oddest thing was the 10 tiny freshly skinned alive birds tied by their feet in bundles of 5. The hearts were still beating and heads twitching. CJ tried to get a video of it but some lady bought the 5 that were moving the most and by the time he got his camera out, they guy already had them in a bag for her. I wonder what kind of birds they were and if she was making soup?
Then we turned down the street I saw from the hotel and had a good show as a man sold a live chicken to a lady and right before our eyes, he slit it's throat, plunged it in hot water to soften the feathers and then plucked them all and butchered it,removed the guts....We then meandered through the streets looking for the french concession.
We passed through another street where they were busy making peking duck, boiling shrimp, tying up crabs to cook....Next stop was down a street that had all kinds of antiques and old trinkets for sale. Mao Sa Tung hats, figurines, pins,....We were looking for the spice market but I don't think we saw it. We did see one guy selling green and gold raisins that were very tasty. Down the road a bit we then came upon a foot massage place and so I went in to see how much it cost. 30 rem for 1 hour, that is $5.00. So I immediately sat down and had my feet pampered for the next hour. First they soaked them in hot rose water....Ahhh! CJ had his fingernails cut by the guy with a straight edge razor while they worked on my feet. Then they said they do full body massages upstairs for 30 rem as well and so of course we did NOT pass that deal up. We both had a full body 1 hour massage for 30rem each. When we were all said and done it cost us 100rem or $16. I couldn't help myself I had to give them each a 10 percent tip. It was too crazy of a price. I felt like a new woman and CJ was more relaxed than ever.
We then continued zig zagging our way through town up and down the streets that looked like they had some action on them. We finally got to the french concession area and enjoyed a walk in the Fuxing Park. It was very busy with families flying kites,little girls working hard paddling paddle boats on the pond. There were many different tables where groups of men were busy playing cards and crowds of more men gathered around the tables to watch. Other smaller tables and benches were full of men playing chinese chess and chinese checkers I think? There were also men and women doing ballroom dancing.
When exiting the park I had a good laugh when the park rules sign stated "No visitors shall urinate or shit"......YES it really said that..see photo. On the street outside the park they were having a Thai festival. We walked past the stands and saw a man carving veggies into flowers, got some travel brochures, sampled some herbal toothpaste, saw a man painting umbrellas, listened to a bit of music....
Then we made our way back to the hotel via numerous other parks and a rest before dinner out with the guys. We ended up at an old historic Irish pub O'Malley's. The boys enjoyed their Guinness beer with some big onion rings, potatoe wedges and Irish meat pies. I ate more grease that night then I have in years and so I stuck with a salad. UGH! The Guinness girls were there and having some kind of pool competition. If you ordered a Guinness you could play for free, but they all declined. CJ and Mike did get their photo with one of the girls. Back home and to bed.
Sunday Sept 7, 2008
Sunday we slept in again and then headed in the opposite direction after breakfast. CJ wanted to walk through Yuyuan Garden area and so we headed that way first. We instantly were swarmed by the watch and bag folks, so needless to say we made our way through there very quickly. We did walk over by the tea house and watched all the people walking across the bridge while watching the coi in the pond below. Next we walked toward the Bund area as CJ wanted to see that area as well. It was a beautiful day out, so quite a few people were around. Continuing on, we walked north of the Bund and around the curve in the river. When we got all the way over there,we could never find the walk along the water. Darn! So we just walked back through all the neighborhood streets and looked for roads that had action. We passed some workers dressed in blue who were all sitting around a big table and having a soup lunch. Then we came upon another huge shopping area and with that more watch and bag guys.:-( There were two guys that followed us for 4 blocks I think. Finally when I turned around and took his picture he left. There were so many people out and about it was ridiculous. I told CJ "NOW this is the crowded CHINA you hear about."
I so do NOT like the whole shopping thing and much prefer my little market streets with all the different looking and smelling foods. I think we hit all the shopping mall like areas in that stretch of town. It was so nice to get to the People's Park and to sit in the green grassy shaded area for a bit. Three college students from some province in the middle of China came by and chatted with CJ and I for about a 1/2 hour or so. They were buisness and english majors and did very well with it.
We then made our way back to the hotel and to the Chinese restaurant. I had won ton soup, black bean chicken,and white rice. CJ had teriakyi beef, garlic veggies and rice. We shared a really interesting and BIG desert. Fruit pancakes. There were 5 very brightly dyed and colored crepe skins folded into rectangles with whip cream and fruit inside. One had banana, another apple, mango, blueberry, papaya. I can't believe someone would eat that all on their own. It was tasty and the waitress Joyce was so cute and sweet. I don't like their English names. I prefer their real Chinese names. Seems more authentic to me.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Sept 5, 2008 It is a wet and rainy day here in China
Ni Hao
It is about 6pm and I am waiting for CJ to call or come home from work. I just got back from a 7 hr walk in the rain across the river in the Pudong area. I was drenched from head to toe when I got back and so enjoyed a nice hot soak in the tub and then a shower. Ahhh..I am actually having a hard time staying awake now, I am so relaxed.
So today's adventure went like this..I got up at 7am and worked on Emails a bit, had breakfast, chatted with the operations manager of the hotel and he told me to go to the French concessions area. So I headed in that direction around 9am and passed through the Yuyuan garden area first since it is right next to the hotel here. I walked down a new market street and found some cute Beijing Olympic Fuwa doll magnets, but no luck with pins. Then looked around through an indoor mall like they have in Honduras. It was loaded to the gills with everything imaginable, T shirts, decorations, paper products, sandals,toys, clothes, trinkets of all kinds....
I saw a cute little street and so I took that, which I think ended up being in a little neighborhood and I was getting a few odd looks from people, like what are you doing in here? They all look me up and down form head to toe. Very different than in Japan where they don't make eye contact with you at all nor do they want to get caught looking at you.
Right when I was exiting that area through an archway a girl came up to me and was saying something like, "You have lots of bags so watch them, come here." So I at first thought she was being nice and telling me to be careful in the crowded area I was soon going to be in and to watch my bags, like there was pick pocketers..I had my purse crossed over my chest and another bag with my raincoat,sweater and some snacks hanging on my shoulder. Then she told me to come with her and she led me back under the archway and towards a little house or room. There were several older people inside the arch that were watching me. She went in the door and back into the room and told me to come in. I of course did NOT go in, but stood outside and said what do you want. Then another girl outside with me seemed very nervous as I stood looking in the door but I would not go in. She kept telling me to go in, while looking over my shoulder as if to see who was watching us? It was like she was doing something she should'nt be doing and like she was worried about getting caught. Then when I would NOT go in, she told me go go in a frustrated voice. So I turned around and left. The girl that was in the house then came out very quickly and walked past me very fast and went ahead of me and tried to lead me down the lane in the other direction. I just turned and went out under the archway.
As soon as I left the archway there was a guy with me just like that and he was trying to get me to come with him to buy watches and bags. So right then the lights went on and I realized they were all trying to get me to go to their different shops to buy watches and bags, purses...I told them I was only looking for Beijing pins and I did not want anything else. So I kept on walking down the street, now with the guy and the 2 girls all hawking at me to come with them to their shop this way and that way with the other one, and I could get lots of watches... It was so funny and annoying at the same time. I then realized why I did not miss going there yesterday. I remembered that from last time we were here and how it is so annoying when they don't take NO for an answer.
So I zigzagged down the street in one shop and out another then back and forth across the street trying to get them to leave me alone. They were very determined, and even stood outside the shops and actually waited for me to exit. They kept yelling to me even while I was looking in the other stores. I did find Olympic pins. YEAH! It was interesting how the girl wrote up my order gave me 2 receipts and I had to take them over to the cashier with my money and pay him. Then I took the two stamped receipts back to her and she kept 1 of them and gave me the other with my goods. They seem to be very strict about who handles the money here in Asia.
When I exited that store I just turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction, and finally they gave up when I entered into Yuyuan Garden area. My guess is they are not allowed in there.
I looked at the old teahouse by the fish pond and then walked down by the performance stage and caught a few different acts. Some ladies were doing a musical skit of some kind, then some older men did a dance and chant kind of number. A puppeteer with a man puppet playing a horn did his act and then some young boys in costumes got ready to do juggling on stilts and unicycles.
There too was an art fair going on and about 4 or 5 photographers were busy taking pics of this one artist with his silk fish Lanterns I think. I was taking pics of them taking pics of a mom and little boy looking at them and then they asked me to be in it. They were all so excited and so I made a crazy, excited face and they were snapping one photo after another and laughing. I wonder where those pictures are going to end up.:-P I started to walk away and I then had another man come and get me to go back so he could take more. I just stood there talking with the artist and the guy motioned to me to make more faces.... so I did.
I then continued on down the street and towards the French area or so I thought, but when I came to the main street I was actually going in the opposite direction. So I decided to head to the river instead and go there a different day. I too thought I had better go see if MR P really showed up again, as I did not want to go against my promise.
I walked through some more side street neighborhoods and watched a man scale his fish for supper. Many people were in and out of their houses and still in their pajamas. I think they might have been a bit surprised when they exited their homes and there was a big white girl right there face to face with them. They were probably thinking she is sure off the beaten path, but then those are the places I love the best. I have all I can do, to not ask if I can go in and see the inside to one of their little homes. At least they look little from the street, but from my visit in 2004 they usually are not as little as they seem. Most go back into a main courtyard and then have several seperate rooms off that.
So I then headed toward the Bund area and ran into more construction and so I was walking down a narrow corridor walled in on both sides by billboards hanging on the construction fences. It surprised me when I came upon a women sitting out in the middle of nowhere selling her corn on the cob and chinese goodies on a stick. I wondered where she was getting the fuel from. She must have had a propane tank under her counter?
When I got to the riverside promenade..not boardwalk I saw MR P walking towards me. He was headed to the terrace as I was an hour late and he did not sleep well last night and needed some coffee. So we no more than sat down and the rain let loose. I had tea and he had coffee and we chatted a bit while he made some phone calls about his school job. He did not talk as much today as yesterday and I could tell he was a bit precoccupied with his phone. I told him it was not necessary for us to stay here, and I could be on my merry way as I was planning to go across the river and see what was going on over there anyway. So we talked a bit more than he wanted to take me to show me where to get on the ferry. So we left our coffee and tea sitting at the table and went to see the ferry ticket area and then went back. He had a couple ears of sweet corn on a stick for 3 yuan a piece and drank the rest of my tea. Then he said he had to leave for his class and got up and left. I then got up to go and when I went to leave the area the lady yelled to me you have to pay. I said he paid and she said no. I said well I am not paying for him I will pay for my tea and that was it. It was 45yuan for a cup of tea. That was kind of what I expected him to do,as he kept asking me yesterday if I wanted to go and get a drink or bite to eat and I said no as I assumed he was going to have me pay. That is one thing I do NOT like when people take advantage of others like that. It is that same old thing where we Americans have money and so everyone wants it. Heck he invited me so if he was polite he should have paid for me or at least gone dutch.
So after I paid up I went and got my ferry tickets and made my way across the very busy river. There were boats coming and going in all directions. It was very rainy and foggy too.
When I got to Pudong I walked down along the riverside promenade on that bank and enjoyed the heavy rain. I was out there pretty much all alone. Then I walked over to the TV tower and to the convention center where I finally decided I had better put on my raincoat, as I was getting soaked to the bone. My dress from my thighs down was totally drenched.
Walked back along another road up through the park and over to the new financial building. Then walked in a big rain puddle along the traffic jam and back to the ferry and my ride back across the river. I walked on different streets back to the hotel and saw many folks trying to stay dry in their rainbow assortment of rain gear. The ponchos were big enough to drape over the motorbike and had a clear plastic portion that went over the odometer so they could read the dials.
I too passed many a shop with very colorful bags of powder. It was for dying material. I found another indoor mall across from the hotel and bought a couple very cheap counted cross stitch kits. Oh how I wish I knew what other people might want as they had such a variety to choose from and the prices seemed so much cheaper than back home?
Back to the hotel, where I enjoyed a hot soaking bath, shower and draped my wet clothes, purse, bag all over the room to dry. It reminded me of our Fuji hike and how everything was soaked again,but I was thankfully not freezing like then.
CJ came back to the hotel and we were both tired so we ordered room service and ate while he had a phone call with guy from MN. We had Chicken Caeser salads and French Onion soup. I'm finishing this blog and then I'm off to bed, CJ is already alseep.
Pretty sure CJ and I get to hang out tomorrow and possibly we will go to the French area?
Sayonara
Karla and CJ
It is about 6pm and I am waiting for CJ to call or come home from work. I just got back from a 7 hr walk in the rain across the river in the Pudong area. I was drenched from head to toe when I got back and so enjoyed a nice hot soak in the tub and then a shower. Ahhh..I am actually having a hard time staying awake now, I am so relaxed.
So today's adventure went like this..I got up at 7am and worked on Emails a bit, had breakfast, chatted with the operations manager of the hotel and he told me to go to the French concessions area. So I headed in that direction around 9am and passed through the Yuyuan garden area first since it is right next to the hotel here. I walked down a new market street and found some cute Beijing Olympic Fuwa doll magnets, but no luck with pins. Then looked around through an indoor mall like they have in Honduras. It was loaded to the gills with everything imaginable, T shirts, decorations, paper products, sandals,toys, clothes, trinkets of all kinds....
I saw a cute little street and so I took that, which I think ended up being in a little neighborhood and I was getting a few odd looks from people, like what are you doing in here? They all look me up and down form head to toe. Very different than in Japan where they don't make eye contact with you at all nor do they want to get caught looking at you.
Right when I was exiting that area through an archway a girl came up to me and was saying something like, "You have lots of bags so watch them, come here." So I at first thought she was being nice and telling me to be careful in the crowded area I was soon going to be in and to watch my bags, like there was pick pocketers..I had my purse crossed over my chest and another bag with my raincoat,sweater and some snacks hanging on my shoulder. Then she told me to come with her and she led me back under the archway and towards a little house or room. There were several older people inside the arch that were watching me. She went in the door and back into the room and told me to come in. I of course did NOT go in, but stood outside and said what do you want. Then another girl outside with me seemed very nervous as I stood looking in the door but I would not go in. She kept telling me to go in, while looking over my shoulder as if to see who was watching us? It was like she was doing something she should'nt be doing and like she was worried about getting caught. Then when I would NOT go in, she told me go go in a frustrated voice. So I turned around and left. The girl that was in the house then came out very quickly and walked past me very fast and went ahead of me and tried to lead me down the lane in the other direction. I just turned and went out under the archway.
As soon as I left the archway there was a guy with me just like that and he was trying to get me to come with him to buy watches and bags. So right then the lights went on and I realized they were all trying to get me to go to their different shops to buy watches and bags, purses...I told them I was only looking for Beijing pins and I did not want anything else. So I kept on walking down the street, now with the guy and the 2 girls all hawking at me to come with them to their shop this way and that way with the other one, and I could get lots of watches... It was so funny and annoying at the same time. I then realized why I did not miss going there yesterday. I remembered that from last time we were here and how it is so annoying when they don't take NO for an answer.
So I zigzagged down the street in one shop and out another then back and forth across the street trying to get them to leave me alone. They were very determined, and even stood outside the shops and actually waited for me to exit. They kept yelling to me even while I was looking in the other stores. I did find Olympic pins. YEAH! It was interesting how the girl wrote up my order gave me 2 receipts and I had to take them over to the cashier with my money and pay him. Then I took the two stamped receipts back to her and she kept 1 of them and gave me the other with my goods. They seem to be very strict about who handles the money here in Asia.
When I exited that store I just turned around and started to walk in the opposite direction, and finally they gave up when I entered into Yuyuan Garden area. My guess is they are not allowed in there.
I looked at the old teahouse by the fish pond and then walked down by the performance stage and caught a few different acts. Some ladies were doing a musical skit of some kind, then some older men did a dance and chant kind of number. A puppeteer with a man puppet playing a horn did his act and then some young boys in costumes got ready to do juggling on stilts and unicycles.
There too was an art fair going on and about 4 or 5 photographers were busy taking pics of this one artist with his silk fish Lanterns I think. I was taking pics of them taking pics of a mom and little boy looking at them and then they asked me to be in it. They were all so excited and so I made a crazy, excited face and they were snapping one photo after another and laughing. I wonder where those pictures are going to end up.:-P I started to walk away and I then had another man come and get me to go back so he could take more. I just stood there talking with the artist and the guy motioned to me to make more faces.... so I did.
I then continued on down the street and towards the French area or so I thought, but when I came to the main street I was actually going in the opposite direction. So I decided to head to the river instead and go there a different day. I too thought I had better go see if MR P really showed up again, as I did not want to go against my promise.
I walked through some more side street neighborhoods and watched a man scale his fish for supper. Many people were in and out of their houses and still in their pajamas. I think they might have been a bit surprised when they exited their homes and there was a big white girl right there face to face with them. They were probably thinking she is sure off the beaten path, but then those are the places I love the best. I have all I can do, to not ask if I can go in and see the inside to one of their little homes. At least they look little from the street, but from my visit in 2004 they usually are not as little as they seem. Most go back into a main courtyard and then have several seperate rooms off that.
So I then headed toward the Bund area and ran into more construction and so I was walking down a narrow corridor walled in on both sides by billboards hanging on the construction fences. It surprised me when I came upon a women sitting out in the middle of nowhere selling her corn on the cob and chinese goodies on a stick. I wondered where she was getting the fuel from. She must have had a propane tank under her counter?
When I got to the riverside promenade..not boardwalk I saw MR P walking towards me. He was headed to the terrace as I was an hour late and he did not sleep well last night and needed some coffee. So we no more than sat down and the rain let loose. I had tea and he had coffee and we chatted a bit while he made some phone calls about his school job. He did not talk as much today as yesterday and I could tell he was a bit precoccupied with his phone. I told him it was not necessary for us to stay here, and I could be on my merry way as I was planning to go across the river and see what was going on over there anyway. So we talked a bit more than he wanted to take me to show me where to get on the ferry. So we left our coffee and tea sitting at the table and went to see the ferry ticket area and then went back. He had a couple ears of sweet corn on a stick for 3 yuan a piece and drank the rest of my tea. Then he said he had to leave for his class and got up and left. I then got up to go and when I went to leave the area the lady yelled to me you have to pay. I said he paid and she said no. I said well I am not paying for him I will pay for my tea and that was it. It was 45yuan for a cup of tea. That was kind of what I expected him to do,as he kept asking me yesterday if I wanted to go and get a drink or bite to eat and I said no as I assumed he was going to have me pay. That is one thing I do NOT like when people take advantage of others like that. It is that same old thing where we Americans have money and so everyone wants it. Heck he invited me so if he was polite he should have paid for me or at least gone dutch.
So after I paid up I went and got my ferry tickets and made my way across the very busy river. There were boats coming and going in all directions. It was very rainy and foggy too.
When I got to Pudong I walked down along the riverside promenade on that bank and enjoyed the heavy rain. I was out there pretty much all alone. Then I walked over to the TV tower and to the convention center where I finally decided I had better put on my raincoat, as I was getting soaked to the bone. My dress from my thighs down was totally drenched.
Walked back along another road up through the park and over to the new financial building. Then walked in a big rain puddle along the traffic jam and back to the ferry and my ride back across the river. I walked on different streets back to the hotel and saw many folks trying to stay dry in their rainbow assortment of rain gear. The ponchos were big enough to drape over the motorbike and had a clear plastic portion that went over the odometer so they could read the dials.
I too passed many a shop with very colorful bags of powder. It was for dying material. I found another indoor mall across from the hotel and bought a couple very cheap counted cross stitch kits. Oh how I wish I knew what other people might want as they had such a variety to choose from and the prices seemed so much cheaper than back home?
Back to the hotel, where I enjoyed a hot soaking bath, shower and draped my wet clothes, purse, bag all over the room to dry. It reminded me of our Fuji hike and how everything was soaked again,but I was thankfully not freezing like then.
CJ came back to the hotel and we were both tired so we ordered room service and ate while he had a phone call with guy from MN. We had Chicken Caeser salads and French Onion soup. I'm finishing this blog and then I'm off to bed, CJ is already alseep.
Pretty sure CJ and I get to hang out tomorrow and possibly we will go to the French area?
Sayonara
Karla and CJ
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