The Sign of the Times...and the Weekend.

So the trip out of Tokyo also provided much entertainment in terms of new (read: hilarious) signs. While we couldn't photograph the majority of them as we were either too tired, too hungry or running for whatever public transport was next on the list, we did however, get the best one.

And to be the best sign of all the signs we had seen this weekend means a lot, it had to compete with the 'Royal Hind' on an Indian Restaurant sign, the 'No Smorking' outside the bus terminal and the 'Town Sneakers' sign, which I still don't know if it was referring to a shoe shop sponsoring the sign or some actual sneakers sneaking about town.

So anyway, here it is..found in the restroom (thanks Max!) at a burger joint in Matsumoto, where we stopped off on the way back to Tokyo to see a Castle. (hmm...that probably explains the royal hind) And yes, on the other side of the wall, there was the male equivalent of this sign. Don't Mistake yeah!

Snowed over, under and out!

So I have finally seen snow..in fact, I think it would be correct to say that I am 'all snowed out'.

Had the most delightful escape from Tokyo to a cosy Youth Hostel in the woods that we decided was in the middle of nowhere as there wasn't a single 7/11 in sight. In Japan, there is a 7/11 or combini (Japanese for Convenience Store) at every ten steps. seriously. Also, as Max, who found the place put it, its a good thing we showed up or the Hostel would have had to lose the 'Youth' from its name as the other 3 or so guests were well past their youth..and ours!

So yeah, the first contact with snow was kind of lackluster, with some measly snow lying on the pavement at one of the stops along the way. Of course, that still didn't stop the snowball fights, that then evolved into just taking a handful of snow and rubbing it onto your opponents face...hey! all's fair!

AND THEN...on the Sunday we took the Rope Way up a mountain... 2.240m above sea level, gently rocking to a temperature of -10 degrees Celsius. With snow all around you, and your fingers feeling like they were about to fall off...I had wholly, and truly, finally seen snow. OK I get the point, lets go back now.


Of course, not before a somewhat short yet classy snowman and a few million poses in the said snow. All in all a good first snow show experience.


hmmm...whats next?!!!

The land of fancy toilets..

Japan has the most interesting toilets one could ever come across. From the back to basics squatting type to those which have space shuttle controls on the side.

Will try post up all the different sorts I come across...starting with the one in my room.

The water saving, hand washing toilet device!

It may look like a wash basin/sink thing...


But its actually a toilet with water coming out of the tap thingy whenever you flush the toilet.

of Weird and White Christmases

May the spirit of consumerism be with you!

So Christmas has come and gone, and thank goodness I am living in a dorm with other foreigners who have Christmases similar to the ones I am used to. Because despite all the commercial pre-christmas hype in Japan, that's all there is to it. depressing. yes.

Never mind getting a holiday on Boxing Day, Christmas day itself is...a WORK day. And the 'Japanese Christmas' tradition is for couples to go out for dinner on Christmas Eve...er, I wonder what they do on Valentines day then...gather around the Christmas tree and sing carols?

so yeah luckily Uni closed for Winter Hols on the 22nd so we could try to re-create at least a sliver of the 'normal' Christmas the rest of us are used to...and it actually turned out to be quite okay. It was more a Latin-American Xmas thingo but a few of us non-latinos joined in on Xmas eve!..helped with the chopping, mixing etc and sat down to a yummy feast of lamb, potatoes, sweet potatoes (score!!!!!)and some yummy cakes etc etc. then stayed up till midnight to wish everyone Felis Navidad which lasted till 4am!!!!

There was a lot of reminiscing (ofcourse!) on what would be happening at home, "ahh, I would be scraping about a dozen coconuts for the Palusami etc right about now"..."oh, ppl would be opening their lovos around this time"...sigh.

Tomorrow am heading out to a place about 4hours outside Tokyo called Nagano for a few days and looking forward to my first ever sighting of...SNOW. So far this is the advice I have gotten:

-its wet
-its white
-its cold
-don't eat snow...unless you're outside Tokyo and know that it is fresh
-don't lick telephone poles.

So yeah, I think I am ready for my first ever snowy experience.

tis the season to ...kaicolo seasons!

Coming from a country which has eternal summers and...rain, the concept of having four different seasons a year is pretty...kaicolo worthy.

Got here in Summer which was sometimes unbearable even for me! Now we have reached the end of autumn and winter has begun in most parts of Japan. The Japanese promote "leaves watching" during autumn where popular places are named to go and see the leaves that have changed colour, actually went for a hike up a nearby mountain called Takaosan and yeah, very pretty trees with leaves that are red, orange yellow etc.

This was taken on the hike up Takaosan



Although i have found another way of enjoying autumn.

With winter setting in the pretty leaves from Autumn are all slowly falling off...my way of enjoying the leaves is jumping on the piles that collect under the trees and in the park etc.

Unfortunately the streets are cleaned a bit too efficiently so there are just a few windows of opportunity available to one to jump on the piles and hear them crunch...and for some unknown reason i get a great sense of enjoyment doing that. Envy the kids I sometimes see in the park who get to actually roll around in the piles of leaves. damn! just ain't fair!

Some of the trees at uni finally changed colour and the leaves are now falling off...walked out of class last Friday to a nice, sunny and windy day outside...everyone was shrieking in glee walking down this road with these leaves falling all around you. although..they aren't as crunchy when jumped upon. :)



this other one i took yesterday on the way to the cafeteria.

Yattooooo!!!!

So I finally have:

1) a laptop. Although its blasphemy to call it A laptop as it is more THE laptop. Saved up a months allowance (well it actually came in late coz i signed up late but i like to flatter myself) and did some (insane) marking of English exams and finally had enough to FINALLY get myself the new....macbook pro. This baby makes consumerism/materialism worth every ism.

2) Internet in me room! and oh boy is it fast. did a speed test:



:)

My life is complete.