Sunday, 16 September 2007
Off to tokyo again
So we found a place in Shibuya that sold mens clothes and then they left me to my own devices, which is not terribly sensible with me and clothes. This was demonstrated early on when I bought a t-shirt that they wouldn't let me try on (hygiene reasons), It was a large so it should fit... went to the next shop tried a few other shirts on (with some success) then though I'd try on my t-shirt, only to find I could bearly get my hands through the arms let alone my arms. Ah well! The rest of the shopping went quite well though, except that I mananged to buy the most expensive shirt of my entire life (£100) but it fitted me. Anything less than a XXL in Japan is a bit dodgy for me - my work shirt is a XXXL.
Afterwards we went to see Lohi, a Chinese friend of ours that works a bar in Tokyo while she studies. Nice place, Italian, on the 5th floor of a big building just out of Tokyo station, you know the exit begining with M... yes I was my usual attentive self.
This is Lohi's coffee art thing, Impressive as the coffee was still hot, unlike it would be if I did it!
Monday, 10 September 2007
Ooh ooh, found the firework setting on the camera
These were taken at the Katagai festival, about an hours drive south west of Niigata. This a special festival, Katagai is the town where they make fireworks, so it was always going to be a bit special. You know when you're at a display and at the end they send up a big one that's really loud? Well that's how this festival started.
This is what it looked like.
Sunday, 9 September 2007
Caught her at it again
So the festivities start with a bit of drum and flute playing, helped by little Masato. Here is Masato again. Masato is Shizuka's nephew.
and this time, the video
I was amazed I managed to keep the camera still, but I found looking through the camera was less scary than looking directly at what was going on.
Sunday, 2 September 2007
eating that flip over noodle thingy
Helpfully they provide a set of instructions - pictures too!
And now the all important toss...
The finished article
Scuba diving, the Verdict
We drove to a little community center by the beach. This was a reasonable sized room, with a tv, some exercise machines, a small kitchen, toilets and showers. You can tell you're in Japan because a) it's left unlocked most of the time and everything is still there, b) it's immaculate. Not many places you can say that about.
First thing you have to do is find some gear that fits. That's not easy for me in Japan but the instructor found something that sort of fitted - even if the knee pads were hanging out. Got all the rest of the gear on ok then set out to achieve neutral buoyancy.
Normally you would do your practice training in a swimming pool, but we did all our practice dives in the shallows of the coast.
I don't really like water, or the prospect of wading out with so much extra baggage (I mean the scuba gear). Every time I waded out my heart was really thumping and I had to fight against the feeling of panic. However, as soon as I was actually swimming I felt completely at ease. Bizarrely, I had problems with sinking and had to add an additional 10kg of weight but had so many problems remaining still on the bottom. The big problem with this was that every time your flippers brush the sea bed, clouds of silt make looking at the instructors signals very difficult.
So we went through all the drills, the hand signals, getting neutral buoyancy - nearly managed to drown doing the simulated loss of regulator. Shizuka took to it really well. Alarmingly, she used half as much air as I did. During one off my practice dives I nearly ran out.
Our final dive was a boat dive and we got to do that backwards fall of the boat, which was surprisingly easy - not the actual falling off bit, but it wasn't as disorienting as I expected. This dive was to 18m and was great. Ok it wasn't the great barrier reef, but as an experience if was wonderful. That was until I got some water in the nose of my mask I couldn't seem to clear and then actually running out of air just as I got to the surface - not a problem you would think, but you are supposed to keep the regulator in your mouth while swimming back to the boat. Not at all pleasant and when I got back to the boat I nearly threw up and then spent the rest of the trip back trying to recover.
A shame it had to finish that way, it really spoiled my experience. I want to do it again, but will definitely only do it with an instructor.
Saturday, 1 September 2007
Please give generously...
Scuba diving on Sado Island
So, Shizuka had to sort things out, and gets all the books and copies of the tests you have to do before starting - a good thing because it meant we could spend more time in the water when we got to Sado. For those of you who don't know where Sado island is...
The big green bit is Japan.
You will notice that Sado is an Island and therefore the first problem is actually getting there. There are two practical methods, the ferry and the Jet boat - and before you get too excited, the jet boat isn't quite as glamorous as it sounds - but it is considerable faster than the ferry (though considerably more expensive)
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Shizuka's birthday
Sunday, 26 August 2007
Party on the beach
To be fair (and ensure the event made some profit) Eric and I started slowly and threw an American football around (which I had forgotten how to do from last time). This was a laugh and even managed to get a few locals to join in. This ceased to be a laugh when I fumbled the ball resulting in my ring finger being bent in directions it wasn't supposed too. It went black and swelled up, but fortunately wasn't broken. I think the Americanism is 'jamming your finger'.
So we headed for the beer tent and soon after waded in waste deep in the delightfully warm water. And that's pretty much where we stayed until 1 am, only leaving the water to get more beer. It cost me a pair of sunglasses (which fell off my head and sank) but it was a great night. About 300 people came in the end so a big success (and relief) for Greg.
Monday, 20 August 2007
Good and bad taste in one evening
And now the bad taste. Very popular in Japan is a gambling game called Pachinco. Basically you buy a load of ball bearings that you shove in a slot and watch it bounce around a load of pins some of which activate various gambling games and the opportunity to win more ball bearings. You then trade what you have won back at the counter. The machines are garish and so loud (Glen, Tomomi and I had a short go in Osaka) and the exterior is pretty much the same.
Unfortunately, the picure doesn't do this place justice, but opposite the restaurant was this Pachinco place - bright orange with firework look flurescent lights and complete with bright orange palm trees - I don't know how we resisted going in.
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Tofu restaurant
It was a lucky 'find', the only reason we went the first time was because or poor Japanese teacher worked there (and I think we went mainly because she did think we would). She still does, which was great because we got a 20% discount. It's not cheap, but an interesting experience in a really nice setting - got me thinking about giving my dining room in England a Japanese theme.
Why I should never go sunbathing...
From this..
To this in maybe 30 mins - I had just finished putting sun cream on!
So I guess it's either back to the sunbed or remain zombie white - I think I upset someone upstairs
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Didn't last long..
She spent the rest of the day in bed and we had to cancel our trip to Tokyo, not only nursing her poorly stomach but the numerous 1 to 2 inch bites she had on her legs and bottom. I got away a bit more lightly and didn't have such a reaction to the bites. I did however get about 20 mosquito bites on my feet that were unbearably irritate by whatever foot wear I put on.
'why didn't you take some insect repellent?' I hear you say. We did, it was rubbish - enough said.
The day after, and just to complete a fantastic few days off, I was ill and laid up all day. I was actually really pleased to get back to work - a terrible thing to say.