SO. Here I am at last. I've come crawling back to you, dear readers. I have somethings that I have need to get off my chest and, well, you're here and, uh, listening? Gah, never mind. Skipping the intro; let's jump into the plot.
Of late I have been cooking a lot more than I have in the past. Now finding a restaurant with the food you like is a challenge. Finding the kind of food you want to cook with entirely different brands and unknown features PLUS everything written in a foreign language... yeeaaah. For me though, it hasn't proved to be too great an ordeal. Sure, I can't tell soy sauce from teriyaki, but at least I can tell the difference between pork and chicken. Conditions being what they are, I have yet to go beyond the simple level of cooking while I am here. That may or may not be a barrier I mean to breach. In the mean time, I content myself with stir-fry and rice with an egg cooked in. Appetizing and healthy in one good meal. I can live with that. As an addendum to this spiel, let me say something obvious. Japanese love rice. Their words for breakfast, lunch and dinner all contain the word for it. Simple grocery stores have Cost Co.-esque bags of it. It's cheap, it's available and, for any one one a budget, it beats instant ramen.
Last weekend, I made a trip out to Osaka with a Japanese friend to see the aquarium there. I won't go over much of the details. It struck my as a basic aquarium. Settings for the Arctic, river and sea creatures. One huge tank, filled with sharks, whale sharks, rays, what else was there? Oh, right. Penguins and dolphins, seals and otters. If it lives in the water and people want to see it, it was probably there. Now, the aquarium was built adjacent to this shopping center that also had a giant ferris wheel. And when I say giant, I'm not kidding. It is one hundred and twelve meters tall, which roughly equates to 370 feet, and it takes fifteen minutes to go around from start to finish. The aquarium offers a deal to those who want to see fish and what the world looks like from up there. It's only a hundred yen off, but hey, a penny saved, right? My companion had coerced me into getting into a clear box, one which you could see through at any angle. The line for it is a bit more time consuming because they're only four on the whole wheel, and since each box takes fifteen minutes to get around, well, you do the math.
Now, let me say this. I do not like heights. That's not to say i'm absolutely terrified of them buuut... when you find yourself precariously perched on a ledge and look down... Now, imagine that, but in a box, suspended near four hundred feet in the air, and even the floor is transparent. Yaaaay... I survived with my pride in tact. My friend whined a bit more than me but nothing about the whole affair left either of us embarrassed. A good trip all in all, I should say.
That is all I can think to put down for the moment. I have a couple of things that need attending to, but I have more to say for sure. Check back some time Wednesday or Thursday as I should have another post up but until then.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Thursday, September 19, 2013
It was Bound to Happen
So, I'm sick. Truth be told, I'm not all that surprised about it. A couple of friends of mine that have traveled abroad all ended up sick at some point, so I expected the same. What really surprises me was the brevity of the cold. I felt a good deal of it two nights ago before and I spent the rest of it restless in bed occasionally waking up to sweats. Deciding the day would be better spent in bed than in class, I roll over and sleep awhile longer. Waking up, I felt a good deal better, but too late to attend any of my classes. Well, it happens I suppose. I passed the day without incident and today I endure all classes with out a problem. Throat's still sore, but hey, I'd rather deal with that than a runny nose any day.
I spent the night out in Kyoto last Friday. A friend of mine, also named Matt (Man, what are the odds of finding another Matt in Japan? Pretty good, I guess, considering there's three in my building alone), took us to meet a friend of his who showed us to the places we would go. The first was a bar where we ended up drinking and eating. It cost 2500 yen for everybody, but this is a very fair price and here's why. On top of unlimited drink, we were served five courses. Well, more appetizers but that didn't detract from the fact that I walked out of the store full. To start off, there was edamame and fried shrimp skins that were akin to pork rinds. After that came two raw meats, ham and octopus, with pasta in a marina and a potato salad. There was a salad after those but let me put this out there, Japanese salads are different from American ones. They're made of vegetables, sure, and they have a dressing, but the make up of the vegetables and dressing differ from those back home. Ours was heavy on bean sprouts and onion as I remember and the dressing was bitter with a hint of oil. I ate it more out of duty than pleasure, truthfully. Then there were fries, pretty good in my opinion, and once those were cleared away bite-sized fried chicken was next. After that we had a good number of drinks and laughs (the pictures we came out with from the bar were nothing short of hilarious) and then head off to the clubs.
Japanese clubs are not to different from American clubs. They're loud, they're dark and they're full of drunk people dancing about as they please. Now the dancing style is pretty different. It was rare for me to spot any one dancing with anybody in a way that made it clear that they were together. Everyone seemed content to be by themselves and not try to bother others outside their group. Oh, and let's not forget the smoke. This is a detail I've managed to gloss over pretty easily, but the club really stuffed this fact down my throat. In Japan, you can smoke in doors. Bizarre, right? I can't remember the last time I walked into a public space back home and caught a whiff of cigarettes. Here, its odd not to. That's not to say that you'll be in a cloud of smoke, but don't be shocked when the gents the next table over start puffing away. Anyways, back to the club. It was filled with smog; a mixture of cigarette and smoke machine (healthy, no?) that often found its way to my eyes. Well, who needs to see when your packed in a tight space with dozens of others. It didn't take away from the fun though, and I soldier on into the night until the place closed. Then were moved to another club with similar conditions, but much smaller and more cramped.
Now let me voice something here that annoys me. Bathrooms that have the light on the wall outside. I hate that and the second club only amplified that. I walked into the restroom not knowing that at the first and having to go back out and finding the thing. Then when you go back inside, you have no way to make sure the light stays on. Anybody can bump up against the switch while your inside and busily occupied. And in a place where people are hard pressed just to find standing room, that's pretty likely as I found out. It was like going in a strobe light. So to summarize, having a light switch outside the restroom sucks.
Two hours later, we stumbled out, exhausted and wishing just to get home but we couldn't. It was another two hours before the trains started up again so we had to find a place to hang around before we could get back. That ended up being a McDonalds which didn't seem to mind you using a table as a headrest so long as you bought something before hand. We stayed there until the first train and climbed aboard for a long forty minute ride back to the station. From there, it was another forty minutes on foot to the dorms. And once we were back, I ended up collapsing into the bed, glad that staying awake was no longer an issue. And so, this post, like that night, comes to an end.
I spent the night out in Kyoto last Friday. A friend of mine, also named Matt (Man, what are the odds of finding another Matt in Japan? Pretty good, I guess, considering there's three in my building alone), took us to meet a friend of his who showed us to the places we would go. The first was a bar where we ended up drinking and eating. It cost 2500 yen for everybody, but this is a very fair price and here's why. On top of unlimited drink, we were served five courses. Well, more appetizers but that didn't detract from the fact that I walked out of the store full. To start off, there was edamame and fried shrimp skins that were akin to pork rinds. After that came two raw meats, ham and octopus, with pasta in a marina and a potato salad. There was a salad after those but let me put this out there, Japanese salads are different from American ones. They're made of vegetables, sure, and they have a dressing, but the make up of the vegetables and dressing differ from those back home. Ours was heavy on bean sprouts and onion as I remember and the dressing was bitter with a hint of oil. I ate it more out of duty than pleasure, truthfully. Then there were fries, pretty good in my opinion, and once those were cleared away bite-sized fried chicken was next. After that we had a good number of drinks and laughs (the pictures we came out with from the bar were nothing short of hilarious) and then head off to the clubs.
Japanese clubs are not to different from American clubs. They're loud, they're dark and they're full of drunk people dancing about as they please. Now the dancing style is pretty different. It was rare for me to spot any one dancing with anybody in a way that made it clear that they were together. Everyone seemed content to be by themselves and not try to bother others outside their group. Oh, and let's not forget the smoke. This is a detail I've managed to gloss over pretty easily, but the club really stuffed this fact down my throat. In Japan, you can smoke in doors. Bizarre, right? I can't remember the last time I walked into a public space back home and caught a whiff of cigarettes. Here, its odd not to. That's not to say that you'll be in a cloud of smoke, but don't be shocked when the gents the next table over start puffing away. Anyways, back to the club. It was filled with smog; a mixture of cigarette and smoke machine (healthy, no?) that often found its way to my eyes. Well, who needs to see when your packed in a tight space with dozens of others. It didn't take away from the fun though, and I soldier on into the night until the place closed. Then were moved to another club with similar conditions, but much smaller and more cramped.
Now let me voice something here that annoys me. Bathrooms that have the light on the wall outside. I hate that and the second club only amplified that. I walked into the restroom not knowing that at the first and having to go back out and finding the thing. Then when you go back inside, you have no way to make sure the light stays on. Anybody can bump up against the switch while your inside and busily occupied. And in a place where people are hard pressed just to find standing room, that's pretty likely as I found out. It was like going in a strobe light. So to summarize, having a light switch outside the restroom sucks.
Two hours later, we stumbled out, exhausted and wishing just to get home but we couldn't. It was another two hours before the trains started up again so we had to find a place to hang around before we could get back. That ended up being a McDonalds which didn't seem to mind you using a table as a headrest so long as you bought something before hand. We stayed there until the first train and climbed aboard for a long forty minute ride back to the station. From there, it was another forty minutes on foot to the dorms. And once we were back, I ended up collapsing into the bed, glad that staying awake was no longer an issue. And so, this post, like that night, comes to an end.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Better Late Than Never, Right? Right?
So, yeah, this thing again. I used to criticize people who made webcomics and failed to update them as promised. I now take those complaints back and apologize whole heartedly. I'm sorry. Really sorry. Like super duper sorry. So sorry that I would get down and-.
Enough, Matt. We get it.
Right. So, on with the blog.
For the last bit of this update, I want to talk about the rail system here in Japan. To me, a guy who's only experience of public transportation has been a few short circuits on the bus system up at Appalachian State, the Japanese train system can seem confusing and intimidating at first. Don't let it get the best of you. The Japanese put forth a lot of effort to help you, the foreigner, find your way around the country much like the rest of their populace. At the larger stations, there will be English translations of destinations, trains, the arrival times and where they will stop along the line. Some can get you where you need to go quickly, while others tend to go slow and hit every station along the line. Don't worry about missing the train (unless it's later than 11 o clock, you can worry then) as another one going to where you can to go showing up in another ten minutes. Transfers are likely for some of the longer trains but are not difficult to navigate. Other than that, my only advice is to discern what you can from the boards and platforms and not to be afraid to ask questions. I've had multiple Japanese people willingly help my friends and I along our merry way. For that I thank them and hope you have similar experiences to mine onboard the Japanese rails.Here's an oddity that maybe you never heard of. Hamburger steak. Seems like an oxymoron, eh? Not here in Japan. Not really much of a steak but certainly not lacking in terms of hamburger, the dish is one of Japan's more common meals. Akin to Salisbury Steak, it comes with the gravy and a side, usually rice. I love this meal, though I can't say as much of its cousin. Place it on top of your rice and you got yourself a lunch-slash-dinner combo that will last you up until the next time you feel hungry. The meat goes to pieces in your mouth as the sauce lingers wonderfully upon your tongue, even after you swallow. Doesn't sound much like a foreign dish, right? I don't think so either. Still it's something novel to me and so I'll pass on the experience to you.
Relatable to this meal is another flavorful rice and gravy match. It's called curry rice. Guess what's in it. It's a beef curry with a mixture of vegetables and, surprise, beef that coats half the plate. The other half is reserved for a stack of rice which you are to mix in with the curry. Again, its a beefy flavor but in a land where beef is high in demand but low in supply, I can't help but imagine the people would what they can to make a meal of it. It can come in variety of heats and spices and there are different flavors too if I understand it correctly. But so far, my only experience with curry rice has been at the schools cafeteria which is always the same. Beef, mild, cheap and good.
Omurice (Omelet rice) is another Japanese favorite. More often than not you'll run in to someone who knows how to make it and if not its a staple at cafes. It's basically just as it sounds. On omelet stacked on top of rice. Meat, mostly pork, is buried under the fried and flipped egg along with onions and plated over rice. A sauce is then poured on top of the concoction and is ready for you to consume. The sauce can vary, depending on what you decide. Typically, what is given is a ketchup based one but you can find others. I'm not one-hundred percent on what else there is but I am aware of a curry one. And you (unlikely) doubted me when I said curry was big here.
Now here's a real difference between Japan and what you're liable to find in North America. Horse sashimi. It's raw, it's real, it's here, so give it a shot. And don't give me that "poor horse" nonsense. It's meat and it can be tasty. I didn't really find it to be, but hey! that's me. I try to not let anything get in the way of you trying something new. Except for dog... or cat... I don't think I'll really go for those. Not that I've seen stores offering them. Just, putting that out there.
So far, that's all I've got on food.
Enough, Matt. We get it.
Right. So, on with the blog.
For the last bit of this update, I want to talk about the rail system here in Japan. To me, a guy who's only experience of public transportation has been a few short circuits on the bus system up at Appalachian State, the Japanese train system can seem confusing and intimidating at first. Don't let it get the best of you. The Japanese put forth a lot of effort to help you, the foreigner, find your way around the country much like the rest of their populace. At the larger stations, there will be English translations of destinations, trains, the arrival times and where they will stop along the line. Some can get you where you need to go quickly, while others tend to go slow and hit every station along the line. Don't worry about missing the train (unless it's later than 11 o clock, you can worry then) as another one going to where you can to go showing up in another ten minutes. Transfers are likely for some of the longer trains but are not difficult to navigate. Other than that, my only advice is to discern what you can from the boards and platforms and not to be afraid to ask questions. I've had multiple Japanese people willingly help my friends and I along our merry way. For that I thank them and hope you have similar experiences to mine onboard the Japanese rails.Here's an oddity that maybe you never heard of. Hamburger steak. Seems like an oxymoron, eh? Not here in Japan. Not really much of a steak but certainly not lacking in terms of hamburger, the dish is one of Japan's more common meals. Akin to Salisbury Steak, it comes with the gravy and a side, usually rice. I love this meal, though I can't say as much of its cousin. Place it on top of your rice and you got yourself a lunch-slash-dinner combo that will last you up until the next time you feel hungry. The meat goes to pieces in your mouth as the sauce lingers wonderfully upon your tongue, even after you swallow. Doesn't sound much like a foreign dish, right? I don't think so either. Still it's something novel to me and so I'll pass on the experience to you.
Relatable to this meal is another flavorful rice and gravy match. It's called curry rice. Guess what's in it. It's a beef curry with a mixture of vegetables and, surprise, beef that coats half the plate. The other half is reserved for a stack of rice which you are to mix in with the curry. Again, its a beefy flavor but in a land where beef is high in demand but low in supply, I can't help but imagine the people would what they can to make a meal of it. It can come in variety of heats and spices and there are different flavors too if I understand it correctly. But so far, my only experience with curry rice has been at the schools cafeteria which is always the same. Beef, mild, cheap and good.
Omurice (Omelet rice) is another Japanese favorite. More often than not you'll run in to someone who knows how to make it and if not its a staple at cafes. It's basically just as it sounds. On omelet stacked on top of rice. Meat, mostly pork, is buried under the fried and flipped egg along with onions and plated over rice. A sauce is then poured on top of the concoction and is ready for you to consume. The sauce can vary, depending on what you decide. Typically, what is given is a ketchup based one but you can find others. I'm not one-hundred percent on what else there is but I am aware of a curry one. And you (unlikely) doubted me when I said curry was big here.
Now here's a real difference between Japan and what you're liable to find in North America. Horse sashimi. It's raw, it's real, it's here, so give it a shot. And don't give me that "poor horse" nonsense. It's meat and it can be tasty. I didn't really find it to be, but hey! that's me. I try to not let anything get in the way of you trying something new. Except for dog... or cat... I don't think I'll really go for those. Not that I've seen stores offering them. Just, putting that out there.
So far, that's all I've got on food.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Checking In
Okay guys, I'm back but have need to keep this post brief. This week held very few surprises for me. To few trips were made and classes have, for the most part, kept me busy.
The school hosted an opening ceremony for all of us ryugakusei and my was it a formality. It seems to me that the Japanese have a taste for it as all of us were crammed into the Multimedia center and had speech after speech delivered to us. The highlight of it all was, as it usually is, the free luncheon given to us at the end. Silver linings, right?
Classes play out much like how they do back home with a given schedule time and class rules. The Japanese teachers expect you to speak in the language they are teaching you while the others don't really care as to how you answer so long as you answer.
So far, I've enrolled in two Japanese classes, and two focused on Japanese literature and films respectively. Already I've watched one film called Swallowtail Butterfly. I heavily endorse it as an artistic movie.
And now I apologize as this is all I can come up with at the moment. Look forward to this weekend as I plan to go to Osaka.
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