D.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Broadcasting Will Resume Shortly
D.
Monday, 9 November 2009
Beans and Boars in Sasayama
AM
Least: At 10:01am, I had to face the drudgery of calling in sick. The awkward conversation lasted only a few minutes, but after being put on hold a couple of times it seemed to last an hour. At least I felt much better knowing that I didn't have to work today - it's amazing what a day off can do.
Most: By 11:50am, I was speeding through the mountains with my mum, towards Sasayama, about 70km northwest of Osaka. The trees in the mountains were well on the way to their Autumn hues and the landscape was spectacular. The only downside were the long tunnels which took away the views just as quickly as they appeared. A great trip.
PM
Least: Just after 5:00pm, I was beset with a nagging headache. It could've been a lack of coffee, simple dehydration again or the towering beer that I had for lunch with my sukiyaki. Either way, it made the last leg of my journey home twice as boring as it otherwise might've been.
Most: At about 12:45pm, we arrived at the smallish town of Sasayama. After reading about the town in a local English magazine, we thought it might be a good day trip. The town had lots of small interesting shops, food stalls and the ruins of a castle that was built in 1609. The town is famed for its black beans and wild boar - many taxidermied versions of the latter adorned almost every restaurant. For lunch though, we tried the local beef and it was spectacular. As the only Europeans in town, numerous people came up to us and said hello - a really friendly and interesting town off the Lonely Planet map.
Most: By 11:50am, I was speeding through the mountains with my mum, towards Sasayama, about 70km northwest of Osaka. The trees in the mountains were well on the way to their Autumn hues and the landscape was spectacular. The only downside were the long tunnels which took away the views just as quickly as they appeared. A great trip.
PM
Most: At about 12:45pm, we arrived at the smallish town of Sasayama. After reading about the town in a local English magazine, we thought it might be a good day trip. The town had lots of small interesting shops, food stalls and the ruins of a castle that was built in 1609. The town is famed for its black beans and wild boar - many taxidermied versions of the latter adorned almost every restaurant. For lunch though, we tried the local beef and it was spectacular. As the only Europeans in town, numerous people came up to us and said hello - a really friendly and interesting town off the Lonely Planet map.
Lost in Umeda
Sunday 8th November 2009
AM
Least: At nearly 8:30am, my eyes opened to find that I had a serious hangover. The mixture of beer,chu-hi and champagne took its toll and gave me a searing headache. The shock of seeing my mother sitting on my couch last night was a sobering experience and hid the real level of drunkeness that I had attained at the takoyaki party. I just wish the reminder was a faint memory rather than a stinking headache.
Most: At 8:31am, despite my confusion and headache, it came back to me that mum had made a surprise visit and was snoring on the couch. It's weird how time seems to compress when people so familiar tunr up. It seems like yesterday, when Mum and Dad were here in February, or when I was eating roast lamb in August. I make Mum poached eggs on toast for breakfast and we ate while trying to decide what to do for the day.
PM
Least: Just after 1:00pm, I, with Rosie and Mum, was once again stumbling around, lost in Umeda trying to find the Sky Building. It is such a warren that even above ground it is almost impossible to confidently navigate the area. The problem is, that every corner looks the same and that after making any turn, any familiar landmarks immediately disappear. When I finally spotted the sky building, it was still a long walk away - they must have found some cheap land to build it on, because it's off by itself with little around it. Signs please.
Most: At about 1:20pm, as we ascended the Umeda Sky Building, Mum screamed at the glass lift rocketed up forty floors. By the time we were on the escalators that cross the building, Mum was very giddy. From the top of the tower, the familiar smog hid the horizon. Although this was my second visit to the building, the view still amazed me. The density of the city is incredibly and it seems to fill every possible area for building. Despite the agony of finding the place, it was worth the walk.
AM
Most: At 8:31am, despite my confusion and headache, it came back to me that mum had made a surprise visit and was snoring on the couch. It's weird how time seems to compress when people so familiar tunr up. It seems like yesterday, when Mum and Dad were here in February, or when I was eating roast lamb in August. I make Mum poached eggs on toast for breakfast and we ate while trying to decide what to do for the day.
PM
Most: At about 1:20pm, as we ascended the Umeda Sky Building, Mum screamed at the glass lift rocketed up forty floors. By the time we were on the escalators that cross the building, Mum was very giddy. From the top of the tower, the familiar smog hid the horizon. Although this was my second visit to the building, the view still amazed me. The density of the city is incredibly and it seems to fill every possible area for building. Despite the agony of finding the place, it was worth the walk.
The Surprise Part II
Saturday 7th November 2009
AM
Least: At nearly 11:00am, I sat down at work with tweny-five minutes to kill. I had arrived in Wakayama at 10:31am, a full three quarters of an hour before I have to clock in. Because of the train timetable on the JR Hanwa line, if I get a later train to attrive at 11:05am, I have to wait at least twenty minutes on the platform at Hineno. Boring - almost ads boring as discussing train timetables.
Most: At about 10:20am, as my train exited the last tunnel of my journey, I could see that the mountains were quickly changing colour. Many of the leaves of the trees have begun to turn, slowly creating a spectacular backdrop to an otherwise boring train ride. Hopefully in a couple of weeks the Autumn colours will be on full show - I'd better get some photos.
PM
Least: At just after 8:00pm, the first searing ball that I picked up for the night at the Sakai-Higashi takoyaki party rolled down my shirt-front. Given that it was drenched in delicious brown sauce, I wasn't surprising that it left a similarly delicious train down my front. It was embarrassing, though luckily I wasn't wearing a tie. By the end of the party, I was swaying with beer and looked like a complete wreck with the stain giving added effect.
Most: At nearly 11:00pm, I staggered up the stairs and opened the front door. To my absolute astonishment, my mother was sitting on the couch and had arrived earlier that evening. Given that I was completely unaware of the conspiracy, I could barely believe my eyes and had to look twice to check that it wasn't some kind of hallucination. Rosie had known for a week and kept the big secret under wraps perfectly. We celebrated with some chanpagne - what a nice surprise!
AM
Least: At nearly 11:00am, I sat down at work with tweny-five minutes to kill. I had arrived in Wakayama at 10:31am, a full three quarters of an hour before I have to clock in. Because of the train timetable on the JR Hanwa line, if I get a later train to attrive at 11:05am, I have to wait at least twenty minutes on the platform at Hineno. Boring - almost ads boring as discussing train timetables.Most: At about 10:20am, as my train exited the last tunnel of my journey, I could see that the mountains were quickly changing colour. Many of the leaves of the trees have begun to turn, slowly creating a spectacular backdrop to an otherwise boring train ride. Hopefully in a couple of weeks the Autumn colours will be on full show - I'd better get some photos.
PM
Least: At just after 8:00pm, the first searing ball that I picked up for the night at the Sakai-Higashi takoyaki party rolled down my shirt-front. Given that it was drenched in delicious brown sauce, I wasn't surprising that it left a similarly delicious train down my front. It was embarrassing, though luckily I wasn't wearing a tie. By the end of the party, I was swaying with beer and looked like a complete wreck with the stain giving added effect.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
What's That Smell?
Friday 6th November 2009
AM
Least: At about 11:50am, my senses were attacked by an intense rotten egg smell coming from outside. This is the second time that I have been grievously assaulted by this particular odour and I am yet to come up with any theories about its source. I am refraining from naming it as the fourth bad small of Japan - but another attack could just bring it into contention.
Most: At nearly 6:00am, I was woken by the simple fact that I was cold. It is amazing how quickly the morning have gotten cold. Once again it is as if the govenment has flicked a weather switch. The brutality of the summer seems to have erased the memory of cold mornings in Japan, but this morning they started coming back.
PM
Least: At nearly 11:00pm, I realized that I was a number of days behind on the AMPM blog. To save the pain of rifling through my memory for events of days gone by, I will soon have to begin taking notes. The danger is though, that I will look and feel like one of those people who annoyed my so much in Clifton Hill.
Most: At about 1:00pm, I was finally admitted into the world of the point card. After buying a smallish item of electronics at LABI I was offered, an recieved a point card. At the instruction of the staff, I inserted it into a poker-like machine and watched the pictures spin. I won a 10 yen bonus. A little disappointing, but I feel it could be the start of something big,
AM
Most: At nearly 6:00am, I was woken by the simple fact that I was cold. It is amazing how quickly the morning have gotten cold. Once again it is as if the govenment has flicked a weather switch. The brutality of the summer seems to have erased the memory of cold mornings in Japan, but this morning they started coming back.
PM
Most: At about 1:00pm, I was finally admitted into the world of the point card. After buying a smallish item of electronics at LABI I was offered, an recieved a point card. At the instruction of the staff, I inserted it into a poker-like machine and watched the pictures spin. I won a 10 yen bonus. A little disappointing, but I feel it could be the start of something big,
Friday, 6 November 2009
Puffer Fish Lunch
Thursday 5th November 2009
AM
Least: At about 10:20am, I finally got out of bed after hitting the snooze button so many many times that the alarm simply gave up. I'm not sure if it was the early day yesterday, but today I felt exhausted. I might have to invest in a series of alarms, each with an increasing volume that will force me out of bed early.
Most: At nearly 11:45am, I rode through Tezukayama on my way to Life supermarket. A huge (and previously mentioned) white house that I often ride past, has finally been completed and appears to have occupants. The ultra modern building, has been tempered with a small garden on one side. The garden has a moss lawn and a few small trees. The interesting feature though, are some obviously ancient stone water features that help make the house accepably Japanese. I just wished I lived there. (photo right)
PM
Least: At 2:35pm, as I walked into work at Nakamozu, it became obvious that the week had dragged on for too long. The overdose on Halloween festivities probably didn't help, and the day off on Tuesday made it feel like ages since I'd walked through the glass doors of the school. It is strange how time plays tricks, both flying by and dragging at the same time.
Most: At about 1:00pm, I sat down to a plate of Puffer Fish sashimi (Fugu). I'd bought it at the supermarket, attracted by the picture of the deadly fish on the label. Given its notoriety it was a little exciting to taste the flesh for the fisrt time. It had a very delicate flavour, but was delicious. It came with a small sachet of soy sauce, a spicy sauce and chopped spring onions. For a supermarket meal, it was amazing (see photo top). I was left with a numb mouth for a few hours, but otherwise I was unaffected and remained alive to tell the tale. Apparently recently, Japanese scientists have been mass producing non-toxic puffer fish so maybe it's not so deadly after all.
AM
Most: At nearly 11:45am, I rode through Tezukayama on my way to Life supermarket. A huge (and previously mentioned) white house that I often ride past, has finally been completed and appears to have occupants. The ultra modern building, has been tempered with a small garden on one side. The garden has a moss lawn and a few small trees. The interesting feature though, are some obviously ancient stone water features that help make the house accepably Japanese. I just wished I lived there. (photo right)
PMLeast: At 2:35pm, as I walked into work at Nakamozu, it became obvious that the week had dragged on for too long. The overdose on Halloween festivities probably didn't help, and the day off on Tuesday made it feel like ages since I'd walked through the glass doors of the school. It is strange how time plays tricks, both flying by and dragging at the same time.
Most: At about 1:00pm, I sat down to a plate of Puffer Fish sashimi (Fugu). I'd bought it at the supermarket, attracted by the picture of the deadly fish on the label. Given its notoriety it was a little exciting to taste the flesh for the fisrt time. It had a very delicate flavour, but was delicious. It came with a small sachet of soy sauce, a spicy sauce and chopped spring onions. For a supermarket meal, it was amazing (see photo top). I was left with a numb mouth for a few hours, but otherwise I was unaffected and remained alive to tell the tale. Apparently recently, Japanese scientists have been mass producing non-toxic puffer fish so maybe it's not so deadly after all.
Early Start, Early Home
Wednesday 4th November 2009
AM
Least: At just after 7:20am, I finally dragged myself out of bed to get ready for work. My new day shift begins at 10:40am, but it's miles out of the city in Gakken-Nara-Tomigaoka. It will be even more dificult to rise next week after a late finish at work on Tuesday night. I hope the early return home is worth it.
Most: At close to 10:ooam, as my train climbed into the Ikoma mountains, the view of Osaka was incredible. From the side of the mountain I could see the vast concrete blanket that covers Osaka Bay. Apart from the sickly brown smudge of smog, it was a strangely beautiful view - next week I'll try to take a photo.
PM
Least: Approaching 5:15pm, I stepped onto the JR Loop line at Tsurahashi station. The crowed nature of the train would not usually bother me, except for the number of clearly ill people on board. The number of flu cases is approaching 6 million in Japan, a I think a fair swag of them are continuing to ride the train pretending that their masks are working. If I haven't already had the swine flu, I'm sure I'll have it soon.
Most: At 4:35pm, as I left work, it was just beginning to darken. The sunset on the way home was spectacular and it felt good to be free before 9:30pm as usual. Probably the most interesting part was knowing that many of my colleagues were only an hour into their shifts. Arriving home just before 6:00pm, I streched out on the couch with nothing to think about except what I was going to cook Rosie for dinner. I settled on a basic spaghetti.
AM
Least: At just after 7:20am, I finally dragged myself out of bed to get ready for work. My new day shift begins at 10:40am, but it's miles out of the city in Gakken-Nara-Tomigaoka. It will be even more dificult to rise next week after a late finish at work on Tuesday night. I hope the early return home is worth it.
Most: At close to 10:ooam, as my train climbed into the Ikoma mountains, the view of Osaka was incredible. From the side of the mountain I could see the vast concrete blanket that covers Osaka Bay. Apart from the sickly brown smudge of smog, it was a strangely beautiful view - next week I'll try to take a photo.
PM
Most: At 4:35pm, as I left work, it was just beginning to darken. The sunset on the way home was spectacular and it felt good to be free before 9:30pm as usual. Probably the most interesting part was knowing that many of my colleagues were only an hour into their shifts. Arriving home just before 6:00pm, I streched out on the couch with nothing to think about except what I was going to cook Rosie for dinner. I settled on a basic spaghetti.
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