scottishaccent.blogspot.com: smell ya later
Happy holidays, everyone.
After some trekking, boating, motorbiking, train riding, jetskiing, bungy jumping, tubing, sweating, swimming, caving, haggling, drinking, picture-taking, cooking, temple-climbing, border-crossing, currency-exchanging, and passport-stamping, I'm back in Burbank.
This adventure is over. I don't know when or where the next one will begin, so until then, this will be my last post. I'm gonna be honest: I could write pages of stories from this trip, but it would take a lot of time and wouldn't be that enjoyable for me. If anyone wants to know how my southeast Asia (plus China and New Zealand) trip went, I'd be happy to indulge your curiosity over coffee/beer/fanta/you name it.
Before I sign off, here are
some of my favorite pictures culled from hundreds of lesser ones.
Divine Inspiration
Worth waking up for.
Bogarting Brooke's pics
I'm lazy. Brooke isn't.
She's posted bunches of pics from our trip thus far, including some from
Hong Kong and Beijing, Beijing and Thailand, and
more Thailand. I can't take credit for any of these, but they're pretty representative of the general awesomeness we've been surrounded with for the past month.
Tomorrow we head north to spend a night at the Lao border, and we'll be floating down the Mekong river toward Luang Prabang on Halloween night. The time has come to break out the malaria medication.
Holy Awesome
That is all.
My only friend, the end
It's Tuesday night, and all the jazz clubs in my corner of Osaka have ridiculous cover charges, so here I am, blogging the night away.
I know, it's been a while since I posted, but that's because the past three weeks have been the most vagabond-ish in my life. Time limits, but here's the short, uninteresting version.
I left Hakodate on September 5 on a local-trains-only ticket that saw me arrive in Kyoto five days later. On the way I stopped for the night (and sometimes the day) in Yamagata, Nikko, Tokyo, and Nagoya.
I spent almost two weeks in Kyoto, a few days in Hiroshima, and now I'm in a capsule hotel in the heart of Osaka. I leave Japan on October 1.
I'm a frugal person. I don't buy furniture or new clothes, I eat food from convenience stores, and I tote a water bottle with me to fast food restaurants. I know why I do this. I love traveling.
On the ferry across the Tsugaru strait linking Hokkaido with Honshu three weeks ago, I looked inward.
This is why I've saved my money this year. I've got no commitments other than those I make for myself. A country I've been learning and loving for 12 months lies before me waiting to be experienced.Of course, if I don't want to wind up penniless in a month's time, I really ought to remember the sacred word:
budget.It hasn't even been a month since I've been unemployed, but it feels like a 'coon's age. Lord only knows how I'll feel in December after three and a half months of this madness.
For what I didn't have the patience to write,
I took some pictures.This will be the last post I make from Japan. It might be the last I make in this space. Whatever the case, I'll be in contact via my usual email address. To friends in Japan: I'll miss you. To friends in Burbank: I'll be home in December. To friends elsewhere: drop me a line!
As for now, goodbyes are said
I'm unemployed and homeless. And loving it.
This week and last week were crazy. Somehow I managed to pencil in "move out of my apartment" around a schedule that included full weeks of classes and a party almost every night. The latest of said parties was a killer beach barbeque at which I may or may not have been thrown in the ocean. A beer bong may or may not have been involved. Felicia's got the
pics.I'm going to miss Hakodate.
I'm leaving for Kyoto on Tuesday, and taking my laptop with me. Should I be so lucky, I'll be able to scrounge around for wireless internet and make a couple more posts along the way before heading off for Hong Kong in October. If the posts dry up, I'll still be reachable via email (though perhaps spotty) throughout my trip.
Let's not lose touch.
The "Scott Gets Around to Writing About His Vacation" post
I'm in "winding down" mode now, and already starting to get a bit melancholy. Thankfully there is still fun to be had before I head on down the old dusty trail. From tomorrow through next Tuesday I have a different farewell party booked every night. That's what happens when you have 20 classes and they all think you're awesome.
I'll probably post once more before I leave for Kyoto. After that, who knows. I've been pretty bad posting from Japan lately so what's to say I'll do any better from Hong Kong, Thailand or Cambodia? There are still some stories to tell from my Taiwan/Mt. Fuji vacation, however.
Pictures!The Portuguese named Taiwan La Isla Formosa, or The Beautiful Island. Once outside Taipei on the east coast, the countryside erupts into gorgeous beaches and towering green mountains. The biggest highlight was Taroko Gorge, the jewel of Taiwan's national parks. I spent a couple of days in the company of majestic marble cliffs and dense subtropical foliage. There were plenty of hiking trails to keep me occupied, even if some weren't incredibly well-marked. It took a couple of knee scrapes and a few thorns to convince me that what I was hiking wasn't so much a trail as it was an emergency descent route. It did seem a little steep.
Taipei has its charms as well. I will never forget two frantic map-less bike rides downtown, once at 8:00 am and once at night, in which my primary objectives were to not lose sight of Nick while not getting run over by vehicles with motors. I also experienced the famous night markets, an entrenched Taipei tradition that I wish would make its way to Japan. Those looking for a different take on night life need look no further than the back streets of the Shilin district, where you'll find a warren of shops selling who knows what. My favorite was the table selling "Zoga" Genesis consoles complete with a "Pocket Monsters" game. I whipped out my camera to capture the hilarity but was promptly shooed away.
Side question: what's scarier--meats you can't identify, or those you can identify far too easily (chicken's feet and pig's faces)?
Fuji ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. I arrived at Fuji's 5th Station at about 2:00 pm and found myself surrounded by pensive but eager Japanese tour groups preparing for the climb. Many of them found it strange that I was climbing by myself, and a few of them even asked me to join their group so I wouldn't be lonely. Their pace was slow for my taste, but they were right: it's hard to be lonely when you're bound to your fellow climbers by the bonds of matching T-shirts. The weather treated us to some stunning mid-afternoon views as we watched the terrain slowly turn from forested to shrubbed to barren.
Of course, most of these intrepid Japanese brought the things on the "packing for Mt. Fuji list" I figured I could get by without, such as walking sticks (with matching colors) and oxygen canisters. I figured, if children and grandparents can regularly make the summit, why shouldn't I be able to do it with some water, powerbars and a jacket? For two-thirds of the climb, I was right.
Then I hit the wall. It turns out Mt. Fuji is actually pretty high. At 3776 meters above sea level, I can say that yes, altitude does make a difference. By the time I got to the mountain hut where I was to spend the "night" (read: get up at 2:30 to make it to the top by sunrise), I was taking regular rests at nearly every switchback. Feeling your heart racing at top speed after walking ten meters isn't a comforting sensation. I actually didn't sleep at all that night, partly because I had to go to bed at 9:00, partly because I was still adjusting to the altitude, and partly because my bed sucked.
Nevertheless, I was among the first to reach the top. There I was welcomed by shop owners all too happy to make me a bowl of ramen for 10 bucks. As the crowds of people jockeyed for position to catch the first glimpse of the sun cresting the horizon, I got the feeling that this wouldn't be the most peaceful sunrise I would ever experience. My suspicions were confirmed when some guy in the souvenir shop behind me fired up "We Will Rock You" as soon as the sun peeked out. Was this my reward for six hours of toil--rocking to Queen at 5:00 am? Apparently so.
After the sun did its thing, most climbers headed straight back down. I took some time to circle the crater for an hour, savoring some peaceful moments on the more austere side of the rim. I didn't know if I would ever see that stark landscape again, because as they say, a wise man climbs Mt. Fuji once, but a fool climbs it twice.
Mickey Mouse and swords
Long time no post. Sadly, I don't have time to write about my vacation or post the glut of pictures currently living in my camera. Long story short...Taiwan: good times. Thanks Nick! Mt. Fuji: a uniquely Japanese experience; at times exhilirating, at times borderline ridiculous. It definitely warrants elaboration in this space. When I have time.
Tomorrow I'll meet Kyle and Nick in Tokyo to experience the Japanese take on Mickey Mouse at Disney Sea. Hopefully I'll have time for some pictures and ramblings when I return to Hakodate next week. For now, a couple of quick hits from the Tokyo National Museum. If you don't know why this is awesome, then you've probably never spent 40 hours controlling a Spiky-Haired Protagonist (and most likely a Quiet Healer and a Burly Sidekick) in a quest to save the world from some Unequivocally Evil Dude.
I'm going to need a vacation from my vacation
It’s late. I should be sleeping. I’m getting up in five hours to go to the train station to catch a train to Tokyo to catch a plane to Taiwan, where I will spend one week not speaking Mandarin, after which I’ll catch a plane to Tokyo to catch a bus to Mt. Fuji, which I will climb alongside hordes of Japanese summit-seekers.
It’s gonna be great.
See you in a couple of weeks.
Ainu #6
Ye gods, it’s been a while since I posted. Thankfully I managed to sneak one in just before my delay-in-posts time reached one month.
A lot has happened in the past almost-a-month. First, I was visited by not one but two parents. Thanks to a couple of very generous Japanese friends and my parents’ two-week commitment to being “intrepid,” Mom and Dad were treated to a close-up look at a grab bag of things Japanese. There was the mandatory trip to Tokyo, but also the austere tranquility of the tea ceremony, among other things.
I took some pictures. Thanks for coming out, Mom & Dad. I had a great time.
Something I’ve been hearing whispers about from my students since I arrived last September is the annual Hakodate Yagaigeki, or “open-air pageant” held in Goryokaku park. As I’ve mentioned
previously, Hakodate is very proud of its history. As if an annual celebratory parade isn’t enough, every July the city commemorates its historical events yet again with a spectacle of fireworks, lasers, dancing and storytelling. The stage is innovatively designed—it’s built right into the fortress side of park with movable platforms extending out over the moat. The audience watches from grandstands across the moat, so the action takes place on the park’s fortress walls and hillsides, and in the moat itself. The coolest part, though, is that your average Hiroshi can show up backstage an hour before the show and get a part. I did this twice.
Since Hakodate’s history includes some significant contact with voyaging foreigners, and since I was the only foreigner to show up, you’d think I’d be given a part as a foreigner—maybe Perry, or at least a random American conscript. You’d be wrong though. First I appeared as an Ainu (native inhabitant of Japan), after which I changed into the garb of an Edo-era townsperson. I got the feeling that the roles of the foreigners were coveted and required some actual rehearsal—possibly even some flag-waving. The guy playing Perry (the same guy who played him in the parade!), for example, probably had his name on a waiting list for some time. I think he loves America. First, he showed up at call time wearing a hat with the stars and stripes on it. Then, upon catching a glimpse of me, he scurried over to shake my hand with a hearty “good morning!” (It was about 6:30 pm at the time.) After seeing this enthusiastic display, I really didn’t mind being a random J-dude. Go for it, big guy. Be Perry. You deserve it.
That’s the cool stuff lately. I’ll post again before I leave for Taiwan in August, after which my remaining time in Hakodate will have dwindled to a mere three weeks. Time does fly.
This country needs to invest in a Scantron
Been plenty busy lately, but not with much that would merit a blog post. I've got my hands full getting stuff done around here before my parents arrive for a sweet one-and-a-half-weeker in Hakodate next week, including grading a dumptruckful of exams from my university class. I may or may not have writer's cramp.
You know it's chill times around here when the most interesting thing I have to write about is a pottery exhibition. But there I was last week, standing in a room surrounded by Edo- and Meiji-Era pots, wall scrolls, and serving spoons, and marvelling at the exorbitant prices of it all. Here's a picture of something or other that was going for a cool 1.4 million. Also present was a 12" by 3" card with some calligraphy on it valued at more than my monthly salary.
Unlike the postmodern "Black Dot on Canvas" pieces found at any corner Art Museum, I can at least appreciate the fact that I don't have the necessary skill to produce the intricate strokes in a work of calligraphy. My skepticism that someone would pay so much for "such a small thing" says more about my ignorance of the art than it does about the piece's market value.
Like grains in an hourglass
With less than three months left on my contract, I've become increasingly aware lately of the "mortality" of my life in Japan. It's an odd feeling: at times melancholic, at times energizing. In the spirit of "time to stop putting off doing that thing I've been meaning to do," I hiked up and around the mountain over the weekend with some friends. See the pics
here.Still on my to-do list from September: Learn Japanese. Got a ways to go on that one.
I'm pretty sure my 15 minutes are up
I gotta give this town some credit. If you happen to come across Hakodate in a history book, chances are it’s in that book for one of two historically significant reasons:
Commodore Perry’s arrival here with his “Black Ships,” and/or
Hijikata Toshizo’s last stand at Goryokaku Fort during the last phase of the Meiji Restoration. That’s not exactly a Britannica’s worth of history, but Hakodate really squeezes every last drop of pride out of what it’s got.
Case in point: the annual Goryokaku Festival and Parade held last week, commemorating both of the aforementioned events. I would have turned out anyway to watch droves of Hakodateites clad in (ostensibly) Meiji-era military uniforms and samurai robes, but it turns out the view is much better from within the parade itself.
Once again, who you know is key. The guy in charge of organizing the foreigner contingent in the parade turned out to be a friend of a friend, who invited me to play the token American this year. I got to carry the Stars and Stripes while marching just ahead of Perry (played enthusiastically by a Japanese dude) himself. Thanks to Tomoko and Felicia for their photographic contributions.
At attention.
My gaijin compatriots.
After the parade, the photo ops went on for a good five minutes. Peace signs were flashed.
Everything in Japan is related to samurai, probably
As much as I whined about the seemingly endless winter not three months ago, I have nothing to complain about now, because spring in Hakodate totally rules.
I’m sure part of my weather-induced good mood can be linked to my increased appreciation of warm weather after months of not having it. But you can chalk up the rest to flowers.
The beloved
sakura cherry blossom is something of an icon in Japan. Sakura-watching (
ohanami) begins when the flowers bloom in Okinawa in February (when Hokkaidoites have all but forgotten what a flower looks like) and the blooms follow the spring season northward, bringing merriment to ever-higher latitudes. Hokkaido finally gets in on the action in early May, and what better way to celebrate than by having picnics for two weeks straight? This may be my favorite Japanese tradition. For almost two weeks, you can go to the park, lay down a tarp with hundreds of other springophiles, crack open a sixer and chill for hours. All because some flowers opened. What more reason do you need?
When asked what makes the sakura so popular in Japan, one of my students offered this explanation: the sakura bloom brilliantly, but last a fleeting few days before they die. This is much like the lives of the samurai who fought with awe-inspiring elegance for their lords before dying honorable deaths on the battlefield. That time has passed for the sakura in Goryokaku this year. The flame of the sakura, much like that of the samurai, burns brightly and quickly. I managed to get a few pictures though. Warning:
gratuitous flowers ahead.VIDEO GAME-RELATED SECTION
You know the ending sequence of Mega Man 2 when Mega Man’s suit changes colors as he “walks through the seasons,” and in “spring” his suit turns pink (Quickman’s weapon, I think) while fluffy pink petals drift downwards? The sakura are like that. Also, Piston Honda’s entrance music is the first line from “Sakura,” a classic traditional Japanese folk song.
Hello and Thank You
Got back from Korea on Thursday. Had a great time. Took lots of
pictures. Not using subjects today.
Big thanks to Big Ben the Apple Man who took time out of his busy schedule to show another clueless foreigner around. Because his job rules (a reporter for the
Joongang Daily), I got to see Mission Impossible 3 for practically free. I gave him my opinion of the movie afterward, but since I'm not a movie critic, my opinion doesn't count.
The most interesting part about being in Korea was setting foot in a world where I once again knew nothing. True, I'm a foreigner in Japan. But over the past eight months I've familiarized myself with enough Japanese culture to not make a fool of myself and enough Japanese language to get by day-to-day. I also have some conception of the vast quantity of knowledge I
don't know, which I've learned to deal with, and which adds perspective. I don't think I realized how comfortable I had become with my status as an "enlightened outsider" in Japan's bubble. Not surprisingly, step outside the bubble and you can throw those notions of comfort out the window. It was almost a relief to return and be questioned at customs in Japanese. At least then I could understand every third word.
For the record, I did learn two Korean phrases while milling about Seoul. Two.
