Friday Sept 5, 1997: 10:30pm
Ew, I think I just experienced the most disgusting thing in my life, honestly. My bathroom drain. No, I am not joking - and I have seen a very many disgusting things in my brief life [Have you ever seen someone eat live bee larvae? ] See, it was cloged. Like, really clogged. Unfortunately, MY drain isn't like your average Canadian drain (obviously, cuz then it would be just too simple) - it's actually UNDER the bathtub (the bathtub is raised off the floor a couple of inches) ane in a container of size 100 cms squared. This "container" has been just filled with scum water for the last wseek and it's been so DISGUSTING. So I decided to attempt to find the Japanese equivalent of "Draino" and go to work at it. But, things aren't that simple. I ended up dissembling the whole drain contraption (only in Japan...) and cleaning it by hand, which is quite the large (not to mention revolting) task. Ew, ,there was crud everywhere. Now I don't like the word "crud" and use it sparingly, but there is no other word with such an accurate depiction of what I had to clean. Ohmygod, I broke out into a sweat it was so disgusting. Anyways, the outcome of all this is that my clogging problem is no more remedied than before, but I now know the intricate workings of a Japanese drainage system. Can I put that on my resume??
Saturday September 6, 1997: 11pm
Vell, today vas vunderful. It started at the bright n' early hour of - ack - 4:45am when I got up for my run. It was pleasantly cool out. I was accompanied by my walkman for a slight change. I decided to take the risk of running into Spock (literally) and took my usual route. Unfortunately, my plans fell through cuz sure enough, I saw Spock, but since I had a walkman on (a sure sign of unsociability) he didn't run with me. Yay!
So I rushed rushed rushed to get to the Toyoda station by 7am! Why on Earth would I do such a thing?!? Cause... today was go-see-Fuji-san day! Yes! So at the station I met up with Gupta-san, Hidaka-san, Mura-san, Hiroshige-san, Shravan-san, Behera-san and Sunil-san. Only one more person to wait for - Hirabayashi-san. So we wait.. and wait... and after about 15 minutes or so we decide to call his house to see what's up. And to our surprise, Hirabayashi-san himself answers!! Supposedly he sounded a bit surprised, so we made bets that we woke him up or something... since he usually doesn't get up until 11 or so!
Ok, so Hirabayashi-san shows up at 7:30 and we split up into the 3 cars; the smokers (Hirabayashi-san, Behera-san, and Sunil-san) in Hirabayashi-san's car, Hidaka-san, Gupta-san, and Shravan-san in Hidaka-san's car, and Mura-san, Hiroshige-san and I in Mura-san's car. I found this really cool because Hidaka-san had made the decision of who goes in what car, and he put me with 2 the 2 Japanese guys who'd rather speak Japanese. Cool! Plus, Mura-san and Hiroshige-san are great!
And we're off! I sat in the front because Hiroshige-san and I went through one of those "Really, either the front or back is fine with me!" arguments - and I still haven't figured out which one is the most coveted spot...ha! It must've been because I was in the car that we got "lost". Yeah, about half an hour into the trip we didn't notice the other 2 cars exiting the highway because the three of us were talking... oops. But hey, Mura-san and Hidaka-san both have cell phones, so we got things sorted out. We ended up stopping at a rest station close-by and waiting half an hour for the other 2 guys to come and follow us.
Ok, so this drive upto Mt. Fuji is really cool. Now it wasn't exactly nice weather out - really really cloudy. But we were going up and up into these clouds, through mountains of green.. it was really beautiful. When we got to the base of Mt. Fuji we couldn't see the top (in fact, I didn't even know we were at the base until Mura-san told me). But that's fine - we started to drive up - we were heading for the 5th station, which is a station on Mt. Fuji some 2,000 m above sea level. So we start to go up and wow, it was absolutely *amazing*! I mean, 2000 metres is high! So first we started going THROUGH the clouds and we couldn't see anything! Then after driving a little bit higher we were above all these clouds - incredible. Truly stunning. What a feeling, to be above a sea of white fluffy clouds. Gupta-san said he thought he could fly (or something to that effect) and yeah, that's kinda it. Of course, soon the clouds rose and surrounded us once again... but I'd had my chance, wow. We continued driving up...
Oh yeah, at this point the temperature has dropped dramatically to about 18C/19C. Quite a pleasant temperature, I'd say. I was a bit surprised to realize that it really reminded me of Canada.
We got to the 5th station at around 10:30am. The 5th station is as high as you can go by car up Mt. Fuji, and it's the most common starting point for climbers of Fuji-san (Jon and I will be starting from this 5th station next weekend) so it's quite the tourist spot. Oh, this isn't the only 5th station - there are 5th stations on every route up Mt. Fuji (the routes up Fuji are divided into 10 stations, the 10th station being at the bottom, the 1st station being at the top) but I believe they're all at the same elevation.
Ah so we hung around the lodge-type building at the station for awhile. Behera-san bought me a mountain treat... ICE CREAM!! Oh, I was so happy. And I went to the information desk to ask the guy there a couple of questions about climbing Fuji-san in preparation for next weekend's climb. So I ask the guy "Can we still climb Fuji-san next weekend?" and they guy gives me a dirty look and rambles on and on... basically he told me "No. It's too dangerous.". So I asked a bit differently "Yeah, I KNOW they say not to go after the season's over, but it's not actually prohibited?" "No, it's closed". Now not only was this guy acting really, really rude, but he was also lying cuz I KNOW it's open next weekend. He was really starting to tick me off. I mean, he's this info guy at a big tourist spot and yet he wasn't even attempting to be helpful at all. And everytime I asked him to speak a bit slower cuz my Japanese isn't good, he sped up and added in slang! (I can understand enough Japanese to realize when someone is speaking slang and stuff like that) I ended up actually storming out of there when the guy was in mid-sentence, just because he was so rude and I knew that if I listened to one more word I may blow up... and I didn't really want to cause a scene.
So the bottom line is that the guy said that the summit of Fuji-san will be closed next weekend, but I don't believe him. So I'm climbing anyways. And indeed, I WILL get to the top!
Ok, so we walked down the path starting the climb for about 15 mins or so - just to see what it's like. Strangely enough, the path went, uh, DOWN! Yeah! So I guess Hirabayashi-san, Hiroshige-san, Gupta-san, and Behera-san decided that it just wasn't right so they jumped the cement wall/barrier that lines the mountain-side and started to run up Fuji-san - through all this volcanic ash stuff. Crazy guys! Oh, and I found out that Fuji-san is actually still active, but it hasn't blown its top for some 400 years.
We also went to this shrine at the 5th station where we bought our fortunes and tied them to the rack where you're supposed to tie the things for your fortunes to come true. These fortunes were hilarious! Let's see... what can I remember about mine.. well I guess that it was rated an "excellent" fortune so I lucked out on that. Oh yeah, for work it said "Work hard. No problem", for my missing thing it said "Ask a boy and he will know", and for my visitor (Jon?!?) it said "Your visitor will arrive without writing" - does email count? Ha ha! Needless to say it was hilarious comparing fortunes and stuff!
Now it was about lunchtime so we decided we should drive back down Fuji-san to Kawaguchi-ko (Kawaguchi Lake) and find a supermarket at which to buy veggies for the BBQ we were going to have. This actually proved to be a very difficult task - I think we drove around Kawaguchiko for almost 20 mins before we found a veggie/fruit market. And this is where I discovered the shocking truth that JAPANESE PUMPKINS ARE - *gasp* - GREEN!! Ohmygoodness, what *do* they do at Hallowe'en?? Oh, that's right, Hallowe'en is purely a North American tradition. Anyways, I found this strange. I also found it strange that they were buying vegetables like cabbage, onions, mushrooms, and eggs [ed. note: are eggs veggies? No, but what ARE they?!?] for a BBQ. I mean, I was thinking: BBQ. Grill. so of course things like cabbage and onions would fall right through (chopped, of course) but it seemed like they knew what they were doing so I just left it upto the professionals!
From the store we headed to a campsite really off the beaten path! This place was - campy, mosquitos and all! So we park the cars and start to set up camp. Mura-san is a big camper/fisher so he had brought the most amazing contraption of a BBQ that I've ever seen. I mean, this thing packs away into a little box yet expands into a good-sized BBQ. I was so impressed! It was really cool. Oh, and when he set it all up, I now saw that actually we were going to fry the veggies (on a big pan) and now the cabbage/onion/mushroom/egg mystery was solved! Ah hah!
So we start choppin' all the veggies - someone brought out the beer - everyone was helping, kinda. We got the BBQ going... we were eating for 3 hours straight, I swear! Ok, well we weren't actually *eating* the whole time but we were preparing/cooking food for 3 hours. It was so much fun! We all took turns cooking something, even me! Sure, Hiroshige-san and I teamed up for the last fry (ours was by FAR the yummiest, of course ;-). Jokes were flying right and left, pictures were clicked every few minutes... laughs were abound. It was just hilarious.
At maybe 4:30 or so we cleaned and packed up all the stuff and headed to... the ice and lava caves! We got there with only a few minutes to spare - so we entered the cave. First we had to walk down these winding stairs dooooown into the rock cave below. They just kep going down and down (and down) - it was getting colder and colder... and the ceiling was getting lower and lower - at one point I was basically crawling on my hands and knees! I guess it's not exactly a place for clausterphobics! Anyways, we reached the bottom, where the average temperature is -2C. Ah, it was refreshing! Down there is lots of - ice (hence the name "ice cave"). Also of interest is the "tunnel to hell". Yes, that's right, the entrance to hell is in *Japan*! Funny, they never mention that in guide books...
So that was the ice cave (very cool) but I have no clue what's up with the lava cave cuz I'm pretty sure taht I never saw any lava, and I think I would've noticed.
Next up was Fuji Highland Park, home of FujiyamaII, the highest, steepest and fastest roller coaster in the world! Unfortunately, because we only got there at 6:45pm, we weren't able to ride on it (the queue was at least 2 hours long and the park closed at 8) BUt hey, there were other rides we could ride on so we went in anyways (entrance fee Y500 = $6) Uh yeah right. As we found out, all their main attractions were already closed for the night. THen by the time we had decided on a different ride, it was closed, and we ended up not being able to ride anything at all!! Ah well, Gupta-san and I and maybe some others are going to go back there in a few weeks to ride the FujiyamaII. That ride just can't be missed!
Ah well sure we couldn't go on any of the rides, so instead we went BOWLING!! It was fun! We took over 2 lanes and went - uh - wild. I guess you could say that considering most of us fell over at least once. I know *I* did - I've got a bruise on my knee to prove it. Ow. Anyways, I was told the *real* way to hold a bowling ball... but my score was still bad. Ah, half-way across the world and I still can't bowl.
So, it was about 8:30 and time to head home... so we left the park and promptly got lost. Hey, no problem, I'm used to that. We found our way and speeded on home to Toyoda. Oh, I was sitting in the backseat and when I put on my seatbelt, Mura-san went "Aaah! You're putting your seatbelt on in the backseat!" in an honestly surprised way. This has happened to me once before too. It seems hat the law is that people in the front seat must wear their seatbelts - and they really keep to this law - but when it comes to backseat seatbelt wear... they think it's completely odd. Well, I'm Canadian so I'll go by Canadian laws and wear the darned seatbelt!
Ah, so we got back to Toyoda at around 10, and I am just pooped! What a great day...
Sunday Sept 7, 1997: 6:30pm
Hmph. I hate it when I have a list of about 30 things to do, and I only get 20 done. What a horrible feeling - pity it happens.. oh, every weekend. But this weekend's list is particularly bad. Grumble grumble. Well, I was now thinking of abandoning whatever is left on my to-do list and heading over to the Toyoda matsuri to see if anything is goin on.. Hmm.. maybe. Although it's reeeally hot out..
Monday September 8, 1997: 5:50pm
They're all making fun of me at work because I want to climb Fuji-san. I guess they said that most Japanese people just don't WANT to climb it (do they know something I don't know?!) Anyways, I'm very determined to go, especially after Saturday's trip. I mean, how hard can it be? [ed. note: you can quote me on that next Tuesday ;-)]
Oh yeah, this morning was the most amazing sunrise! WHERE do they come up with these things? The sky was really blue but at the horizon it was pink, and the underside of all the fluffy clouds were really orange. Really neat. THEN, there was a huge rainbow!! Since I was on my run I decided to abandon the usual route and search for the pot of gold but - *sigh* - no luck on that front. Next time maybe.
And when I got to work we had an EARTHQUAKE!! Woohoo!! It wasn't huge, but it was pretty long - maybe 10 seconds or so. It was still early so there were only 3 of us at the office - one being Nakamura-san. She went semi-insane, it was kinda funny! I guess that even living in Tokyo ("once a month!" as Hirose-san said) there are still people who just aren't used to them. Anyways, it was kinduv interesting being on the 3rd floor of a tall building.. it swayed back and forth.. woooo... spooky. Yeah, I wouldn't want to be stuck there when the big one hits!!
Jon messed up my fortune and sent me his travel plans - ah well, all for the best! At least now I know when he arrives!!
Tuesday September 9, 1997: 6pm
Well ya can't get much worse than today. Like *everything* went wrong, it was incredible. Ok, everything except the actual work part of work.
First of all, I missed my run. Then it started to rain on me as I was biking to work. Then when I got there, I realized that I forgot my ID card, so I had to walk around the long way (in the pouring rain) to the other door. Then I was the first one into the office, which usually wouldn't be horrible at all, but since I'd forgotten my ID card I couldn't get in. So I had to go ask a security guard to open it for me. NOw it's only 7:15 and already it's been a crap day...
Then I can't telnet to Waterloo because the server is down. Argh, and this is after yesterday, when I got so fed up with the Epson email system that I sent out emails telling people to just send email to my Waterloo account. Oh well.
Oh, I don't even WANT to rehash the rest of my day, but let's just say that nothing seemed to go like I'd hope - I hate these days! I'm going to go to my Japanese lesson then go straight to sleep! I just want to start a new day...
5 mins later
For instance, I just put my shirt on backwards. I mean, call me careful, but I *never* put my shirt on backwards. Ya gotta love these days...
10 mins later
Ok, and NOW I just about ran over a kid on my bike. Like, I was goin nice and fast - I had that momentum-thing going for me... then this little kid riding towards me decides to swerve in front of MY BIKE. I had to slam on the brakes, I almost went flying (something I'd already done today actually...) sheesh. This *never* happens. Ya gotta hate these days...
Wednesday September 10, 1997: 10pm
A much much better day today - thank goodness! Except that Gupta-san played (is playing?) a cruel, cruel joke on me! Horrible! He came over after lunch and said "Hey, did you hear that they've closed Fuji-san because there's been an accident?" Huh? Oh NO!! That couldn't possiblly BE! Yeah, he goes on to tell me that it was the wind, etc etc.. But, he's smiling the entire time while he's telling me all this... so I think it's a joke kinda... but he's telling such a convincing story that I really couldn't tell! And whenever I went "NO, you're JOKING", he'd only say "I'm not lying!".. ack! What to do! I'll just have to assume that he's pulling my leg. What a mean joke to play!!
So tonight I headed over to calligraphy.. oh, on my way there, I was walking along and this woman on a bike goes by. She's got a young kid in a baby seat on the back - and this kid was hilarious! As she was passing by, the kid was staring at me (I imagine I *do* look pretty funny to a 3 year old) so my automatic reaction was to stick out my tongue and put my hands up by me ears and wiggle my fingers.. you know, the classic I'm-making-a-face-at-you face. Now instead of tapping his mom and telling her what I'd just done (like all the other kids do, as I've discovered) - the kid makes the same face back! Ha ha ha!! But wait, I'm not finished.. once they'd gone a bit further up the road, the kid turns around again and pretends to shoot me with his hands! So of course, I shot back (sound effects included) - funny funny funny.
Ok so today's theme at calligraphy was "foods of autumn" because that's what the conversations kept on coming to. Sensei was explaining how there are certain foods that the Japanese only eat in the autumn - and when it comes to be that time of year and they start eating these foods, they feel somewhat nostalgic. Cool. Oh, and I confirmed with Sensei that Japanese pumpkins are indeed green. Weird. I had needed the second opinion!
Anyways, since we were on the topic of autumn food, it was quite fitting that my calligraphy was "ginnan hiroi", or in English, "collecting/gathering ginko nuts". Don't ask me what ginko nuts are, all I know is that they're an autumn food, and they smell reeeeally bad!
Thursday September 11, 1997: 11:30pm
Big news today, I am so proud cuz my webpage made it to #5 (!!!!) of the undergrad math pages! Wow, I was pretty darn excited because the last time I'd checked I was thirty-something, and already that made me feel like such a special geek! [ed note: thanks for readin! It makes me happy!]
And later on in the day I "chatted" with Andre, and he told me he was trying to think up ways he could make it out here to see Japan!!! Like, wow! That would be just so cool! I hope he can manage to scrap up some money/points/time...
Ah yes, and today I discovered that there is no such thing as a regular customer in Japan. Ok, maybe no such thing as a regular gaijin customer... See, right beside the Epson building is a good-sized grocery store called "Alps". I frequent the place often.. to buy lunch, to buy snacks, to grocery shop.. hey, I even just go there to hang out! Ok, I don't, but I *do* got there often. Now after a few weeks, the cashiers would give me those funny smiles like "Ah - we know what YOU're up to.." - which I can take. But both yesterday and today I had 2 different cashiers actually start a conversation with me about how often I go there! Crazy! I just started to laugh and laugh... strange ladies, these Alps' cashiers..
Ok, so tonight was Shravan-san's soubetsukai, or farewell party. Yeah, he's already been here 3 months - time really flies! So to "celebrate" (?) about 25 of us went to Mayur, the Indian restaurant where they seem to hold any even pertaining to any of the Indian guys. (Doesn't bother me cuz I looooove Indian food...). I sat beside Behera-san, which, as Takahashi-san later said, was probably the biggest mistake of my life!! Ha ha! Anyways, as usual the party was loads of fun! At one point I was laughing so hard I was crying! Cool.
Oh yeah, I finally got asked THE question. What question? Well, the "Do you have a boyfriend?" question. Now having JUST read Jason' journal entry on how Japanese girls, on being asked this exact question, will giggle uncontrollably, I had to resist the temptation of doing so myself (well, not really!). I caused a minor kaffufle when I said "no" though.
Actually, I caused a few kaffufles at the table tonight, but I'm still not sure WHY. The first time was because I ordered a Scotch (Behera-san's doing!), so the ripple of "Su-kotchi?" murmered down the table. The other time was when I went to fill Hiroshige-san's glass ... like, it's the Japanese way (you're never supposed to fill your glass - it's upto someone else to be vigilant enough to notice that you need a top-up and fill it for you) so I thought no one would think twice about it.. but.. it actually made quite the scene. I didn't know what to do for a few moments with everyone so.. shocked! Funny!
And I had to pass up on the karaoke tonight (much to my distress!!) because tonight is the only night before Jon gets here that I can get some stuff done. But... since I only got back at 10:30 or so, I haven't really been able to do much anyways... oh well..
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