No, not Norris. He is not here. But, Cox is. Or so says his email. I would have written this a few days ago since it is from Monday/Tuesday but I tell you time flies when you have to walk all day and then drink sake at night. Either that or the fact that some fat guy in an orange shirt is constantly on the computer here. Which is a Mac but I think that it was the first Mac and gets some good use the quickness level is not high. At any rate I got off the limousine bus as it was called for some reason at some random hotel in Kyoto. While standing amongst my now 49kg of luggage I realize I dont know where I am or what the hell to do. Luckily I did some Lonely Planet reading on the way and as trusty as ever it was pretty wrong. I can't read though either so maybe that played a part. So standing looking studpidly at too small and too wrong of a map this dude comes up and asks if i need help. In English. I say I am heading for bla bla hostel and i think i know but where is the subway? He points me and we part. However while again staring stupidly at the machine by which you purchase subway tickets he reappears and helps and we have a good chat. He says there is a hostel near his house so i head there with him and find the place. It is a YHA known worldwide for rules, and boy do they have them here. To start: lights out 10:30, wakeup 6:40, eat dinner 7-8, eat breakfast 7-8, out of hostel 9-4. I thought that i had entered hell or at least a regimented military school. Head up to the room and the rain starts which will last the next 4 days. Go and have dinner and find I have just that day missed the biggest festival of the year. Head back up to find Chuck.
Charles actually and hes from Canadia so its all good. I cant find apostrophe or spell check on this computer my sincere apologies for mistakes. Im not so smart as i seem. Well we get to talking and he whips out the mini magnetic chess board and challenges me. Anyone who challenges strangers at chess is probably pretty good. That, plus the fact that i havent played for 3 years. Minus the game with Ellet on our fridge that never ended. Well he beats me 3 straight but tells me i am the best beginner he has played. Woo hoo. We plus a German, Swiss, and Taiwanese dude end up talking about what the human needs really are and why most are against polygamy. That and whether Drs should be able to pull the plug. Gotta love backpackers. Got to bed at bed time and it was pretty nice i must admit. Waking up is like the damned cruise boat or train in China when they come on and yell at you to get out of bed and you have no idea what is going on. Packed up my stuff because i couldnt stand another day of these rules.
Headed out with Chuck to find the internet and a new place to stay. He led me astray but thats okay. Hey hey hey whaddya say? Well we found it and i got a banana juice/espresso drink and played for a couple hours. Dude was ok but over enthusiastic about substitute teaching. Had some sushi train and parted ways. This is when i searched out Kyoto Cheapest Inn. If the name is right I am in for a treat.
Saturday, July 22, 2006
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Yeah Yeah Yeah(s?)
So i had to study for exams or else fail and have a complete waste of a summer. Whoa, whats that? No, not a complete waste just a bunch of Fails on my lawyering transcript. Who the hell knows what that thing is called anyway. Why do we have to have another degree first? These questions that others bring to my attention are quite good i think. However, they are inapplicable because who would of thought of me at law school? Nobody, thats who. Well i studied every night my last week in China much to my chagrin (usage?). Sat up studing at my favorite cafe - Sculpting in Time. S.I.T. for short. Those Chinese are clever eh? I think westerners owned it though because the bathrooms were a little too nice and they had soap at the sink. The place nexxt door called Cava had nothing but the same initial atmosphere. Last night of studies meet this dude (lets call him Ethan) who is from Vermont, studies in Montreal, and is learning Chinese in Beijing. This big bearded hippy studying Eastern philosophy needs to get his shit together. I get some tips from him but only have a few days left. To be wasted for sure.
Exams were grueling but Chin Jie said we could write about whatever we wanted (supposedly in class) and the others were completely predictable. I feel that i passed. The only reason for studying was to give those Pierce kids lower grades. Dont know why i think that i am better than them, just do. The last days were passed at the various markets buying various things i didnt need and filling a new suitcase to the brim and not having it pass inspection because of that a hole ticket taker. At the airport, after a luxurious cab ride which i had given up half way through my trip, I found myself having to pay nearly 100 for my freaking bag to get on the plane. This is half the price i paid for the ticket mind you. I am a sucka. Had to get it on though for it contained my treasures from Chine. Paid after some Russian pilot/steward guy was being a real meaniehead to the people at the excess baggage counter. He and his flight crew comprised of haggard old Russkies flying Aeroflot were trying to get about 20 huge duffel bag things on there. No doubt there was a connection to the Russian Mafia. He pushed other people out of the way but we got some other dude to put our stuff in front of theirs much to his chagrin (ha) and left. Luckily the bag made it.
Flight was ok, only time i have felt like i was going to die on an airplane. I always thought the question "how was your flight" was pretty much rhetorical but i guess not. First leg into Yantai was good and i had a good chat with some dude from there who was disappointed when i told him i was continuing to Osaka. The flight over the Sea of Japan was the bumpiest ever and i thought we may skid off the runway upon landing. I guess thats why you dont want the government controlling everything. China Eastern gets a thumbs down all around. Food was good though - shrimp and ham pasta and octopus salad and fig roll. Really, good.
Last night in China was one for the ages. Went to the standard Mom's for dinner then to Bla Bla for a tshirt. Frenchie sitting next to us comes over for a chat and come to find out hes a Michelin man, literally. Hes the son of the owner or founder or some such thing. First to have a Porsche in China. Really rich growing up in Africa, school in Paris, Dublin, and New York etc etc. Anyway, had a bad date and ended up at this dive and talking to us. Drank a million and a half beers and had some interesting talks with him and some Cameroonians(?). Actually that was second to last night, Mike's last. Last night at the cafe next to He Jia and apparently they run to get pizza for us because they have no food except snacks and give us Mongolian cheese which is creamy hardness. Makes me look down on Mongolian foods already. I was excited about going there but how now (brown cow)? (Sorry for all the parens)
Yeah. Made it to Japon. Seems cool and since i flew into the wrong airport seems like a fitting start. End up going to Kyoto where I am now and this place is something else. When it's not raining.
Exams were grueling but Chin Jie said we could write about whatever we wanted (supposedly in class) and the others were completely predictable. I feel that i passed. The only reason for studying was to give those Pierce kids lower grades. Dont know why i think that i am better than them, just do. The last days were passed at the various markets buying various things i didnt need and filling a new suitcase to the brim and not having it pass inspection because of that a hole ticket taker. At the airport, after a luxurious cab ride which i had given up half way through my trip, I found myself having to pay nearly 100 for my freaking bag to get on the plane. This is half the price i paid for the ticket mind you. I am a sucka. Had to get it on though for it contained my treasures from Chine. Paid after some Russian pilot/steward guy was being a real meaniehead to the people at the excess baggage counter. He and his flight crew comprised of haggard old Russkies flying Aeroflot were trying to get about 20 huge duffel bag things on there. No doubt there was a connection to the Russian Mafia. He pushed other people out of the way but we got some other dude to put our stuff in front of theirs much to his chagrin (ha) and left. Luckily the bag made it.
Flight was ok, only time i have felt like i was going to die on an airplane. I always thought the question "how was your flight" was pretty much rhetorical but i guess not. First leg into Yantai was good and i had a good chat with some dude from there who was disappointed when i told him i was continuing to Osaka. The flight over the Sea of Japan was the bumpiest ever and i thought we may skid off the runway upon landing. I guess thats why you dont want the government controlling everything. China Eastern gets a thumbs down all around. Food was good though - shrimp and ham pasta and octopus salad and fig roll. Really, good.
Last night in China was one for the ages. Went to the standard Mom's for dinner then to Bla Bla for a tshirt. Frenchie sitting next to us comes over for a chat and come to find out hes a Michelin man, literally. Hes the son of the owner or founder or some such thing. First to have a Porsche in China. Really rich growing up in Africa, school in Paris, Dublin, and New York etc etc. Anyway, had a bad date and ended up at this dive and talking to us. Drank a million and a half beers and had some interesting talks with him and some Cameroonians(?). Actually that was second to last night, Mike's last. Last night at the cafe next to He Jia and apparently they run to get pizza for us because they have no food except snacks and give us Mongolian cheese which is creamy hardness. Makes me look down on Mongolian foods already. I was excited about going there but how now (brown cow)? (Sorry for all the parens)
Yeah. Made it to Japon. Seems cool and since i flew into the wrong airport seems like a fitting start. End up going to Kyoto where I am now and this place is something else. When it's not raining.
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