Around Takaoka: the Kojo Park Zoo

One place I have explored in town is Kojo Park.  It is a big park, and among other things includes a small zoo (like the park by the swamp in La Crosse for those of you who had to observe the monkeys at some point).  But, for such a small zoo I learned a lot. 

~ Spider monkeys have a green/yellow tint to them, and are adorable.  I want one for a pet.

~  A raccoon dog is a real animal, but it is made out of nightmares.  Seriously, they looked pure evil.

~ Emu’s make surprisingly low sounds…idk how to describe it, something between a bark and a honk (of a bass or baritone whichever is lower).

~African porcupines are enormous.  They are not quite the size of a golden retriever but might be about equal to a small lab.  Certainly more than twice the size of Taz, but (probably) not quite three times the size.

And yes I tried to get photos and if the animals stayed still long enough for any of them to come out well I will add them when I get a chance

Convenience stores and vending machines

They can be a major money sink.  You spend a little here and a little there, just the tiniest bit each day and before you know it you have spent a ton.  I realize this, and that I should stop using them so much but…

1.  They are called convenience stores for a reason, they are convenient.  And they really REALLY are.  I believe there are 3 between my apartment and school, making it so tempting for me to hit snooze a few extra times, and make up for that time by buying lunch rather than making it. 

2.  The little old lady cashier makes my morning when I stop in.  She is always so chipper.  She chit chats animatedly no matter how confused I get or how blankly I stare at her, and her excitement doesn’t disappear even when I tell her I can’t understand (which happens about twice per visit).  She just goes blabbering on until I understand a word or two and she gets even more excited.    

3.  Mountain Dew is not at the super markets near my apartment (I have seen it at one store that is on the far side of the train station, I would estimate it’s around a 45 minute walk one way).  Nor have I seen it in the vast majority of the vending machines scattered liberally around town.  Where is one vending machine that has it?  My school (oddly grape mountain dew is in a lot of them).  

 And for those reasons I think my vending machine and convenience store habit will be a hard one to break!

My First Enkai

Posted Aug. 12
Written Aug. 7th
Happened Aug. 5th

Enkais are essentially parties with your co-workers, where there is food and drinking.  My visit school (the school I go to once a week) threw one as a welcome/goodbye party for the outgoing and incoming ALTs (there were 2 of each).  It was the first time I met anyone from this school.  I was very nervous, especially as I have a long history of making terrible first impressions (hello big hole in the bum of my pants on the first day of uni, and spewing in Scotland).  I thought this would be no exception as the day was hot, really hot and I felt sweaty and gross!  I booked it home after working all day at my base school changed clothes as quick as I could and continued hustling to make a stop at an ATM then to the restaurant.  All in all about an hour of speed walking in the humidity (some of which was done in heels.)  So I was a bit sweaty, and I managed to make my foot bleed in the process.  At an American party the foot thing would not have been an issue.  But our Enkai was in a traditional tatami room where you take off your shoes before entering (and sit on pillows on the floor).  Needless to say I looked a mess.  However, it didn’t seem to matter everyone was very kind, and I had a lot of fun.  I tried plenty of new foods (which I ate successfully with my chop sticks).  Some of which was delicious, some of which did not agree with me quite as well.  One shrimp looking thing in particular had good flavor but a dreadful texture.  And there was something green that I felt like I was chewing forever that was not my favorite (It looked like delicious avocado, but sadly was not).  On the plus side I enjoyed some excellent sashimi (couldn’t guarantee it, but yellowtail is a specialty in the area so may have been that) and a brothy pork dish with some vegetables that was quite superb.  All and all, the evening seemed to go really well.  The school even has a gymnastics club ( that sadly has had some flagging membership it’s down to 2) so they have asked me to join, which I am pretty excited about even though I suspect getting back into it will hurt.  After the work party I met up with some other local ALTs and did karaoke a very fun way to finish the night. 

When I get a chance I will post about exploring my town, and about hiking Tateyama Mountain. 

Tanabata Festival and Hanabi

Posted Aug. 12th
Written Aug. 9th
Happened Aug. 1-7 

Tanabata (sp? I probably butchered that, but it's how it sounds to me) is a star festival.  I beleive it is origninally a Chinese celbration in which a prince (represented by one star) gets to cross over and meet with the princess (represented by another star)  one night of the year.  Sadly, if it rains they do not get to meet that year.  In Japan it is usually celbrated in early July, in Takaoka however, the festival was the 1-7th of Aug. so I got here just in time.  To celebrate it children write their wishes onto decorations that are hung on bamboo trees.  There were also several firework displays in the prefecture, food stands, a stage with musicians, and I'm sure many other events I missed.  Here are a couple photos of the decorations in the night.

 

In addition to going to see the decorations in town I also went to hanabi (fireworks) twice during the last week.  Once in Toyama city and once in Takaoka city.  This was quite similar to how they are done for the music in Plymouth around the forth back home.  A huge group gathers, there is music (hearing supercalifagilisticexpialodoshis in Japanese was awesome), and there is lots of festival food.    I had Karage (some sort of fried chicken), an Octopus ball, A shaved Ice (those seem quite popular even at restaurants and things) and a chocolate and sprinkle covered banana.

P.S.  I know I've been dreadful about posting, but when I have my own internet set up in my apartment I will be better about it (this may not be for another month yet, it's impossible to say at this point).  I also will add more pictures then because I know how on my own computer, and it is a struggle on one where I can not read the options.   

Hubris

The other day I was talking to another ALT about moving in and everything and she was saying how grocery shopping was a bit rough.  I said it was fine, you can tell what most things are by looking at them.  The very next day I stopped to grab lunch at a convenience store and instead of potato chips, I grabbed wasabi potato chips.  If you have ever eaten a meal with me, you know I am an absolute wimp when it comes to spicy food.  Black pepper? no thank you...mild salsa? if you drown it in sour cream and cheese maybe...wasabi? please rip my tongue out!!!

catching up

Ｓｏ　ｉｔ‘ｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ａｗｈｉｌｅ．．．　　Ｉ　ｌｅｆｔ　Ｔｏｋｙｏ　ａｎｄ　ｍｙ　ｆｉｎａｌ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｓ　while heading to the airport ｗｅｒｅ　ａｂｏｕｔ　ｈｏｗ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　of the city Ｉ　ｈａｄ　ｓｅｅn，　ｈｏｗ　ａｗｅｓｏｍｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇｓ　ａｒｅ　（ｕｓｕａｌｌｙ　Ｉ　ｔａｋｅ　ｅｘｃｅｓｓｉｖｅ　ａｍｏｕｎｔｓ　ｏｆ　ｎａｔｕｒｅ　ｐｈｏｔｏｓ　and　ｉｇｎｏｒｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ｓｃａｐｅｓ,　ｂｕｔ　ｉｆ　Ｉ　ｈａｄ　ｎｏｔ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｏｎ　ａ　ｂｕｓ　Ｉ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｈａｖｅ　ａｔ　ｌｅａｓｔ ａ　ｈｕｎｄｒｅｄ　ｒａｎｄｏｍ　ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ　ｐｈｏｔｏｓ），　ａｎｄ　that Ｔｏｋｙｏ　ｈａｓ　ｗａｙ WAY　ｍｏｒｅ　ｇｒｅｅｎ　ｓｐａｃｅ　ｔｈａｎ　Ｉ　ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ．

Ｉｎ　Ｔｏｙａｍａ－Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｎｏｔ　ｂｅｅｎ　ａｎ　ａｃｔｉｖｅ　ｏｒ　ｅｘｃｉｔｉｎｇ　ｐｅｒｓｏｎ　ｈｅｒｅ　ｙｅｔ．　Ｓｏ　ｆａｒ　ｈａｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｐａｐｅｒｗｏｒｋ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｏｃａｌ　govt，　ｔｈｅ　ｐｈｏｎｅ　ｃｏｍｐａｎｙ（ｂｙ　ｔｈｅ　ｗａｙ，ｐｉｃｋｉｎｇ　ａ　ｐｈｏｎｅ　ｐｌａｎ　ｗｈｅｎ　ｙｏｕ　ｃａｎ‘ｔ　ｒｅａｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｄｅｔａｉｌｓ　ｉｓ　ｌｅｓｓ　ｔｈａｎ　ｆｕｎ），　ｔｈｅ　ｂａｎｋ，　ｅｔｃ．Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ａｌｓｏ　ｓｐｅｎｔ　ａ　ｌｏｔ　ｏｆ　ｔｉｍｅ　ｓｌｅｅｐｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　even more ｗｉｓｈｉｎｇ　Ｉ　ｗｅｒｅ　ａｓｌｅｅｐ．　
Ａｎｙｗａｙ　ｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｅｗ　ｏｃｃａｉｓｉｏｎｓ　Ｉ　ｈａｖｅ　ｄｒａｇｇｅｄ　ｍｙｓｅｌｆ　ｏｕｔ　ｏｆ　ｂｅｄ　Ｉ　ｍｅｔ　ａ　ｇｏｏｄ　ｎｕｍｂｅｒ　ｏｆ　ｔｈｅ　ＡＬＴｓ　ｉｎ　ｔｈｅ　ａｒｅａ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｓｅｅｍ　ｌｉｋｅ　ａ　ｇｒｅａｔ　ｇｒｏｕｐ．　　Ｉ　ａｌｓｏ　ｆｏｕｎｄ　ａ　ｂａｓｋｉｎ　ｒｏｂｂｉｎｓ　ａｎｄ　a ｍｃｄｏｎａｌｄｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ａｒｅ　ｗｉｔｈｉｎ　ｗａｌｋｉｎｇ　ｄｉｓｔａｎｃｅ　ｏｆ　ｍｙ　ａｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔ　ｓｏ　ｎｏ　ｎｅｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｃｏｎｃｅｒｎ　ｙｏｕｒｓｅｌｆ　ｔｈａｔ　Ｉ　ｍａｙ　ｓｔａｒｖｅ　ｈｅｒｅ．Ｉ　ｈａｄ　ｏｒａｎｇｅ　ｍｕｆｆｉｎ　ｆｌａｖｏｒｅｄ　ｉｃｅ　ｃｒｅａｍ　ｆｏｒ　ｌｕｎｃｈ　ｔｈａｔ　ｄａｙ　in case you were wondering, and it was awesome!!!（ｉｔ　ｔａｓｔｅｓ　ｗａｙ　ｂｅｔｔｅｒ　ｔｈａｎ　ｉｔ　ｓｏｕｎｄｓ）　
Ｎｅｘｔ　ｔｉｍｅ　Ｉ　ｇｅｔ　ｍｙ　ｃｏｍｐｕｔｅｒ　ｓｏｍｅｗｈｅｒｅ　ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔｅｄ　ｔｏ　ｔｈｅ　ｉｎｔｅｒｎｅｔ　Ｉ　ｗｉｌｌ　ｐｏｓｔ　ｓｏｍｅ　ｐｉｃｓ　from exploring　ｍｙ　ｃｉｔｙ　ａｎｄ from　ｔｈｅ　Ｔａｎａｂａｔａ　ｆｅｓｔｉｖａｌ　ｗｈｉｃｈ　ｉｓ　ｇｏｉｎｇ　ｏｎ　ａｔ　ｔｈｅ　ｍｏｍｅｎｔ．　　

P.S. yes I know the formatting got wierd during that post but I cant figure out how to fix it

Views from the Hotel

The last 4 are from my room, the rest were from high up in the building