Kamakura

I'm a bit behind on my postings as this is actually from two weeks ago. Me and some colleagues went to Kamakura, a city southwest of Tokyo riddled with temples. As always, you can click on the slideshow to visit my picasa page to get a larger images.

While I'm slowly starting to get a accustomed to the culture, some things still surprise me. The other day it was raining and having left my umbrella at the hotel I ran to the bus stop shed. When I got there, there was already a woman standing there and I placed myself at what I would describe as an appropriate distance by my culture's standard. That is, a bit towards the other side of the shed.

I stood there in my own work-related thoughts for probably about five minutes before realizing that we weren't alone anymore. Behind me in a perfect line about ten more people had arrived at the shed. Not only were they in a perfect line, but the line actually extended far outside the shed into the rain. This despite the fact that there was a huge gap in the queue between me and the first lady who appeared and despite the fact that there probably was more than enough room for everyone under the shed. Upon realizing this I of course took a huge step towards the first lady saving probably five more people from the rain. But the rest were doomed, by culture, to the get wet.

On Thursday my boss took me out to eat. We went to a conveyor belt sushi place were the food circulates on a track in front of you. Typically the chefs are in the same room and prepare and place the small courses on plates which are pattern coded by price on the belt. While not really a "fish person" I've found sushi to be quite enjoyable, though I usually avoid stuff like unagi (eel) and unidentifiable squishy stuff. My boss, however, suggested we try something he eats "all the time" though I suspect he was trying to freak me out:

From BackPropagation

The soup is a very common dish here and is called mizo soup. I actually enjoy it almost every day in the cantina at work. There however, it is there usually served without the fish heads. Despite the somewhat intimidating appearance it was actually quite good.

BTW: I'm somewhat drunk at the moment, for reasons I will recount on another occasion. So please excuse the occasional typo.

Observations.

• The hotel complimentary movie doesn't feel so complimentary when it has run 4 days in a loop.


• Should I be worried that I can't read half the warning signs in my hotel room?


• Just because the bottle has a picture of an apple, doesn't mean it's apple.


• Will the washer, which lacked temperature settings or anything else for that matter, destroy my clothes?


• I'm finally above average height.


• Japanese in general speak English as about as well as I speak French.

First earthquake.

Very small one though, but my chair moved.

Images





Mostly from when P was here. Click for larger ones.

First day at work.

Not a full 12 hours this time, got in at 9 and left around 20, but I'm confident that I can improve upon this tomorrow. Or not. The place seems nice, but most of the day was spent waiting for and setting up my box rather than actually working. Tomorrow, however, everything will be ready so I can probably get some real work done.

I didn't snap many pictures today as I forgot the memory card and it was raining outside. However I did get this immensely exciting one from the bathroom illustrating a phenomenon I've encountered at several restrooms in Japan:

From BackPropagation

Actually, many places don't have any machine or paper towels at all. So while you are apparently expected to wash your hands, drying them is a luxury.

I'm extremely tired at the moment, woke up at 6 today, and have not quite shaken of the jetlag haze yet. Hence this fascinating post. So why don't I go to bed? Due to the extremely inconvenient time differences I have to stay up for one more hour to catch P on skype after work.

Stay tuned for more exciting adventures of the henna gaijin...

I have finally arrived in Yokohama, though P and I went here for a small one day trip Thursday. My first impression is of a relatively calm city, but of course this is colored by recent exposure to the busier parts of Tokyo.

Below is a small slideshow of what I will be calling home for the next 2 weeks, after that I will be moving to Yokohama International Student House.





The hotel is called Toyoko-inn, its name apparently a portmanteau of Tokyo and Yokohama according to Wikipedia. It also seems to have featured in an illegal building alteration scandal.