Mountains, Sea, and Other stuff

I’ve been really lazy with this blog, so much has been going on and I just have been putting off updating it for about two weeks now. Where to start... well I have been to 4 festivals thus far, the Mikuni festival, the Tsuruga festival, Echizen Town Drum Festival and the Fukui festival. All of these festivals are like massive fairs, without the animals of course, with food and drink and loads of cool stuff to look at. The fukui festival was first. I went with my two friends from Japan who are very very nice. I had the opportunity to watch traditional Japanese dancing and singing and then hang out in the evening with the actual dancers and singers. We had a great dinner together, the food was amazing. I am very fortunate to have gotten to know them and spend that evening with them. Festival #2...The Mikuni festival is famous for its fireworks. I worked until about 6 that night and decided last minute I was going to go for it. I caught the next train out of Sabae, and headed up north.. little did I know once I switched to the local train I was in for a real treat... SO MANY PEOPLE.. I was all by my myself and I was literally getting squashed against a wall ...fireworks are very important here, It was worth the fight though, I got there after an hour of hot and sweaty Japanese armpits right when the fireworks started and wow.. they were awesome, right over the beach..the phones were dead so of course I could not find anyone when I got there.. but I found food and obviously thats my best friend of all, so I ate and watched fireworks for about an hour...then realized I had to go home on that same train?? Hell no.. I went on a mad dash to find anyone who did not look Japanese.... took a while but I spotted someone in the distance and ran to them and was like HI! Im foreign, you are too.. can you give me a ride home? No, not really I knew the guy and said are you going my way... but I felt like saying the first part I was so happy to be speaking my own language. Yeah.. so no train home, nice and easy car ride.... The third festival I went to was in Tsuruga, Tsuruga is south of me, and has really pretty beaches on the sea of Japan. Me and a fellow from Ireland caught a train in the afternoon down there to swim and then see the fireworks. When we got there they had a free bus to the beach.. it was great, there were tons and tons of people already on the beach, they had set up camp and were hanging out for the day. Kids, families, young adults drinking and just swimming and having fun. We found a little spot and set up our camp, had some beers, ate some food and enjoyed the scenery of Tsuruga. I still cannot get over how pretty Japan is. Sitting on the beach, looking at massive beautiful mountains all around you, Its just breathtaking here. So right when im about to go in the water, they call everyone out.. SHARK! Just kidding, I guess they stop swimming at five.. damn it! Haha they light lanterns and put them in the water right before the fireworks start. (below) Its gorgeous, they all gathered near the shore and it lit up the whole beach. Then the fireworks started. Oh my lord, did you see them in New york? Felt like you could.. they were shooting out from three different directions and they were massive. IT was awesome. It lasted over an hour as well, it was spectacular, id never seen a show like it. After that though, I was fire-worked out.
Tonight I went to a drum festival in Echizen Town, which is close to my house. They had a group playing traditional Japanese drums. The festival was not as big as the other ones, but it was just as spectacular. The drummers were so talented I was completely floored by this. What a cultural experience!


Modeling...who would have thought?
Once a week I model for a women who lives in Sabae. She is a local sculptor. Its wonderful, I go Tuesday mornings, she gives me coffee and breakfast, I sit on a chair for about 20 minutes and she,as of right now is just doing sketches of me, and then she makes me lunch.. and pays me 20 bucks. Its insane, we can't communicate real well she can speak a little English, but the body language and the gestures tell enough. I am very appreciative of her and I love being at her house. She has both a studio and a house in the same spot.And she has a cat, and of course I sit with the cat whenever I can. Love the cat. She teaches me some Japanese and I teach her English. (The women, not the cat) Its a lot of fun, I enjoy my time there.

Tokyo...
Me and my friend Kat went to Tokyo to see a concert called Summer Sonic. Its a massive music festival a little outside of Tokyo. We took a night bus on Friday around 10 and got to Tokyo station around 6 AM. We took the metro to a famous fish market called Tsukiji. It was crazy, there were so many fish, huge fish millions of small fish, I saw massive Tunas the size of me.. it was quite the site. Me and kat almost got run over a couple of times by these weird looking fish cart things.. it was about 8AM and people were on the streets eating sushi.. fish for breakfast I guess. It was crowded and everyone was trying to get their fish for the day, whether it be eating it, or buying it. We then took the train to a place called Asakusa, which was in the eastern part of Tokyo. They had a large market there were you could shop for pretty much anything. We walked around for a bit and found some interesting places to look at. We then caught the train back to Tokyo station and met one of Kats friends. We traveled out to where the concert was, our hotel was only a few stops from the concert. WE settled in the hotel, took a power nap and off to the concert me went. (look at line-up URL http://www.summersonic.com/2010/lineup/ ) On the second day we went in mid afternoon and saw about five acts including Taylor swift, a tribe called quest, and best of all Stevie wonder. He was the last act. Stevie Wonder in Tokyo!! it was amazing, the concert was huge and the place was full. It was crazy! It was a really great concert. I then left after Stevie and traveled home on local trains. I was a bit nervous to travel home alone, but It was not tough at all, although I barley slept because I spent the night in a train seat on a local, but I managed. I took a local from Ueno to Kanazawa and then transferred at like 5 AM to a Local to Fukui, then to Sabae. I was riding the train with locals going to work on a Monday morning!, I probably looked so gross, since I had no time to freshen up after the concert! Haha oh well, I just hope I didn't smell too bad!


Everyday life:
The food here is good, but I have no idea how to cook it. I have been living off this bakery in the middle of town which is amazing. I like to ride my bike to Nishyama park, and on the way I stop at the bakery for some goodies. I am sitting at the park right now actually. The park has all these steps and trees everywhere, and ponds with massive coy fish, which I love to watch. Its so peaceful here I love it. I read or blog haha, or just unwind and relax. Its my favorite part of sabae.

Mt Fuji...OH MY!
hummm... lets start with, im never doing that again.. BUT it was definitely worth the experience. The jet program had a bus going to Mt Fuji, so I jumped on in. We left Fukui station around 12PM on Saturday morning, the bus ride was about 9 hours, we got to Station 5 (there are different stations going up the mountain) We started hiking at 9PM. We did this so when we got to the top we could see the sunrise...okay so first off, I started in shorts..I had about 4 granola bar things with me and an apple pie snack.. (its important later) There are a ton of people hiking the mountain with us, people usually buy walking sticks and most of the group did (b/c they tell you to) but of course im cheap as shit and did not buy one. So in shorts, no walking stick, and not even one dollar on me.. right good start. At first while climbing I am like "okay this is easy many ppl are doing it, ill be fine, done this stuff before.." We climb to the first station.. at these stations they sell water and food and stuff its kinda odd, but people stop at them to take a break I guess. So next station comes up.. im kinda tired, thinking maybe should have brought money..nah w/e.. im still going, its now just me and this girl Jill we are nearing the 8th station. By this point IM getting tired, im soaked in sweat, but its freezing, we don;t stop really b/c once I stop I literally start freezing. There are now people on the side of the mountain just passed out, or taking breaks. Everyone is going so slow (including me) and I cannot get myself to go any faster. I was officially exhausted by station 8. I ate my snacks and now it was down to the apple pie. I got past station 8, and decided I was going to freeze to death if I didn't change.. So with tons of people all around me in the middle of mount Fuji I stripe down to my underwear and put on spandex. Then I feel sick, so I down the apple pie, which was my only source of energy..yes nasty fake sugar... . Okay im telling this story really badly, but basically I felt like I was going puke, freeze to death, and pass out. The next HOUR I literally swore at the mountain, moaned and groaned my way up each and every damn rock, and crawled whenever I could. Jill pushed me and when we made it to the top.. we found a nice patch of Volcanic Ash and laid on our backpacks..in 30 degree weather, drenched in sweat, I passed out. We had gotten to the top by 2AM which is pretty fast (Less then 5 hrs) I woke up about an hour later shivering and covered in Ash! although this all sounds miserable I think I was on some sort of a high, b/c despite all this me and the other jets that made it to the top curled in balls on a volcano, were all still managing to laugh up a storm. Everything was funny and it was like I was delusional. So we got up and at 5AM started to walk down the mountain to see the sunrise. IT was amazing being above all the clouds and looking out at the sun coming up. The day starts in japan, and on that day it started with us on the top of Mt Fuji! It was worth it, good story I guess. Oh and walking down.... no walking stick..I fell at least 25 times!! We got down the mountain by like 9AM. 12 hrs after we started, I now have a love hate relationship with the volcano, we bonded. We got back home around 8 that night. What a weekend. Maybe not a weekend in paradise, but definitely one ill take with me forever!!


Paradise:
Mt Fuji might not have been too heavenly, but about 40 min from my house is paradise. I live very close to the sea of Japan. Its a rocky coastline, of beautiful sea and behind you are massive mountains. Its a site to see. Me and kat have been going to the beach a lot lately. The water is so clear and there is no one there. I love the Japanese sea! we took a drive north to see the Tojimbo Cliffs which are big famous cliffs in Fukui. We spent the day on the beach, then drove up to the cliffs to watch the sunset. It was beautiful (Left).

Random shit:
Karaoke is big here. And I LOVE IT! Yes I love to make a fool out of myself, it just too much fun. Most of the times I have been out drinking I have ended up in a karaoke bar or room singing to loads of people. I even did the thriller song and moon-walked one night. Get some drinks In me and then Bust a move!! haha people here like to BBQ and I like when they do it. The Japanese people here are far too nice. I have been to many BBQs where they just keep feeding me amazing food. Some of the students I teach invited me to their house for a Korean style BBQ.. the real stuff. We couldn’t communicate well, but I kept saying Oshi, Oshi! Delicious Delicious. I had some snail... when I saw it the first time it was alive, and then next thing I know im eating it? People here know how to cook on a BBQ! Its so different from home, but in a really good way!!

The bugs here are huge, but I have come to really like looking at them. I have a balcony and sometimes these massive Secadias come and start chirping on my screen door. I have not figured out their language yet, but im working on it, I sometimes can pick up a few words here and there.... Its a bit scary at first but they are so cool, and living alone, you know me, any friend is a good friend to have.

Teaching, right that’s why im here? Yes, I have started to teach young kids, its really funny b/c we have no idea what the other is saying so it turns into a massive laughing and smiling fest with some English involved. Sometimes its a bit annoying b/c I really want to tell them something or explain a game or whatever it may be, and im talking and I forget that in the back of their heads their saying “why are you still talking? Obviously we have no idea what your saying” it kinda ends up when im alone teaching that I just laugh with myself at jokes I say or at something that happens, b/c well im the only one who understands. The kids here for the most part are really great.

We went to a radio show party for our little town. And they asked some of the English people I was with to talk on it. I have no idea what the show was about, but I think it was about the history of Sabae. It was really cool, they fed us and let us hang out with everyone. Good enough for me.

Driving is normal now, left, right, sideways backwards, its all the same, you get used to it.

There are many more things to write about, but it takes so long! .. Japan is so pretty, and I love the people. I am really starting to appreciate the culture and the people here. Rice is being harvested now, since I live in a rice field I know that..haha. Hopefully it cools down soon, japan is really hot in Summer!!