I went to Kyoto, After going to Nagoya
Well, I have been a little busy, but not with work. I went to Nagoya on Friday to visit friends (as I plan to do almost every weekend that I'm here). In Nagoya I went to Nagoya University and had dinner with one of my friends (Celso-from Brazil) at the university cafe. I gave him my old softbank phone (which was useless to me in the USA since none of the phone companies use USIM cards it seems). On Saturday I went to Meidaisai...if you have been reading my blog for a long time, you know what Meidaisai is (it is the Nagoya University Festival). I posted pictures and a video of Meidaisai below, with a few comments:
(In one of the pictures above, you will see a STRANGE Japanese comedy play. You will think it is strange as well if you see the picture.)
Two years ago (on this very month), if you go to my archives, you can see my first article over Meidaisai. I think I complained about it being too crowded. Well, not much has changed...it's still very crowded. After I finished going to Meidaisai, I went to meet a friend for language exchange. We used to have language exchange every week when I lived in Nagoya, but since I left it is impossible. So, since I'm back, we are continuing language exchange over the weekends. She had just got back from a visit to Taiwan and she brought me a few gifts from there. I haven't tried them yet, but they look similar to some Japanese snacks I have had before...I'll let ya'll know if it taste the same later.
On Sunday, I went to Kyoto with a couple friends. It is actually kind of interesting since I went to Kyoto with the same friends last December before I left for Texas. If you go back to my archives (or just scroll down my blog), you will find my post about the trip we took to Kyoto 6 months ago (and you can compare those pictures to the new ones that I posted below):
(Isn't this the oldest phone you have ever seen in use today?)
(Picture of Paul-Ecuador and I pondering the meaning of the pictures at the International Mangu Museum. They were about peace and war.)
(A small snack and a random building that I liked in Kyoto)
(A monk or something like that asking for donations)
(Above are just random photos of Kyoto. In one you can see Paul holding up the roof of one of the land marks. Okay, it's obvious he is not, but that's only because I didn't have enough time to position the camera before people would step in front of it.)
(Above is at the temple that we spent a while trying to get to. Aparently there are 2 Shijo stations. If you get off at the wrong one you will end of a long way from the temple. If you get off at the right one you will be rather close. So, why are their 2 Shijo subway stations you may ask? Well, I do not know, but I'm sure I could just make something up...well, at this moment nothing is coming to mind...but I will make something up later. Anyways, it was rather scenic at the temple. On the way back to Kyoto station I got a few snacks that I plan on bring back to the USA later. I would have to say that the trip was rather enjoyable. Thanks Paul and Momoko if ya'll are reading this).
(Let's talk about the above picture a little. Have you ever seen that commerical where the guy who loves nature is pretending to make a nature video and he is out in a mountain stream. Then he takes a cup and gets some of the water from the stream and drinks it...and then starts talking about how good it tastes. Then, the nature guy looks up stream and sees 2 really dirty looking men, in old dirty cloths, bathing in the river together and pointing and laughing at the nature guy? And then the nature guy makes a bitter look as if he just drank something bad? Well, the water that these people are drinking comes from the mountain. I was asked if I wanted to try some, but I said that I don't drink strange water...I just don't trust what has been in it.)
Finally, I went back to Matsue for experiments on Monday (today).
(above is a picture of me, taking a picture of Paul and Momoko...where Paul is taking a picture of me taking a picture of him. Did't understand what I just wrote in English? Well, neither did I, but if you look at the picture you may)
It turns out that over the weekend, the two people that came to Japan with me to do research (Carl and Saul) did do a few things in Matsue. I can't remeber what Saul did, but I know Carl went around Matsue and other places on his bike (visiting a few temples and a Japan heratage place). Also, Carl went to Kumar's place (Kumar is the Post Doctorial student in our lab) and took part in a cultural exchange between other international students (at least it sounds fun to me). Saul claims that he is going to go to take the train to Hiroshima this weekend. I haven't told him that there is no train to Hiroshima from Matsue yet...he has to go by bus. I also haven't told him that they don't speak much English at Matsue station. I am a bit curious as to how he is planning on buying the tickets. Of course, if he just goes to the station and keeps saying "Hiroshima!...Hiroshima!...I want to go to Hiroshima," I think they will put him on a bus just to get him away from there. There is a chance that someone at the station will speak enough English to help him. But, from what I understand, he wants to go to Hiroshima to visit the Catholic Church there...nothing else. Well, I guess I accept that. I would rather the trip be for different purposes, but... Of course, this weekend I plan on going back to Nagoya (in fact I will leave Friday morning because I have to take care of some business at Nagoya University). I don't have much planned for Saturday (but I will find something to do), however on Sunday I'm going to repeat my "Failed Trip To Nagoya Castle" that I posted about 7 months ago before I left Japan. This time I expect a different outcome. (If you haven't figure it out yet, I like doing repeat articles and having a different outcome. I'm going to try to do a few more repeats while I'm here. One of them will be over strange Engrish.) Anyways, I'll write more in a week or two (I still have a little more than a month in Japan). I'll be back in Texas in time for West Fest! Well, Adios. -Ben
(In one of the pictures above, you will see a STRANGE Japanese comedy play. You will think it is strange as well if you see the picture.)
Two years ago (on this very month), if you go to my archives, you can see my first article over Meidaisai. I think I complained about it being too crowded. Well, not much has changed...it's still very crowded. After I finished going to Meidaisai, I went to meet a friend for language exchange. We used to have language exchange every week when I lived in Nagoya, but since I left it is impossible. So, since I'm back, we are continuing language exchange over the weekends. She had just got back from a visit to Taiwan and she brought me a few gifts from there. I haven't tried them yet, but they look similar to some Japanese snacks I have had before...I'll let ya'll know if it taste the same later.
On Sunday, I went to Kyoto with a couple friends. It is actually kind of interesting since I went to Kyoto with the same friends last December before I left for Texas. If you go back to my archives (or just scroll down my blog), you will find my post about the trip we took to Kyoto 6 months ago (and you can compare those pictures to the new ones that I posted below):
(Isn't this the oldest phone you have ever seen in use today?)
(Picture of Paul-Ecuador and I pondering the meaning of the pictures at the International Mangu Museum. They were about peace and war.)
(A small snack and a random building that I liked in Kyoto)
(A monk or something like that asking for donations)
(Above are just random photos of Kyoto. In one you can see Paul holding up the roof of one of the land marks. Okay, it's obvious he is not, but that's only because I didn't have enough time to position the camera before people would step in front of it.)
(Above is at the temple that we spent a while trying to get to. Aparently there are 2 Shijo stations. If you get off at the wrong one you will end of a long way from the temple. If you get off at the right one you will be rather close. So, why are their 2 Shijo subway stations you may ask? Well, I do not know, but I'm sure I could just make something up...well, at this moment nothing is coming to mind...but I will make something up later. Anyways, it was rather scenic at the temple. On the way back to Kyoto station I got a few snacks that I plan on bring back to the USA later. I would have to say that the trip was rather enjoyable. Thanks Paul and Momoko if ya'll are reading this).
(Let's talk about the above picture a little. Have you ever seen that commerical where the guy who loves nature is pretending to make a nature video and he is out in a mountain stream. Then he takes a cup and gets some of the water from the stream and drinks it...and then starts talking about how good it tastes. Then, the nature guy looks up stream and sees 2 really dirty looking men, in old dirty cloths, bathing in the river together and pointing and laughing at the nature guy? And then the nature guy makes a bitter look as if he just drank something bad? Well, the water that these people are drinking comes from the mountain. I was asked if I wanted to try some, but I said that I don't drink strange water...I just don't trust what has been in it.)
Finally, I went back to Matsue for experiments on Monday (today).
(above is a picture of me, taking a picture of Paul and Momoko...where Paul is taking a picture of me taking a picture of him. Did't understand what I just wrote in English? Well, neither did I, but if you look at the picture you may)
It turns out that over the weekend, the two people that came to Japan with me to do research (Carl and Saul) did do a few things in Matsue. I can't remeber what Saul did, but I know Carl went around Matsue and other places on his bike (visiting a few temples and a Japan heratage place). Also, Carl went to Kumar's place (Kumar is the Post Doctorial student in our lab) and took part in a cultural exchange between other international students (at least it sounds fun to me). Saul claims that he is going to go to take the train to Hiroshima this weekend. I haven't told him that there is no train to Hiroshima from Matsue yet...he has to go by bus. I also haven't told him that they don't speak much English at Matsue station. I am a bit curious as to how he is planning on buying the tickets. Of course, if he just goes to the station and keeps saying "Hiroshima!...Hiroshima!...I want to go to Hiroshima," I think they will put him on a bus just to get him away from there. There is a chance that someone at the station will speak enough English to help him. But, from what I understand, he wants to go to Hiroshima to visit the Catholic Church there...nothing else. Well, I guess I accept that. I would rather the trip be for different purposes, but... Of course, this weekend I plan on going back to Nagoya (in fact I will leave Friday morning because I have to take care of some business at Nagoya University). I don't have much planned for Saturday (but I will find something to do), however on Sunday I'm going to repeat my "Failed Trip To Nagoya Castle" that I posted about 7 months ago before I left Japan. This time I expect a different outcome. (If you haven't figure it out yet, I like doing repeat articles and having a different outcome. I'm going to try to do a few more repeats while I'm here. One of them will be over strange Engrish.) Anyways, I'll write more in a week or two (I still have a little more than a month in Japan). I'll be back in Texas in time for West Fest! Well, Adios. -Ben
posted by Ben at 11:50 PM
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