The Second real post from Japan
Because I have no more fitting title than that.
So, still in Japan. Haven’t been deported yet.
Another aspects of Japan worth mentioning is the culinary one. People that know me know that I am not a very diverse eater. I like my food simple. And as most dutchies: “Wat een boer niet kent, dat eet ‘ie niet” or “If I don’t know it, it won’t get past my lips”. I have to say that 60+% of food I’ve consumed here is not immediately recognisable. And only 15% of that can be identified afterwards. Right now I’m munching on a bakery product made up of . . .bread’ish stuff with . . . seeds and green transluscent stuff. Some of this stuff is nice . . . others aren’t. Within beverages I’ve found that the Japanese have a coffee fixation offering even Ice Tea with Coffee flavour, which next to the dozens and dozens of iced Coffees seems rather odd. I’ve eaten noodles, and rice and vegetables and meat and fish and . . . stuff I’m pretty sure doesn’t fit in any of those catagories.
Now, I know that it sounds like an odd thing to describe. I ate meat and fish . . . whoopie. But the thing is, I’ve eaten meat’ish substances of which I was pretty sure it was meat. But I’ve also eaten other stuff which turned out to be meat later. And a slurpi’ish substance which turned out to be raw krab (also available in belgium I’ve been told). There have still been 4 meals so far which were nice but I wouldn’t be able to describe it beyond noodles, vegetables and fish/meat/tofu . . . and I’m not always sure which one to cross out. Ohhhhh, seaweed looks a lot like spinach . . . just so you know.
On another point: The Japanese lessons have started. I’ll write more about this later as it will take more then the 10 minutes left in this lunch break to describe it. Suffice to say that it will be hard . . very very hard. For convenience they will make Kanjis out of smaller Kanjis. “Rock” and “Head” will combine to mean “stubborn”, “moon” equals “month”, “sun” equals “day” AND “sun” equals “Nippon”(japan) though both suns are different. And moon and sun (month and day) don’t combine to make calender . . . .but “bright”. Mouth and Bird means “to Cackle” and “person” and “tree” means “rest”. So far I know 3 different meanings of “ki” and all are pronounced the same but are written differently . . . Just to keep things clear. The Japanese keep assuring me though that it’s all quite logical. But from a country that produced the Quote of the day . . . . I’m not so sure
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Quote of the day:
Yes = Maybe
Maybe = It’s Difficult
It’s Difficult = No
No = I don’t like you, please go away
My god, I never thought I’d see the civilization that actually took: “Grunt once for yes, and twice for No” and integrated it into it’s language.
Now I finally understand the Kungfu Masters! Have 12 bright wonderful at the Moon, buddy! And don’t kill yourself with greenish translucent meat/fish/tofu!
Ki…ki ki, Jochgem
No, wally, just No..
Typhoons are cooooooool
Also they make sure trains don’t run, so some students can’t make it in today . . .
We should REALLY get mobile phones so the centre can call us not to wake up at 6 and head to class when there isn’t any.
Edit: Apperantly there was an email . . . . Well, at least the 2 participants that have email at their dorm will be relieved.
I like the way you write. Keep it up that way!
Comment on Sjors: the No part really worked well, maybe you should have tried that BEFORE September 1st. (Is this some way of not borrowing but keeping that guitar?)
Furthermore, find out the word for computer, in Chinese it’s really a fun symbol, I think it was something like thinking box or something. Can’t recall, but in Japanese it’s probably something similar.
And about the food part, there is a lot of Aloe Vera (?) or jelly, I believe in Asian food, maybe that explains the greenish stuff (sometimes it’s even in drinks and stuff, Aloe Vera btw is good for your skin, as I’ve been told). Seaweed, yeey! Coffee, yuk… Ow and don’t you just love the 3 times a day a warm meal mentality? Or the 24 hours open markets. Or don’t they have that sort of stuff on that island, and only in the rest of South-East Asia?
PS am I not doing a great job on the comment and keeping up this blog part? Happy now?
Guitar.. hell yeah its mine.. come on let’s be realistic: he gives his precious guitar to the one person he has actually *seen* thrashing about on stage with absolutely no regard for his “precious musical instument” (bonus points for knowing where the hell that quote came from”) Do you really think he intends to see it back… unpainted…unmolested???
right…
You willingly accepted a guitar to keep in good condition from a guy that went to spend a year in the country which makes the best swords in the world.
On the food thing, they stuff pastry with green or red jelly. As europeans we’d expect berries or smthg.
The Japanese use beans.
Meh, they taste good.
Oh, and I found the Japanese equivalent of Olives. They have fermented beans for breakfast here. It’s a delicasy amongst some and quite nasty for others, but it takes years of practise to start to appreciate them. All I have to say is: I don’t know what they taste like, but they sure to stink
Damn.. you gone and located Hattori Hanzo? Wow…. in that case, ask him to make me one of those ever sharp Hanzo-knives: I could really use one. We’ll call it even then …
I’ll need a disclaimer from Kim before I can get you one of those
But, I go to school close to Hanzomon station, so that should tell you how easy I found him. Ever since Kill Bill he just didn’t see any sense in hiding anymore.
When they give you red bean soup, pass!!! It’s really disgusting. Try the thing called Onde-onde in chinese, that has a bean filling and is quite nice. Though I don’t know if the Japanese use the same names as the chinese for food, I guess not. Well it looks like ehm a ball with sesame seeds on the outside.
Sure Sjors! can have one of those neet knives! I wouls also very musch like on of those knives.
(Observe the elegantly crafted spelling errors wich tell you beyond the shadow of a doubt that this is actually Kim! typing, not Sjors!, because he’s rarely mistaken)
And the Exclemationmark. . . .don’t forget the “!” Not reveiling anything