(My first flower arrangement, in Ikenobou Class last night)
Left you at the quick and dirty catch up. So, I will bring it back to life here~
I had met a Liat at Yom Kippur. She and I went to the OhoriKoen in Fukuoka in one of the last pictures you saw. Well, the following weekend we decided to meet up half way at an Onsen (hot springs). We took respective highway buses to get to a random stop on the side of the road... the craziest part was actually meeting up... she was on one side of the expressway and I was on the other. The thought DID cross my mind.... wait for a break in traffic and go... but the divide seemed sketchy and at that moment a Mercedes Benz flew past at a speed that I preferred not to think about my body being in front of.... it would have been like my winding up and kicking one of the pesky little dogs that seem so ever popular in Japan... you know the ones, the accessory dogs that bark and are treated like, well accessories, in their carry bags and they get yelled at like children... a miserable existence for a species... poor dogs, poor human beings... anyways... I enjoy my two now-working legs, so I found another way to meet her.
(in the vineyards!)
After 25 minutes of wondering through the countryside, we met up and walked together in the wrong direction to the Onsen... quickly we were corrected and given a map by a tollroad operator. So, off we set, again. A small jaunt of going-to-be 3.2 km showed us its rather long face... It was a lot further than we had thought. After 2.5 km of sauntering in the lovely humidity, we came to a sign pointing in the right direction of the Onsen... only 5.7 km TO GO!!! ahh, we weren't going to make it by foot.
When she originally asked me how we'd get to the Onsen, I said, with no hesitation, "We'll hitchhike." So, my suggesting it to her was not ill-advised.... but it was surprisingly nonetheless. I heard that Japanese are different than Chileans (go figure, generalizing and stereo-typing again, Dave). I can safely say that both people have traits that are similar and different (so politically-correct)... no really! I'm serious.
My hitchhiking efforts would have to look differently than the ones in Patagonia last year. So, one thing that I heard was that signs are good.... So I went to work at a sign, in KANJI and in Romanji (English letters of Japanese words)... and I held it up to the first car that came up.... so, after four seconds, Liat and I were on the way to the Onsen with the first car! We made a mixed-up conversation with out limited Japanese and our driver's English... but it was fine.... he took a picture of us afterwards and I gave him some crackers as a tribute. Success.
(us, with the sign that got us there!)
Onsen was awesome... just awesome. Boys to the boys' side and girls to the girls'.... and an hour and some.... and we had lunch before the long walk back to the bus. Stopped by a vineyard and got fresh grapes, by a shrine to pray for a second and then back to the road... I made Liat stick out her thumb, this time we were signless because we didn't know how to write the name of the place we were going. About a dozen cars passed quickly and then a nicer car pulled over with an older couple sitting in the front. After a minute or so, we found out that they live near to Liat... they offered to drive us all the way back there! I know what you're thinking: Yes, we spoke English with them because they wanted to practice!
(The same flowers from class, but I arranged them at home in my new vase!)
I know what else you're thinking, "Dave, you fool, why would you double your distance away from home in order to get a free ride?" Fair enough, but as it turns out the bus fare was the same price back to my house from the Onsen or from Liat's... and you know me, always up for an adventure (for better or worse). And, like Tim told me in southern Patagonia... "Never turn down a ride." So, back to Kokura we went. The day transmogrified (K.V.) from one of cleansing and renewal to madness and fun AND cleansing and renewal! From a short day-trip into an extended-day trip. The weekend took form and I even had time to accomplish errands AND sleep... "Finally," commented my body. "Finally," I responded. I was able to adventure and take the desperately-needed break I had previously mentioned.
(Whole Foods better watch out... competition... I had to take this one, normally I don't point out egregious word choice issues, but this one got me)
I was going to write more, but I will add another post... that way I can get pictures into both and not drain all of your attention in one swoop!
KiotsuKette Kudasai,
Dave
1 comment:
Sadly, your picture of Halloday leaves out the most egregious word of all: the complete name is "amusement food holes" I don't get my groceries from just any old food holes ya know.
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