Back in Tokyo

NOOooooo!!! they yelled at me in unison as I was reaching for the bottle, and in a ninja like speed all three girls had thrown their hands, the first for the bottle, the second for the glass, and Kumi san for my hands. Even the waitress looked appalled by the almost disastrous event, and all I could do is yell back SUMIMASEN!!! what did I do?!

I really thought that the day was going on smoothly. Kumi and I started off by going to a unique Ice sculpturing that resided next to a beautiful lake surrounded by snowy mountains. Later on we stopped at a nice modern hot springs onsen, which had more than 9 different kinds of pools - green tea, white flower, bubbly wobbly and so on... After that unforgettable relaxation, we headed back home in order to rest prior the evening schedule. As the evening was setting down on the suburban planes of Hokkaido, we took a train towards the main city of Sapporo, there we were to meet two friends of Kumi. There, after a lovely conversation, all hell broke loose...

Yeah yeah... I think my fingers are stuck with that V sign.

"What did I do?!" I thought I heard myself asking again... all I wanted is to pour me a cold one since I didn't think it would be polite to drink straight from the bottle.

"No!" Kumi pleaded... "What are you doing"?

"...Drinking beer?" I answered honestly.

"You Do not do that!"

".... What... beer?"

"No!... It is very bad luck!"

"What... BEER?!"

"NO! to pour to yourself!"

"........What?"

"Beer from bottle", she explained slowly, "and sake... you don't pour to yourself... very bad luck"

"so wait... now I need you to pour me beer every time I finish drinking this tiny glass?!"

And so it came to be, that for the next half hour, I was being served by all three girls... I drink, they pour... the funny thing is was that as they were doing it, they were complaining to me about all the times that they had to pour the sake and beer to the men at company parties, just because they are women...

DA-ME!!! the notorious signal for DON'T DO THAT

After finishing eating (it was more nibbling for me) at that restaurant, we went to this fashionable Fruit pub... yes.... a Fruit pub... the entrance was literally littered with Oranges and the likes, and all the food had the fruity theme to it... including the beer. But, it was actually a nice experience... they even gave each one of us a bag full of fruits as we went home.

old lady sings Karaoke at an ice house in central Sapporo

The next day Kumi and I met another friend of hers, apparently her best friend... we started off at an all you can eat fancy shmansy restaurant... and I really ATE all I can eat... poor bastards.... they didn't see it coming. Later on we drove off to a theme-park zoo. the park, and the zoo, were quite neglected, and all was covered with a thick layer of snow, but all in all the company I was with was worth the while.

Red Panda, or something...

After that, I parted with Kumi, who had to go by herself to a meeting with her sempai (older brother kind of relationship... too complicated to explain), and I was picked up by her brother, Go-san, and together we went back home, there, his mother was waiting for us with delightful and very simple dinner, and I ate like a pig. After spending some quality time with Go-san, it was picture time with all of the family (a Gaijin privilege).

Me and Kumi`s mom, Sachiko

Go-san, Kumi san and Idiot-san

Unfortunately, that was my last day at Kumi`s house... the next day I got a lift to the airport from Kumi, and we, sadly, parted from each other.

To tell you the truth, It was really hard for me. The jolt I get everytime someone I just made an attachment with is gone, probably forever, is quite hard on me poor little heart. YES, I know that thats part of the trip, part of the experience, blah blah blah... I know all that philosophy in shekel... it doesn't make it better.



If you are reading this Kumiko, Know that I had tons of fun. really. really really.

oh, and stop smoking!!! ;)

Back in Tokyo

Ahh, the city that never rests. the Giantic megalopolis. The Heart of Japan. TOKYO!

crap.

Once again, I am on my own. I didn't even find any comfort in mingling with the guys from the hostel, since, well, they're annoying like hell... one of them is from New-Zealand and I cant understand what the heck he is saying, and the other one is an old British chump, which also speaks Gibberish for English... I keep imagining to myself that they always say something about Kiwi and sheep.... I don't get it.

But I guess it takes sometime to adjust to being alone each time...trying to shake the moody mood, I went to a club... yes, me... a CLUB... and it was pretty awesome... and yesterday I spent a good 3 hours at the Free-Hugs zone, and it had really lifted my spirit up... and even I got to spend some time today with Kumi, who happened to be in Tokyo before her flight...

well... now I have to think about what to do next.

Winter Fest

ach, the snow! it was only a week ago that I have spent my time lazily on the shores of warm and fuzzy Since Hokkaido is way up north, the temperatures are as low as -10 Celsius degrees, but Okinawa... now all around me is the beautiful surroundings of the snow white Hokkaido. the view is, well, bloody amazing.
Back in Okinawa, I had the chance of meeting in my hostel the beautiful Kumiko Katsuya, who without any hesitation offered me to stay at her home in Hokkaido with her family, since she will be there as well. I still have some hard time digesting this generous offer made by an almost complete stranger, even now as I sit at her home, writing these words.
On the first day, she picked me up from the airport and we drove straight to her home... the sky were a bright blue, yet the land was already covered with a thick layer of snow, and the horizon was littered with towering mountains, all dotted with huge masses of shimmering white. Even I, the notorious nature hater, was struck by this intense exposure to a surroundings I had yet encountered.
She introduced me to her home, which is really big, even in Israeli standards and her family. Her brother, Go, was my age, yet looked much younger, although i did find out that appearance is not what it may seem... 5 minutes later, after I had categorized him as a silent nice geeky guy, he had introduced me his Hip-hop dance shows, and damn the guy can move. After a bit of chit chatting with the mother and brother (dad was at work (7:30 pm), we had decided to go to an Onsen (hot spring baths) nearby. Now, I couldn`t take any pictures inside the Onsen, since everybody were butt naked, but trust me when I say the following words: TRY IT! 3 seconds after you enter, you forget the whole embarrassing naked moment, even though I got many stares as the only hairy foreigner there. but it was great. Me and Go, Kumis brother, entered the hot spring that was located outside in the blistering cold... my body was immersed in heat while my nostrils breathed ice, and all the while looking at a mountainous view bordered by a small lake... gorgeous... and refreshing... and the conversation was not so bad either, even though Go didnt know much English and my japanese was made out of one word sentences.
Back in her house, Father and Mother greeted us, already ready to eat dinner. Now I was a bit scared at that moment, since I started imagining smooshy squids and half dead whales staring at me from my plate while the whole family anticipates my exulted delight... but to my surprise, the dinner was simple and delicious.
The day after, me and Kumi drove together to the winter Festival located in central Sapporo.

A small example of the snow festival


A miniature Snowboard Contest


Since Kumi lives in the suburbs, it was almost a 40 minutes drive, but the view was lovely and the company was lovelier. We spent some 4 hours touring the whole of the winter festival, while it was snowing, and it was a great experience for me... for Kumi i guess she was used by now to snow and the snow festival, but she had a good time too, im sure.























































































To sum it all, Im really glad I met Kumi... without her I imagine my tour was another lonesome, cold journey in a no gaijins land.

Hazy days or Couchsurfing

Usually, what I do when I get into a city, is just to cruise around the place till its time to go. After a couple of days or so you get to know a bit of the city...

Well, Ive been to Fukuoka for 5 days now, and I have no clue or sense of direction at all here. Most of my time was being spent on following other people foot-steps, getting into a bar, going out for a club, dancing with japanese chicks while the the world around you is littered with hazy pink bunnies (or giraffes?), and waking up in a Karaoke room at 7am with other people you dont really know while Bohemian Rhapsody is screamed in your left ear by a drunk British, sorry, Scottish lassy, some blond hard-core (my ass) japanese punk and the Couch surfer I met, Jenny.

Jenny opened my eyes for the Couch surfing experience... although she didnt offer me a place in her own apartment, she was definitely gracious and happy to assist me with filling up my daily schedule, and inviting her to her house for dinner with many other people.... to summarize, although I didnt get a good look at the city of

Fukuoka, I had a good time. yep.