forgotten

I know its been a while but I've been busy, lots to tell. So I'll just get to it.


Last week, Tuesday,(actually by now its been two weeks, sorry this post is so late) I went to the pet shop with my friends, Anna and Bruno, to pick up the iguana they bought as well as its home and some artificial sunlight. Naturally, I migrated to the Betta area... just to have a look. Then of course, I found myself in front of the fish tanks... just to have a look. And then by the gravel and the rocks and the heaters... just... to... have a look? About a half hour later, and after a bit of coaxing from Bruno, I was at the register with one beautiful, golden Betta, four neon tetras, one live plant, and a twelve liter aquarium. What can I say? Now I can "just have a look" anytime I want, right here in my apartment. I have to say, they really liven up the place. The Betta's name is Lingosan and the tetras are O.B. (short for Oddball because he is always away from the rest of the group) and the Cool School. They have all become fast friends and Lingo is really starting to warm up to me. I'm very excited about my extended family.


On Wednesday I went to Aizu Wakamatsu with Kanae where we visited Tsurugajo Castle (see also Tsuruga-jo Castle). I'm not entirely sure how to classify this experience so I'll just give it to you straight up.


I went to my Japanese lesson in the morning where my teacher tried to explain verb groups and tenses... yeah, lets just say I'll be sticking to a limited number of actions in the present tense. After lunch (sushi of course) we made the hour and a half bus ride to Aizu. It was a gorgeous day, right up until we actually got there. By the time we arrived the sun had disappeared behind a fog of gray clouds, dimming all the pretty bright colors and letting loose a light drizzle. In the short walk from the bus stop to the castle, and despite the four layers of clothes I was donning, there wasn't an inch of my body that wasn't cold. However, it was well worth it. I forgot about the temperature as we began to walk the castle grounds. We climbed a set of broken stairs that led to a barrier overlooking the moat. Kanae explained, rather informatively, that the purpose of a moat was to make it harder for people to get to the castle. Dear, and I thought that's what dragons were for. No dragons in the moat however, only a scattering of defenseless ducks. They were rather cute though.


We stopped at one of the small shrines and then made our way into the castle. I would like to say that I was overwhelmed with a sense of history, that the walls were just aching to tell stories dating back centuries, or even that I could imagine warriors fighting to the death in the very spot I was standing. Unfortunately, none of these rang true. As I walked about the castle I found myself being led by ropes and arrows and well lit displays through a modern day museum. The stairs, the walls, the overhead beams did not reflect a weather beaten and time worn relic. And although the displays were very impressive I was rather let down as I entered the gift shop on the bottom floor. I came to discover later, by means of a very handy brochure written in English, that the castle has been rebuild about five times, most recently in the 1960's. Hows that for a historical landmark? And just outside the castle grounds are a couple of tennis courts. This is what I mean by "I'm not sure how to classify this experience." Although I really was looking at a site where wars had been waged and samurais had died, and although I really was standing on top of blood and sweat and other deteriorated warrior mass, I felt like I was at the Smithsonian. On top of that, there was another foreigner there who felt the need to stop me and find out my life story. Turns out, he's from Stuart, small world, eh? Needless to say it wasn't was I was expecting. I could have been in Stuart for all anyone knows.


However, even though this wasn't the historical experience I was hoping for, I did learn a lot about Japanese history as well as some warrior vocabulary. On the first level of the castle there was a huge display of swords, guns and, most impressive, a warrior armor suit or yoroi. It was very intricate and, I'll tell you what, if I were in a battle against someone wearing one of these things, I'd be scared. Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take a picture. Sorry. Heishi is the word for soldier,btw, and yes there is a difference between a soldier and a samurai (or bushi). The samurai swords, or katana, were also very impressive. There are many different shapes and the handles are very intricate. One that sticks out in my mind had two people carved into it. Again, this was the no picture taking zone, sorry. They also used to use bows, yumi, which I didn't know. They are huge. I'm not even sure I would be able to hold one properly. The guns, tepo, they used to use are like muskets, I guess. They reminded me of the American Civil War.


OK, the rest of the castle experience can be seen and read about here.


On Thursday, Thanksgiving, I spent the whole day searching for the ingredients to make apple pie and then making apple pie, from scratch, as in rolling the dough and everything. For whatever crazy reason, Japanese people don't believe in proper pie. I don't even think they know what pie is. So it wasn't easy trying to find everything I needed. But I did, and, oh man, was it amazing. Oh, and did I mention that Japanese people also don't believe in ovens? I used a fish broiler to bake my pies. It was definitely worth it, though. I bet I could have sold them, they were so good. The other teachers were definitely very appreciative. Little do they know, I'll be charging next time.


Other than that, its been quite quiet around here. I think I might have strep throat but I'm afraid to go to the doctor because another teacher was told he needed chemotherapy for a cold. A mistranslation for antibiotics. Right. I'll stick to hot tea and vitamin C.