Japan

Yiepiehh....I got my gaikokujin toroku-sho. And nutella :-)

I´m so excited, I just can´t hide it...and because of that and several other reasons I tried to do my first animated movie. (Needs a lot of improvement but I´m proud that I did it.)

http://picasaweb.google.de/chempelt/2008_01_07AnimatedMovie/photo#5152718870954681378

07.01.2008 Kagohara

I just want to write up the stuff from yesterday. A new day and my girls are back in Germany.

The last day started with an extensive breakfast at the Hotel in Narita. Eggs, bacon, toast, juice, yogurt, marmalade... everything you need for a good continental breakfast. We spent there over an hour eating and chatting. The last day no japanese food. I was glad to have some bacon since my last trip to San Fran, which is is now over a year ago. Back then I was riding the bike with Rod before going to work and had egg with bacon in the morning to have enough calories.

The time at the airport itself was sad, like always, when you have to say goodbye. Ok, it´s only 6 weeks, but then I will be sad to leave Japan.
Later I took the Skyliner back to Ueno and from there straight to Kagohara. Curious this feeling when returning to the station. Just a couple of days ago I showed it to my family. Back then it was like they would not belong there. The second time it was ok. Now I´m missing them when going there. But I also feel like going home. Not enough rollercoaster:I felt this world peace in my heart satisfied with me and the world. Thankful for all the great experinces I had in the last weeks and simply happy.

In the lobby of the hotel, this nice lady told me that check-in time will be around 15°°. It´s now 14°°. No problem for me, I have my plans. Back to Kumagaya with the train. I want to purchase a toaster. In the LAOX store most of the cheap toasters are gone and only the expansive are available. I decided not to take the toaster but to go for the Minioven. Unfortunately there was no packed o9ven anymore. Self confident I walked over to the cashier and asked the man, if there are packed ovens available.He denied but kindly offered me the remaining one.

I agreed and he went off to clean and pack the oven. Enough time for me to have look around. And there it was: a big box with mobile phones for just 100 Yen. Great! Ok, I picked up one of them and had a closer look. This were the models, normally dispayed in the window. For my purpose (toy for Yasmin) perfect. no electronic included, no battery and the screen looks real. Even the buttons have the "click". I need one of them. The guy was ready with packing. As it turned out the oven was 200 yen cheaper than expected. Maybe because it was the last one. The telephone I got for free and additional I got a calender for 2008. Perfect. Even more happy than before I left the store and went for the train back to Kagohara. No one can stop me now!! In mind I was already preparing my dinner with the oven. Should I go for toast or better some chicken wings. Maybe some fish.. or should I leave the oven until tomorrow morning...

In the supermarket the decision was made. fresh made pizza with my own special toppings fresh from the new oven. So I had the a tomato, mango, corn, shrimps and cheese pizza. (actually 2) and it was delicious. I have no idea whether a oven is allowed in the hotel, but who cares. I stored the oven under the big cupboard and makes perfectly toast in the morning. Happy 6 remaining weeks to me!

05.01.2008 Narita/Kagohara

3 weeks of extensive railriding are over. My girls are back in the plane and I´m at the hotel in Kagohara. My clothes are washed, my
body has seen the onsen and I´m tired like hell. Today I had feelings like a rollercoaster and now I´ve talked 2 1/2 hours to a friend of mine. It´s time to go to bed and write the blog tomorrow.

05.01.2008 Narita

With the Keisei Skyliner from Ueno to Narita Airport. Lunch. Hotel. Sleep. Around 17°° we took a shuttle bus to Narita and went for some dinner.
After the dinner which was half of the price from the day before and much more satisfying (3 way menu) we found an unknown shop: Daiso. This is a 100 yen shop but bigger, better and with even more useful stuff. At first I didn´t know about the 100 Yen, there were no prices at all and so I took some of the things we wanted to buy (small puppets and some furniture for Yasmins birthday) and I went to the cashier. 630 Yen. Great for 4 dolls with chairs, a table, a cake, some plates and glasses. Ready, steady, shop!


04.01.2008 Tokyo

In the morning back to Tokyo. When we got onto the train, it started to snow. The night before we were all singing snow songs, to get some snow over the night, but it didn´t help until we left. So my daughter was so happy to see that singing sometimes helps.

Before we left I called the hotel in Kagohara to see if they have returned from their vacation. They did. So we went straight to Kagohara and picked up my luggage I left there for the past 2 1/2 weeks. Some of the things should go back to Germany, because I don´t need them and the room is not so big to store not necessarily needed things.
This was the last day in Tokyo area and so I wanted to show my girls the Tokyo they should know. They have been to America before and so the skyscrapers are not so interesting, but the 75m queue in front of a Crispy cream or the designers baby clothes and a night view over Tokyo. Best choice Metropolition goverment office building. So we got their. It was amazing.

After that we had a very confusing walk through the streets of shinjuku. Originally I was aiming for Tokyo hands. In the past I always ended there, but this time...
Ok, after a hundreds of stores, blinking lights, shouting people, crowded restaurants we finally made it to Takayama. By the time we got there it was already 18°°. Straight to 12-14th floor. The restaurant area. I was looking for shabu shabu. Nothing. Yasmin was already starving and when I saw the waiting time of one restaurant: 85 minutes, we decided to stop in the next restaurant with no queue. MISTAKE!!!
It was a crepes restaurant ("Breizh café") french welcome: Bonjour, french menu (which was good, so we could understand more than on the japanese version, but the food: NOT FRENCH!!! The only real french thing we had in there was a bottle of evian (1000ml). The glass and the label were french. But about the water I´m not sure. The bottle was open... In France the bottle would have been opened at your table. Our glasses were dirty and the crepes dough was made out of buckwheat with water. I doubt that an egg was even close to the dough during the whole preparation process.
The taste: *SMILE* The price: WOW! 5900 Yen for 3 pancakes with 1 bottle of water and an orange limonade. Highscore since the last weeks. This is not too expansive, I´m not used to pay much for good food not for french fake pancakes.

03.01.2008 Nikko

The bell rang 5:25 this morning. We had to go up to catch the 7:22 shinkansen to Utsonomiya. I was soooo lucky on the shinkansen. Right after leaving Ueno station I could see Fuji-san with no clouds and clear blue sky.
We arrived at Nikko at 9:08. Too early to check into the hotel and so we planned to go to the lake and see the waterfall. Unfortunately the next bus was leaving 10:30. This would have ment to wait 1 1/2 hours at the train station. We changed the schedule and went for the temples. The temples are a must see.
A must try for europeans are the japanese version of the crepes. The are not better or worse than the french version, but completely diferent. The dough is as different as the filling is.Not speaking about the shape. The only thing which is the same are the hot plates.

During the visit of the temples I figured out 9 rules, which add to my puzzle.
1. Even when it´s cold, japanese don´t care. Especially the girls. Short skirts, no socks, only a thin jacket. -6 °C.
2. When it´s freezing legs with goose bumps are common.
3. When a holy fire is light up the girl with the shortest skirt stands closest.
4. If it´s cold, japanese use aluminium cans and plastic bags to feed the holy fire.
5. Holy smoke is sometimes very "Beppu".
6. Boys are dressed warmer than the female counterpart.
7. If it´s not cloudy, cold and windy and you see a couple with sunglasses - bet whenever you can and whatever you have in your wallet that they are american.
8. Some monks cheat. Tourist have to take off their shoes when entering the temple, but the monks wearing warm lamb coat shoes.
9. Never ever press the "STOP at the next station" button twice in a row when you don´t want get off (and be the only guest in the bus)

Back from the temples we took a bath in the onsen. Perfect to end a day.

02.01.2008 Tokyo

The whole travel schedule had one fixed date. 02.01.2008 The day when the emperors palace is open. So this was mandatory to go there. I had no idea what I was expecting or what will happen there. We reached Tokyo station around 9:15. From there we walked to the palace. The only difference to my last visit have been all the flowers which were arranged on the sidewalk. The further we went, the more people with japanese flags were on the road. Now I realised that it will not be a walk in the park. And I was right. It was more or less a march. After passing two security checks we were allowed to get into the the big crowd. Thousands of people were hitting for the palace. Not able- and not allowed- to stop we were swimming to the the front of one of the buildings. There was already a big crowd standing so we decided, after seeing all the professional press photographers to wait. One of the woman told her husband that it will be another 20 minutes. Ok, not too long and then? I knew that it is the birthday of the emperor when the palace is open. The building had some kind of balcony with safety glass. So may be he will show up?
Exactly at 11°° the crowd began to yell to clap and to shout. The flags (some years ago the things would have been called waving elements, but this time is gone by now) were waved and then the whole family showed up.

Unbelievable, the princess waved at me....watashi wa kawaii, desu ne?

After the event of the year, we went for the Ueno zoo. Hippos, a giraffe, crocodiles, gorillas, Tigers, porcupines, lions. Animals I´ve never seen before in real live.

The area for the tigers, lions and gorillas are really great. I wish all the animals would have such a home.
When the night set down we took the train to Akihabara just to see the lights in the dark and to walk through one the shops. Yasmin fell asleep in the shop and missed all the train and most of the way to the hotel. She must have heard us, talking about skipping the dinner, because she was sleeping. Right in front of the McDonalds she woke up.


01.01.2008 Tokyo

Yesterday we went for the bell ringing. Yasmin was sleeping very tight. I think the day was too tiring for her.
The bell ringing was soo different to what I´m used to for new years eve. It was silent, relaxed and no alcohol. Instead we had some sweet rice soup. I liked it.
In the morning, when the last people went home, we took the shinkansen and hit for Tokyo, where we arrived early in the afternoon. The next step on our schedule was to get my luggage from the Hotel in Kagohara, which I left there. This one should go back to Germany, since most of the things I don´t use anymore in the wintertime. The trip to Kagohara was not too bad, but the Hotel was closed. What a pitty! So we did a bike ride with Yasmin in the front basket of my mama-bike.
A hotel shutdown. Ok, it was the 1st day in the new year, but how much does it cost to shut the hotel down completely...

31.12.2007 Kyoto

Back to Kyoto. The same Ryokan we stayed two weeks ago.
Yesterday we did some laundry. While the machine did the job we did ours and went to a café. "Café vienna" in Gion is the most lovely place in Kyoto. They have chocolate cake with gold leaf on top. But this is not the reason why I love this café. They serve the most tasty green tea in the country (as far as I know). Matcha and milk. oishii desu!!!!!!

Today we wandered through Kyoto on the search for a children playground and eventually we found one in the old emperors palace. The first time that Yasmin and a japanese child were playing with each other. (The fathers were standing nearby chatting).
The afternoon we spent most of our time with bying presents for the beloved at home.
On the way back we saw some of the preparations for the new year. It´s really completely different to the german way of party (we thought). But now I fear that difference is not that great. I just came back from doing some night shots. I went to some temples and sights in Kyoto area and most of the places were crowded with Japanese and tourists. Half tourists half Japanese. But, half of the Japanese were photographers. Which makes more or less more tourists than Japanese. The surroundings for this bizarre picture are sales booths for all sorts of things. Toys, food, stones, jewelery and so on. More or less like on every Striezelmarkt in Germany.
At the bell there was a queue at 21°° of about 30 m length. This will be my choice for the night.

29.12.2007 Beppu

"Beppu" for Yasmin this is the new word if something stinks. I read somewhere that if I would understand Beppu, I would understand Japan. I don´t understand Beppu. Imagine a city or part of country which pumps out of the earth millions of hot water every day, where hot water runs down the streets and on nearly every place there´s some kind of hot spring and you still heat your not isolated house with an electrical heating system.
Imagine a ryokan which lives from their tourists which does not show you the room nor make your futon in the evening.
Imagine a hot spring and an elephant, a hippo, a python and some other animals introduced to the tourists with the words: "...because of the hot springs some exotic animals live near the water."
Well, near is relative and I´m sure that neither the hippo, nor the elephant or the python are there because they choose this place for living.



27.12.2007 Nagasaki

To make it short. Nagasaki is worth to see and the view from Mt. Inasa is great.
The Ryokan we stayed is great as well. A very friendly and warm welcome are normal and the also helped with the baggage in the morning, when we had to go the station at 7°° in the morning.
Unfortunately we had only one rainy day there but ut was worth to see.
Personally I prefer Hiroshima, when comparing the two A-bombed cities.


25.12.2007 Hagi

Travel to Hagi from Tsuwano is a special experience. From Tsuwano to Masudo the train goes through the mountains and from there to Hagi a single car train goes along the coastline to Hagi. The train is more or less a tram.

The city is not that great, but the scenery around is really worth to see. White sand, blue ocean, birds, trees, a perfect world.

BUT, I can´t recommend, no I warn all people in the world to go to the restaurant opposite to the youth hostel.

24.12.2007 Tsuwano

Yesterday we arrived in Tsuwano very early around 10°°. No problem for us, but the check in time was around 15:30. So we left our luggage in the Hotel and started for a round tour in Tsuwano. Well, the city is not that big so it was more or less a hard fight to wait 5 1/2 hours. After visiting the great sights before lunch and having a really great sushi we had 2 icecream and went through all the shops in town and bought the last christmas present for Yasmin. A small wooden train with two cars.

After check in we spent 1 hour in the onsen and went for dinner. The dinner was preordered (I did it with Omi-san). A short storxyregarding this one:

About 1 month ago I was reserving the hotel with Omi-san via internet. After the reservation was made there was a form displayed, where we could choose from different meals, what to have for dinner.
At this time we both were not sure if this dinner menu would be additional or the only one. So I ordered 2x tempura (seafood and vegies).
We received the surprise the dinner table. A 12 way menu with the most delicious japanese food I ever ate. 2 ways were the ordered tempura.

Next morning, still not even close to hungry, we had a 8 way japanese style breakfast. So I was very excited about the dinner in the evening, since I ordered something special, because it´s christmas. For the evening meal we were not able to count how much we ate, but we did some photos.


Before dinner we went to the private onsen bath of the hotel owner. This item I ordered via internet, which was simply called "family time". But when we went to the onsen for the family time, it was still open. So we went down to reception to ask for advise. They told us we should follow. So we went across the street, all dressed in our Kimonos to go to the private bath. This one was located inside a japanese style garden. A own hot spring in the middle of japan in an japanese garden with the moon above us. GREAT!!
We had this bath only 30 minutes but it still was a great experience.

Rain, rain, rain. The forecast was right. Unfortunately. But nonetheless we went to Miyajima. Arrived in at the port we decided to purchase two umbrellas (which was really necessary, despite the fact that we had some rainjackets. Raining cats and dogs would not be the right expression. Shrines and temples would fit better.

The island is really picturesque. Because of the oceans of water falling down from the sky, we visited the temple and the torii very quick and spent most of the time in the aquarium. This one is really great and the people there putting a lot of effort in making a great day for you and your child.
So we have seen the feeding of dolphins, piranhas, otters and a show with seals.

After 3 hours watching fish and sea animals, we were really tired and went back to the hotel were we arrived late afternoon. Currently we are packing the bags for tomorrows journey to Tsuwano.

http://picasaweb.google.de/chempelt/2007_12_22Miyajima

I like Hiroshima. I think it´s even more japanese than Tokyo. Today we did the complete tourist tour except the A-bomb museum.

For me it´s interesting to see how the japanese people live with their history compared to the germans. Well, Dresden was not destroyed by an A-bomb, but the city was destroyed as well. In Dresden the Frauenkirche was rebuilt, while the A-bomb dome is cultural world heritage... So many similarities.


Yasmin had a very good day. She is in a very good mood and so she was singing german children songs, while I carried her through the city of Hiroshima. When we entered the roofed shopping mile her echo was loud. She enjoyed it so much that she sang louder and louder. When a japanese man passed by waving to her, she started to sing "Kawaii, kawaii...." Second day in a row...

20.12.2007 Himeji/ Hiroshima

Take off from Wakayama to Shin-Osaka and from there to Himeji.
Luckily we could leave our luggage in the shinkansen area in Himeji. So the day was very relaxed.

On the way back to the station Yasmin slept on my shoulders. She was tired by taking pictures, running through the castle and watching the princess playing memory with shells.

In the castle area she suddenly started to say "kawaii, kawaii, kawaii, ..."

19.12.2007 Wakayama

From the Ryokan we took the bus to the station and we arrived there way too early. We had more than 1 hour time. So Yasmin had a donut filled with custard cream.
Before we had an interesting meeting. Dani went to the tourist information, while I stayed outside with Yasmin. We were looking at some people, eating 1 floor underneath us. Then I heard the most familiar "kawaii" behind me. It was a japanese girl, let´s say she was 27. She was asking a lot of questions about Yasmin and me. She wanted to know, how old she is, which languages she and I can speak and where we live in Kyoto. She didn´t realize that Dani was standing behind her since a few moments. Dani looked like a a Samurai shortly before the deadly stroke. When the japanese girl realized that I was not available anymore on the market she went away with a deep bow and a lot of sumimasen into Dani´s directions.

It is the first time for me, that a japanese girl asked things like that. Is it such a huge difference if I´m in company of a small blonde girl?

[If you can´t say anything positive about something, smile!]

Where we are today? Ahso, Wakayama?!?!...... *smile*

Our hotel in Wakayama:



18.12.2007 Kyoto

Some more sightseeing. We visited the Kodai-ji and the buddha statue. Two Meiko-sans. The kawaii factor was not very high today. But we have introduced a new factor: the "Kyoto senior english schoolclass asking question". These days the senior english class from Kyoto was on a schooltrip in the area of the temples. Their task was to ask tourist about their homecountry and what they like or dislike about Kyoto. The basic idea of this fieldtrip was to improve their english in real situation. For us it was fun to answers questions about the most popular sport in Germany or the differences between japanese and german cultur and tradition. Within 2 hours we ran into 4 groups each consisting of about 3-6 people.
For desert I ordered some japanese rice cake to see if my girls like it. They don´t.


17.12.2007 Kyoto

The Ryokan we stay in is located in the hills very close to Kodai-ji. So from here it nearly all the temple and sights are in walking distance. What we did. During our 7 hours walk we had breakfast, lunch, stopped at the playground, feed some fish and ducks and called my parents. So for Yasmin it was a nice day, she told me, and she was tired when we were back.

For me and Dani this was a great day, since we have seen a monks ceremony and a nearly empty garden in the shoren-in. Kyoto is really amazing. You don´t even have to walk 500m without seeing having passed the next temple or shrine.

During the day and the night it´s cold and cloudy. Only in the evening, shortly before sunset we had some sun coming through.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

16.12.2007 Kyoto

My day started with a stuck lift. I entered the lift, with my backpack and an additional bag. In the lift I decided to tighten my backpack a little bit more, which resulted in a stucked lift. Only for a few seconds, but long enough for me to get a huge adrenanlin kick.

...
After a long day we all were tired. We went to bed around 21°° but we slept not very tight. Until 23:20 I slept not at all and after midnight my lovely girls were awake.

The rooms we had were bigger than expected. Everything very all style but clean. The breakfast was a good japanese style breakfast with some additional continental breakfast items. So I had my first roasted toast after 2 months. The shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Kyoto was great. We had a lot of space and we saw Fuji-san only with the very top covered in clouds.


For me it was a completely different style of travelling, since my daughter was the main attraction for everyone. Following statistic about the "kawaii" factor (how often I heard that she is cute):

to the train station of Ueno 2
to Tokyo 2 plus 1 time touching her face
from Tokyo to Kyoto 1
from Kyoto station to the Ryokan 12

The last one was the cutest. On the very busy street a Maiko-san was surrounded by tourists (japanese and non asiens). I tought: Kawaii... Then she saw us passing by. "Kawaii!!!"

It really seems to be more easy to get in contact with the japanese, when you have a young small blonde girl at your side.

The young small blonde girl at my side was so tired by half past four that she was yawning and sleeping immediately after.

Last preparations are made. Now I´m looking forward to pick up my wife and daughter tomorrow from the airport in Narita.
Since two nights my daughter couldn´t sleep anymore because she´s too excited about going to Japan.

The first night we will stay in a hotel named Edoya in Ueno. On Sunday we will go further west to Kyoto and stay there for a couple of days. The further schedule is like this:

Kyoto - Wakayama - Hiroshima - Tsuwano - Hagi - Nagasaki - Beppu - Kyoto - Tokyo - Nikko - Tokyo - Narita

This will be a 21 day travel through most of Japan. The northern part (except Nikko) is excluded. I may go there next year in january and february.

Yesterday we went to a bar in Kagohara to have our weekly come together. We were 18 people. 17 guys and 1 non asien girl. She was the wife of one of the attendees. With 25 years, some makeup and very deep neckline, she was the main attraction for the japanese guys. It was interesting to see their reactions, when she started to talk to them.

After 2 hours of non stop trinking and a lot of "Kan pei" we made it out of the bar. The americans went to another place, but I went home.

Last preparation for today was to get a new haircut from my favorite place here in Kagohara. The last time I was there I promised to learn more japanese to actually understand what Hiroko tries to tell me. I kept my promise. She was excited, when I told her, that she has beautiful brown eyes. I think she didn´t expect so much conversation. After, we spoke about my travel plans, and she wanted to know everything about my day in Yokohama, since I told her the last time, that I plan to go there. Speaking of Kyoto she stopped immediately cutting the hair and showed me a brochure about Kyoto and which temples and sights I have to see. She insisted that I should have a look at Maiko-san. I didn´t understand. Then she offered me more pictures and a lot of explanation. As far as I understood Maiko-san is a Geisha during apprenticeship. One of the hairdresser was formerly a Maiko-san. She was so excited that I will go to Kyoto. Wakuwakudokidoki.

In the way back to hotel I remembered a book, I have read a long time ago: "Snow falling on Cedars" It´s crazy. When I read the book I was fascinated and I thought I understood the conflicts and the cultural differences described in the book. When I´m now thinking of the book, every scene looks different to me, than just 3 months ago. It seems like I´m now discovering the bigger view onto the puzzle of life...

I´m waiting since last friday for my clothes from the cleaning shop. It should have been ready by friday, but friday evening we went for dinner. On Saturday, I was in Tokyo and yesterday, when I actually was there to pick up the stuff, they told me with that tomorrow will be the day. Well, 6 out of 7 were done, but I´m still missing one of my jeans. 明日. Ok, so I will pick up my clothe tomorrow.

During the day there was no wakuwakudokidoki at all. No excitement, not even close. On thursday I may go out for dinner with another 17 persons from the same section.

ふぃるむ　の　すこっとらんどご　すき　です

http://www.zeit.de/video/player?videoID=20071207f24571

Another week, another interpretor, another human being to get along with. I don´t know how old she is, but I´m sure older than me.
She moved from Tokyo to America 10 years ago. Most of the time her english is easy to understand, except she´s wearing a cleanroom mask. Then it gets irish - hard to understand.
Doesn´t matter, because at the moment there´s not too much to interpretate. As a result out of this lack of action, I tried to communicate on the basis of a small talk. The outcome was not overwhelming.

Most of the interpretors I met in the past where either peaches or Ginko seeds. Yellow or white outside but yellow inside,means inside they are all Japanese.
She is different. She´s more like a banana. And she likes pink cleanroom suites, has a pink pen and a pink mobile phone. Which makes it difficult to find a fruit. (Wait, I remember some kind of cactus fruit, pink outside and inside white. But there were also this black seeds in it...)
On the way to the lunch she asked, if I already have a japanese girlfriend. No! I´m married, I answered. So she asked me, why I´m trying to learn japanese, since all guys she knows learning japanese only try to find a japanese girlfriend. This may explain the black seeds.

Sorted my mind. This lunch the question came up, whether we Germans like japanese food or not. I like it. But speaking of this I remember a scene from "lost in translation" which was not translated into english in the movie I´ve seen yesterday. It was the scene in the sauna. The two German guys were taklking about the japanese food and the one said he loves japanese food, but he would like to have some REAL german food. The other persons agreed.
Watching this scene yesterday I found my german collegue in exactly the same situation. Not in the sauna (he don´t like it), but whenever we have the discussion about the food he says he´s missing the german counterpart.

To be honest: The only time I felt homesick during the last 7 weeks, was when we had Spaghetti Bolognese in the canteen.

There´s also something else very interesting about Japan. Yesterday I went to Shinjuku, to "Tokyo hands", which is a huge (really huge) department store, where you can buy everything.
Passing most of the sections just for fun, I was interested in the toy section. To go there from the lift, you have to pass some really crazy stores from famous designers all over the world, e.g. D&C, Jill Stuart. The shops itself is not that curious, but when I realised, that they were selling stuff for babies and small children it became a little bit unusual to me. When I entered the Jill Stuart shop I didn´t know what to say. A barbie collection for children. Everything in light blue and pink. Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!
Allright, I think if you don´t have to take care of your money and you simple want some unique present for your nephew or child, this is the place to go. Maybe there are also shops in Paris or London.
When I arrived at the toy shop I was impressed. Wooden toys are IN at the moment. And now guess where it is from....
Germany! I couldn´t trust my eyes, when I read "Holzbaukasten". But the worst thing, which almost broke my heart: They are selling handcraftet, most expensive german wooden christmas figures (angels, "Rauchermaennchen") in the TOY shop!!! Every little child in Germany is not allowed to touch them and here they were sold in a toy store.

Poor little angels....

I did it. I watched the movie...

7 weeks, 5 translators and an awful lot of light bulb moments and then I finally see the movie... It´s amazing. Except the shooting scene everything really happened to me or at least to someone I know. It´s so summarizing.
Eventually the movie rises in value, when you watch it in Japan, alone in your room, back from a busy day in Tokyo, after the Onsen in the 4th floor, during the chopstick dinner on your bed and one of the most appreciated persons you know left the day before.

I´m not sure if I´d recommend this movie before or after an Japan experience. I think after...

http://dramaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2007/09/lost-in-translation.html

After 7 weeks in Japan, we finally made it to the japanese alps. Enlightend by Margies intervention we didn´t end up in the Monkey park in Nagano but we went for Matsumoto castle.

The journey with the Shinkansen and several other trains was without any incidents, apart of a very short confusion in Nagona, when I was not able to find the fifth necessary ticket. But, eventually it was in my purse, where I always put the tickets in...Ok, this was my monkey for the day.

The castle itself is really pretty to see. Not so much the colours or the park around, but the scenery and the architecture itself is amazing.


The school excursion was led by Zed. More or less he was in charge to keep all dwarfs together.

On the way back I´ve seen the first time a japanese couple with body contact. Ok, she was playing Nintendo DS...



Back to Kumagaya, I bought a disposable calligraphy pen/brush and a notebook to improve my Hiragana.


The pictures of the day are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/chempelt