Japan

Gestern wurde nun das Haus meiner Eltern verkauft. 25 Jahre Erinnerungen kleben noch immer daran aber der Umbau beginnt schon am Montag.

Ich hätte nie gedacht, dass mich Träume mal so zur Verzweiflung bringen können.

Das alles fing an, als ich meinen Blog sozusagen wiedereröffnet habe.

Schon in der nächsten Nacht hatte ich ein Traum, in dem ich völlig sinnlos durch eine Stadt fuhr, die mit Highways zugepflastert und mehr Ampeln als Menschen hatte. Der Traum gipfelte in einem Fahrstuhl der mich direkt auf ein dunkles Plateau brachte, auf dem ich einen Sternenregen in horizontaler Rihtung erlebte, der mich zum Fliegen brachte.

Es folgten eine Reihe sehr unnützer Traäumereien mit einen Unmnege von nacktem Fleisch und menschlichen Gelüsten.Dicht gefolgt von meinem Altime Favorit Traum:
Der Traum vom Discounter.
Ich fahre auf den Parkplatz von Lidl und bin in allergrößter Eile. Hetze durch die, mit Menschen völlig überladenen Regalreihen um dann in der Schlange anzustehen, die wohl die längste ist, die ich je in einem Supermarkt erlebt habe. Alles ist in düsteres Licht getaucht. Und plötzlich macht die Kassiererin einfach Schluß und macht Pause. Ein anderer Typ weist mich dann auf ein Hinweisschild hin, auf dem Geschrieben steht: MITTAGSPAUSE von 11:00 - 13:30.
Völlig verwirrt verlasse ich den Laden um beim Plus (gleich nebenan) das gleiche Szenario vorzufinden. Das unglaubliche an der Sache sind aber die Menschen. Die bleiben in der Schlange stehen und zeigen Verständnis für die Mittagspause...


Nächster Traum: Alle Goldfische springen aus dem Teich. Einer nach dem Anderen. Und sie bleiben liegen, bis ich am nächsten Morgen nur noch die Gräten finde.


Letzte Nacht folgte dann der außenpolitische Supergau. Nachdem mein Nachbar in den Knast musste, weil er bei der Bundeswehr irgendwo eine Türklinke abgebrochen hatte, kam auch noch George W. zu Besuch.
Er hatte sich, laut meinem Traum, irgendwo einen Darminfekt zugeszogen und saß nun furzend auf dem Boden im Schlafzimmer meiner Eltern. Nun, soweit wäre es ja noch zu ertragen gewesen, wäre da nicht dieser Bodyguard gewesen. Dieser versaute den guten japanischen Reis, den eine liebreizende Japanerin aufgetragen hatte, indem er sämtliche verfügbare Sojasauce über den Reis kippte. Angeblich, so erklärte man mir, sollte es gegen die Koliken des Herrn George W. helfen. Mir war die Vorstellung von Reis mit zuviel Sojasauce so zuwider, dass ich aufwachte und mich fragte, wer mich hier versucht zur Verzweiflung zu bringen.

Nämlich mit Eierkuchen, frischen Beeren aus dem Garten, Schlagsahne und Joghurt. Ich habe mich schon lange nicht mehr so gesund ernährt.

in the night from the 9th of june to the 10th of june I was dreaming about blogs... They all were gone...


I rescued mine to my personal harddisk and made 2 backup copies (just in case). And then I browsed through my own history, went to Japan took a flight to Pascadero in California and ended up in Jenner (north of SanFran).
"History repeating itself" was the next station. Since that day I was confused and I was not sure if I should continue with this blog.




Last night, I made my decission. I will continue. The weather tipped the scale. I was going home on my bike around 1°° in the morning. I couldn´t believe the temperatures were around 27°C (which was very much compared to the nights before).
During the ride a storm came up. The wind blew stronger an stronger and carried all sorts of smells along, directly to my nose. For me this was a journey back in history. The smell, the wind, the warm road, some clouds, the bright moon on the horizon and the starting rain. It touched me so deeply that I stopped beside the road and enjoyed this beautiful night.

When I was sitting there the wind and the rain becam a real thunderstorm. I flew under a a roof of a nearby bus station and watched the whole spectacle. I havent felt so free since Nagatoro (walking in the snow and smelling the plum blossoms).

By this time I realised that there´s is something I want to keep for the future: thoughts, memories and stories.

I´m starting all over again.

Beside the short nights I face at the moment, there´s something else I want to tell.

During the last two days, I visited a lot of people who where (kind of) important to me, before I left to Japan.
When visiting those people know, I have the feeling to talk to complete strangers. It´s so surreal.
Talking to someone, which - it seems - I barely know, about what happened the past weeks. They are not really interested.
What really confuses me, is the look all everyone has in their eyes. It´s the "I´m so sorry for you" look. I don´t know why. The most asked question these days: "How long have you been away?" It´s only 120 days... What would happen, when I´m going for a trip around the world?

The only persons who are still familiar are the people I was talking to during the past weeks via telephone. My family and my long term friend are still with me. But all the neighbours, buddies and other people are kind of strange.


When I remember right I didn´t have this feeling, when I came back from america. It was only 11 weeks in a row, but the difference is not that huge I think.

Are all my feelings now a aftermath of Japan or a general problem, when being abroad so long?


Seeking for answers...

1 during take off in Narita,
1 when arriving in FRA
5 when finally arrived in DRS

I can´t tell, if it has been tears of joy or sadness (I think it was the overwhelming joy to come home). The girl next to me (on the plane to DRS), looked a little bit worried.

At the airport: It never felt so good to hug my daughter, wife, parents, brother and even his girlfriend (still the old one).

My daughter was so excited that we stayed awake until 1:30 in the morning. I´m awake since 5°° and hungry...


It feels so good to be home again.

The flight was fantastic. Better than business or first class. I had 3 seats for myself. Incredible comfortable. I never slept so good in a plane. The food was disappointing, but what should I expect after Japan.

In Narita I´ve seen the private Jet of "Iron Maiden". :-)



Movies I have seen during the 12 hours:

"before sunrise" (I always wanted to see this film) --- highly recommended a perfect movie ( know I want to see "before sunset")
"catch me if you can" --- I quit after 35 minutes -- Tom Hanks and Leo de Caprio....
"Elisabeth" --- I quit after 20 minutes --- I should have known the historical background first and the occurence of some cruel scenes during my lunch was not really helping
"Rush hour 3" ----funny, perfect to switch off your mind, while watching --- "I´m the brother from another mother"



Landing in Frankfurt was more or less a pain. Seeing all those enthusiastic people, doing their job. But the funniest situation was riding the sky train from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. I could understand all of the people. It was so surreal. 4 months, I could only guess what they were talking about and now I understood about what simple daily things they were talking about.
In Japan, however, I only heard a melody, the talks, the announcements and the noise of the train. All together was the sound of Japan. Now I´m back in the musical "Germany". Mobile phones ringing, people talking, shouting, running and these stupid announcements in the train.

The real culture shock, was the moment when I asked one of the Lufthansa staff for an information. After asking some stupid questions, which didn´t help her at all to answer my question, she more or less indoctrinated me what would have been the appropriate action. She answered my question with the last of her 28 sentences.
This can only happen in Europe. In Japan, you explain your problem / ask your question and they will do everything necessary to solve the problem - taking not always the shortest way, but they resolve it.
After having two of these german incidents, I´m already missing Japan.
At least the angry looking girl at the Lufthansa desk was kind of nice and friendly, after I asked in the politest german I know.

---------------------------------------------
Thoughts:

Funny. Out of hundreds of people I still can tell, when a japanese girl comes my way. Even with closed eyes. I can recognize the slurping sound of their high heels. Slurp, clack, slurp, clack, slurp, clack, slurp, clack, slurp, clack....

Not only Japanese women know what a VL bag is worth. I just see two elderly women with a complete set of VL bags. Ohh, they are french.... Well, french and no taste? Ok, they are old.

The hot dog man, didn´t appreciate the "doumo arigato", which I accidentally used, when I received my hot dog (without Sauerkraut).

They are all walking and driving on the wrong side.


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

Differences between german and japanese women?
- the cutouts are deeper in Germany
- the smile (even if japanese don´t smile, they look happier)
- self confidence (German women seem to have more, but sometimes it seems to be too much for their personality)
- japanese women are better dressed and have a better taste regarding megane (glasses)
- in Germany high heels are not common during cold days (and there´s no snow)
- girls in Germany (europe) are taller and in average the legs seem to be longer
- japanese eyes look more faithful, while european eyes look more like an adventure
- in Germany are more curly haired girls

It´s weird.

Last weekend I started to say goodbye to Japan. I have been to Hakone, have seen Mt. Fuji, visted Margie, was walking in the snow, had my last Tamen soup, did the last shinkansen ride, visited the last temple, castled and festival and I continued to say goodbye for the whole week. Whatever I did, was somehow the last time during this stay.
Now, it´s friday. This would have been the real "say goodbye day". Somehow I don´t feel like I have to say goodbye anymore. It´s already done. I feel kind of free at the moment, knowing that not only a chapter of the book is done, no, I feel like I read the book, understood the meaning and have taken notes of the important parts for the future.
For me it´s now time to place the book in the shelf, take my notes and start reading a new one.
It´s so final, but I´m still happy.


Originally I wanted to close the blog today, by writing a summary of the last 120 days. I´m not able to do so. On the one hand, everything important is said, but on the other hand, there are still so many things to tell. Thus I will not close the blog today. I will give myself some more time to think about this book and the notes I´ve taken.

It might be that there will be no further entry, but it might be, that I have to write down sopme of my thoughts. We will see.

Ohh my god, the whole room must fit into this suitcase...
This will be a long night.


Exactly 1 month ago, I have been to Yokohama with Midechan. It seems so long ago. There are so many things happened meanwhile I´m really losing my feeling for time. Now it´s almost time to go back to Germany and leave everything, which does not fit the case, behind.


Adios amigos!

I love to get up early enough to see the sunrise. Since 3 days, the sky clear and the sun rises every day a bit earlier. Spring knocks on my door.


Maybe this is the reason for bubble day no° 4.

I need even less sleep than last week. I´m now alright with 4 1/2 - 5 hours. (before Japan it was about 8 - 9 hours).

BBQ with garlic. Hope my colleagues had as much as I had.

Day #3 in the happy bubble. It´s amazing. I like it.

....this summer (15.07.2008) in DD. Wakuwakudokidoki.


Let´s go!

*dancing with myself*

Dangerous combination: Californian angel + ice = Pure Schadenfreude.

However, this day was fun fun fun. To say it with the words of the men dressed in straw: "Ka, ka, ka.." (movie)

[The crowd tries to get the men wet. The whole ceremony helps to protect from fire.]




I enjoyed her company so much, that I´m not even sad after saying goodbye. I´m happy.

this one is funny.


http://www.astrologicalmagazine.com/ (Thanks to "Die Zeit")

This is, btw, my first child "Borschti". He is now 12 years old.




Today he has seen Mt. Fuji for the first time.

A miracle.

I resisted the devil. That´s not the miracle. The miracle happened here:



This is my wedding ring. Until yesterday it was shiny silver coloured. Now it´s golden.

You want to know the romantic explanation?

I resisted the devil and so she changed my silver ring into a golden one, so that everybody can see my faithfulness.

09.02.2008

It´s snowing. I´m sitting, dressed in my Yukatta behind the huge window in the ground floor. When I open the window I can walk in the garden.
The light is switched off. AHA ("minor earth major sky") is playing in my iPod it does not fit completely into this scenery, but I´m too lazy to search any longer.

The last weekend in Japan has begun. It started at 4:30 in the morning.
After a few trainrides I eventually made it to Odawara, where I purchased the Hakone Freepass for unlimited rides (train, bus, ropeway, cablecar, ship) in the Hakone area. Good deal, I think.
So it came that I had a visit to Owakudani, the hell. Hot suphur gases coming straight from hell. I now understand, why nobody wants to be there. From there I wanted to hike.


The trail is very easy to find I begin to climb. The first hundreds are easy and not covered with snow. Sometimes some small bits and pieces of ice, but nothing dangerous or uncomfortable. Along the path are signs, that the gas is poisonous and gas sensors are installed. In case the concentration of the gas is too high an alarm will go off. Depending on the current position I should either return or run, without breathing. Today it smells horrible (worde than Beppu) but no alarm or warning.

Soon the path is covered with snow. I continue . The incline gets steeper and steeper. I arrive r a junction. Taking a left would lead me to a round course around the hill. I want to go right,, crossing the hill and taking the ropeway down to the other side. The signs gives no information about the diatnce to the ropeway station. It only says that it will take about 100 minutes. Cool. It´s snowy, so it may take longer. Maybe 2 or 3 hours. Still enough time to catch the last car at a quarter to 5°°.




The traces of other people are suddenly disappearing and I can see snowshoe traces. A few minutes later I´m sure that there are 3 men in front of me. two of them are not drinking enough. The one with the snowhoes seems to be the only one with enough water in his body. It´s fun to read the traces. To know, where they stopped, were they discussed, were they took a rest and so on.
The snowshoeman seems to be the leader of the group.
After a while the incline is still increasing, I´m thinking the first time about returning. But the decision is made. I will continue, since my jeans are wet anyway (I have new trousers in my backpack). A wrong step and I´m gone. I forgot to check the snow before taking the step. I´m sunken up to my hibs. Lucky me, there´s a tree nearby, which makes it not so difficult to get me out of this misery. Very careful I continue. I enjoy the area, the snowcovered trees and bamboo. I´m now high enough in the hill, to have no smelly air anymore. I reach the first peak (Mt. Kanmuritake). I´m still following the traces of the 3 men. Shortly before I reach Mt. Kami I look up and see a guy coming my direction. The snowshoeman.

He wants to know where I´m coming from and where I´m going. I tell him. His englishis better than from the staff at the hotel. So we talk for a while and he points out, that he is returning, because the snow after the summit is getting wors and the weather forecast says even more snow in the afternoon. He is not sure anymore where exactly the path goes after the peak. Most of the signs are burried under the snow. During our small talk it starts to snow. I tell him, that I will continue to the summit, take a rest and will return too.
On the last 200m, I meet 3 other persons. So it were two groups. I see, that I have to practice the trace reading a little bit more... The guys are also coming back.

I reach the summit and start to take the picture of me at the summit. I never thought about it, but it´s not so easy to look good at the top of a hill.
1438m - nearly half of Mt. Fuji. Not too bad.




On my way down I pass the groups of three again. To change my trousers, my new challenge is to find a proper toilet. The first one is even worde than every scottish toilet I´ve ever seen. The next one is the one in the ropecar staion. This one is big enough for me and my backpack, western style, tidy and warm. A perfect place to relax and change the clothes.

Ramen with egg for lunch and then I take the ropeway. Inside the cabin a japanese guy starts talking with me. He is, soe he tells me from Saitama area. I don´t care where he is from, but I´m sure that he is annoying. His hobbies are travveling and meeting friends all over the world. When he tells me, that he has friends in Paris, New York, London, Prague, Mexico and he has visited them all, I ´m sure that I will not give him my adress. Unfortunately my email adress is already in his hands. Damn!
I shows me all the pictures he has taken this years. Wonderful. I want to enjoy the view and now I´m stucked with picture of Nagasaki, Horoshima and Miyajima. They would have been interesting, if this would have been my first day in Japan, but not after 4 months, where I simply want to enjoy the view and say goodbye.
The car stops. The door is opening. I say goodbye, but he follows me, still talking. How can I get rid of this guy. I´m thinking about the restroom. Either he will follow me or wait outside. The follow me sign is hopefully not blinking. He would wait outside, I´m sure. We are not in the ground floor, so I can´t escape through the window.
He continues taking pictures of me with his camera and his mobile phone. I move as fast as I can, so that he gets blurry pictures. He is still talking. I try it friendly. It does not help. My last chance is to say in japanese: "Ikkimasho!" (GO!)

Wonder! He says goodbye and walks away. I have to take the same pirat ship he is in. I see him again, but he is not talking to me anymore. Perfect. Was I too hard to him? I´m sorry, no I´m not, or maybe I am...



After the ship I take the bus to hit for my Ryokan. The day is not over yet. It´s almost 5°° and I´m sleepy. But there´s no time to be tired. This girl takes all my attention. She is flirting like there´s no tomorrow.

I do not know that it is so hard to resist, when a unknown woman tries to seduce. Except the eye blinking, the touching whenever possible (things I have experience with) she goes for more. Instead of taking a seat while typing my name and conatct details into the computer, she leans over it, still standing. She moves her hibs, the trousers slip down. She continues. I can see her naked back, the thong, her black tights and half of her ass. Can she PLEASE stop to move her hibs, while typing. Nobody does it like she does... It´s not imagination. I pinch myself. I have to go to bed. Now!



---Give me a break ---[While writing these lines, still sitting in front of the window with my Yukatta]

In this moment, while I´m writing this, she out there taking pictures of her in the snow, with a flash light. After every flash she checks, if I react somehow.



I go to bed now. I have to resist the devil in this hell of sins and sulphur. I hope I will survive.

..last weekend, last shinkansen ride, last hike, last possibility to enjoy the single life...

Today I started to say goodbye. I´m glad to leave, but I also know, that Japan changed my life and therefore I´m thankful. I love Japan. Yes, I do.

In exactly one week I will publish the last entry. Then this chapter of my life will be closed.

I hope that there will be more than just a shading memory left in my mind.
We´ll see.

Thrilling minutes. Can I go to Sendai or do I have to work? I can see on his face bad news. NO! YES! ???

Time stops. I can see her face. Disappointment? I can´t tell. Maybe it´s only a worried face.
She knows, that I want to go to Sendai. What does he tell, I can´t understand. Years passing by. Her face expression is somewhere between Joy and Disappointment. He stops. No translation. centuries passing by.

I can hear my heart beating. Don´t look so sad- it would mean bad news.

"... we do not force you to come on Monday." YEEESSSS. But this is the soft version of "please come here the whole weekend, since this is your job."
In this moment I do not know anything about japanese culture. I don´t know what he´s trying to say. NO, I do not understand. I´m an european lazy guy. I don´t want to work on monday. I have seen this process already 2 times. Maybe I should stay. Should I stay or should I go. I don´t know. I let A. decide.
He says "off". Alright, but that´s not a good reason to present the japanese trainer. So we explain, that we have seen the process already 2 times and that we are confident to do it on our own.

Now she is starring. What is she dreaming about? I would love to read her mind right now.
She does not look happy to me. Maybe I will find out later.

Ok, so Monday is kind of "off" and I´m going to Sendai to see the californian angel. I would have loved to take her with me, but she has to work. (I will think of you on Monday...)

I will visit her on Monday...

I´m so glad that Monday is off (national holiday). And I will go to Sendai to visit her. I didn´t expect to see her again this year.

wakuwakudokidoki ;-)


I met her last year for 5 days here in Japan, but we understood each other so perfectly well, that I missed her minutes after I have seen her last.

2000 Euro for relocation?! WTF! I should not use this fu..ing word anymore, my boss told me. Alright! No f.. anymore when talking to higher management.


Can you imagine that a company pays you up to 2000 Euros for relocation? You move and they pay everything up to 2000 Euros.

I told her, that she can f... off. For 2000Euro I do not even cross the street! 2000Euro to move a whole family (3kids) about 700km. 2000Euro that´s all. That should be enough for new colour on the walls, new wallpaper, new carpet, new kitchen and to move all the your belongings. It can´t be true, but she was serious.

In which world is she living? I don´t get it!

This morning, while toothbrushing, I had an idea.

For me it would be very interesting to know what are the 15 most important songs in the life of my friends.

I think, I will write an email to all of them and ask them to create a list.

I struggled yesterday night to shorten my list to 15 songs. But I will work on it and post it.


If someone would like to post their list as a comment, please go ahead.

I forgot how many days are left, but the end os approaching very fast. It has to.

This morning I had may last cup of delicious chocolate milk, the butter was gone a few days ago, one of the glasses with marmalade is empty too. My shaving soap will last, hopefully, until the end, but it looks suspiciously small. My washing powder, shampoo, deostick, razorblades and even one of the pens are either gone or nearly finished.

It´s time to go shopping or to go home.