Dariin-sensei

I've started working at my new full time job. The people are great and the work conditions are great. I have to wear a mask when I teach :[]. Probably the worst thing is the commute, but I've mastered the art of the Japanese zombie shuffle, changing from train to train effortlessly. Brainlessly. I read on the train, and play Nintendo DS. Sometimes I'll snooze standing up. It's cool.

I trained with two Japanese women yesterday who I would say are in their late 30's, early 40's who have both lived abroad for over 20 years - America etc. They asked me where I was from. NZ? We thought you sounded American! Then asked: what do you eat - hamburgers? No no, I eat a variety of foods just like you. I was peeling a mandarin and eating it: oh! you eat mikan with skin on?? (Because I hadn't painstakingly peeled off the white stuff on the mandarin). Then: I have heard in NZ there are more sheep than people. Is that true? Ahhh...yeah I think it is...but the sheep are not running amok in the cities or anything like that...I was a bit surprised at the questions going by their ages and the fact that they've lived away from Japan most of their lives!

Recently Peter came to Japan and we went to Kaiyukan in Osaka. It's an aquarium with actual sharks (Hammerheads which have always made me LOL) WHALESHARKS which are huge, and other living monstrosities. I had heard that the most common word you hear the Japanese exclaim while looking around is "oishii!!" (delicious). But we didn't hear that at all - it was Peter and I who said it the most. It's a beautiful, peaceful place and I enjoyed it a lot, while feeling sad for the unnatural living conditions of some of the creatures. It's hard because I would never get to see these animals normally, unless I took up deep sea diving - and that's not gonna happen. I'd get the Bends. The penguins were kept in conditions which definitely weren't cold enough, that was the saddest thing.

Sunset coming out of the train station.

Giant Ferris Wheel.

For some reason, these are all over Japan! Have no idea why!

Kaiyukan mascot.

Peter trying to get us free entry...

First glimpse of the place, replete with a Japanese female hollering into a megaphone about something. This place is massive by they way.

^-^

Lego styled fish built into the walls!

Sunset view from the aquarium - the sun sets at like 5pm which is sad for me. But it's one of the most beautiful sights you'll ever see. The sun is huge and red. Perhaps I should look out for a sunrise, as it is the Land of the Rising Sun and all...

Stingray on entry. This got me jumping with excitement but I had no idea what was to come...

Oh - I found Nemo by the way. He's in an aquarium in Osaka.

Oh, hai!

Here's one of Kaiyukans meal tickets - a whale shark. There are two of them, and they are the main reason why people come to the aquarium. Included this so you can see how huge he is!!! Biggest living creature I've ever seen.

Lots of the bigger creatures had little passengers who just hitch rides with them!

Weird guy.

A fish I've never known until now.

Oh, Hai!

A big Sunfish! He was MASSIVE. Like, 20 dinners at least! Nah I'd never eat him, he's too amazing!

Peter watching peacefully.

CRAB BATTLES.

This guy kept following me around. Now I know why.

Dunno.

Now for the jellyfish sequence.

These, with the Sun Fish and Whale Sharks were my favourite part of the aquarium. How can something so delicate and beautiful be so poisonous and painful? And so oishii?

Some quotes I liked.

We got out and all the lights were on :)

Peter-san - oishii.

Shoes I've Seen

Sitting on the train, had to get a pap shot of these triple tongue mothers.

I'll always love white converse.

Caro trying on some thousand dollar shoes. I can't remember the designer or anything, but they were sky high, suede and impeccably tailored.

You may not think these shoes are anything out of the ordinary; however the context is.
This is Josephine Rout, trying on pastel green Reebok Hightops.

Japan - Day Four

First things first:

http://www.mustlovejapan.com/howto/howto_restroom/

My purpose for today was to do a dummy run into a town? city? area? Not sure exactly, but a place called Namba which is just under an hour away. I have a job interview there tomorrow so needed to practice taking the train to Umeda/Osaka, transferring to the Midosuji line to get to Namba. The train stations are massive, kind of like our biggest malls, so the practice was necessary. I made it, and thought that Namba was cool so took some snaps!!

A view from my uncles place, today was such a clear and beautiful day that I saw the port for the first time!!

My train arriving to my local train station, this is the one taking me to Umeda where I transfer. About a 40 minute trip, seems to go fast when you're a gawking tourist.

View from the train, took this photo to show the green mountains that surround Kobe. Apparently locals would never live there, preferring to cluster near to the train stations for conveniences sake. Atop those mountains there are lodges etc that hold weddings. You can cable car up there.

This girl was dressed like Little Bo Peep, she got on the train that I transferred to. Couldn't get a good enough photo without feeling like a stalker.

I think this street is what I thought I'd see when I imagined Japan. This is in Namba.

A cool colourful building.

This building blew my mind, don't know why. Probably the sheer size and minimalism of it!

Everyone here rides bikes, from the elderly to the young, and they're all awesome bikes that you wish you had. This is just one of them, took it for the Marks and Kits out there.

Biking.

After I found my job interview place, went for a walk and found this park. It was a little bit grotty but it was really nice to sit in a big open space.

Couldn't resist this sunset shot, took it when I got back to Rokko.

OK. So I made some food purchases today which are noteworthy. Number 1 - Corn Flavoured Doritos, which really turned out to be Corn Soup Flavoured Doritos. Not that nice; think chicken and corn flavouring from 2 minute noodles on corn chips.

An Oreo Bar - just tasted like a Milo Bar.

POCARI SWEAT is a healthy beverage that smoothly supplies the lost water and electrolytes during perspiration. With the appropriate density and electrolytes, close to that of human body fluid, it can be easily absorbed into the body.

It tasted like sweat.