Kyoto trip
I finally got off my couch to write about this week's trip to Kyoto. I must say I had been feeling quite comfortable there lazing around watching Burn Notice and dozing off from time to time, but let's get this out of the way ;)
In the beginning of the week we went on a two days trip to Kyoto. During the weekend before that a typhoon passed Japan and it was really devastating in the west, but we got away with only strong winds. I actually changed all my plans and stayed at home on Saturday, there was no way I was going to set my foot outside, I didn't want the wind to send me flying into the sky. The weather was pretty bad on Monday too and it was raining at times. Unfortunately our first stop that day was a river somewhere in Hyogo prefecture, where we fished and then cooked and ate our catch. How primal! I tried fishing only once and succeeded, but I ran away with the tail between my legs the moment I saw what taking a hook out of the fish's mouth involved. I really prefer my food dead and cooked by the time it is set in front of me on a table. I am no hunter, fisherman, cave woman or whatever ~_~; The fact that it was pretty cold and raining a little didn't help either, but the place was beautiful.
After the fishing adventure we went to Mampukuji.
I bought an omikuji there, but it turned out to be a prediction of a really bad luck. After a few indignant screams and demands to give me my 500 yen back (sadly the money box had a very narrow slit so I couldn't take my money back out of it) I tied the omikuji to a pole to disperse the bad luck. I mean what the hell is this: "The person you are waiting for: not coming, don't wait"?! It's not like I believe in all omikuji, horoscopes etc. crap, but I mean 500 yen for such a bad luck?! (￣へ ￣ )凸
After Mampukuji we went to an onsen we stayed for the night and seriously it was the best thing that happened in a while. What can be better that relaxing in an open air bath in a Japanese style garden and enjoying a view of beautiful night skies? There was a jacuzzi too. ~bliss~
The next day we went to Tenryuji and I realized that I had been there 5 years ago. At the time I was shown around by a co-worker and I immediately forgot the names of pretty much all places I went to.
We ate a lunch in a nearby restaurant and it was not bad, but still I am no fan of tofu ~meh~
After Tenryuji we went to the last stop of our trip - a sweets shop. The point was not to eat sweets, but make them. We made yatsuhasi, sweets made from bean paste and a local delicacy in Kyoto.
Here is the final result. It was delicious! But why do we always end up cooking something, be it soba or yatsuhashi or whatever else I don't even remember anymore? They say: "Cultural experience," I say: "Can we have cultural experience through eating only?"
K. let me drive his car on our way back. I think he was afraid I'd smash his car, but I am not that bad! And by the way that time, when I abruptly changed lanes in the middle of a cross section, was all his fault for telling me to turn right when we had to go straight ;P Ohoho I'm getting my car delivered next week ♪(´ε｀ )
Anyway Kyoto was fun and only two day, which is exactly as long of a trip as I can manage without starting to get annoyed with being dragged around ♪( ´▽｀)ノ
Aside from Kyoto trip I had a farewell party on Wednesday, a little early since I quit the job at the end of the month, but with all the business trips abroad everyone's schedule is packed. It was fine and I got some nice cat-related presents, everyone knows I love cats and want to get one soon. But one thing I probably will never understand is if you know you can't hold alcohol why keep drinking yourself silly? In one guy's case it turned pretty ugly. Bastard spoiled my party! (￣へ ￣ )凸 In a way he paid for it, because the other guys played janken and made a looser kiss him while he was semiconscious on the floor. Tongues were used too. My eyes! (￣□￣;)
That's about covers the trip/party part of the week. The matter of my new apartment has been settled too, but it deserves a long rant of its own, so maybe another time ;)
In the beginning of the week we went on a two days trip to Kyoto. During the weekend before that a typhoon passed Japan and it was really devastating in the west, but we got away with only strong winds. I actually changed all my plans and stayed at home on Saturday, there was no way I was going to set my foot outside, I didn't want the wind to send me flying into the sky. The weather was pretty bad on Monday too and it was raining at times. Unfortunately our first stop that day was a river somewhere in Hyogo prefecture, where we fished and then cooked and ate our catch. How primal! I tried fishing only once and succeeded, but I ran away with the tail between my legs the moment I saw what taking a hook out of the fish's mouth involved. I really prefer my food dead and cooked by the time it is set in front of me on a table. I am no hunter, fisherman, cave woman or whatever ~_~; The fact that it was pretty cold and raining a little didn't help either, but the place was beautiful.
After the fishing adventure we went to Mampukuji.
I bought an omikuji there, but it turned out to be a prediction of a really bad luck. After a few indignant screams and demands to give me my 500 yen back (sadly the money box had a very narrow slit so I couldn't take my money back out of it) I tied the omikuji to a pole to disperse the bad luck. I mean what the hell is this: "The person you are waiting for: not coming, don't wait"?! It's not like I believe in all omikuji, horoscopes etc. crap, but I mean 500 yen for such a bad luck?! (￣へ ￣ )凸
After Mampukuji we went to an onsen we stayed for the night and seriously it was the best thing that happened in a while. What can be better that relaxing in an open air bath in a Japanese style garden and enjoying a view of beautiful night skies? There was a jacuzzi too. ~bliss~
The next day we went to Tenryuji and I realized that I had been there 5 years ago. At the time I was shown around by a co-worker and I immediately forgot the names of pretty much all places I went to.
We ate a lunch in a nearby restaurant and it was not bad, but still I am no fan of tofu ~meh~
After Tenryuji we went to the last stop of our trip - a sweets shop. The point was not to eat sweets, but make them. We made yatsuhasi, sweets made from bean paste and a local delicacy in Kyoto.
Here is the final result. It was delicious! But why do we always end up cooking something, be it soba or yatsuhashi or whatever else I don't even remember anymore? They say: "Cultural experience," I say: "Can we have cultural experience through eating only?"
K. let me drive his car on our way back. I think he was afraid I'd smash his car, but I am not that bad! And by the way that time, when I abruptly changed lanes in the middle of a cross section, was all his fault for telling me to turn right when we had to go straight ;P Ohoho I'm getting my car delivered next week ♪(´ε｀ )
Anyway Kyoto was fun and only two day, which is exactly as long of a trip as I can manage without starting to get annoyed with being dragged around ♪( ´▽｀)ノ
Aside from Kyoto trip I had a farewell party on Wednesday, a little early since I quit the job at the end of the month, but with all the business trips abroad everyone's schedule is packed. It was fine and I got some nice cat-related presents, everyone knows I love cats and want to get one soon. But one thing I probably will never understand is if you know you can't hold alcohol why keep drinking yourself silly? In one guy's case it turned pretty ugly. Bastard spoiled my party! (￣へ ￣ )凸 In a way he paid for it, because the other guys played janken and made a looser kiss him while he was semiconscious on the floor. Tongues were used too. My eyes! (￣□￣;)
That's about covers the trip/party part of the week. The matter of my new apartment has been settled too, but it deserves a long rant of its own, so maybe another time ;)