Turning Japanese

I Heart Hiking in Japan: The EPIC Mt. Myogi

2010-03-09T15:34:00.008-06:00

June 13th, 2009

The day had FINALLY come! After approximately 382 failed attempts at hiking the infamous 'most lethal' mountain in Gunma, Mt. Myogi, the weather was finally JUST good enough to risk the climb.

Awesome off center, slanted group pic on timer off the roof of the car. Representing Maebashi die hards from left to right are: Takahashi #1, Alekh, me, Erin, Alex, Julie, Jen, and Laurel!

It starts off all Japanesey, shrine entrances and whatnot...

and there were even stairs, and a torii gate.

And then, the REAL hike began.

First and only real landmark of the trail: giant kanji.

Kanji kanji kanji.

Repelling.

Half way point where those exhausted... have a cigarette and whiskey. I heart Hiro.

Or, if you're sane, food.

And we've reached a summit!

Alex'll be comin' round the mountain when he comes (yee-haw!).

Julie standing in dismay as she sees yet another chain to abseil. You can do it!!!

It didn't rain... but it wasn't clear skies. Still a pretty sweet view.

Back at the arch near the base.

Don't feed monkeys onigiri bigger than themselves... they will explode.

Boooo - made it back to the lot just in time to miss out on softserve strawberry ice cream:(

Dominated it!
Most lethal, my butt! We kicked YOUR butt, Myogi!
One and a half years after the anticipation regarding the challenge that is Mt. Myogi left me, quite frankly, disappointed. Was I more sore than I had ever been before in my life? Yes. Did some people reroute half way through? Yes. But not one person died. There wasn't even a major, or minor, injury! Bring Kilimanjaro on!

Post hike onsen and ice cream.

And a return to the post best hike cuisine: Sushi-Ro 100 yen sushi!!!

Yum yum, eat 'em up!

I Heart Hiking in Japan: Kiryuu Edition

2010-03-09T15:27:00.005-06:00

June 7th, 2009

Andy: "Wanna hike a mountain in Kiryuu?"
Me: "OKAY!"

No bus in sight, we get a cab. Cab takes us to a corner. We must walk another hour up roads to get to the trail head. It is gorgeous, so I don't mind one bit. Yay for sun, FINALLY!

The heat and 60 degree incline ain't got nothin' on Uri, clearly the most prepared with a man-purse, short shorts, and sandals.

Alex and Andy on the other hand... well, they perspired a lot more than Uri.

We never actually reached a summit, per say. But since we weren't positive where we were were and figured time wasn't on on our side, we turned around here. Great view!

Mmmm - Soyjoys!

Random kids' drawings lined the start of the trail. This was for sure my favorite.

Two-leaved flowers?!?!

We made it! To the start, so we can walk another hour back to a bus stop.

Best post hike (or post school festival in Byron's case) dinner: Sushi!

Six Months, 18 days, and some odd hours after I've left Japan, I WRITE AGAIN!

2010-02-26T13:31:00.007-06:00

Six months, 18 days, and some odd hours after I have left Japan, and I am FINALLY dedicating some time to writing in my beloved blog. I could think of a million and one reasons why it's taken me this long to write.
It's not that I forgot about ya, 'ol blog, or anyone that still somehow, somewhere still occasionally checks my page for updates. No, no. Quite the opposite, in fact. I've thought about you frequently. I've visited you, and revisited you in hopes of brewing nostalgia, which you successfully deliver every time. I feel I've let down reader(s?) with my far from timely reports. My failure to really give you the love, attention, and refining additions you deserve lie in my fear of your demise. I fear that by writing those final entries from my last adventures in Japan and South Korea, I will be officially closing my book on epic world wide adventures. I fear that people will no longer be interested in hearing from me. Life in Wisconsin is great, but thrillingly exciting it is not. I know that travel bug itch of mine shall never be fully scratched, however and the adventures will continue for years and years to come. SO, I owe it to myself, and my reader(s?) to reach back to archives (over 8 months ago now - shame on me!) and blog away about the best of times in Japan, South Korea, and even update my friends abroad about adventures in the midwest America.

My last blog was all about Malaysia. A pretty perfect adventure in my opinion and one that will be hard to surpass in awesomeness for future expeditions. It definitely prepared me for May in Japan, which brought about some pretty stellar hikes. Here are some pictures from my first overnight hike with the man, the myth, the legend leader: Tomo. We headed to Mt. Ryogami in Saitama for the adventure.

About to start up the two day hike after trains and buses galore. And yes, I'm wearing spandex under my shorts. It's all the rage in hiking fashion these days.

Tomo: such a poser.
All good Japanese hikers come in bright, solid, multicolored apparel.

Setting up/watching Tomo set up the tents for the night.
And then continuing on to a peak - there's still sunlight to use! Eri miiiiight be the cutest hiker, ever.

The mist burned off a bit at the top so we got to see these perty flowers. Masuda-san was all about video things with his phone that weekend.
Eri had 'lil cake thingys to celebrate our arrival at a peak. Woo-hoo!

Camping dinners for Japanese are so unbelievably impressive. While Julie and I would be perfectly content with our Clif or Luna bars, everyone around us was whipping out pots, pans, whole fish, noodles, pickled vegetables, mochi, tea,... enough for a 3 course meal - for real. It was insane (ly awesome!).

Of course any good hiker makes enough room in his pack for beer, as it gets dark by 6pm... and then it's a looong time til sunrise. Masuda-san demonstrates how to enjoy a camping night.
3:30am rise to decide whether the weather was good enough to continue or whether the mountain wins again and we have to go back down the same route we came up... guess what happened?
At least there was sunrise and breakfast!

Perty mountain flowers.
Traversing over rivers.
When we finally made it down, we trusted Tomo to get us on the right buses back. We made it, eventually.
Not without stopping for ice cream though, of course.
More May madness hike posts to come. And I promise it won't take me six months to do it this time!

Malaysia Take Ten: Tioman Island Marks the End

2009-07-21T20:22:00.014-05:00

Singapore hawker stalls? Check! Malaysian jungle? Check! Caves? Check! Rivers? Check! Culture? Check! Hiking to the top of mountains? Check! Capital city and Petronas Towers? Check!

Requirements for final destination: beach, ocean, cheap booze. Ice Cream and fish (seeing and eating) are a plus. Final destination pick: Pulau Tioman island.

To get there from KL required an overnight bus (which turned out to be the high school party bus with teens noshing on KFC and talking allllll night long) followed by a ferry ride.
The ferry left from Mersing, a tiny coast town known only for it's ferry access to Tioman. We arrived at 4:30am: dark enough to make for a somewhat intimidating walk to the ferry but early enough to see the gorgeous sunrise before boarding at 7:30am.

On the ferry, I made a new Canadian born, now nomadic, 76 year old friend. He was awesome. We rocked out to jazz the whole way there, because of course a 76 year old would have his mp3 player on him.

Meanwhile, Julie was dying. It was a pretty choppy ride.

On solid ground! Tioman, island baby! The destination for where we'd finish off our trip in true 'spring break' style:) DUTY FREE!

We found a place to settle for the next few days that was cheap and cozy. I don't think you really could've gone wrong here, though.

Awww, we missed you guys!

After setting down our bags, getting our giant 80's style spray painted key for the room, having a delicious breakfast and changing into swimsuits we decided it was a perfect day for snorkeling. We wanted to go to the best the island had to offer, which was Coral Island. Most people take a boat here, but we decided to embark on a two hour hike and then just swim out to the island. We hiked the Pinnacles - how bad could this be? Not bad, not bad at all. If you had like, 12 leisurely hours. It took time and we ended up feeling more rushed than was desirable. Still, we got a great view of the ocean and extremely colorful reef and fish.

Check it out! Sea turtle!

Purple sea clam - awesome.

We made it back in time for sunset and happy hour with my intense "encouragement". The combination of these two things make me a very happy girl, especially when the happy hour special is 3 beers for 10 ringit ($3). We end up meeting a super cool Aussie couple in their 40's who invite us to come visit them on their dairy farm. You know, I never did make it to Tasmania...

This was the cute 'lil love shack we settled on after looking at maybe five other options. Felt luxury to us, even though the shower water's still cold, you pull a string to flush the toilet, and we slept in one bed under a net together. Lots of space though, right price, only footsteps to a perty beach and good restaurant, and right next to a hiking trail.

In case we forgot where the beach was, there was a very helpful sign posted.
Biologists dig Tioman because its relative isolation has generated flora and fauna that distinctly deviate from mainland species. There were tons of creatures hidden throughout inland Tioman, but these huge monitor lizards weren't modest in the least.

The next day we embarked on a 2 1/2 hour hike across the island (you'd think we be sick of it by now, right?) A)because we could and B)because it led to a more "secluded" beach. Not that the island was swarming with tourists where we were. Really, I think I'm just addicted to hiking and wasn't ready to just do the 'lay out all day and do nothing' think quite yet. So, off we went.

We made it! Long white beach to ourselves, crystal clear water to dip our now disgustingly sweaty bodies in, and blue skies with sun shining to relax under. Paradise defined.

There was even a nice little cafe we could have lunch at to beat the heat for awhile. While we both beat the heat, I beat Julie in a game of checkers. I beat her good. As you can see, she is very humbled. I got cocky, too cocky, and she proceeded to rock me in the next round.

"Paradise is in your mind." -India.Arie "Paradise is in Tioman." - Sarah Moersfelder

Fact: There is one road that was just recently built that leads from the east to the west coast.

Fact: It is possible to call/persuade a driver to come over to this side to do a pick up.

Fact: It is expensive, even above and beyond Julie and Sarah standards.

We debated back and forth , back and forth about whether to stay and beach for a few more hours or make the trek back on foot. I doubt it's any surprise that we ended up doing the hike back. Which again, cut our time too short for the 'max and relax' ambitions of the day. But, when there's a happy hour and sunset calling you on the west coast, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Saw this plant on the way back. It was green. Or was it blue? Or was it green?

Yay! Back in time for sunset!

And happy hour!

Dinner the first night was super disappointing. The fish I ordered was clearly a cut straight from the freezer and my "salad" was really coleslaw drenched in mayo. Lame.

Anyway, the second night we find another place which was far superior. It was the best meal I had the entire trip, and possibly the cheapest. The day just kept getting better and better.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I saw the dessert menu! Fruit and ice cream? Yes, please!!!

Last full day on the island, we decided to get some more snorkeling in. A much shorter hike to Monkey Beach, which again we had to ourselves, and some shallow but nice waters to snorkel in.

Last night = one last happy hour. The majority of the time, cheap trumps taste for me, hence the 3 for $3 beers the previous two nights. But, since it was our last night we decided to "spoil" ourselves with girly drinks. I did a thorough check of all the prices on the 'strip' and decided we'd go here for the night.

Total success!!! This was my bartender/boyfriend for the night, Jackie Chan. Hilarious and interesting guy who hooked us up with delicious cocktails for a price of beer. Double score!

Enjoying our last sunset in Malaysia.

Good-bye, Tioman!

We make it back to Mersing in time to do some final 'omiyage' (small gifts you're essentially obligated to bring back for Japanese coworkers when going on a trip that requires you to use vacation days) shopping as well as make some ridiculous buys for ourselves. At the top of the list were these matching Barbie watches for ourselves, complete with an identical Barbie replica on the face of what looked like us, in Barbie form. It was especially special since the boys in Kuching kept calling Julie Barbie.

On the commute back to Japan (via buses, planes, trains), I had a lot of time for thinking. We did some reflecting of the trip and how awesome it was to have such a like minded travel buddy. I also felt extremely fortunate to have even had the opportunity for two weeks of travel in any country my heart desired, given time and money constraints. We both thought we were pretty smooth, arranging travel days and times to get two full weeks out of it, but then got a little pinge of jealously talking to all the other travelers we met who had anywhere from 1 month to years to travel Malaysia/southeast Asia/ the world. The jealously was shortlived and I was grouded again quickly as I reminded myself not to play the comparison game, but I did begin to think if it was possible for me to really live that lifestyle. In the end, I don't think I would enjoy being 'on the road' for that long. I really like having the security of a job and income and having a place not only to call, but to feel, is my home.

That being said, I did feel much sadder leaving Malaysia than I ever have leaving any other foreign country before. I think on top of the fact that it really did feel like a paradise and all the experiences and situations were exactly to my liking, it was the realization that this was really the last 'big trip' I'd be doing for a LONG time. I was going back to Japan, a country I love, but I knew would still be cold, grey, rainy and having to hop back into work responsibilities and plans for coming home. After returning stateside, I know I won't have time or money to being doing any international travels.

I wasn't ready yet, and the idea of staying in Malaysia and prolonging the paradise thang was incredibly appealing to me. I wonder when/if that travel bug itch will ever be scratched out in me? I will probably never know, but for now I am extremely satisfied with my experiences thus far and eternally grateful to God for providing and bringing me closer to Him through each experience. I do know that as long as I still have the financial means, the physical capabilities, and the time to travel I'll be jetsetting whenever. Who's with me?

Malaysia Take Nine: Kuala Lumpur

2009-07-21T00:49:00.009-05:00

Like I said in the last post, after 5 long and glorious days in the wilderness, we were ready for a change by hitting up the big smoke of Malaysia's capital, Kuala Lumpur. It's the most populated city at over 1.8 million people and the fastest growing in Malaysia. "It's curious that a city where you still have to watch your step for pavement cracks and pot-holes can also feel cutting edge, but cast your eyes to the skyline and around the streets and you'll see what we mean. In just 150 years, KL has gone from a tin prospector's hovel in the jungle to a thoroughly modern metropolis..." (82 Lonely Planet).

KL definitely kept us entertained for a few days with the gorgeous parks, impressive colonial-era building remains, the food and cheap rip off markets, and the restaurants representing cuisine from China to India to the middle east.

The hostel we really wanted to stay at was completely booked, so we wandered around and ended up staying at a place with a giant padlock on the outside and plastic sheets on the bed. The price was right and owners were new and eager to please (ie: coming back to folded clothes one day). Awesome!

Here are some city scenes from Kuala Lumpur:

Lake Gardens.
Pitcher plant fountain.
School's out!
Tandoori chicken on the skewer.

Cruising through Merdaka Square, we got a great view of the city and the Sultan Abdul Samad Building.
The Little India bazar, where we proceeded to get ripped off with our fake makeup purchases.

Dinner at a Lebanese restaurant. Sooooo good.
The Petronas Towers: the biggest attraction in Kuala Lumpur because of its 88-stories of steel-clad twin towers rising 451.9 meters above the ground and also offering (of course) a huge mall and a world-class concert hall which Brooke's friend actually had the honor of playing in less than a week before we arrived.
Not many people know this, but I am actually the main support for the two buildings. It's a pretty important job, so I don't mean to brag or be boastful about it. But, it's kind of a big deal.

Loved the aesthetic of this.

Back to Lake Gardens for some cheesy senior pictures to kill time before our ticket allows us to get up into the Petronas Towers.
Back at the towers to be a true tourist. I got my pass to prove it!
The Sky Tour visit included a free video in 3-D!!! More exciting than it sounds. It talked a lot about oil and looked more "blurry" than "3-D". But, we looked awesome in the glasses and it was free, so it was totally worth it.
View of KL from the Petronas Towers Skybridge on the 44th floor.
Looking down over the park.
Chinatown.
Persuaded by a gay guy from Florida to eat at this Indian restaurant while we learned about his dramatic life history. Great food, great price, 'interesting' guy.

I wouldn't say KL is a "not to be missed" destination in Malaysia, but it is a major hub for flights and relatively entertaining if you've got the time and energy. We got our tummy's fed, our tourism ticks checked, and our clothes cleaned. I'd say it was a success!

Malaysia Take Eight: Limbang to Miri via Brunei

2009-07-20T23:32:00.005-05:00

Our plan after five long and incredible days in the wilderness of Gunung Mulu National Park was to hit up the biggest city in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur. To get there, we had to take a flight. The closest airport was in Miri. We were now in Limbang. The "fastest", most cost effective way to get to Miri was by car, driving through Brunei (tiny oil rich country smack dab in the middle of Malaysia). Friend of Larry (he knows everyone) has said car.
We had a few hours to kill before our mystery ride would arrive, so we checked out the tiny town of Limbang.

Nice market in town.

How bout 'dem apples?
Most delicious bananas, ever.
Fresh fish.
Dried sea creatures.
Assorted breads/carby things.
We tried some new stuff in the markets, but ultimately I was unsatisfied. We ended up in a mall, observing the Malaysian youth in blissful A/C, when the first glimpse of an ice cream stand appeared. I couldn't choose between yam and pumpkin, so I got both. Thus began the ice cream Olympics: USA vs. New Zealand. Never challenge me to an ice cream competition - cuz I'm gonna kill you every time, son! This was mid-challenge at number four, vanilla and sweet corn soft serve - the best of the trip in my opinion.
Eventually we get picked up, not by a taxi, but by an SUV crammed with the driver, what we think was another tour guide, a young (but rather large) Malaysian woman, and two Malaysian college students. A plastic cross hung from the rear view mirror, musty dry air blew through the vents, and none of the seat belts worked. A trip that should've taken two, maybe two and a half hours took over five thanks to a public holiday. Border crossing was the main time stealing culprit, since our driver adhering to the 'no speed limit' law surely wasn't.

We did get to add another stamp to our passports though, and get a quick glimpse of Brunei as we passed through. Brunei is the remnant of a super powerful sultanate and gained its independence in 1984. It's small but powerful thanks to it's oil money. There were perty houses with perty doors and windows.
We made it to Miri very late that night and had just enough energy to take our first warm shower in almost a week, book a flight for the next day, and chat with our lovely hostel owner. If you're ever in Miri, Malaysia, please spend a night at Dillenia Guest House.
Goodbye, Borneo. Back to mainland Malaysia.

Malaysia Take Seven: Sleepover at the Longhouse and an Exit from Mulu

2009-07-20T22:20:00.009-05:00

Arrival at the longhouse village. I had no idea what to really expect of this, but the description was desperately screaming "tourist trap!" The experience however, was anything but. As we drifted down the river for hours, we saw maybe two other villages. I really felt like this was a unique society not just anybody can hop on a plane to see. It turns out that it was actually our tour guide Larry's family's village! We were chatting with a guy who lives there, who turned out to be Larry's brother, a paraplegic Olympic swimmer. Crazy.
Anyway, I felt really fortunate to not only be allowed to spend the night there and have a delicious feast prepared, but also to be welcomed with open hearts and dirty fingers.The longhouse from the outside. It's like a whole village living in one big long house, divided into a public area along one side and private living quarters along the other.
Our digs for the night before we claimed a spot to lay our futon.
Our host family's living room.
Some kiddos were playing out in the communal area, which I immediately gravitated toward. They taught me some game with a rock and I taught them "Paper, Scissors, Rock".Then I busted out some music for sing-a-longs... I think I was feelin' it more than they were.
Julie is trying desperately to understand this cutie's attempts at English, which in all honesty was much easier to deconstruct than any Japanese kiddo.
That is one long house.
Cheese-y!
Lim came out to spread the love (and cavity inducing candy) as well.
We asked the kids to give us a tour of the grounds. They led us to the chicken pens.
I was trying to save one of the many chicks the kids were suffocating, Lenny style.
The longhouse from the front. Pretty wonderful and basic digs, but not completely void of 21st century influences. Check out the satellite dishes on the roof. The kids (20 plus) were all packed into one living room that night watching some Nickelodeon show. Classic.
Continuing the tour.
Naked boys playing in the river - adorable!
Doesn't get much fresher than this. Our hosts were graciously preparing dinner from the time we arrived.
Hard at work.
Looked and tasted delicious!
After dinner I taught the KL crew Spoons. Maybe not the best idea for a group as rambunctious as they were after 'lights out', but it was a blast.
Some of the residents were out selling crafts and things they'd made at night. This just gave us another chance to talk with Larry's super sweet and interesting brother.
Catching up on our novels at night.
Time for bed.
The roosters reminded us the sun was up, they were up, and so should we at about 5am the next morning. I promptly ignored them and waited until the delicious breakfast was ready to prep so I could help out. The next day was gorgeous and a nice one to hit the river again on to bid adieu to Gunung Mulu National Park.
Julie was clearly happy to leave, too.
We made it to the last stop of the trip to wait for transportation back to Limbang and bought some delicious local snacks and treats.
Smile, just ONE more time for me Uncle Lim! Great end to a great trip in Gunung Mulu. Highly recommend it!

Malaysia Take Six: Headhunter's Trail

2009-07-20T21:55:00.003-05:00

To get from Camp 5 to the longhouse we'd be staying at the next night, we had another day of hiking and "rowing" ahead of us. This time, we'd be taking the Headhunters' Trail. The trail got it's name because about a hundred years ago, head hunting in this area was at it's peak. Kayan war parties from the Baram River came through the Mulu area to attack Murut longhouses and Chinese farmers along the Limbang River, paddling their war canoes up rivers and carrying them through the forests.
Julie was much more concerned about the leeches than any head hunter's though. 11.3km later, we were both leech free. I love my fungus!
More suspension bridges.
Whether it's big or 'lil, I love all fungus.
READY!
This riverin' experience was much more enjoyable than the last. After the monstrous downpour the night before, water levels were high which meant no need to jump in and out to push on the canoe on my now bum ankle (I of course twisted it during the hike the day before).
Getting cloooooserrrr....

Malaysia Take Five: The Pinnacles

2009-07-20T21:24:00.005-05:00

The big day had finally arrived. Hiking the Pinnacles was the main reason we booked this trip. Off the super touristy beaten track, a real challenge for "experienced hikers ONLY!!!", and a unique geographic sight to be seen at the top.

So, 4 am on May 1st we rose, got dressed in the very stylish spandex under shorts, thick socks, dri-fit look I rock so hard, and ate me some fried noodles Malay style. Tasty, but probably THE worst thing to have at 4am before an epic hike... me tummy no likey:(
Told you Richard's all brawn - check out those legs!!!
Let the Pinnacles hike begin! About a 60 degree incline for the first 3/4 of the hike. Awesome!
The sun's coming out to play and so am I.
Ladders marked the beginning of the end. Psschhh - who needs ladders?
We made it! Posing with Dr. Ramly at the peak of Mt Api, who then proceeded to think he was photographer extraordinaire and insist on doing a photo shoot of Julie and I separately. The results were hi-larious. Talk about extreme close-ups.
We lost the rest of our Malaysian crew on the way up because as Richard said, "they like to sing and hug trees too much". Julie and I reached the peak first, followed shortly thereafter by the other mainland Malaysian crew. They had these sweet t-shirts made in advance and came correct with an ipod and speakers to bust out 80's power ballads with. Nice.
And this is the view we worked for the whole morning, The Pinnacles: crazy limestone formations in the middle of a forest.

Us and the whole OTHER crew of Malaysians; our group still hadn't made it up yet:(
We waited over an hour, then decided to head back down. We were a little worried, but knew they were in good hands with Richard.
Took it easy on the way down and noticed a lot more of the gorgeous flora and fauna.

Great sign to notice AFTER completing the hike.
Made it back to Camp 5, safe and sound, took a dip in our river, cleaned up, got into a Murakami novel, and chatted with some sweet ladies from Switzerland. Status on our Kuala Lumpur representatives? MIA.
Then, it began to rain... no, pour. By 5pm, everybody was back, some more drenched than others, but all safe and sound. We all felt a great sense of accomplishment from having completed the vertical hike and seen the stunning view of the Pinnacles. Despite getting caught in the downpour, our KL peeps were still the loudest in the Camp at night. Gotta love 'em!
See that peak behind us? Yeah, we were there. The Pinnacles '09, baby!!!

Malaysia Take Four: Camp 5

2009-06-30T01:52:00.012-05:00

Alright, so after a bit of rowing/drifting down the river and checkin' out a village along the way, it was back in the canoes again. And, since the water levels were so low, we "got" to push them approximately every 2.3 seconds. All part of the experience.
Eventually, we made it to the bank of where we'd stop for lunch and then start up the hike for the day. That's Naoto to my right; solo traveler coincidentally from Tokyo, Japan and winner of most unique Japanese I've ever met.
I think that's a liger on his shirt.Ready to start the jungle trek to Camp 5, carrying all our gear. Hiring carriers is such a cop out. Lame.
My favorite guide, Eugene. Half man, half myth, all muscle.
Suspension bridge - whaaaatttt!?!
Tour guide, Richard... the craziest combination and pure brawn and passion for the environment, ever!
... it's off to camp we go!
3 hours later, WE MADE IT!
I just realized I haven't properly introduced you to the wonderful people we spent 5 days of pain, glory, and memories with. They were a group of seven Malaysians that live on the mainland in the capital, Kuala Lumpur. They've done a few 'adventure' trips together and this was one they had booked for almost a year. Wong booked it, and the rest came along for the ride having next to no idea what they were really getting into. Although some of the hikes were beyond their ability/interest level, they were a TOTAL blast and we couldn't have asked for a better crew to join with for the adventures.
(From left to right): Liew (late 20's into shopping and walking), Liu (30's into light hiking and shopping), Wong (the organizer and most card core; into half marathons and fun runs), Low (late 20's into the outdoors, great personality and sense of humor), Mey (30's fun 7-10km kind of girl, super sweet, married to an Indian man who she left in the dust for this trip;) ), Mendy (hilariously cute and the drive of an ox, married to Lim) and last but certainly not least is Uncle Lim (the biggest personality of the group, great (albeit LOUD) laugh, always finding a way to make others laugh, possibly more deserving of the "paparazzi" title than myself). We immediately threw our bags into the communal sleeping area and ran to the river. No swimsuits? No problem!
My favorite picture of the entire trip.
Refreshing and clean water.
Gunung Mulu is my playground.

Regression is the best medicine.
View from Camp 5, not too shabby!

While we were playing in the river, Larry and the other tour guides were hard at work making our dinner.

Uhhhh - I'm ready! Where IS everybody?
Our digs for two nights. Big, open air, communal sleeping area: LOVED IT!
Incredible.
Beautiful butterflies... and Julie ain't too shabby either!
Another group of hikers from mainland Malaysia used this area for their five times a day prayers AND macarena practice. HI-larious.
Oh, Naoto. Watermelon and rice don't go to together... in any culture.
But green pancakes and eggs most certainly do!
Me and tour guide Richard, "the man." He has been and will be doing the same hike through the jungle and the Pinnacles nearly every day for the next... eternity? Awesome job and an individual I will never forget. Thanks!

Malaysia Take Three: Gunung Mulu Caves

2009-06-30T01:20:00.015-05:00

You know how I love my maps! Orientation, alas. From Kuching, we headed to Gunung Mulu National Park, which means we had to fly into Miri first, then take a 'lil chopper into the national park (marked in red). Access to the park is via plane or boat only. Sweetest part of the flights? Free/included soy milk boxes!

As you can see, it's a relatively mountainous area with lots of rivers and caves. The highest mountain in Malaysia is just east of the Sarawak border in Sabah. Trust me, we tried to work in a hike there as well, but logistics were not in our favor.

Looking over the 'big smoke' of Kuching...

into the the protected and heavily forested Gunung Mulu. We (and by we I mean Julie and I gave her money) booked a cheap tour on the internet in advance by tagging on with a group of mainland Malaysians. I kind of wanted the details for the trip to be a mystery and let Julie take the reigns on this one, allowing myself to take in the the whole experience without much for expectations.

"Hmmm, we don't really remember you, but just get in this car and we'll sort it out" - Larry the tour guide. Excellent start.

We made it! Let the five day caving, jungle trekking, hiking, and boating tour begin!

Accomodation expectations: exceeded! After camping in Bako where we got to stuff our bags in musty bathroom and shower in freezing water in the pitch black, this was a VAST improvement!

We had time to throw our bags in the room, then head off immediately to the Deer and Langs show caves.

Sweet plants and creatures in every hidden corner. This picture is compliments of Lim (more on him, later).
Hey there, lil buuuuuuddy!

Deer/Bat Poo cave.

Check out the profile of famous historical man to the right... see him, see him?

Abe Lincoln! Hey 'Blinkin'? Nah, I said, Abe Lincoln! (the first reader to Name That Movie gets a "special treat" from yours truly!)

I realize it's hard to tell from this super low quality pic, but it's a glowworm. These bad boys make it possible for the cave to be a World Heritage site.

Langs Cave.

The "bat exodus"; 3 MILLION bats, 12 different species, come out at dusk and make this crazy ribbon/dragon shape as the enter and exit the cave. Incredible.

The next morning, we embarked on our first boating experience. Expectations: exceeded!

Quick stop at a local village as we row/walk/push down the river.

Next stop: Cave of the Winds. It was windy.

I kind of thought this formation was gonna slap me.

I heart butterflies.

Outside Clearwater Caves.

Cleansing in the sacred water. Apparently a good thing to do before the massive Pinnacles hike we had planned the following day.

And, 'unofficially' I got cleansed up outside the cave in this refreshing little river before boarding our canoes again.

Malaysia Take Two: Kuching Cats

2009-06-30T01:16:00.008-05:00

Kuching is the capital of Sarawak and means 'cat' in Malay. I saw lots of cats, most of which needed an immediate trip to the vet. Luckily it's not name is not attributed to the nasty stray cats that roam the streets. There's actually a highly debated naming history. If interested, click here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuching#Origin_of_name .

Admittedly, I wasn't there for the cats. Julie and I stopped for one night's sleep, shower, and laundry.

We 'splurged' on an awesome hostel, known for it's local art work and decor.

Awesome breakfast bar and lounge on the top floor, complete with hammock and pool tables.

I don't think I really realized how color deprived Japan's architecture was until traveling. Singapore had amazing color schemes and Kuching wasn't far behind. This building was awesome.

We spent FAR too much time attempting to find a laundromat that was open and could handle all our stank. Of course we did, and even found a nice local restaurant open across the street. Julie and I looked at the 20 page menu in Malay and and proceeded to stare wide eyed at the staff. A young guy, Mirull, spoke decent English and we told him we'd like something fresh and local. After much discussion (and Julie clarifying just about every possible food and cost related matter possible up), we ordered three dishes. What came out was not what we ordered and two of the dishes were exactly the same, with the exception of broccoli in one and not the other.

As we were waiting, four of Mirull's friends "happened" to show up. Despite our disappointment with the shadiness in the meals (which were actually still pretty tasty), we had a great chat with the boys over dinner. It was really interesting to talk to them about their futures, cultural expectations with family, religion (the vast majority of Malaysians are Muslim), musical interests and pop culture. Cheeky boys, but fun and interesting.

To round off our laundry and dinner date, we got some ice cream and walked along the riverside esplanade.

Kuching by day.

Astana, the Rajah's former palace.

Graveyard.

Tua Pek Kong temple.

As always, I left wanting more of this leisurely, sophisticated city. We didn't know if we'd make it back or not (we didn't), but I was definitely ready for the adventure that awaited us in Gunung Mulu National Park!

Malaysia: Take One: Bako National Park

2009-06-21T23:21:00.010-05:00

So, in my last blog I mentioned we were in Singapore, bound for Malaysia. For the majority of people in Wisconsin/the world (ie non ALTs living in Japan with lots of 'free time' and opportunities to travel), this means very little. I didn't know a thing about either country before coming here. So, here is a map for some perspective. Malaysia's the country shaded in green.

As you can see, there are two bits to Malaysia: peninsular (south of Thailand, north of Singapore) and island-ular/East (north of Indonesia with the country Brunei stuck in the middle of it). The Eastern bit is refereed to as "Borneo" and then broken down into the two states of Sabah and Sarawak.We flew from Johor Baharu on the peninsula to Kuching in Sarawak.
Despite giving ourselves MORE than enough time in the morning to get a bus in Singapore to the airport in Johor Bahru, one minor complication after another caused us to be in a cab going 100-some odd km fast, sprinting through the airport Amazing Race style with our huge bags, and throwing money at the (now closed) airline attendant to beg/plead/persuade us to get on. In the end, we did... soooo lucky!
Borneo, baby!!!

After arriving in Kuching, we took a much less efficient cab ride up to Bako National Park and then a boat ride from "Uncle Sam" and his son.

As we were getting off the boat, a few lounging locals pointed out this guy! A proboscis monkey! These things are totally insane. Check this out for a better picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proboscis_monkey. So lucky to see not only one, but two of these dudes chilling and jumping around. They looked like furry Adrien Brody's to me.
Jump, jump!

These monkeys, everyone 'gets' to see. They're usually stealing something from you. Because of them, we couldn't keep our tent out during the day. Not that taking down and putting up our tent every day isn't awesome or anything.

Hittin' one of the 16 superbly well maintained trails.

Ending the day at the nearest beach and having an impromptu Malaysian Top Model photo shoot. Clearly we were very inspired by mediocre reality TV shows this day.

Sunset through the mangroves.

Totally felt like I was on Lost here after spotting a wild boar. Yes, a wild boar!

We awoke to the sound of a mess (a clan, a gagle???) of monkeys parading down the fence around the campsite.

Packed up as quick as possible and headed out for a full day of hiking the awesomely diverse trails.

This is a pitcher plant. It's carnivorous and eats small children... or more commonly, insects. That deep cavity you see is filled with a liquid to trap prey. The little buggers fly or crawl around because it looks oh so perty, and once inside they can't get out because the sides are slippery. Then they drown in liquid and eventually dissolve via bacteria or enzymes. Ah, the beautiful circle of life.

My obsession for mushrooms intensified in Malaysia: the mushrooms from Super Mario Brothers actually exist!

Beach number two, all to ourselves.
Along the way we saw no tourists and one park ranger, Kaili. He was awesome. This is about the time I started becoming so thoroughly impressed by Malaysians ability to speak English. And it wasn't just the tourism employed Malaysians. The vast majority of Malaysians we interacted with understood everything we said and could speak almost as well. As teachers of English in Japan, we demanded Kellie explain to us how this was possible. I got my video camera ready, all set to show my students back in Japan his infinite words of wisdom. His response: "it's easy." Thanks, Kaili.

He also pointed out an eagle's nest to us and lent us his binocs so we could see the amazing white eagle in all it's glory.

Beach number three: secluded.
Or so we thought! I wasn't too upset to have to share it with sexy Lucas from Switzerland, though.

Most incredible sunset I may have ever seen in my life... which is saying a lot, people. A LOT.
And the kids have come out to play!
I insisted to Julie that we camp at some point and time during this trip... nothing says "vacation" better than ice cold showers in the pitch black, setting up and taking down a tent every day because of monkeys tearing it to bits, and storing all your belongs in a musty bathroom during the days
... we were the only ones with this brilliant plan.
More hiking and more fun friends.

Following up a rousing swim in the luke warm water with a rousing bout of karaoke on the beach!
Time to head back to Kuching. Bye bye Bako!

Singapore in less than 24 hours

2009-06-20T21:45:00.007-05:00

April 25th. 5:30am. Wearily roll out of the futon toward my 70 Liter powder blue backpack filled with everything from a swimsuit to a sleeping bag to Caloriemate gel packs. Once conscious, I've got a 25 min bike ride to the train station followed by a 2 1/2 hour train ride to the airport followed by a 4 hour flight to Singapore followed by a 15 min train ride to Little India district followed by a 15 min walk to the hostel. It's days like these that I look forward to more than most others because it means yet another epic adventure has begun.

Golden Week is the name for a string of random holidays (ie Greenery Day, Children's Day, Substitute Holiday) in Japan that occur in early May. I used those holidays and took another six days of paid leave off to get a full two weeks traveling in Singapore in Malaysia. My travel buddy was Julie, whom I randomly met on a train after we had each finished a hiking weekend in Oze last fall. Two tents, four hiking boots and enough white skin to blind all of Gunma between us. Instant connection! Turned out she too was a JET in my prefecture and we've been best buds since.
Anyway, we thought we were quite clever to have saved up all those days of leave and get TWO full weeks! Felt like we were spoiling ourselves and could see and do everything there was to do in Malaysia. We were so so wrong and understood after being there why everyone else we met was traveling/living there for a month or more.

Although we didn't all have the same 'final' destinations, a bunch of us were going through Singapore (internationally cheapest airport arrival locale). So what better way to kick off a 6am day of commuting than on the party train! I even splurged for the 'green car' seats, a BIG deal for me. Note the lack of Japanese on the party train.

Spectacular clouds and Slumdog Millionaire. Best flight ever!

The whole crew after an awesome ride on the party plane! Julie and I are the only ones with the great plan to camp in Malaysia and thus the only ones with what looks like small children on our backs.

Singapore is a country, a city, and an island. It's the smallest southeast Asian country, but the 5th wealthiest in the world.
The hostel we stayed at was in the Little India district and was super cute.

I was so focused on Malaysia that I didn't really learn too much before hand about Singapore. Being there though, I was totally impressed. First impression? The entire city is immaculate. Japan is clean, but Singapore is IMMACULATE. I'm thinking it has a little something to do with the $1,000 fine for littering ($2000 and up for repeat offenders). I also realized how much I was lacking/missing cultural diversity in Japan. There were all kinds of people and restaurants and buildings and nuance in Singapore. It was awesome. The last awesome aspect of Singapore was all the greenery. Even though it definitely had that city feel with the buildings and mass transit and heaps of people, they managed to take enough care in the urban planning to integrate trees and shrubs and parks and greenery EVERYWHERE. Very impressive.

A view of the central business district at night with the 'famous' Malay lion at night (pic stolen from Alexander Laws at http://www.photoblog.com/AlexanderLaws/2008/01/26/singapore.html ).
The Esplanade, theaters on the bay.

That night we decided to do dinner Singapore style: at a Hawker center with lots of seafood.
Chili crab.
Tiger beer!

My favorite dish of the night: Stingray. My first and definitely not my last experience.

A sight you will never see in Wisconsin: late night vegetable market.

In the am I took a run around the surrounding areas. Very cool vibe.Unfortunately, we had to get a bus to head off on another aeroplane that day. The time I had in Singapore I really enjoyed though and planned on getting a few more days in there at the end of the trip... of course, that never happened as other adventurous opportunities arose:)

Spring is HERE! Time to Hanami!

2009-05-26T00:12:00.007-05:00

You know it's Spring when you see sakura (cherry blossoms). It is probably the single most anticipated event in Japan, and I can definitely see why. Spring couldn't have come any sooner for me as I was D-U-N with winter approximately 2.5 days after it began.

I give a lot of detail about 'sakura' and 'hanami' in my previous post (http://sarahmoersfelder.blogspot.com/2008/04/sakura-real-deal.html), so if you missed it and want to know more, check that out. Otherwise, just browse the pics below and enjoy.

Even though I was bummed to leave Okinawa (and be sunburnt), almost my entire train ride from Tokyo to Maebashi was lined with sakura trees. It was incredibly beautiful. I love how Japan can so graceful blend city and nature together.

This is the view of my 'backyard'.

The Momonoki River I get to bike along every day.

Cherry blossoms in bloom = time to hanami (cherry blossom viewing/picnicking). And hanami we did. This is Shikishima Park, one of the best in Gunma for sures.

Spotted 'em! So there we sat, on our little tarp with food and drinks to last a week, never ending conversations, my mini speakers providing some tunes, sporadic objects being thrown, and of course the view of cherry blossoms in full bloom gracefully falling from the trees surrounding us.

Not only must you enjoy the flowers, you must take pictures of them. You must take MANY pictures of them. Or else, you are not Japanese. Below, a cute old man demonstrates how to be Japanese, and cute!
Although most Japanese hanami only with their family and friends in a small and intimate group surrounded by many other small and intimate groups around them, we are foreigners so we like to wander and disrupt/join other hanamis. This is a group of Phillipinos living in Gunma.

And this... THIS is the magic. When the light hits just right and wind blows just subtly enough and the cute kids are playing amidst it all... that's when the magic happens.

That night I headed to Tatabayashi (another city in Gunma) to talk Malaysia with Julie and hanami again the next day. And hanami we did. Julie is rightfully displaying her awesome carrot cake. Mmmmm.

Making new friends in Tats, with Benny (a guy who loves American army lingo) and Travis (a guy who helped explain the army jokes Benny made to me).

Say "hanami!"

Julie doesn't think much of Tatabayashi, but I thought it was pretty gorgeous. AND they had like a million and one carp streamers up in anticipation of Kodomo-no-hi (Children's Day).

Thanks for the Easter Peeps, parentals! They were a big hit:)

CARP STREAMERS!!!

Spring Break in Okinawa: Zamami Island

2009-05-23T10:28:00.005-05:00

Last stop on the Okinawa agenda for me was Zamami island. Since it was relatively close to Naha, again I thought it'd be packed. And again, I was pleasantly surprised. This time I had people to entertain me on the ferry and the camp site even bore a few others. Not nearly as lonely, but still just as safe.
Almost there!

The best part was that the weather finally cleared up, allowing sunshine and a lack of vomit inducing ferry rides. A definite plus!
I made it!

The first chance I had to put on that swimsuit I'd been lugging around and I couldn't have been happier! I was a little too happy, though. I blissfully delayed putting on sunscreen for all of 4 hours one morning, enjoying my book, the rays, and a swim. That was the last day of my trip. It didn't happen for 2 days after my return, but I ended up having THE WORST sunburn of my entire life. And I'm a whitey, I've been burnt many a time. We're talking blisters so big it looked like a million hands were grasping me around my torso. I literally could, not, move. I had to take off of work for the first time in my life. It sucked. A lot. And I hope it never ever ever happens again. SPF 50 at all times for me! I'm still peeling (it's been 2 months).
The camp site, which had that beach I'm on (above) immediately behind it. Perrrrrfect!

One of Okinawa's 'famous foods', goya (with clam shells) and the local brew, Orion. Both were pretty tasty!

So there I am, maxing and relaxing by myself on the beautiful beach and this guy goes out for the catch of the day. I end up 'talking' to him (all in Japanese, a total feat for me) for a pretty long time.

He proceeds to serve up the freshest sushi I have EVER had in my life.

Lunch is served!

He left for awhile, then came back with ice cream and his cute little dog. Cool guy.

Awesome tree.

Even more awesome sunset, as they always are!

Okinawa: maybe not the most amazing or impressing location I've been in my life (I'm super spoiled, though), but definitely exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. I got to do a lot of thinking and reflecting, which I don't do enough about my life. I'm a do-er and and a go-er, and it was really a lot different not to be traveling with anyone else or have something planned every minute of the day. Sometimes it was boring or lonely, but mostly it was helpful and necessary (other than that sunburn!).

Spring Break in Okinawa: Iheya Island

2009-05-18T10:59:00.011-05:00

Getting from Naha down in the south west area of Okinawa island waaaaay up to Iheya island (the one that's conveniently shaded in blue, which doesn't represent flooding or anything) was a trip in itself. I knew it'd take a while and was hoping to spend a whole day on the island, so I woke up exxxxtra early, even after going out 'on the town' (remember, there's really only one road with any activity) in Naha.

Ahhhh, the beautiful Okinawan weather I was hoping for.

After an am walk, cab ride, and 2 bus rides, I was back to walking, this time to Unten Port to take a ferry to Iheya island. The sky was starting to clear up and I got to see some of those famous Okinawan rice fields.

And flowers.

And not so famous, but still cool, snails.

All that rushing and extra early rise got me to the ferry terminal just in time to wait for 4 hours.
I'm usually all about ferry rides. Love to sit out on the top deck, taking in the rays and scenery. This time around, I was more preoccupied with keeping down lunch... which I was unsuccessful at doing, thanks to this:

I didn't really know what to expect when I got to island. I just knew there was camping and it was far enough away from what I expected would be an overcrowded and touristy main island Okinawa. Get away from the crowds I did. Iheya population = me. One main road, no buses, no taxis, very few cars, one bike rental place.

This was my home for 2 nights. It was an incredible feeling to have such a vast and beautiful surrounding all to myself. I'm not gonna lie though, I was Blair Witch-ed out on several accounts. I kept getting paranoid that I was being followed or that somebody was gonna pop into my tent. I honestly only saw less than 20 other people on the island (and I went around the WHOLE thing) the whole time. On the bright side, I could go to the bathroom wherever and whenever I wanted!

My PIMP ride!

One of the 3 "attractions" of the island: Kumaya cave.

It was cold and windy, but the views were still stunning.

This is what I mean by cold and windy. My tent capsized on several accounts.

Had me a lot of time to munch and read, munch and read. I was so proud of myself - got through two (count it!), TWO books this trip!

And of course still fit in some hikes. Up on one of the peaks looking down at the rice paddies.

Attraction #2 of the island: the big umbrella tree.

Iheya was a pretty island where more seclusion (than I could've ever asked for) was accomplished. I really liked having absolutely no schedule or agenda and just taking everything in at my own speed... but, not being able to share it with anyone was kind of sad. There are definitely pros and cons to traveling solo, but I think the worst part is just not being able to share the joy of the experience with anyone. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I'd opt for solo trips given the choice.

Okinawa's Ocean Expo Park

2009-05-18T09:50:00.009-05:00

The one 'attraction' I did do on my Spring Break was Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa's Ocean Expo Park. It's WAY up on the north of Okinawa-honto, but I was heading to Iheya island anyway, so I figured I might as well. I knew I wouldn't have time or money to scuba dive in Okinawa, which is the main draw of the islands, so I figured this was a nice consolation. Plus, my Dad told me I should go like 384 times, so I figured I'd trust him. It was a pricey little day trip with transportation and admission (about 60 bucks for bus there and back and 20 to see the aquarium), but it was pretty amazing.

The touch tank. And touch I did.

Being the papparazzi I am, I took over a hundred pictures at the aquarium so what you're seeing is a seriously reduced version. Honestly. I hope it's not too overwhelming, but the marine life they had there was absolutely incredible. I was completely awed. Scuba diving is a blast and being submerged in an underworld is an experience unlike any other. But man, when you have marine biologists going through and handpicking the best of the best to display for the public... well, they did good, they did good.

Enjoy the beauty of the under water world!

Crazy huge eel popping in and out.

Two more crazy eels.

Hands down my favorite sight of the day. This tank of garden eels was the most entertaining thing ever. Probably because I'm easily amused. But they were hilarious. Just buried themselves in the sand, then popped out, then wriggled back under, then popped out again. Rinse and repeat.

I don't even know.

Bio luminescence under water? Awesome!

Churaumi Aquarium's most famous attraction: Kuroshio Tank. It's HUGE, as you can see. Currently holds the world record for:
- longest time giant whale sharks and mantas have been kept in captivity
- first successful birth ofa manta pup in captivity
- first large-scale maintenance of living corals in an open system

Awwww!

Outdoor Dolphin Theater.

Spring Break in Okinawa: Naha

2009-05-18T08:39:00.006-05:00

So, Kristin left me and thus began my week of Spring Break '09! A woo-hoo! I had lots of idea for travel destinations. Two requirements: WARM and affordable. In the end it came down to Okinawa (the southern most islands of Japan) and the Philippines. Since none of my travel compadres had any days of nenkyu (paid leave) left to allow for the week of fun in the sun (since it was Spring Break but I was still wearing my winter coat and using a heater in good 'ol Gunma!), I was going solo. My heart was in the Philippines, but my sensible safety meter said Okinawa was the better bet. Always wanting to get 'off the beaten path', I was hoping to get down to the very very southern islands of Iriomote and Ishigaki, which are actually closer to Taiwan than Japan's main islands. But, that was far from economically sensible for the week, so Okinawa-honto (the main island) it was.

Surprisingly, I got the seclusion and lack of tourism I was hoping for on a few islands off of Naha, but the sunshine and swimming I was hoping for was hard to find. Still, a climate where I could feel my fingers and toes was a vast improvement from Maebashi.Flying into Naha.

In Okinawa, dolphins do the construction work... unlike the bears and monkeys of Gunma.

What do you do in Naha? Go shopping for all the souvenirs you're expected to bring back, of course! Kokusaidori is the main drag and is basically just store after identical store of omiyage shops. And they allll have free samples. Jackpot!

Naha's not big on major attractions and I wasn't really interested in paying the entrance fee to go to Shuri castle. So, I just rented a bike and rode around the city to get a feel for it.
Shisa are what these little lion/dog decorations are called in Japanese. It's a traditional Ryukyuan decoration from Okinawan mythology, believed to ward off evils from homes and shops.

Naha's main "beach"... great view, right? I was just excited to see blue water and sand!

Lots of parks in Naha with lots of cute old men playing Shoji.

The usual fare at the night market.

It's interesting to hear Japanese talk about the variances in Japanese culture. They often stress how different people, places, or objects are from prefecture to prefecture. When telling people I was going to Okinawa they all made 'oooohhhhh' noises and said how different Okinawa is from Gunma/Tokyo. When I got there, the differences weren't so apparent. It still felt very 'Japanese' to me. But, as time went on I did notice a definite difference in the people's dress and personalities. Much more chill. Below is another subtle, but significant difference in a Japanese instrument. Probably the most famous and culturally significant instrument on the mainland is the shamisen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamisen). I found out here, though, that these sanshin preceded the shamisen in Japan. I liked it because the face is covered in snake skin instead of cat skin.
Not too many places to 'go out' in Naha, but I did see a sign for a Harlem Bar. I had to go and even recruited a sweet Brit from the hostel to go too. We were the only two people there. It was awesome, though! Great atmosphere and we heard all the original songs that R 'n' B artists today have sampled from. Some, I didn't even know existed!

Bar #2: great bartender who served us up local food and spirits. Awamori is the drink of the region: a rice wine unlike sake because it's not a direct product of brewing and instead is distilled, like shochu. It is far from delicious, but when mixed properly it's aight.

The only 'permanent housing' I had was as I rolled through Naha and stayed at 'Guest House Kerama'. LOVED IT! Great dudes there and super friendly and comfortable vibe. I was an idiot that forgot my tent at home in the rush to get out and get Kristin and I to the airport, but these guys conveniently had their own they lent me. So lucky!
Overall, Naha is not nearly as big or crowded as I expected it to be, especially on a holiday week. Even though it's the capital, it still had a small town vibe and it wasn't too tough to get away from the tourism that is Okinawa. Great food, great people, great monorail (I am thoroughly impressed by public transport in Japan) and great starting point for Okinawan exploration.

It's Miller Time in Japan: Part Six: Kusatsu

2009-05-18T08:15:00.006-05:00

After getting some sweet volcano lovin' at Onioshidashi Park, we headed to Kusatsu. It's Japan's #1 rated onsen town and one of my top 3 places in Japan. It's so unique! Here we are in front of the smelly 'yubatake' (source of the hot spring).

Strolling around the town, we make new friends.

That night we stayed at the oldest ryokan (Japanese inn) in Kusatsu, Nisshinkan. It was a recommendation from the Tourism board in Maebashi and it didn't disappoint. No frills, glitz, or glamor. Just a simple, cute, basic Japanese inn with kind staff, warm rooms, a very basic onsen, and (debateably) great food. This was our dinner set meal.
Contemplating whether or not she can get used to this kind of cuisine.
After dinner we got ice cream (because as filling as the meal was, we are still Americans!), talked for ages, and then took an onsen. This was Kristin's first experience with the whole public bathing thing, but since it was a pretty small inn and we didn't actually go until around 10pm, we had the whole place to ourselves. Soooo relaxing.

Breakfast the next morning was... well, not as good as dinner. Kristin pretty much cleared her dinner plates, but I cleared our breakfast plates. Apparently, fish and vegetables are unusual breakfast dishes. Her smile is so deceiving!

I love Kusatsu not only for the unique onsen town/German architecture vibe of it, but also because it's surrounded by mountains. The last few times I'd been up there it'd been warm enough to hike. There are some truly incredible hikes which I got to share with my family. This time around though, even though it was March, was still to cold and the roads to trekking paths were all closed. Kristin had never skied before in her life, but she figured she may as well add another "first" to the list. So, off we went to hit the slopes. My friend Brian (the guy in the neon yellow jacket) met us there for the fun and ended up being a way better teacher than I ever could be. He's got bigger love handles to hold onto. And an Irish accent.

Like any newbie on the slopes, strapping planks as big as yourself onto your feet and hurling yourself down an icy, bumpy hill is not the most natural feeling in the world. One might even say the experience could be frustrating and want to give up. One might be Miss Kristin Miller. BUT, one might also put pride behind oneself and realize that they're actually a bit of a natural at the whole skiing thang and maybe, just maybe, enjoy it for a few moments.

There's that smile I know and love! Could've been because we were graduating from the bunny hills and making it onto the 'big girl lifts', or it could've been the beer.

Brian and I had to take of advantage of all the lifts while we were there so we headed up to the peaks. That is when we realized THIS kind of snow existed here... Hallelujah!!!

The gorgeous view from the top.

After a long, hard, painful day of skiing the perfect remedy was a trip to the onsen. We went to a famous (but pricey) one near the center of town, known for it's variety in mineral composition, and water temperatures. It felt fannnntastic! And after warming up those wearing muscles, the next logical thing is to get some cold tap beer and sushi!

With our bellies content and our Japan adventures coming to an end, we made the trek back to Maebashi. Kristin was headed home, back to the daily grind and hard work and dedication she does at TAB glass and I was heading to Okinawa to bask in blissful lack of responsibility a liiiitle longer. We were both leaving on jet planes and heading to entirely different destinations, but our past and the week we had together will be memories we can share together forever. I can't even begin to express how great it was to have my best friend here to experience all that I love about life in Japan. It felt totally natural being with her and still as exciting and fun as expected! I will miss her physical presence a ton, but know we're only a phone call away. Plus, all of our friends except us are getting married so we will be each others dates for what will probably be a lonnng time. Miss ya, Miller!

It's Miller Time in Japan: Part 5: Volcano? Check!

2009-04-24T10:16:00.006-05:00

Kristin loves volcanoes. I don't know exactly when or how the obsession started , but it's pretty full blown and I knew how important it was to her to see a volcano during this trip. Japan is situated along the circum-Pacific volcanic belt, so in addition to me living here (obviously the most important draw) the existence of 1/10 of the world's 840 active volcanoes was a sweet bonus.

Lucky for us, the active Mt. Asama is in Gunma. It's one of the most active volcanoes in Japan and just erupted in February! It was a big enough eruption that the entire mountain and several km surrounding area was closed off. The first eruption though was on May 9, 1783. It was a huge eruption and lava and volcanic ashes sprayed everywhere. The result was like an avalanche and the debris gathered surface water and transformed into a hot mud flow. The lava that cooled down formed Onioshidashi, the park that we went to check out.

"Oni" means devil. Awww, Kristin, you 'lil devil, you!

Ring my belllll, lllllllllll, lllllllllll, ring my bell!

Mt. Asama in all her glory!

It's Miller Time in Japan: Part 4: My Maebashi

2009-04-21T23:29:00.009-05:00

Kristin's only requests for this trip were 1)seeing me (check!) 2) seeing big buildings in Tokyo (check!) 3) seeing my 'hometown' and schools (wait for it) 4) and seeing a volcano (wait for it!).

Since I'm extremely proud of where I live in Maebashi and all the people in it I wasn't bashful about taking Kristin anywhere and everywhere for show and tell.

One afternoon we took a nice bike ride along the Tone river, and I FINALLY got to play in this park that I've wanted to, but hadn't because I didn't want to be that creepy adult stranger talking to small sweaty children.

For dinner, going along with the "Kristin's firsts" theme, we went to Mahatma's Indian restaurant, my favorite in Maebashi. Where the nan comes hot and as big as your head!

The next day I took her to two of the schools I teach at for show and tell. The kids LOVED her and she was super entertaining. At least one student in each class asked, "How tall are you?" Sorry I don't have more pictures... I was too busy teaching. This is the teacher's room in my base school below.

That night we went to the student's home I tutor (sorry, no pictures) and then karate class. It was really cool to be doing a sport again with my 'ol tennis doubles partner and basketball mentor. A lot of karate is stretching and muscle memorization, which came really natural to her. I was amazed that she picked up on techniques that took me months to learn so quickly.

Kristin's first: okonomiyaki experience. I think I've written about okonomiyaki a million and one times on here, but in case this is the first time you're reading: okonomiyaki is a type of Japanese savory potato pancake. Sounds bizarre. Looks bizarre. Tastes delicious. I could tell she was scared... real scared. But, that didn't stop her from trying and liking? a Japanese comfort food so close to my heart.

We could order it alright, but we left the mixing and pouring up the professionals! Oh man, I love the owners here. They opened up on their day off, jussst for us.

Also, it was a mini surprise birthday for Kristin, since her b-day was in less than a week. Happy Birthday with a German chocolate and strawberry cake!

Everyone came out to celebrate!

Even my bestest friends, Tomomi and Shyooma:)

This is Mrs. Ohtani, my best 80 year old friend, ever! And like everyone that meets her, these two really hit it off.

Post Japanese okonomiyaki dinner we had to add another first with Japanese karaoke!

The boys starting it off right with some Queen. Classic.

I don't know about Kristin, but this had to be a highlight of the trip for me. So many of my best memories with her are from us going out and singing and dancing (neither of which I do well, but which she dominates). This brought it all back but in the Japanese realm. So much fun!

Oh, it shan't be long until the singing, drinking, and dancing is had again by many (with the help of the Eddie Butts Band!!!) at the Seidemann wedding of '09. I'm already counting down the days!

It's Miller Time in Japan: Part 3: Kamakura

2009-04-21T02:22:00.007-05:00

Back in 1192, Kamakura was the political center of Japan. That lasted for a mere century before it's decline, after which the rule moved to Kyoto. Because of that history and the many shrines and temples that still remain, Kamakura is often refereed to as the Kyoto of Eastern Japan. I don't really think the two compare at all, and for me it's just a great day trip from Tokyo. So, day tripping was done.

I've been to Kamakura before, but I had never been to Hase-dera. Definitely glad we swung through this time.

Kristin got to see her first sakura (cherry blossom tree) in bloom.

The garden was spectacular. Flowers never cease to amaze me, with their brilliant colors and innumerable symmetry patterns.

LOVE my new camera's panoramic mode. It's hit or miss with how the 3 stringed pictures come together, but I think this one turned out great. This is Hase-dera's garden.

Kristin took the time to write a little something on a votive board in honor of her cousin's daughter, Chloe.

This is the inside of Benten-kutsu cave, which was pretty sweet. Benzaiten (statue of a sea goddess with eight arms) and her 16 children are chiseled out of the rock walls.

There are also tons of small little statues placed throughout the cave, which I didn't really understand.

The many jizo comfort the souls of unborn children.

Another sweet panoramic on the second level of the complex.

View of the Kamakura coast in Kanagawa. I even caught this huge black crow in the picture, which was dive bombing at us the entire time. Believe it or not or not, there were actually a ton of surfers in the freezing coastal waters.

Bad-ass.

Also bad-ass.

Had to see the Big Buddha.

Budddha's got big 'ol feet (oh, yeah!)

We also went to Zeniarai Benten Shrine, a first for the both of us.

"Zeniarai" means coin washing, so the saying goes that by washing your money here, it will double! I think the Shinto gods got confused on my go, because after spending a week with Kristin and a week in Okinawa, my money was anything BUT doubled.

I don't know why koi are so entertaining, but they totally are. With their disproportionately big mouths agape and awkwardly small bulging eyes and fleshy whiskers... bizarrely awesome.

En route from Kamakura back to Maebashi for the night, we stopped and had a good 'ol traditional soba (buckwheat noodle) dinner.

And after all that sightseeing, Kristin took 'turning Japanese' to a whole new level on the trains. The vast majority of passengers fall asleep on the trains, but this... this is skill.

It's Miller Time in Japan: Part 2: Tokyo Marathon

2009-04-20T02:27:00.006-05:00

I, love, running.

For the majority of my life, I hated it. It was always punishment for the sports I was involved in (ie. You're late? RUN 5 LAPS!!!), and the fact that I had sports induced asthma didn't help. I remember having a very very deep hatred for Storms (my freshman year basketball coach) when she decided running a mile before the occasional practice was a good idea. I was always last. Anyway, shortly after I started college, I no longer had regular sports practices and Madison happens to have amazingly gorgeous running/biking paths around campus. I decided to try this 'recreational running' thing out. I quickly became smitten and eventually fell in love. It just allows me a chance to clear my mind and the post run, endorphins flowing feeling is amazing. I (almost) always feel better after a good long run.
I participated in some short (5km) races in Madison, but pretty much only for the free food and experience. It was never about actually 'racing'. But, I realized I loved that too! Loved being around a gajillion (give or take) other people all excited and ready to run. About a year ago, I ran a half marathon in Annaka, Japan and it was one of the best experiences in my life.
I've always been amazed by people that had done a full 42.2 km run, but never thought I'd have the time, patience, or will power to train and do it myself. It had been in the back of my mind for a while though, so when a bunch of 1st year JETs decided they would fork over the $150 to sign up and train through the winter months Rocky style, I hopped on the band wagon.
18 weeks of training later, I was in the middle of Tokyo with 30,000 other people ready to pound the pavement. The training, by the way, really wasn't that tough. Since it was winter, I had hardly any other weekend plans to work around and could take the time needed to eat, rest, and recoop without missing out on too much other stuff. I didn't fall victim to any injuries and only had to battle with the wind, bitter cold, frozen snot face syndrome, and most difficult I think was trying to occupy my mind for 1-4 hours. The paths I chose were gorgeous, but it does get redundant and music can only take your mind off the fact that you're stilllllll running for so long. But, it was never like torture and almost always enjoyable. Plus I had a great support system here and at home. I don't know if I could have done it without Mom's amazing shipments of my self-selected, supremely picky, and hard to find nutrition and energy bars. Mmmm.

Nobody cares, this is boring, get to the BIG DAY! Alright, alright.

Kristin woke up extra early to show her support on race day. Nice!

Five other people from Gunma were running that I knew of (none of which were Japanese though, because they apparently have a 'lottery' which only foreigners get accepted through... lame). Cynthia was running the 10km, so we headed out together.

The course went ALL over Tokyo. We started off at the Tokyo Metropolitan buildings (arriving 5 minutes prior to check in time) and ran through the areas of Iidabashi, the Imperial Palace, Hibiya, Shinagawa, Ginza, Nihombashi, Asakusa, Tsukiji, Toyosu, and ended up at Tokyo Big Sight. 42.2 kilometers (26.6 miles, for us Americans) of pure big city gloriousness closed down for running.

It was a total rush from the start and just like the Annaka 1/2 marathon, the crowd's support really keeps you going. Having the entire city closed off just so I (and 299,999 other people) could run around it was an incredible feeling. It was really weird, but awesome, to see the city and so many of the landmarks and places I'd been before shopping, eating, clubbing, walking, from the viewpoint of a marathon runner. Really amazing.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures myself of the race, so I stole some from Helen.

I think she didn't really care about me as much as she did the awesome people in costumes.

I was scoping for my support crew pretty much the whole race... so much so that I even got a little headache just staring into the endless crowds and faces that lined the 42.2 km of people. I wasn't discouraged though and knew there must be SOME explanation (other than their going to breakfast, such was the case at the Annaka marathon). I was truckin' along just fine for about 35km, feeling good, feeling great. But around kilometer 37, I started to struggle a bit. It was raining and had gotten much colder, and I hadn't seen any of my friends. I felt like I was crawling... and then, as I turned a corner and began the final ascent (yes, uphill!!!) to the finish line, I heard my name being shouted! They didn't forget about me after all! The energy pumped back into my body and I even managed a little jig for the cameras. It felt soooo good!

I had this semi embarrassing moment after I passed the finish line where I started to tear up a little bit and took a little 'stretch' break to stand by the river and just thank God for providing me with a body that allows me to do all the physical activities I enjoy so much. I really respect my body (except sometimes when I forget to put sunscreen on and get sun poisoning and then my body hates me), and hope that by staying active and healthy now, I'll get to continue doing all those outdoor physical activities until I the day I die.

Inside Tokyo Big Sight, I got me this sweet medal, heaps of food, and got out of my now drenched clothes (from the rain of course).

Most pleasant surprise: hot foot baths!

These were my final times. Given my pretty constant times and the fact that I was grouped with the other G's from the start and we had to wait for all those before us to start up, I figure it took about 12 minutes until I passed the start line. That means, I finished in just over 4 hours. My goal was to finish without dying having run the entire time, so I was very happy to have a somewhat respectable time on top of that.

After that, I was reunited with all my awesome supporters.

They even made/reused signs for me:)

Ran into Simon (our local lepruchan who was signed up but didn't end up running due to 'injury') and Ronan (who finished in just over 5 hours, after having coffee for breakfast and no dinner the night before... oh, Ronan!) in the meet 'n' greet area.

So, am I gonna be the next Larry Macon and aim to run 105 marathons in a year? Absolutely not. But, Kristin and I did make a loose pact to meet up at least every 2 years to run a marathon together. Here's looking at you, Paris Marathon 2011!

It's Miller Time in Japan: Part 1: Tokyo

2009-04-20T01:24:00.006-05:00

Keeping in touch with family and friends over such a great distance is tough, but not impossible. Having my family and Frank visit me in Japan were definitely highlights of my time here. I not only love living here, I love to share it with others. And of course, I love to be loved and reconnecting with those close people in my life that 'just' talking to on the phone doesn't quite do justice for, is an amazing feeling. One of those people is my best friend Kristin, who took the time, effort, and money blow to make it all the way over here so for at least one week, we wouldn't have to say to each other, "I wish I could be there."

I'd been anticipating her arrival for shortly under 1 year and 8 months (the time I've been here) when she told me on the phone that she'd definitely make it out here. Plans were underway from my departure, but on May 20th, fantasy became reality.

Half the fun in our time together was just seeing and hearing her reactions to her first trip to a foreign country. After our initial climactic airport meet 'n' greet, we headed to Asakusa. It's famous for Sensoji Temple and this giant building which looks like it has poo on top.

Kristin's first hostel!!! (There are going to be lots of these 'firsts').

The famous temple, Senso-ji in Asakusa, Tokyo. And of course the staple food sample here, ice cream!

Anyone look familiar in this picture??? Other than Kristin??? Take yourselves back to a blog done in July, back when my parents and brother came (http://sarahmoersfelder.blogspot.com/2008/07/fam-does-japan-tokyo.html ) scroll down a bit... YEP! Same exact dude that was there when my parents were here came up to Kristin and I to (again, very forwardly) explain fortunes. Nobody works at said shrine. He is not employed. He apparently just hangs out there ALL THE TIME, waiting for ignorant foreigners to educate. Funny dude.

Welcome to Tokyo: home to bright lights, ancient shrines, a McDonald's on every corner, and buses shaped like cute animals.

At night, we took a little river cruise to Tokyo Big Sight. I've never actually been on the river and it was awesome way to see all of Tokyo all lit up of it's glory.

4am rise for Tsukiji Fish Market. Kristin lives in Florida and is lucky enough to have fresh fish all the time, but she said this was definitely unlike anything she'd ever seen before.

Kaz, Kristin, awesome Sushi guy.

Beautiful day to take a stroll around the Imperial Palace.

And do cartwheels in front of fountains.

And just take it allllll in!

And stop to smell (and pose with) the flowers.

We met up with some friends (and made random ones) in the afternoon to hang out in Yoyogi Park.

I persuaded them all to come check out this Design Festa Art Gallery I've been wanting to see for ages. It's awesome. The artist's rotate weekly, rent out a room and display whatever it is they consider art. I really enjoyed a lot of it, but some of the pieces I would hardly consider art. It was sweet though, and I can't wait to go back.

Do you see her? Look closer!

Not the most laborious or even skillful work of the gallery, but my favorite. I just loved the aesthetic and colors and contrast.

Some people bored a lot quicker than me (cough cough Dean!) and decided to take in a little Japanese culture, in the form of sake. It was Kristin's first (and last) sample.

We met more friends that night and went out to dinner at a cool little Thai restaurant. Even cooler though, was this massive mosaic Hello Kitty. Hilarious.

Taking in the big city in Shinjuku!

Valentine's Weekend at the Ski Lodge

2009-04-06T19:30:00.005-05:00

A ski weekend in Japan is pretty pricey, so unlike Terry (who went skiing literally every weekend until he broke his collarbone), I try to be selective with which dates I go. A single snow bunny such as myself thought Valentine's Day weekend organized by master planner Irishman Mr. Kennedy was the perfect splurge!

So, myself and about 30 other Gunmanians and friends met in the not so far away (about an hour north of Maebashi) ski destination city of Minakami. Famous for onsen, ski hills, and a great New Zealand run hostel called Canyons. Had a delicious V-day dinner with Western desserts to boot. I think Kristine was into hers a little bit too much.
And they were one short on the apple pies a la mode, but Laurel insists that "This pie is mine... I deserve this pie!"
And Helen affirms to everyone that she deserved to be number one in the snowball competition!
And Chris affirms everyone that he is not gay, despite habitually sticking his pinky out when he drinks.
After dinner a little band even came out... I started up the dance party upon hearing some Earth, Wind, and Fire.
Chillin' with my homies (Ian and Kristine).

The Sunday of skiing was absolutely perfect in my opinion. Blue skies all around, sun shining, and the ability to feel all my appendages. Sure, it was a bit slushy in spots, but mere technicalities in the much greater advantage of SUN! To the slopes!

Gunma's snow capped mountains.
Julie and I make it to the top!
Break time, literally in the middle of the hill. Luckily, Brian was wearing the most obnoxiously awesome highlighter yellow colored jacket so nobody would run us over.
I'm lovin' it!

Far superior pictures below are from Alexander Laws (http://alexanderlaws.wordpress.com/2009/02/14/valentines-day-ski-trip/).

I was reminded of how great it feels to have a solid day of physically challenging skiing and taking in God's glorious creation we call mountains. Truly a spectacular and humbling feeling to be on a lift, surrounded in all directions by towering snow capped peaks. Oh, this is LOVE!

Want to Celebrate Girls' Day? OK!

2009-04-06T18:29:00.006-05:00

March 3 is Hina Matsuri, otherwise known as Japanese Doll Festival or Girls' Day, across Japan. Don't worry, boys get their own special day, too. It's not really a huge epiphanal day marking the significance of women or anything though. Some families get together and have a big feast ala all awesome holidays, but most people I talked to didn't even do that. The most common thing that happens is that the mother's set up platforms with a set of super intricate (and thus super expensive) ornamental dolls of the Emperor, Empress, attendants, and musicians of a traditional court during the Heian period. I saw quite a few during this time, and they are INTENSE! It reminded me a lot of my Mom and her side of the family spending so much money and time setting up their Department 56 decorations and scenes during Christmas.
One of the teachers I work with at an elementary school invited me to come celebrate with their family. I gratefully accepted! They took holiday feasting to a whole new level, which I was happy to partake in. The teacher I work with is soooo sweet and always tries to talk to me in English, even though she speaks as much as the 2nd graders we teach together. So, I was very grateful that her niece who picked me up spoke near perfect English and didn't mind playing translator all night. The family had such a comfortable, fun, lovable dynamic the whole night; it was a true pleasure to be with them and to be so whole heartedly included.
"Itadakimasu!"
Koske is the youngest of her four kids and pulled on my heart strings the minute he started picking out and eating half the shrimp before the "official kampai" (meal starting cheers) had been said. Then he went all G5 superhero on me, and my heart was won.

As if I am not indecisive enough, they put out 5 desserts to choose from. I eventually went with the strawberry, but I think they noticed my struggle and shuffled over the azuki (red bean) cake I was eyeing up as well. I was stuffed from the feast, but there's always room for dessert (and seconds and thirds!)
Awwww, there Koske goes again, being all cute and whatnot. This was actually a 'soup' he had made up for me... but then decided to dump on his head.
All the 'young' ladies on Hina Matsuri (and Koske, because God forbid the attention not be on him too long!)

The whole Tomo Crew (+ me) represent!

Come Winter, Come Hibernation and Glutin-ation

2009-04-06T17:17:00.009-05:00

From late November to February (or late March of this year!) in Gunma, Japan, it is cold. Actually, 'cold' is an understatement. Take cold, pin it to a snowflake that's drifting on a subarctic current toward Antarctica, and let it land on the frostbitten toes of a polar musk oxen and you've got Gunma's 'cold'. Now some (cough, cough Austin) will be quick to point out that the actual temperature in Maebashi pales in comparison to that of Wisco on a daily average. True dat. However, in Wisconsin ya'll have such luxuries as central heating, insulated walls, airtight windows panes, carpet, and heated vehicles to transport you from point A to point B. I do not. Therefore, I spent the vast majority of my winter cooped up under my kotatsu (heated table; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotatsu) watching all the TV shows I had forgotten existed in the US and eating for hours (and hours) on end. I spent so much time eating without moving, that I figured I should utilize this superb skill I had made somewhat of an art form. I ended up cooking with friends a bunch and even getting into some cooking classes. If you're interested, the visual regurgitation's are shown below!

Early on in winter, when we were still excited about it, Laurel decided to have a nabe night at her place. Nabe is the Japanese word for a hot pot with a bunch of ingredients in it. Everyone uses a slightly different broth and different ingredients, but we went seafood themed and had salmon, salmon eggs, lots of veggies, konnyaku, potatoes, etc etc.

Laurel is also our resident chef and my personal culinary guru. She is more than willing to share her knowledge and experience with us and I think I speak for us all when I say how grateful we (and all of our tummies) are. Her birthday is conveniently in winter and eating together on people's birthday's is a given regardless, but she claims that she enjoys cooking so much that she even cooked for us on her birthday! Happy Birthday to who, now?
The theme was Mexican, because we are severely deprived of this incredible 'ethnic' food as Japanese residents.

Dean, Byron, and big Takahashi dig into the refried beans, tacos and fixins, guacamole and chips, salsa, olives, and Brooke's Maebashi-renown sopaipillas.
This was a dish Laurel cooked up that I'd never had before. More details to come. How I had never experienced such a Tex Mex piece of heaven before, I'll never know. But, I can guarantee there will be second and thirds.
Group tequila shot (pun intended!).
Chocolate b-day cake was "plate lickin'" good!
Or for Kristine, "pass out from complete and utter contentedness" good.

Takasaki is a city near Maebashi with a higher population and more foreign peeps doing more fun foreign stuff than Maebashi. One of those those fun things was a Taiwanese/Chinese New Year Cooking Class. I was all about it and even roped Kristine and Dean into coming too... it didn't take too much convincing, though.
First, we made pork gyoza from scratch. Mixed up the dough, kneaded it, rolled it, sliced and diced proper sized gyoza shells and shaped them to stuff with the pork and spring onion mix.
We also made a 'twice-fried pork' stir fry. Below is someone mixing that up, and the gyoza are boiling to the left. Usually, gyoza are pan-fried after being boiled, but I really liked them just like that, dipped in a little soy sauce.
My group of Japanese, Taiwanese, Australian, and New Zealand representatives. Oh, and dessert, by the way, was 'annin tofu' or almond jelly pudding mixed with fruit and a sugary syrup. Sooooo good!

Below are some of my favorite people in the whole world. Shoko is on the left. I met her at the gym over a year ago now. She's always coming in to swim when I'm finishing up for the night. We always chat about our exciting weekend plans and vow to go hiking together, one of these weekends! Next is Keiko, who also is a member at our gym, but bashfully admits to only using it for the bathing facilities. She invited me over so we could swap Southeast Asia stories (she's been to Vietnam and Cambodia, amongst other places, as well). Keiko was the original connection to the final fine woman at the table, Mrs. Ohtani. Mrs. Ohtani is the spunkiest 80 year woman in the world and I couldn't be luckier to have met her. Our connection is long and complicated, but now we team teach at one my elementary schools together and hang out whenever I get the chance. Dean is not an old Japanese woman, but I did rope into our gym, so he was a new honorary member for dinner that night. The ladies made us a most traditional and wonderful Japanese meal to enjoy together. Mmmm!

Another birthday celebration at Laurel's house, this time for Mischko. The theme? Greek! We made pita bread from scratch (a total feat in a Japanese kitchen!), hummus, tahini sauce, Greek salad, falafel, and Mediterranean marinated chicken.
Of course, Brooke didn't let Mischko down and ordered chocolate cake for his birthday dessert.
Salads, pickled eggplants, roasted chicken, and hands down the best Kalamatta olive bread I've ever had (and I don't even like black olives).

So, we almost always cook at Laurel's place because she's got all the fun/functional cooking goodies, the space to accommodate lots of people, and the resources to heat lots of people (refer to winter in Gunma intro to see why this is a necessity). However, Julie and I are planning a trip to Malaysia and needed Andy's expert advice, so I decided to host a 'breakfast for dinner' night. I learned how to make crepes (I'm making it my personal mission to popularize these in the US) and we threw in some pancakes too for a happy New Zealand/US balance.
This was a Ghanaian cooking class I went to in Takasaki. Our top chef for the day was Georgina. Total sweetheart, but not great with the group time management so we didn't have time to fry up the dessert of plantains.

We did finish a yummy, well balanced salad fit for kings and a Ghanaian chicken stew with rice and the most delicious soy and fruit shake I've ever had.

Julie, me, and the other culinary novices of Gunma.

I think it's safe to say (fingers crossed!) that winter has finally come to an end here. I am excited to try some of these cooking skills out in my own kitchen when I can walk around cooking comfortably instead of getting everything pre-made and camping under my kotatsu for days on end, making a mad dash to the fridge here and there for another 'portion' of the meal. Happy cooking, ya'll and "Gochisosamadeshita" for the meals of this winter.

Cambodia in a Day

2009-02-23T18:42:00.013-06:00

Vietnam was absolutely incredible and I sincerely wish I could have had another month just to travel in Vietnam alone. We entirely missed the central and northern bits of the country! That was partly because we got distracted, or perhaps enthralled, by the opportunity to go to Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Brooke knew pretty much before we even decided on Vietnam as our destination that there was no way she would be traveling to Indochina without making a stop in Cambodia. It cost us two 12 hour bus rides and we only had time for one day to tour the Angkor Wat complexes, but it was totally worth it. So, from Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam, we went through Phnom Penh (Cambodia's capital) to Angkor, Cambodia.

12 hours on a bus, like I said... so, lots of staring out the window and taking it all in. The occassional border crossing as well.

A little 'less plush' border crossing vehicle than our economy sized bus.

Cambodian countryside is full of rice fields. This one guy on the bus was telling us that even though Vietnam claims to be the largest producer of rice after Thailand, they really just import rice from Cambodia, slap a Vietnamese label on the bag, and resell it. Smart/shady business.

Cambodia's capital, Phnom Penh.

I was playing with my camera's coloration modes.

After the post about Vietnamese food, it's hard to compare. But, the Cambodian food we had was delicious as well. The most popular Cambodian dish is called amok trey, which is a fish in thick coconut milk with curry, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. I tried that the second night. Below is me being indecisive and getting two dishes, rice, and sero: a "milky sweet milky" drink, as the waitress described it.

The next day was entirely dedicated to the Angkor Wat temple complexes. $20 for an all day pass? Toooootally worth it! The complexes were built for king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. They are incredibly well preserved and have since been somewhat restored, but the ancient Khmer architecture still reigned supreme and overwhelmed me at every site. If you want to know more about the history and significance, check this link out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat .

Following the advice of fellow travelers and our handy guide books, we checked out Ta Phrom first. This was hands down my favorite complex. I felt like a little kid, playing in this ginormous, mythical complex. So hard to believe something from 800 years ago could even exist, much less in these conditions. It was incredible.

Bas-relief figures adorned many of the walls.

The best part about Ta Phrom were all the crazy trees sharing/overtaking the same environment as the ruins.

This is where a portion of "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" was filmed. I'm pretty sure I'll be the next casted for the trilogy... Angelina ain't got nothin' on my skills!

A scan of the area around the Terrace of the Elephants.

Next, we headed over to Bayon which is within the Angkor Thom complex.

How many faces can you spot?

History makes me jump for joy! And yes, I'm a total dork.

These bas-reliefs are apparently done in a bit more of a baroque Khmer style, as opposed to the classical Khmer style seen in Angkor Wat.

Some might say, 'the writing's on the wall'.

Well hello, there!

We made it to Angkor Wat!

And Kristine made a new friend.

I am clearly so excited to be at the main entrance to the temple proper at Angkor Wat.

Heaven, 'present-day', and hell scenes shown in the bas-relief carvings that cover the east wall.

Inside the complex, we shared some solace with this monk.

Outside the complex, we showed our true family colors.

Our last stop of the day was Phnom Bakheng, where we could look out over the ruins at sunset. It was cloudy most of the day, so we didn't expect much...

But were incredibly and pleasantly surprised. I heart sunsets more than life itself.

They were not serving beer at the complexes, but I did manage some later that night. And seriously, this is hands down, THE BEST BEER I have ever had in my life. And I'm from Wisconsin. I know beer. If you ever get the chance to get your hands on an ice cold Angkor, seize the opportunity!

More countryside pics from the 12 hours ride back to Ho Chi Minh.

A stop for fruit and crickets. Yes, crickets. And, I was the first to try it; I'm brave like that. Or maybe just daringly curious. After much persusassion, Brooke and Kristine followed my lead.

Mmmm, fried crickets! Just like french fries (for real)!

When I Was in 'Nam: Take Nine: FOOD!

2009-02-17T22:30:00.006-06:00

If you've made it this far into my very belated blogging about my trip to Vietnam, you're probably wondering why there have been next to no pictures, elaborate retellings, or elongated descriptions of the culinary delights Vietnam had to offer. After all, probably half of my blogs in the past have been about food. Fear not my fellow food connoisseurs, for I had so much to say that I decided to dedicate an entire post to it. Also, it gives those who are slightly less obsessed than I in the "all things edible" arena the option of totally bypassing it.

So, without further adieu, here are some of the Vietnamese culinary delights I had the opportunity of experiencing.

Fueling up after our walk through Cat Tien: a standard for all meals is rice (known as the 'staff of life') and a few fish sauces to choose from. LP refers to fish sauce as being the "one ingredient that is quintessentially Vietnamese and it lends a distinctive character to Vietnamese cooking" (46). Distinctive, indeed. The sides were a beef and water spinach stir fry and an incredibly tasty lemongrass sauteed chicken dish.

Lunch at Cat Tien: rice, and a side of cucumber, pineapple, squid and tomatoes heavily moistened and sauteed, fried shrimp, and pork and water spinach.

The most famous dish in Vietnam is pho (rice noodle soup). It's served everywhere and is a filling and balanced meal that can be bought for less than a buck! It's most commonly eaten for breakfast, but can be eaten any time.

Below is a pic of Pho 2000, famous because President Clinton ate there on a visit while he was president.

We decided to go to the more highly recommended chain, Pho 24, for my first pho experience. The basics of pho are simple and delicious, and you can always add more greens or reds for more taste or heat. Pho for everyone!

Our host Momma served us up another steaming bowl of pho the following morning for breakfast. Like chicken soup in the States, it's clear that every chef makes their broth different. I gotta say, Mother knows best in any country!

Christmas pre-dinner dinner we ate at a little noodle shop. This time, the noodles were more ramen-esque though. My vote goes to pho for the noodle dish that reigns supreme.

Christmas FEAST: consisting of a very hearty rice porridge, processed meat chunks (probably a more eloquent name for that), a 'full bodied' chicken salad, and coke and beer to wash it all down with.

Yep, full bodied chicken.

Probably my favorite meal of the entire trip made for breakfast one morning by our host Mom: Banh cuon, which is rice flour rolls stuffed with ground pork and wood ear mushroom, topped with greens, bean sprouts and peanuts. With the exception of the processed meat chunks on the top, this dish was perfection. AND, I even enjoyed the tea! I don't know what it was about it, but it in no way resembled dirty water - an attribute all tea I've ever tried by before exhibits.

Dinners at the outdoor restaurants next to the Ben Thanh market became a staple for us in Saigon, as the menu was extensive, and the food was fresh, delicious, and cheap.

That night I ordered: ground beef salad rolls, fresh shrimp spring rolls, and banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe made out of rice flour with turmeric, shrimp, slivers of fatty pork, sliced onions, and button mushrooms, fried, served with lettuce and other greens and a dipping sauce).

A fish and vegetable hot pot with a side of rice. Oh my gosh, the fish just dissolved in my mouth. So good, and so filling.

Back to the restaurants near Ben Tham. This night I ordered: fresh shrimp spring rolls (sooooo good!), clear noodle soup with chicken, and chao tom (grilled sugar cane rolled in spiced shrimp paste). I was unaware that you are not supposed to eat the entire sugar cane and are only supposed to kind of suckle off of it. I had sugar cane strands in my teeth for ages.

You can eat the chao tom solo, or wrap it up in a lettuce leaf with mint, rice vermicelli and dipping sauce. A fantastic trio of tastes and a playful way to reinvent a chicken drumstick.

This meal was sooo good, for each of us. It was definitely worth the hour wait. I think I got the fresh seafood salad that had a kick I kept coming back for more of, Kristine got an awesome tomato marinated fish dish, and Brooke's vegetable and noodle soup reigned supreme. Note to Brooke: let's reinvent that recipe, somehow, someway.

Back in Ho Chi Minh, there was a festival going on that brought out some more interesting choices, in addition to the usual street food fair.

Grilled chicken feet, anyone?

Our last meal in Vietnam, getting seconds and thirds of the absolutely magnificent fresh fruit shakes. My favorites were custard apple and sapodilla.

Grilled corn from a street vendor.

Enjoying a culture's food is not only an enjoyable, but an important part of anyone's travels, I think. If you ever get the privilege of making it to Vietnam, you will not be disappointed in this experience. Indulge and enjoy!

When I Was in 'Nam: Take Eight: Paradise in Phu Quoc

2009-02-15T23:14:00.006-06:00

I wanted nothing more than to finish off our days in Vietnam in a swimsuit on the beach of an island. So our final destination in Vietnam was Phu Quoc Island: 1320 sq km of mountains, forest, beach and bliss in the Gulf of Thailand.

After an early ferry ride there, we approached the coast with half a day left to enjoy.

And enjoy we did! Oh, to be back in warm, sunny weather with my feet in the sand, a cheap and delicious meal on the table, and great friends in my presence.... sigh.

Since the specifics for where we would be an when were so up in the air, we didn't book any accommodation prior to coming. After going to (and getting denied from) five recommendations of lodging in Lonely Planet and several others our drivers wanted to try (they stopped there and told us to go look), we finally found a place to stay. Negotiating a price took almost more time than getting there. But, it turned out great. It was right on the beach and I was fine with paying next to nothing to have some unexpected guests in my room.

The "hotel".

Unexpected guest... amongst others.

We immediately went to the beach to grub and enjoy what was left of the day. It was all about relaxing, until these women came over and started doing THIS to my leg!

Apparently it's called threading and is the more time effective alternative to plucking. Kristine showed us that it was just as painful an alternative. It was also an alternative I had absolutely no interest in, and instead got the best massage of my life from the lovely ladies.
My favorite time of day on the beach: sunset.

Dinner at Eden.

The next morning while we were waiting (for ages!) to get us some mopeds, the most adorable distractions started crawling out from behind random places outside the hotel. I didn't even care the day was slipping through our fingers, because I had these 'lil guys in my fingers instead. I started devising all these plans for how I could get them back to Japan and defy all apartment contractual obligations and work duties to just spend allllll day playing with my new 'lil pupster.

I didn't in the end (psschh, practicalities!),but I did have googly puppy eyes for quite some time.

70% of the island is forested national park, inaccessible by vehicle, but the coasts all have fun dirt roads you can moped on. And moped we did.

My future accommodation and transportation?

It could work... I could just pick seashells all day with these women.

We spent the day driving and beach hopping, driving and beach hopping. This beach, Bai Sao was the most beautiful in my opinion.

Kristine is creative. Much better than my typical "I Miss You" message in the sand.

I can only hope that someday that will be and my hubby. Someday far, far away.

The manager was a total hard-ass when we first met her. She runs a hard bargain. But, she warmed up to us in the end. Although, she did promise she'd come out with dancing with us on New Year's and never did. I should've demanded a refund for false advertising... and for all the bugs that went to town on me in my room.

The restaurant and bar, Eden, was a few minutes walk away from our hotel and was hosting a big New Years shindig.

We were all set up on the beach at our romantic fashioned table with probably at least 70 other people enjoying the atmosphere and food as well.

Then, this happened. More than once.

Despite the staff's efforts to make it work out there, Mother Nature wasn't having it. Luckily, Eden had a pretty big covered bar and dancing area. The night was a total blast and I didn't even care it ended up taking over two hours for our New Year's Supper.

Great music + great atmosphere + great people = great time.

I refused to miss the last sunrise I could possibly see in Vietnam; even if we were on the west coast.

What a beautiful island and perfect way to end the trip. *Sigh* There I go, sighing again. *Sigh*

When I Was in 'Nam: Take Seven: Making it Through the Mekong Delta

2009-02-15T19:31:00.005-06:00

The next leg of our trip was heading through the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, although it ended up being more of a thigh because the time spent there was cut way too short. The Mekong Delta is referred to as Vietnam's 'rice basket' what with their contribution to establishing Vietnam as the world's second largest rice exporter. I really wanted to take a few days to really take it all in and do a homestay with the famously friendly and easygoing people who have used the Mekong River for generations to sustain their lives. That vision got nixed though and we ended up essentially just trying to make it through the region in time to get a ferry transfer to an island. It was rushed and crazy just trying to make it happen, but even in the fury the Mekong Delta made a mark on my memory.

Lots of time in the bus commuting, starting out at the gorgeously green rice paddies.

Random duck 'farm'.

From Ho Chi Minh we headed to Ben Tre for a little afternoon tourist-rific trip down the Mekong River.

We hopped off with the tour at little 'village', which I don't think anyone actually lived in. It seemed to be a community purely in existance for tourism, with little activities and sights to amuse. I was amused, but not incredibly impressed. I can't believe I was this close to bees. I hate bees. But I do love the fruits of their labor! The honey on this hive was delicious!

Go ahead - touch and hold the big scary snake!

Below is a picture of durian. It's a fruit that grows in south-east Asia and had become somewhat of an urban legend for me after hearing about it from so many fellow backpackers and friends. Yes, this durian had become the topic of many a conversation, debate, and dream for me. It's said to have a terrible, appalling, and sometimes illegal scent that turns many off to the fruit before they've even tasted it. But I had also heard that should one be brave enough to forego the raunchy smell and delve into the flesh of the fruit, they would be greatly rewarded with a little taste of heaven.

I finally spotted said durian in it's "natural habit", as seen below.

That one was not for the taking, but I fiiiiiinally got my opportunity to try the infamous fruit that night in Can Tho. I manned up and splurged on the fruit the size of my head. I haven't a clue as what is the proper way to choose a good durian, so I just pointed to the bunch and asked the fruit shop lady for one. She proceeded to go to town on shelling it and sorting it into a container.

The fruit was not NEARLY as retched smelling as I had been told. I was actually a little disappointed about that. Didn't seem like a such a feat without thinking I was going to vomit from the smell. I kindly allowed Brooke and Kristine to have the first samples. After they gave the okay, I dug in.

There were big 'ol seeds inside that the very ripened, green-ish yellow, avocado-esque, flesh loosely clung to. No need for utensils as we just dug our fingers into the gooey mess. I found it really tough to describe the taste and texture of it, so I conveniently found another dude's quote after his first experience with durian which hit the nail on the head for me:

"A rich custard highly flavoured with almonds gives the best general idea of it, but there are occasional wafts of flavour that call to mind cream-cheese, onion-sauce, sherry-wine, and other incongruous dishes. Then there is a rich glutinous smoothness in the pulp which nothing else possesses, but which adds to its delicacy. It is neither acid nor sweet nor juicy; yet it wants neither of these qualities, for it is in itself perfect. It produces no nausea or other bad effect, and the more you eat of it the less you feel inclined to stop. In fact, to eat Durians is a new sensation worth a voyage to the East to experience. ... as producing a food of the most exquisite flavour it is unsurpassed"

(Alfred Russel Wallace, 1856).

While I don't entirely agree with this British naturalists rave review, his description is so true. I'd say it was good, very good. Looks like Brooke would say otherwise.

Okay, back to Ben Tre. After playing with bees, snakes, having tea, sampling some fresh non-durian fruit, and listening to some local folk music, we got back onto the river. This time, it was on quaint little canoes. We actually ended up seeing the same cool chicks from England we had met on the Cu Chi Tunnels tour and loaded up together. For some reason, five foreign girls on a canoe in Vietnam produces a large desire to belt out animated Disney movie song lyrics. The Vietnamese were not amused.

Back on the Mekong River.

Even though the activities for the tour were pretty corny, our tour guide was absolutely fantastic. If I can demonstrate half as much enthusiasm as he did on the job, I will be a great, or at least an incredibly outgoing, teacher. Here he is explaining how coconut candy is made. I don't know if he actually cares about coconut candy that much, but I totally bought it. 12 packs worth of it.

This guy's job is to sit and stir the liquefied coconut for about 30 minutes until it's ready to lay out and cool before slicing and dicing it.

By night we had made it over to Can Tho. We got there with just enough time to experience durian, get dinner, eat ice cream, play with Ho Chi Minh, and squeeze a nap in before our 3am rise.

When I Was in 'Nam: Take Six: The Result of a 'Nam Soccer Victory

2009-02-12T09:08:00.005-06:00

Just before the New Year, families and friends all gathered round the TV. Not to watch the Christmas Parade or the New Year`s Countdown, though. They were gathered in the masses to watch the Suzuki Cup `08 Soccer Game. Totally unknowing, we got back pretty late from the full day tour, had to find accomodation since ours was conveniently no longer available, and headed out immediately for some grub. Or at least, that was the plan.
UNTIL we realized that every shop, bar, and home we passed had individuals 7 to 70 years old gazing at the boob tube. We finally walked into this one hotel to see what the fuss was all about, and caught this on the screen:
It was the final winning goal for Vietnam to beat Thailand in the finals of the Suzuki Cup, 3-2! Everyone in the lobby went absolutely nuts while we struggled to figure out what was going on. We were excited they were excited, but had no idea what was about to ensue.

The local park was all decked out in lights anyway and the people were out and about.

New Years Decorations were up and glorious.

And then THIS happened:

I could totally care less about football (what we Americans , but no one else in the world, refer to as soccer) on an international (or local for that matter) level. BUT, the enthusiasm and vibe that night after that win was incredible. It seemed as if all six and a half million people in Saigon were gathered within the streets armed with a Vietnamese flag, a noise maker of sorts, and a smile as wide as the South China Sea. It was incredible!
Traffic eventually came to a stand still and didn't move for hours. The celebration continued even longer.
Our night had started out pretty crappy since it was our last in Saigon and the hotel we specifically booked in advance gave our room away, leaving us to carry all our luggage around the city at 8pm attempting to find an open room during peak travel season. We probably got turned down a good twelve times before finding this gem: three bucks a night for a king sized bed each. Score!
Kristine and I couldn't get enough of the action, which was still alive and well four hours after their win, so we headed to a local bar to get a view from above. Lovin` it!

When I Was in 'Nam: Take Five: Cu Chi Tunnels

2009-02-10T21:36:00.004-06:00

After getting our world religion lesson in at the Cao Dai Temple, we headed to Cu Chi to get our war history lesson. Cu Chi is most well known for the tunnel networks underground that facilitated the Viet Cong's control of this area. It used to stretch all the way from Saigon to the Cambodian border and covered more than 250km of underground distance; that is , until the American soldiers resorted to massive firepower and gassed, shelled, bombed, and defoliated the area to complete devastation. The soldiers not only had trap doors for intruders, it encompassed living areas, storage facilities, weapons factories, field hospitals, command centers and kitchens for a life which 'escaped' the war above ground and allowed for communication and surprise attacks on the Southern Vietnamese and American troops.

Our tour group went to the Ben Dinh area of the tunnels. First we watched a propaganda video from during the war that was dubbed over in English. You can imagine how fond of the US they were, so we naturally felt very proud with all our international travel buddies.

This is me, pretending to understand what it'd be like to go into the tunnel. I obviously don't get it, since I have a giant smile on my face. Also, the 'tunnel' didn't go actually go anywhere. But, it was still kind of scurrry. The guy behind me was our awesome tour guide, "Slim Jim".
Now ya see me, now ya don't!
There were some war tanks and displays of the tunnels and traps the Viet Cong had set. Intense to consider what it would have been like to step on something called, "Clipping Armpit Trap".
Brooke went all Palin and tried out an AK-47.
She was also the only one us three that made it through the entire 20-ish km underground stretch of tunnels, which by the way were not actually this big. When the Viet Cong used them, they were half this size; they've been enlarged so that "Westerners" can fit in them. True story.

When I Was in 'Nam: Take Four: Cao Dai Temple

2009-02-02T22:42:00.006-06:00

Brooke was completely and utterly enthused about the opportunity to see where Cao Daism, a religion established in 1926 which is syncretist and monotheistic, was established. Cao Daists believe that God is the reigning power of the world and founder of the church and follow the Three Teachings of Saint, Sage, and Buddha. The minimum goal of believers is to rejoin God the Father in Heaven and the ultimate goal is freedom from the cycle of birth and death. It is definitely a minority religion (less than 8 million followers) in Vietnam but intriguing nonetheless.

So, off we went to Tay Ninh to see The Cao Dai Holy See. This is the view of the temple from the front.

The Divine Eye is a symbol seen throughout the temple.

Prayer sessions are held four times daily. As noon quickly approached, the Vietnamese worshippers headed inside.

A Cao Dai clergywoman at rest as we enter.

Inside the temple those worshipping get into order while we tourists view from the overlooking balcony.

It was a truly gorgeous temple.

This mural depicts the Three Saints of Cao Daism (from left to right): Dr. Sun Yatsen (1866-1925) was a Chinese statesman and revolutionary leader, Victor Hugo (1802-85) was a French poet and author, and Ngyuen Binh Khiem (1492-1587) was a Vietnamese poet. The three signatories are said to give spiritual guidance and assist believers in spreading the new holdy doctrine.

Check out this video of the prayer service.