Further apologies as I've just given up trying to put videos in this entry. Too big a file perhaps.
Starting with the most important: my birthday!
Yay, I'm 21!
Feel the same as I did before, though.
It would have been pretty silly to not at least try to do something on my birthday proper, but we ended up having something of a preperation-party the night before, with a meal out at I-forgot-where. I do remember, though, that it was great! Honest! The birthday itself was even better. Huge and endless thanks to all those who wished me well, I really felt closer to home than I have in a long time. Special thanks to my fantastic parents, who got me a digital camera that is FAR superior to the camera on my phone! Admittedly a sharp memory is better than the phone camera, but this is new one really does a stellar job! As I'm about to show you...
Not right away, I'm afraid, as I foolishly forgot to charge it for the birthday proper. The birthday proper was bowling at Sanjo's Round 1 amusement center, which came heavily recommended by Ben for having a game machine that he really likes in it, and it turned out to be a really cool place with a shoe machine and everything! Seriously, you pressed the button and shoes came out! It was way cooler than it sounded.
Forgot how much I suck at bowling, by the way. I'm sure I've done better in the past, maybe what few skills I had have been dulled down by too much Wii Bowling, which had me believe I was some kind of child prodigy.
But let us not dwell on that! Mark even got a chance at getting us... a free game? I can't remember, and I'm not sure they mentioned, but it involved getting a strike on one specific roll. The lot next to us got it, but we didn't get... whatever it was. No hard feelings, anyway.
Then we went to this parfait shop just down the road, which was pretty spectacular. They really did have the biggest parfait I've seen yet, there was a notice next to the model in the window that if you wanted it you had to order a whole seven days in advance so they could get it ready! Seriously mind-blowing parfait. The one I ordered was nothing to be sneered at, though, a caramel one with, I think, cheesecake in it? Argh, fuzzy memories. It's been one heck of a busy week.
Now, it was also assumed that we should do something with the class too, so we had plans to get to an izakaya on Friday. Only... those things fill up fast. So, apologising to the class, we rearranged for Wednesday and planned a different, non-class party on Friday instead. Karaoke! Yeah!
Thursday, and here come the photos by the way, was a trip to Arashiyama with Polly, a quaint little village that became something of a tourist attraction. Mark, Steph and I headed out there in the evening, and fought the cold to visit the little village.
The place was all lit up like a Christmas tree, and was actually very pretty. A bit less quaint than I was expecting, though; we were practically herded as a mob across the bridge that joins the two sides of the river which probably has a name but I never learnt it.
More shots of the riverside, there. There were huge floodlights set up along the shore that shone various colours of light onto the mountain that gives Arashiyama it's name (lit. 'storm mountain', and as I mentioned to Mark I'm SURE that's an attraction at Alton Towers). The effect was really good, but difficult to photograph properly as the floodlights really made a glare and a half. After wandering along the shore for a little while we headed for Arashiyama's famous bamboo forest, which was packed but really quite stunning.
Really pretty stuff. After getting a little bit lost we headed for the station again (which, by the way, is really rustic and unique) and grabbed dinner at a small, traditional place which was cheap enough, and had some brilliant food on offer. We also picked up some recommended tea-flavoured icecream, which was brilliant.
I also caught Latias, the cheeky little blighter.
Friday was karaoke day, and was really just as good as we expected, i.e. very. Any night that involves the words 'ringo', 'mogire' and 'beam' in the same sentence is a good one.
Yeah, that kinda summed it up. Afterwards we all headed for a sushi restaurant just around the corner, which... well, I'll let the video explain:
I feel betrayed, even now. Was able to quickly cover up the searing pain in my heart, however, with cheap cheesecake that came on a minature Shinkansen.
Nice restaurant, that.
Next important event on the list was my class birthday party... Heh. Turns out by the time we got to arranging an izakaya everywhere was full, and the staff unwilling to listen to the curious questions of gaijin. I swear, the nerve of some of those guys. "Nope, can't do it. Nowhere can do JUST DRINKS." Way to cover your xenophobia, Kyoto Izakaya network. Tch.
Anyway, the plans changed to Shakey's all-you-can-eat pizza, and the number of guests dropped from 30 to 8, but it was a stellar time regardless. I just feel bad for poor Ii-san... we were trying to wake him up for 15 solid minutes. No pictures here but I'm sure Steph has a fair few.
Okay, and then it was today. Which is Christmas day...
This look like Christmas to you?! No! It didn't to me either! It wasn't even that cold! It was the warmest day we've had in a fair while!! Argh!
I don't mind telling you that I am more than a little angry at just how un-Christmassy today has been. They tried hard enough, with daft costumes and decorations and what-not, but neither Osaka nor Kyoto had even a lick of proper Christmas spirit, and it really stung to see that. A few things were able to raise my spirits, though, as it was actually a very nice day that I will remember for a good long while.
Sorry for those who don't appreciate this Godsend of a plastic model shop, but this really, really boosted my spirits. So much stuff, it was like wading through a sea of Minovsky Particles, beam sabres and Colony Lasers. It was heavenly. Didn't buy anything, mind. I'm still searching for a High-Grade M1 Astray model, and am quickly starting to think that maybe they don't exist...
After dragging myself from the beauty of the Yorodaiba 5th floor we had lunch at a really nice okinomiyaki place before setting off. First stop was the Toho cinema to check film times for our planned trip there later in the day, and then off to another heavenly shop.
Let me assure you, this place is great no matter how many times you visit. Don't let Acca's expression fool you, we all enjoyed ourselves, especially me! Bought myself a little Latias and Latios to commemorate the day.
After that we had a bit of a wander while we waited for it to get darker so we could get back on the ferris wheel to see the city at night. As we waited, I happened upon the arcade in the same place as the cinema, and spent a bit of time watching people far more skilled that I play very silly video games. Hats go off to the couple playing House of the Dead EX, who got very far and thus must be highly compatible. Louise, we need to play that game some day! But that brings me onto a very real observation we all made today: Osaka is teeming with lovey-dovey couples, and it makes me sick! I know this country isn't trying to rub my loneliness in my face, but it was seriously getting on my nerves! They were, like, everywhere! Just... everywhere!
Anyway, we did indeed get on the ferris wheel, but unfortunately there were 5 of us there that day, and only 4 seats in a ferris wheel cabin. It was pretty much unanimously decided that male and female segregation was the best plan of action, and Ben and I had a very manly, macho ride in a ferris wheel that was way better than the girly girls' car and their girly Arashi music.
Okay, that first video has been uploading now for about half an hour. I don't think it's going to fit, y'know?
The film we saw in the end was Nodame Cantabile, the first part of the last section of the live-action drama version of a musical romantic comedy about music students. Luckily for me the plot picks up right where I left off, and was actually a really fantastic film despite not having subtitles or anything. Don't really need subtitles to translate two women shooting fireballs at each other in central Paris.
And now here I am, writing a blog at 2.30am and really starting to feel tired. Tomorrow I search for the hotel the family will be staying in when they arrive on Sunday morning, just so I know where it is. Really starting to look forward to that now, especially now I have homework out the way.
Anyway, I'll give the videos a bit longer, and maybe give up, but you don't really need them anyway. You have my beautiful text to describe it for you, after all!
Thanks for reading, and have a very Merry Christmas.
I also caught Latias, the cheeky little blighter.
Friday was karaoke day, and was really just as good as we expected, i.e. very. Any night that involves the words 'ringo', 'mogire' and 'beam' in the same sentence is a good one.
Yeah, that kinda summed it up. Afterwards we all headed for a sushi restaurant just around the corner, which... well, I'll let the video explain:
I feel betrayed, even now. Was able to quickly cover up the searing pain in my heart, however, with cheap cheesecake that came on a minature Shinkansen.
Nice restaurant, that.
Next important event on the list was my class birthday party... Heh. Turns out by the time we got to arranging an izakaya everywhere was full, and the staff unwilling to listen to the curious questions of gaijin. I swear, the nerve of some of those guys. "Nope, can't do it. Nowhere can do JUST DRINKS." Way to cover your xenophobia, Kyoto Izakaya network. Tch.
Anyway, the plans changed to Shakey's all-you-can-eat pizza, and the number of guests dropped from 30 to 8, but it was a stellar time regardless. I just feel bad for poor Ii-san... we were trying to wake him up for 15 solid minutes. No pictures here but I'm sure Steph has a fair few.
Okay, and then it was today. Which is Christmas day...
This look like Christmas to you?! No! It didn't to me either! It wasn't even that cold! It was the warmest day we've had in a fair while!! Argh!
I don't mind telling you that I am more than a little angry at just how un-Christmassy today has been. They tried hard enough, with daft costumes and decorations and what-not, but neither Osaka nor Kyoto had even a lick of proper Christmas spirit, and it really stung to see that. A few things were able to raise my spirits, though, as it was actually a very nice day that I will remember for a good long while.
Sorry for those who don't appreciate this Godsend of a plastic model shop, but this really, really boosted my spirits. So much stuff, it was like wading through a sea of Minovsky Particles, beam sabres and Colony Lasers. It was heavenly. Didn't buy anything, mind. I'm still searching for a High-Grade M1 Astray model, and am quickly starting to think that maybe they don't exist...
After dragging myself from the beauty of the Yorodaiba 5th floor we had lunch at a really nice okinomiyaki place before setting off. First stop was the Toho cinema to check film times for our planned trip there later in the day, and then off to another heavenly shop.
Let me assure you, this place is great no matter how many times you visit. Don't let Acca's expression fool you, we all enjoyed ourselves, especially me! Bought myself a little Latias and Latios to commemorate the day.
After that we had a bit of a wander while we waited for it to get darker so we could get back on the ferris wheel to see the city at night. As we waited, I happened upon the arcade in the same place as the cinema, and spent a bit of time watching people far more skilled that I play very silly video games. Hats go off to the couple playing House of the Dead EX, who got very far and thus must be highly compatible. Louise, we need to play that game some day! But that brings me onto a very real observation we all made today: Osaka is teeming with lovey-dovey couples, and it makes me sick! I know this country isn't trying to rub my loneliness in my face, but it was seriously getting on my nerves! They were, like, everywhere! Just... everywhere!
Anyway, we did indeed get on the ferris wheel, but unfortunately there were 5 of us there that day, and only 4 seats in a ferris wheel cabin. It was pretty much unanimously decided that male and female segregation was the best plan of action, and Ben and I had a very manly, macho ride in a ferris wheel that was way better than the girly girls' car and their girly Arashi music.
Okay, that first video has been uploading now for about half an hour. I don't think it's going to fit, y'know?
The film we saw in the end was Nodame Cantabile, the first part of the last section of the live-action drama version of a musical romantic comedy about music students. Luckily for me the plot picks up right where I left off, and was actually a really fantastic film despite not having subtitles or anything. Don't really need subtitles to translate two women shooting fireballs at each other in central Paris.
And now here I am, writing a blog at 2.30am and really starting to feel tired. Tomorrow I search for the hotel the family will be staying in when they arrive on Sunday morning, just so I know where it is. Really starting to look forward to that now, especially now I have homework out the way.
Anyway, I'll give the videos a bit longer, and maybe give up, but you don't really need them anyway. You have my beautiful text to describe it for you, after all!
Thanks for reading, and have a very Merry Christmas.
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