Oregon Mornings

It's been dewey and cool in the mornings here, but as you can see, it's going to become sunny and bright when it burns off. Hooray!

To Eggs

I asked Ben to give me a blog-post topic, and he said, "Eggs." Luckily, I have something to say about eggs, especially since coming home to Oregon.

Point #1: My mom buys free range eggs from the grocery store, while Popper buys jumbo eggs from the store, usually. Lately, he started to get eggs from an old family friend with a surplus from her backyard chickens. With the choice of so many eggs in the refrigerator, I've been going for the backyard variety, which come in many colors and sizes. I open a carton and think to myself, 'How hungry am I? Is this is small-egg breakfast kind of morning?,' or, alternately, 'I'd like to make cookies, so which of these eggs is the right size? Is this large large enough?' Interesting, isn't it?

Point #2: I've made what I call a vegetable tart two times now. The first time, Ben insisted that it was a quiche, a food that I don't particularly like. My original intention was to mix kale, onions, mushrooms, sage, and thyme in a skillet, then bake it in a pie crust, an intention that was almost perfect except for the addition of ONE egg, to help bind the ingredients. My mom then called it a veggie pie, which to me sounds more like a pot pie, with some sort of creamy/gravy filling. So, I'll stick with tart. But fancier. Mushroom and Kale Tart with Sage and Thyme.

Point #3: I like eggs. Adam used to be funny about eggs and say they were a "good, cheap source of protein," which is true albeit a little strange to hear for a teenage girl. I had an egg for breakfast, with cheese on a delicious biscuit at a place on Belmont.

Point#4: My Dad hates eggs. This, too, is peculiar to me, because eggs are wonderful and they work in so many ways, plus, as mentioned above, they are cheap protein.

Point #5: We ate eggs a lot in Japan. We didn't get into Japanese breakfasts, cereal was expensive, sweet, and scarce, and eggs were available at the Cosmos drugstore three blocks away. In Japan, I perfected Ben's favorite egg dish: egg on a raft (for the ignorant, this is a piece of sliced bread with a hole in the middle of it, set in a frying pan for toasting, with an egg cooked in the middle).

Point #6: I like a fritatta; I don't like a quiche.

Back in Oregon!

From the subtropics to the dry cold of Mt. Hood.

It's good to be home and shivering.

Journey to the Center of the SE Asia

Hong Kong has been so great. We've had time to relax, eat good food, and watch old folks in the park practice tai chi and slap themselves with seemingly extreme force. But really, the best part has been learning about a new city and culture, home of Wong Kar Wai, Jackie Chan, Duffy, and Bruce Lee (among others, of course).

Tomorrow we fly to Bangkok, where we'll stay for a few days before heading to some beach, somewhere. Sounds good, right? I'm a little nervous because Thai food is my favorite, and I don't want to discover that authentic Thai food actually makes me sick. I hope I'm not an American-style-Thai-food-lover only. 

HK

Hello everyone! It's been a loooong time, but Ben and I are in Hong Kong now. We are staying with the most wonderful host, Duffy. Not only is she allowing us to crash in her sweet apartment, but she handed us piles of Hong Kong guide books, maps, and magazines, too. 

We walked around all day in Victoria Peak Park, and lucked out with some awesome views of the city and surrounding islands. We got sweaty, because it's hot and humid, then sat on a bench in the shade for a long time and took it all in. Today was a much needed day after our super-cities tour from Tokyo to Beijing to Shanghai to here. Tonight, we ate delicious shrimp wonton and noodle soup. Yummy. It's early yet, but we're back at Duffy's, enjoying taking it easy. 

Sidenote: One can eat too many Shanghai soup dumplings. We now know it is possible.

Goodbye, Suitcase. You will be loved.

Azusa says, "Thanks!"

Nara

We finally made it to the ancient capital of Japan, Nara. Nara lays claim to being the city with the biggest wooden structure in the world, Todai-ji. It really was enormous and the interior pillars (supports) were the size of grand old cedar trees. Inside, the great Buddha, which is also enormous. The hole that Ben crawled through was the size of one of the Buddha's nostrils, and to pass through it guarantees enlightenment. Good thing he's slim. Nara is also home to many, many tame deer. The deer in the picture with Chrystal are 100% real, on the grounds of a temple.

Himeji-jo

This is the best castle in Japan, according to all lists. We concur.

Hiroshima

We spent two nights in Hiroshima right after we left Omuta. It was a great city, and of course the main attraction is the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. The second picture shows an origami crane to remember the young victims of the bomb, and this memorial was spurred by the story a girl who developed leukemia and died after the war. In fourth grade, I read a book about her, and her thousand paper cranes. I still remember the teacher's aide taking small groups of us out into the hall to teach us how to make these paper cranes. After that experience, I went origami crazy. I made a crane at the memorial. It will be hung up with thousands (if not millions) of other cranes that you see in the background of the photo, many donated by schoolchildren.

Omuta Summer Festival: Daijayama

Goodbye, Oooooomuta!

You've been pretty good to us. Next stop: Hiroshima!

2 More Days

Officially, we are out of here Tuesday morning. That means 2 whole days left to finish our packing, cleaning, and saying goodbyes to the good friends we've made here. It's sad, you know, because even though the world is small and Japan and the U.S. are well connected, we probably won't see most of these people again. Hopefully we keep in touch and they take our invitations to visit America, or we make it back here. But in reality, life probably won't bring us back to Omuta. We're definitely going out with a bang, though. Today we went to three barbecue/potluck parties, feeling stretched thin, and saw the beginning of the awesome Daijayama Festival, which we've been waiting all year for. Above, a teaser photo of us in front of the Hon-machi (neighborhood) dragon float, as it was paraded for the first time during the festival. It will be burnt tomorrow night so that the dragon spirit can return to "heaven," or something like it.

Hakata Gion Yamakasa Matsuri

This festival (in the Hakata and Gion areas of Fukuoka city) was amazing. We awoke at 4:00am to watch groups of scantily clad men and children race through the streets carrying beautiful floats as the sun rose. So festive and wonderful. I wish every day started this way. Make sure to check the video at the bottom to get a true sense of the event.

This is Omuta: Part IV

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile Crashes Into Wis. Home

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By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: July 17, 2009

Filed at 8:42 p.m. ET

MOUNT PLEASANT, Wis. (AP) -- One southern Wisconsin homeowner is probably not in love with the Oscar Mayer wiener. The famed hot dog's Wienermobile crashed Friday into the deck and garage of a home in Mount Pleasant, about 35 miles south of Milwaukee.

Police said the driver was trying to turn the Wienermobile around in the driveway and thought she was moving in reverse. But she instead went forward and hit the home. It sat in the driveway as if it were stuck in the garage Friday afternoon.

No one was home and no one was injured. No citations were immediately issued.

Both the home and vehicle suffered moderate damage, which Oscar Mayer spokeswoman Sydney Lindner says insurance will cover.

Police hadn't been able to speak to the homeowner as of early Friday evening.

Alabama Heat vs. Kyushu Heat, Round 2

The only thing I remember about Alabama, driving through when I was 7 or 8 years old en route from Oregon to Florida, is that my mom was pulled over in the middle of the night and I woke up in the parking lot of a courthouse. It was midsummer, it was hot, and Willow had chicken pox (thanks to me!). I lay down on the middle bench seat in my pink and green homemade sleeping bag. Mom and Popper often drove through the night in shifts, and sleeping on this bench was great. As I got older and my legs grew longer and more restless, that bench seat torture, but at 7 or 8, it was just so that if I put my head to the driver's side, I could watch the stars through the window until I was sleepy enough to doze off.

Anyway, Alabama. The cop was a real jerk. He probably just pulled us over because it was a hippie van driving in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere, and as such, the van (and its driver) were not allowed to leave the state (or was it county?) until the fine was paid when the courthouse opened at 9, or 10, or whatever. That's what I know of Alabama. Well, that, and I might have seen fireflies there, but to tell the truth I don't know which state that was in. It was a loooong road trip.

I do remember it was hot. Florida was, too. Kyushu, however, is the hottest, most humid place I've ever lived. Check out the stomach sweat on this t-shirt!

Almost Done

We only have 3 weeks remaining in this fair city. Just wanted to say that. Wow.

Happy Birthday, America! Love, Japan.

All hail the chief of fireworks with his satanic sparkler. Thanks, Japan!

Partygoers at our apartment. We served mini-hamburgers (sliders), and tried to have an American-style potluck, but this was hard to explain to our friends who insist that "serve yourself" is not the way that parties work. "U gotta love" Sayaka's t-shirt that she picked up at the Iowa State Fair last summer!

Lighting fireworks by the stinky Omuta River is the way to celebrate on a warm July evening.

Yuto thinks he's funny, and Chrystal is not amused. Actually he was trying to tell me how to smile for pictures. He paid a tribute to Michael Jackson by dancing to the whole of "Billie Jean" earlier in the evening. It was amazing, but the pictures of it are not.

Alabama Heat vs. Kyushu Heat, Round 1

(This is what I look like when I answer questions.)

Vince wondered how this Japanese heat stacks up to Dixie's. Well, it's a tricky question, and here's a multi-part answer, which I know everyone was hoping for. I do love to talk about the weather.

The past couple weeks have been really weird and uncomfortable weather-wise, with the humidity defying logic and torrential rain (sorry about the grammar, dad). Today, however, the rain stopped. It may have just been an extremely condensed tsuyu, though the forecast calls for more thunderstorms in a few days. It was nice and cool this morning, but that was a nasty tease. It's getting hot again.

But all in all, the late spring/early summer hasn't inflicted Deep South caliber misery. The highs have been mostly in the 80s, and though it doesn't cool down a whole lot (lows in the 70s) there haven't been any scorching 105 degree days like they were having this June in Bama.

That said, the schools don't have air conditioning. 85 degrees, high humidity, in a room on the fourth floor with 40 thirteen-year-olds feels really HOT. Sweat doesn't evaporate. It layers. My white shirts are steadily yellowing. (The plus, however, is that finally everyone is sweating, not just me.)

The lack of a/c brings Kyushu within shooting distance of Alabama, but Alabama can counter with its soul-destroying lack of breeze. It's windy here, and hot damp wind is better than no wind when you're wilting.

Maybe then Kyushu would say something about how it has wasps that can spray blinding venom into people's eyes (one of these monsters was flying around the teacher's room last month! They're huge!), but that would be beside the point.

So I'd say it's worse in the SEC.

After the Japanese rainy season subsides (which I guess is next week-they seem to have set dates for everything), it'll be hotter, still humid, and there'll a good chance of getting hit with typhoons.

Chrystal cools off in Kagoshima's own "Dolphin Port." She's about to ask me a question, and then take my picture.

Tsuyu

Last week we had a few golden days (above is our gleaming "Leo Palace 21" apartment complex), but each and every day the humidity was building. I'm not sure exactly how this was possible, as it was already really humid, but by the end of the week it had crept through my skull and into my brain. Is 300% humidity possible? Apparently it is, here in the future.

Thunder clouds kept cruising in but didn't do anything.

Finally, Sunday night it started to rain like crazy... And it has only let up in fit and starts ever since. It's the rainy season--tsuyu--and it got off to a slow start, but has made up for it with a record amount of rain. Every day there have been huge gusting sheets of rain. Our umbrellas are blowing out one by one. Yesterday it was raining mildly for most of my way home, but with a block remaining the storm revved back up and the rain went horizontal, my umbrella became useless, and I started to run. Chrystal was about a minute ahead of me, and unlocking the door to our place, but I couldn't see her until she was within ten yards. Apparently, I looked funny.

Everything is sticky. There are huge spiders. The children are drinking from gushing roof gutters. Today I was told by one of my students that I was his "girlfriend boy." It's getting dicey. Fortunately, we have this:
We take it orally, but might soon have to start mainlining it.

Flaming Lips/ Sonic Youth/ Beyonce

There's a big music festival in Tokyo and Osaka which starts on the day we were planning on leaving Japan. Should we go? It would be very exciting to see Sonic Youth in Osaka for reasons both obvious and mysterious. We feel the allure strongly... And the Flaming Lips are sure to blow minds with their huge crowd surfing bubbles, which, come to think of it, seem Japanese. As for Beyonce: this is too amazing for words... make sure you see the dance at the end (the woman is famous for her Beyonce impersonation):

Gangsters in... Rhinelander

Apparently, Capone, Dillinger, and a bunch of other Chicago gangsters vacationed in God's own country, Wisconsin.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/06/26/travel/escapes/26Gangster.html?8dpc

But of course they did.

Gangsters have been on my mind lately because: a. Berlusconi has been in the news, b. Omuta is full of gangsters (especially our neighborhood),and c. gangsters are generally on my mind.

The yakuza--Japanese gangsters--can be recognized because they are the ONLY people in Japan, besides a few hipsters in Tokyo and foreigners, who have tattoos. It sounds a little funny, but since that is the case, tattoos are really intimidating here. The taboo has even worked its magic on Chrystal and I, who are a little frightened by a couple who live down the block, and are not afraid to bare their ink. That's the other thing: usually it's hidden.

Another distinguishing feature of the yakuza used to be the "punch perm," ie tightly permed hair poofed into a pompadour. This has gone out of fashion, but the thing is, Omuta is a little behind the times, and a few months ago I got the pleasure of observing an older dude with permed hair strolling the grocery aisles in a track suit . It was very strange: curls+track suit= both a New Jersey mobster... and an aging provincial Kyushu yakuza.

A Note on the Humidity

I have never lived in a climate like this before, where going outside makes you sticky and the afternoons erupt in thunderstorms. We are in the rainy season, "tsuyu," in Japan. At times, I love it; the weather creates its own kind of adventure and gives new meaning to the term "lush." Everything here is green, viny, with bright flowers punctuating the veils of kudzu and bamboo. I enjoy being out in the rain in flip-flops and shorts and feeling perfectly warm. I like riding my bike through puddles on my way home from work.

Most of the time, however, I hate the humidity. My bare feet stick to the floor when I walk, and my hair sticks to my neck and arms unless it's piled on top of my head. The forests and standing water everywhere breed mosquitoes. My shorts cling to my legs. The mosquitoes bite me, and the bites take weeks to heal because my skin is perpetually damp. Our towels smell like mildew. The laundry takes three times longer to dry. Oh, and last night, Ben made the brilliant connection that my popcorn wasn't popping as well because the kernels had been infiltrated by the weather. Oh, man. Not the popcorn!

Yakushima Part Ni: Attack of the Macaques

They are so cute, especially the babies.

You see the citrus below? On Yakushima, they grow tankan, and they are delicious. This shed was about 3 meters from our bus stop on the island, and for 100 yen (about a buck), we could purchase a bag of fruit for the day's hike. However, the sneaky macaques (pictured above), have a penchant for stealing, peeling, and eating the tankan. One evening, we walked out to the road to see a furry monkey running across the asphalt with a plastic bag in his hand and a tankan in his mouth.

This is what the side of the road looked like after the assault, with bags and orange peels everywhere. They cleared the shed out, leaving only the grapefruit:

And here is a specimen photo of the culprit:

They're so smart!

Yakushima Part Ichi

Pretty forests abound in Yakushima! It is wet and everything is supa-green! The yaku-sugi (Yakushima Cedar) are thousands of years old, with few tourists and plentiful hiking. We didn't want to leave this lovely, lush, subtropical woodland paradise (with mountains and beaches).

Vacation!

We're going HERE for four days! We'll be back late Sunday night. See you then.

Kunugi Tree

The junior high school I am due to work at in about an hour is named "Kunugi." Until recently, I thought it was just a name, like "Cheldelin," "Crescent Valley," or "Western." However, the other day I noted the large tree in the parking lot, covered in careful lines of rope that took a crew of three men all day to wind around and up the tree's trunk. I asked about this tree, and was told it was very important. Lo and behold, it's the Kunugi. It is home to stag beetles (a popular pet for Japanese children--google it if you don't believe me) as well as mushrooms, and produces wood popular for charcoal. Furthermore, it includes a bit of Japanese folklore:

The Kunugi Tree, a kind of Oak, is said to have stood on the island of Tsukushi in Japan. Its shadow at dawn and sunset is said to have cast a shadow for hundeds of miles. Hundreds of thousands of people could walk on it when it fell. One of its stems was like a long hill range.