Jonas's travels: Sapporo, March
Atrocious spelling ahead!
Since I use a laptop (weird keyboard layout and really small keys) with Japanese keyboard layout (even weirder than normal), many typing mistakes are made. If you feel the need to impress me with your proof reading skills, feel free to send e-mails to the address printed further down.
Elevators (20060301)
Since someone was waxing the floors today, there was a towel in
the elevator. Presumably to wipe your shoes, so as not to destroy the
hard work with dirty foot prints (there was a sign with unfathomable
explanations in Japanese that I did not read). A somewhat unexpected
image on the towel, though not particularly unexpected in Japan
maybe.
Eating utensils (20060301)
Something I am sometimes thinking about is why restaurants can
never provide knives. If you ask for knife and fork (as my dinner
company did today) they are more than happy to provide you with spoon
and fork. No knives though. Why? There must be a knife in the
restaurant, I guess.
Bulgarian traditions (20060301)
Today I received a Bulgarian good luck charm of sorts. It is
traditionally given to other people on March first. Then you wear it
until you see a tree blossoming, then you tie it to the tree (at least
that is how it was explained to me). I also received one of these in
an e-mail today. My Bulgarian connections seem strong.
Flight (20060302)
It seems most people I know are moving away, a few days ago there
was one, today two, tomorrow another one etc. Though this luggage
looks heavy, it is impressively small for a one month trip.
Party party (20060303)
Today there was a farewell party for people leaving our lab in the
near future. Everyone leaving had to make a speech (including
me). There was as usual lots and lots of food. For instance the quite
raw beef. The place also had a somewhat surprising (for university
business, not for being in Japan) sign ("snack" in Japan has a
different meaning from what I learned in English class back
home). After this I had been invited to another (smaller) party with some other
people.
Japanese traditions (20060305)
Japanese traditions are often hard to understand. What is the
point of this, for instance?
Unexpected (20060305)
Surprising people who think I never do anything serious (who are
quite many), I spent the day cleaning and doing some Japanese studies
(ok, so this one require a very generous definition of studies, but
anyway...).
Tired (20060305)
To compensate my seriousness, I spent the whole night more or less
in the red light district. True to form, my ears are now ringing, I am
quite tired, I have blisters on my feet and my right knee is
busted. I'm beginning to think I should change my way of
dancing. Especially the knee tends to be troublesome. As can be seen
in the photos, not only where the people I barely know, who I was out
with tonight, there. Also a previously encountered guy who cooks
excellent Vietnamese curry was there. The last photo shows what people
do after going out, i.e. waiting for the subway. It stops when people
start to go out (at twelve), so no one can get home before a quarter
past six, when the first train leaves. It has been explained to me
that the reason for this is so that taxi companies can make more
money...
Food?! (20060306)
I was offered a free dinner today (free in the sense that I had to
help preparing it and doing most of the dishes, but anyway). Not being
one to say no to free food, and having a busted knee making walking to
a restaurant sort of unappealing, I accepted. It turned out to be
Japanese food, in the sense of natto (fermented beans that for unknown
reasons are considered food). Most normal people think natto
is disgusting, for the simple reason that it is disgusting. It looks
disgusting, smells disgusting and tastes disgusting. This I already
knew. I also learned that it gives rise to a quite disgusting feeling
in your mouth when eating it, and it sticks to various parts of you and
other things in the vicinity. It turns out though, that either I
lucked out by having my cold worsen through the all night dancing, or
the smell was less than expected. The smell is bad, but very mild. The
taste is also bad, but there is almost no taste at all, so it is not a
big problem. There is however no escaping the fact that it looks
disgusting (even my camera wouldn't look sharply at the darned
things) and that it feels bad in your mouth. And it sticks to
everything. All in all, not a bad dinner.
Surprised (20060307)
Today I noticed that they are selling licorice just around the
corner from where I live. OK, so it's a German version which is likely
less tasty than Swedish (or even Finish, which was offered by a Finish
exchange student here) licorice. But still. In Japan. Huh.
Weather (20060308)
Having trashed my latest bicycle too, I was allowed to borrow an
excellent bicycle from a friend who thinks the weather is too bad for
bicycler riding. It turns out to contain a grain of truth, since you
get enormously dirty by riding this bike in this weather. I even had
large amounts of sand in my hair when I came to the university.
Badminton (20060308)
Usually there are three people playing badminton, but today 19
showed up...
Badminton (20060310)
Today there were fewer people, only 15.
Curry party (20060311)
Based on the success of the previous Indian curry event, another
one was organized. Very nice. I increased my reputation as the
unbelievably strange foreigner from a faraway land by eating some read
thing which was supposed to be very spicy.
White day (20060314)
Today was white day, the payback day for Valentine's. I solved my
problem by running away to a conference in Yokohama. To be on the safe
side I deposited two boxes of chocolate to be handed out by the
lobby staff to suitable people.
Three men and a little bed (20060314)
The first night in Yokohama saw me and two, after a quite long party somewhat drunk, Polish guys sharing a room in a hotel which at least was close to the conference place. There was however more or less just one bed (and no room for anymore), and freezingly cold. When it was explained that by sleeping without clothes tightly together is a good way to keep warm and one person turns on the air conditioning, making it unbelievably cold, I started to think "hmmm...". Then came stories of Brokeback Mountain, and the discovery of "Eroica" (maybe Japanese for erotic squids?) brand after shave handed out for free in the room. Hmm indeed.
Yokohama (20060315)
Yokohama is most famous for its China town. There are also
pigeons (that sit on your shoulder), a harbor and strangely shaped
buildings.
Graffiti (20060315)
People polluting your view seem to be about as bright in Japan as
in Sweden, or maybe it is intentional.
Elevators (20060315)
Going to the 69th floor sight seeing place costs 1000 yen. Using
the elevator to the 70th floor inside the hotel instead is free, so we
picked that one. Possibly, the hotel is only for very rich people. At
least, the cheapest dish at the restaurant on the 70th floor is a
15000 yen course. At 68 floor we found coffee for only 650 yen, but
since I don't like coffee it felt a bit expensive and we returned
downstairs. There we followed some quite and very very expensively
dressed women to what was probably the banquet hall. Where we were
most likely not welcome.
Escalator (20060315)
There is an escalator that curves. Why and how, I don't
understand.
Yokohama by night (20060315)
Since there was a party scheduled for every night of the
conference, we walked back towards the next restaurant on the
schedule.
Unix (20060315)
This is an ad for Unix. Not the Unix I first thought of
though.
Party (20060315)
Todays party consisted of people who all spoke Polish for various
reasons, some Japanese scientists discussing hard to understand things
in a hard to understand language, and one poor guy from Sweden. At
least it was expensive, thats always something.
My own room (20060315)
Today we changed hotel. My new room was about twice as big as the previous one and had a distinct lack of strange Polish people. Who of course suggested that we meet naked in the sauna instead, and pointed out that the name of the hotel is written with the kanji for sperms.
Bulgarian customs (20060316)
Since the Tokyo area is very hot, I found a flowering tree and
could tie my Bulgarian things to it. They later blew away in a rain
storm though.
Actual work (20060316)
I also did some real work (though I didn't take very many
pictures of that). I had my own presentation, for instance. Where only
one microphone worked, so some poor guy had to run with the mike
between me and other people when there was question and answer
time.
Party (20060316)
Today there was of course another party, this time with the
people from my lab.
Swedish sayings (20060317)
When you see pink elephants, you should not drink more
alcohol. Or in our case, turn left, because that's where the hotel
is.
Tobacco (20060318)
In Japan they have cigarettes for girls that supposedly doesn't
smell. This is not strictly true, but they smell less than normal
cigarettes. Japanese people by the way smoke very very much. Which is
annoying.
Tokyo clothes (20060318)
In Tokyo, where I went to kill some time before the flight back
to Sapporo was to leave, you can by suit jackets in strange
colors.
Commercials (20060318)
This is a (very noisy) commercial for a new CD, but what is this
guy looking for/at?
Crowds (20060318)
In Tokyo, there are lot's of people. For instance crossing the
street.
Having a rest (20060318)
Since Sapporo is cold, you rarely see people do this there.
Style (20060318)
Really short skirts and strange colors for your hair is common in
Tokyo.
Almost like home (20060318)
Today was the first time I ever saw a Japanese person speak on
the cell phone in a train. Which is different from back home, where
very many people spend their entire subway trips speaking on the
phone.
Omiyage (20060318)
I received strict orders to bring back diamond necklaces for
three people (the White day chocolate was not enough) and Pigeon
omiyage. But on the other hand, I received what might possibly be
described as egg shaped omiyage from a friend who had also been to
Tokyo and back.
Shopping (20060318)
I also spent some of all the Japanese money which I soon won't
have any use for on some fun stuff from stores in Tokyo. Such as a
t-shirt which it took people 30 minutes to figure out might be a bit
strange.
Another presentation (20060318)
Today I had another presentation of my research, this time in
Sapporo and Japanese. I received a gift card for books for my
troubles, and then went with some friends to a Thai restaurant.
Asian customs (20060318)
Who knows?
Eating (200603xx)
There has been a lot of eating going on lately. Here are some
pictures.
Badminton (20060322)
There has also been some badminton. This is a picture that was
taken because it was the last time Martin could participate. He went
home one week before me.
Clothes (20060324)
Spring is in the air, so people no longer have to wear winter
clothes. This, or possibly the graduation ceremonies, brings out some
colorful clothes.
Other games (20060324)
In Japan, small school girls beat each other up in video
games. Played not only by small school girls, though.
Martin's farewell (20060325)
Martin went back to Poland today, so we had a last lunch together
at a very nice restaurant serving Japanese food (more or less called
the Wooden Horse).
Luckily cheap yakiniku (20060326)
Today I went for some yakiniku. Having an ambitious person making
the ordering decisions there was enormous amounts of stuff to
eat. Luckily, the same person then did some interpretation between
Chinese and Japanese for another rich customer, so the staff cut our
price by 70% or so. Very nice.
Clothing (20060326)
This girl has mended her trousers with duct tape. This is very
similar to how one of my friends in Sweden mend his shirts (with a
stapler).
Badminton (20060327)
There was some badminton today. Timing the photos for badminton is hard.
The day of celebrating Jonas (20060329)
Today was the name day for "Jonas" in Sweden. This was celebrated
in Sapporo too, first by having lunch with the people who want to
learn Swedish, then by having a super celebrity show up at Sapporo
Station and finally by having a pizza/cake party. I bought the cakes
myself though, which is not the traditional way in Sweden (other
people should make and give you cakes).
Presents (20060329)
I received a present and some flowers today. The present had
nothing to do with it being the day to celebrate Jonases though.
More cakes (20060330)
Since there seems to be a sad lack of knowledge of Swedish name
days in Japan, some people missed out on the celebration. This was
compensated by eating cakes the next day too.
More badminton (20060331)
Today there were from time to time more girls than boys
participating in the badminton.
(April) Fools (20060401)
Since this was the last day before I went back home to Sweden, I
was quite busy with cleaning my room etc. I did sneak away and take a
picture of the Japanese volunteer course I used to go to a lot,
though. There was also a celebration at the French restaurant one
minutes walk away from my room. Evidently, since they are finally
getting rid of me, it was an occasion for joyous
celebrations. Hmm...
Relatives (20060402)
A neighbor has found a pigeon egg on her balcony.
Last breakfast (20060402)
There was a last fare well breakfast today. One nice girl offered
home made bread (and this was a lot like bread, not so much like
Japanese "bread"). Other people offered natto... Something of a
"please don't return to Sapporo"-feeling.
Travel preparations (20060402)
I took a picture of my check in luggage, expecting it to get lost
again. This way it will be easier to describe what is missing. The
staff thought it was quite funny.
Airport (20060402)
Some people were evidently worried that I might just be
pretending to go home, and decided to follow me to the airport to make
sure I did not stick around and disturb poor Japanese people
anymore. We also met some other people from our building by
chance. They were sending someone off to Tokyo.
Korea (20060402)
I had 17 hours to wait in Korea for my next flight. I spent some
of them at a youth hostel (so so, but cheap) and some of them eating
food (very much, cheap and tasty).
Signs of Sweden (20060403)
Having gotten up at 04.30 or so, I had some time to kill at the
airport. I found the famous Swedish vodka.
Paris (20060403)
Thanks to the plane from Korea being late, I did not have to
spend so much time in Paris. Somewhat surprisingly I saw what looked
suspiciously much like my own luggage being loaded on the correct
plane to Stockholm.
Sweden (20060403)
Both me and my luggage arrived more or less safely in Sweden.
Final gifts (20060404)
I received some parting gifts, here are some things from Chinese
aquaintances. There is also something that I received as a Christmas
present from my university in Sweden. It turns out to be a
thermos.
Other pictures (20060407)
Since I am no longer in Sapporo, there will be no more pictures here. There will however be pictures of Swedish customs instead. Click to see blood pudding and similar things.
Complaints should likely be sent to Jonas. If you would like to have a high resolution copy of one of these images (or some other you suspect I have), please feel free to let me know.