Randal and I are headed off to Kyoto again this coming weekend. We've taken vacation on Friday, so are headed out Thursday night until Sunday evening. Hopefully transportation there and back will go smoother than last weekend's Osaka outing (more on that another time).
So, uh, in anticipation of our upcoming return to Kyoto, I decided to finally post the pictures from our LAST trip to Kyoto, which was, uh, in August. Oops.
If you're wondering why I haven't been posting a lot lately, it's because not much has been going on other than travels here and there, and really - who wants to hear about travels??? Sheesh.
Showing posts with label kyoto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kyoto. Show all posts
Monday, June 04, 2007
Friday, October 06, 2006
No one must ever know about this...
Today we went on a school trip. All the second- and third-graders were going to Kyoto, and the first-graders to Takayama. I accompanied class 2-2 to Kyoto. We took a bus. I was warned ahead of time by Hattori-sensei, the homeroom teacher of 2-2 who is also an English teacher, that the students might ask me to sing on the bus. So I have been busy the last few days reviewing words to songs like "Kumbaya" and "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall", maybe even "Hey, Jude"... you know, the kind of songs students sing on long bus trips to pass the time (3 hours to Kyoto).
Wrong. I forgot Japan is the future.
The bus was equipped with karaoke. There were plugs every few seats for the mikes (2), so everyone could easily have a turn.
I managed to slip unnoticed through the morning karaoke. But in the afternoon, on the way home, I woke up from my nap JUST in time to be forced to lead a rousing karaoke rendition of the only English song of the day, "My Heart Will Go On." Yes, the Titanic theme. Yes, by Celine Dion.
The only worthwhile contribution to the state of the world from this whole karaoke fiasco was that, afterwards, Hattori-sensei told me that I had shattered a stereotype for her - she has heard four previous ALTs do karaoke, and she has assumed that foreigners must not be able to sing since they were apparently ALL terrible. (Japanese take their karaoke seriously.) It only occurred to me later that perhaps the absence of beer on the bus (and we hadn't even had a chance to take all the bottles down and pass them around!) could have had something to do my ability to stay (remotely) on key.
There are, fortunately, no pictures or video of this event to prove that it happened. So I deny everything.
And now, please excuse me: I must go wash out my mouth my soap, many, many times.
Wrong. I forgot Japan is the future.
The bus was equipped with karaoke. There were plugs every few seats for the mikes (2), so everyone could easily have a turn.
I managed to slip unnoticed through the morning karaoke. But in the afternoon, on the way home, I woke up from my nap JUST in time to be forced to lead a rousing karaoke rendition of the only English song of the day, "My Heart Will Go On." Yes, the Titanic theme. Yes, by Celine Dion.
The only worthwhile contribution to the state of the world from this whole karaoke fiasco was that, afterwards, Hattori-sensei told me that I had shattered a stereotype for her - she has heard four previous ALTs do karaoke, and she has assumed that foreigners must not be able to sing since they were apparently ALL terrible. (Japanese take their karaoke seriously.) It only occurred to me later that perhaps the absence of beer on the bus (and we hadn't even had a chance to take all the bottles down and pass them around!) could have had something to do my ability to stay (remotely) on key.
There are, fortunately, no pictures or video of this event to prove that it happened. So I deny everything.
And now, please excuse me: I must go wash out my mouth my soap, many, many times.
Friday, August 18, 2006
I love Japan!
OK, I love Kyoto. Still working on the Japan bit - I haven't decided on that one yet. I like Japan, but I don't think I love it yet, not on the whole, at least. That will develop, I am sure.
Anyway, I digress. I am excited since I am sitting here in the funkiest Internet cafe in the entire world (it has a sunken Zen garden partway up that you have to walk over on clear, clear glass, and plays music that Sigur Ros should have composed), and not only is it the funkiest Internet cafe in the world, it is the same Internet cafe that I came to a number of times two years ago when I was in Japan. I searched it out because I am in Kyoto, and it is almost as cool as the beautiful temples in Kyoto, and I wanted Randal to see it. Needless to say, he was duly impressed and I shall keep him around for a while longer...
So, we are in Kyoto. We decided yesterday to take today off and come to Kyoto for the weekend. No train tickets booked (easily rectified, but for some mysterious reason, the local train was not running, so we had to shell out for the more pricey shinkansen, no hotel reserved (it took us about 1 1/2 hours to find one that wasn't full) - the perfect way to travel. We are staying in the Pension Station Kyoto which is sparse but quaint - we took a tatami mat Japanese-style room (because we don't get enough of that at home with Randal's tatami bedroom and futons (I have a futon at my place but no tatami, sadly)) - and will probably have to stay smelly all weekend because there are just shared baths and the bathtime is only from 5:00 p.m. onwards (usually until 10:00 or maybe 11:00, so we may not make it home in time).
This afternoon, after settling in, we headed to Nijo Castle, where of course I have been but was sooooo happy to return to. (I'm too lazy to link over - go to my Flickr site and look under Japan for pics from my previous trip.) Not many pictures, unfortunately; Randal's camera was running low on batteries and mine was almost out of film - I know: film! how quaint! But never fear, this problem shall not repeat itself. We found out at an electronics shop this evening that Randal did not need a fancy-shmancy transformer in order to recharge his battery here in Japan (we thought he did), and we were so excited to hear this news that we up and bought ME a digital camera.* I'm so excited. I don't know all my fancy specs yet, but it's a Pentax 6 megapixel, digital/optical zoom and other fancy stuff. It's nice and I like it.
Time running out here so I should go. I can't promise fun pics on my blog yet as I still don't have Internet at home (I don't even have a phone yet, and it's getting to be way too long). I may upload some at school, transfer them to my email and then upload at a cafe in the meantime, but no promises!
* OK, anyone who knows me will know that when I make it sound like such a quick, easy decision, it was actually preceded by over an hour of hemming and hawing, much to the chagrin of the store clerk who was roped into helping us because he was the only one who spoke good enough English...
Anyway, I digress. I am excited since I am sitting here in the funkiest Internet cafe in the entire world (it has a sunken Zen garden partway up that you have to walk over on clear, clear glass, and plays music that Sigur Ros should have composed), and not only is it the funkiest Internet cafe in the world, it is the same Internet cafe that I came to a number of times two years ago when I was in Japan. I searched it out because I am in Kyoto, and it is almost as cool as the beautiful temples in Kyoto, and I wanted Randal to see it. Needless to say, he was duly impressed and I shall keep him around for a while longer...
So, we are in Kyoto. We decided yesterday to take today off and come to Kyoto for the weekend. No train tickets booked (easily rectified, but for some mysterious reason, the local train was not running, so we had to shell out for the more pricey shinkansen, no hotel reserved (it took us about 1 1/2 hours to find one that wasn't full) - the perfect way to travel. We are staying in the Pension Station Kyoto which is sparse but quaint - we took a tatami mat Japanese-style room (because we don't get enough of that at home with Randal's tatami bedroom and futons (I have a futon at my place but no tatami, sadly)) - and will probably have to stay smelly all weekend because there are just shared baths and the bathtime is only from 5:00 p.m. onwards (usually until 10:00 or maybe 11:00, so we may not make it home in time).
This afternoon, after settling in, we headed to Nijo Castle, where of course I have been but was sooooo happy to return to. (I'm too lazy to link over - go to my Flickr site and look under Japan for pics from my previous trip.) Not many pictures, unfortunately; Randal's camera was running low on batteries and mine was almost out of film - I know: film! how quaint! But never fear, this problem shall not repeat itself. We found out at an electronics shop this evening that Randal did not need a fancy-shmancy transformer in order to recharge his battery here in Japan (we thought he did), and we were so excited to hear this news that we up and bought ME a digital camera.* I'm so excited. I don't know all my fancy specs yet, but it's a Pentax 6 megapixel, digital/optical zoom and other fancy stuff. It's nice and I like it.
Time running out here so I should go. I can't promise fun pics on my blog yet as I still don't have Internet at home (I don't even have a phone yet, and it's getting to be way too long). I may upload some at school, transfer them to my email and then upload at a cafe in the meantime, but no promises!
* OK, anyone who knows me will know that when I make it sound like such a quick, easy decision, it was actually preceded by over an hour of hemming and hawing, much to the chagrin of the store clerk who was roped into helping us because he was the only one who spoke good enough English...
Thursday, April 20, 2006
bōken
This week's Japanese Word is bōken, which means "adventure". It's also just an excuse to post the text of my final speech for my Japanese class, which finished about a month ago. Thankfully, I was able to find the copy of the text that was corrected by my teacher, so all the hard-core Japanese out there will not have to suffer through my sad attempt at particle and verb conjugation. Simultaneous English translations. Plus I've decided to be fancy and post the accompanying photos too!
Bōken no Kyōto
Adventure in Kyoto
Watashi wa Kyōto ni ototoshi yokka taizai shimashita.
The year before last, I went to Kyoto to visit for eight days.
Tomodachi wa Okayama de sensei o shiteitta, hōmon suru ni tassurimashita.
My friend who was teaching in Okayama, came to visit me.
O-tera o takusan tazunemashita, soshite yama e haikingu ni ikimashita.
We visited many temples, and then we went hiking in the hills.
Subete no saīn wa Nihon-go deshita, ga watashitachi wa Nihon-go no yomikata ga dekimasen deshita!
All the signs were in Japanese, but we couldn't read Japanese!
San-jikan michi ni mayoimashita ...
We were lost for three hours ...
Futsuka kan wa ashi ga itakatta desu, watashi wa tsukaremashita.
For the next two days, my feet were very sore, and I was tired.
Ga, yakakatta desu!
But it was fun!
Nihon to Kyōto ni mata kotoshi ikitai desu.
I want to go, this year, to Japan and Kyoto again.
And now I will be!!! (Well, at least to Japan. I still have my fingers crossed that I'll be placed in or near Kyoto. We'll know by mid-May.)
If you want to see more photos of Japan, and other such exotic places, go to my Flickr site. I couldn't post directly from there, for some reason.
Bōken no Kyōto
Adventure in Kyoto
Watashi wa Kyōto ni ototoshi yokka taizai shimashita.
The year before last, I went to Kyoto to visit for eight days.
Tomodachi wa Okayama de sensei o shiteitta, hōmon suru ni tassurimashita.
My friend who was teaching in Okayama, came to visit me.
O-tera o takusan tazunemashita, soshite yama e haikingu ni ikimashita.
We visited many temples, and then we went hiking in the hills.
Subete no saīn wa Nihon-go deshita, ga watashitachi wa Nihon-go no yomikata ga dekimasen deshita!
All the signs were in Japanese, but we couldn't read Japanese!
San-jikan michi ni mayoimashita ...
We were lost for three hours ...
Futsuka kan wa ashi ga itakatta desu, watashi wa tsukaremashita.
For the next two days, my feet were very sore, and I was tired.
Ga, yakakatta desu!
But it was fun!
Nihon to Kyōto ni mata kotoshi ikitai desu.
I want to go, this year, to Japan and Kyoto again.
And now I will be!!! (Well, at least to Japan. I still have my fingers crossed that I'll be placed in or near Kyoto. We'll know by mid-May.)
If you want to see more photos of Japan, and other such exotic places, go to my Flickr site. I couldn't post directly from there, for some reason.
Saturday, March 26, 2005
Snapshot of Japan
Random picture of Japan from my trip : This is the Zen garden at Ginkaku-ji, the Temple of the Silver Pavillion (in the background - not actually finished in silver). This garden represents the Pacific Ocean, Japan and Mount Fuji. (Photo taken July 4, 2004.)
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