Richard's Blurty

I'm in Japan!
Hello all. Well, this is my first attempt at blogging, so let's see how it goes.

I arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday night after the longest flight of my life. Well, not really, but usually I can sleep on planes. This time, I was awake almost the entire time, though I did get to watch all of The Phantom of the Opera and Spanglish, plus eat some of the best airline food I've ever had. Still, it would have been nice to sleep! I think the fact that I was crammed into an aisle seat in the middle section was the problem...I always prefer the window.

Anyhow, I landed at Narita and got through passport control in record time. Unfortunately, my luggage took a long time to get delivered so I lost time there. When it finally arrived, I got some yen out of the Citibank ATM and then dumped my huge bags at luggage storage. Expensive, but I was not about to lug my huge bags around Japan for nine days. I will get them at the airport before I go to Beijing next Friday.

Then, I got on the Keisei train to Ueno station in Tokyo. After an hour train, I got to Ueno, where I had to change stations and find the ticket office for the bullet train (shinkansen). Ueno station is quite big and full of people everywhere. I found the ticket office and stood in a long line, all the time worried that I would be unable to purchase the tickets with my lack of Japanese. Also, I was concerned because my cell phone didn't work in Japan and I had wanted to call home to tell everyone that I had made it safely. That would have to wait. I finally got to the ticket counter and told the gentleman that I wanted to go to Naoetsu. He seemed to understand and asked, "Now?" And I said, "Yes! Now." Multiple tickets printed and I was off after charging my card.

In the JR rail system, the gates are apparently smarter than humans. I did not realize that you are just supposed to put your many tickets in the slot at one time, and it figures out which ones to take and which to keep. It took me a little while to figure out how to work the gate, but eventually I made it in and saw the sign toward Shinkansen departures. Once there, I called my friend Maria to tell her I was on my way, but the phone did not work for international calls, so that was out of the question.

I rode the bullet train to Echigo-Yuzawa, where I changed to a nonbullet train to Naoetsu, where Maria lives. For a while, I worried I was lost because the second train was nearly abandoned and it was pitch dark outside. Maria lives in a fairly rural area, so I learned that there is not much to see out the window.

Maria picked me up at Naoetsu and I was off to her apartment. Finally, some sleep!!!

The next day, she went to work as a teacher on the JET program and I got over jet lag. I took a walk in her neighborhood and perused some shops and restaurants, as well as some cute little houses.

Last night, Maria and I had sushi at the best sushi place in Naoestu! So GOOD! I had eel (unagi) for the first tme, and it was great. Then, we ran some errands and went to the international supermarket and her version of the 99 cent store, the 100 yen store, which is the nicest "po" store I have ever seen. Then we came back and watched a download of the last season's Amazing Race premiere before we were off to her adult English class, where I was the guest surprise. Her class is so cute - mostly middle-aged Japanese women. They really seem to have fun trying to learn English. Some of their skills are better than others, but they all learned that I went to Princeton and that I was working for the US government in Beijing this summer. We talked about Japan, food and played the "proverb game." It was hard trying to explain English proverbs like "There is more than one way to skin a cat," a phrase which I don't even quite understand (is there really more than one way to skin a cat?) but they had a lot of fun. Since one of our phrases was, "A picture is worth a 1000 words," here you go:

We took this picture after class and having cake and tea. This is the traditional altar in the house of the place where we had class. Very traditional, beautiful Japanese house, including the altar to the ancestors (pictured on the wall, along with the emperor and empress). We sat on mats at a low table and all the walls were sliding screens. I really liked it. They were so sweet and nice. I told them I wish I could come next time, but I will be in China. They said, anytime!

Anyhow, now I am blogging and then I am off to explore some more while Maria works. Then we are going to a dinner party tonight and off to Kyoto tomorrow. Thus end blogging attempt #1. Please feel free to post comments, email me at rcjinprc@yahoo.com or send this link on to others. Miss you all!