Winter in Fukuoka

Today is a lazy Saturday in snowy Fukuoka.  I have a million (okay, 29) papers to grade but so far I've passed the day playing backgammon, reading about China, and chatting with far-away friends on facebook, all in the comfort of my kotatsu, or heated-table-contraption.  I've known about these things, and knew I had one, but only just set it up today, as I wasn't finding any better way to stay warm.  I plugged in my table, put a big soft blanket under the table top to keep the warmth in, turned on the heat, and put my legs under the blanket.  Now I can't get up, because it is toasty warm under the table and friggin' cold in the rest of my apartment.  The only other place that is this warm is the heated toilet seat...

We've just begun the second semester at Fukuoka International School, which means I am halfway through my first year.  In some ways it has flown by (I've done so much, and yet feel like I'm still just learning how to survive here) and in others it seems like I've been here forever (my beloved Portland seems so far away!).  I've learned a lot so far, and am slowly making friends and always discovering new cool things about Fukuoka.  

Last weekend I went on a coffee quest, and found a cool coffee shop that I'm sure I would spend all my time at if only it were a tad closer to my apartment.  I walked in, heard Belle & Sebastian on the stereo, ordered a latte, and felt totally at home.  I met another American living in Fukuoka, who invited me out to a new club that night.  I was hoping to meet new ex-pats there but was somewhat disappointed to find I already knew several people there!  Disappointed, I say, because I'm hoping to widen my circles here.  I'm still working on it...  Between the coffee and the club I had a fun time at karaoke with some of my girl friends, then had a late-night dinner at an izakaya (pub) with my Japanese friend and all her "dads" (her real dad, plus all his drinking buddies).  I skipped the whale sashimi but enjoyed the rest of the meal.  

Tuesday night I stayed up late late late to watch the inauguration.  I especially enjoyed watching the growing crowds on the Mall, knowing that my parents were somewhere in that joyful mob!  It was an amazing moment in history, but I was terribly disappointed in the overly Christian tone the whole affair took on.  I appreciated Obama's acknowledgment of Muslims, Jews, and even "non-believers" like little old me, but I was shocked when Rick Warren led my country in a recitation of the Lord's Prayer.  Really?  Did we really need two ministers and a big fat bible to usher in the new President?  How many times did the news cameras need to follow him in to church over the long weekend?  I was almost glad that Roberts messed up the inaugural oath and had to redo it the next day, sans Bible.  

Anyhow, I was dead tired the next day and have felt somewhat ill ever since, but this may be due to the oil heater I tried (unsuccessfully) to heat my apartment with this week.  Lori was here last night and developed a cough herself, from me or from the oil fumes we may never know...  I've been trying to take it easy but I can't afford to pass on the chance to make friends so I went out a couple times this week with potential new pals.  Last night (Friday) I went with Lori and Kumi (my original fantastic friends!) to a wonderful dinner at this great upscale chain that specializes in all things tofu.  I'd been to one once before and again loved the delicious little dishes.  Afterwords, we went to a spa to relax in the hot tubs and shiatsu treatments.  The guy getting a massage next to me was a little too relaxed, and snored like a monstrous beast the whole time, but I still enjoyed my massage and will definitely return, especially as the spa is not far from my apartment!  It was more like a Korean spa (although the prices were more Japanese) and I could become a regular...

I wonder if I will ever crawl out from under this heated blanket/table.  I can see the snow piling up on the ledge outside my window, and think I may have to brave the cold tomorrow to visit the lovely zen garden in Dazaifu or something.  I am content for today, however, to sit here and peruse travel books, planning my spring break in Malaysia, second spring break in Shanghai, and summer in western China...  I will attend a conference in Singapore in March and then spend a week on the Malay peninsula, splitting my time between beach and rainforest.  I'm looking for travel buddies for any of my upcoming journeys... is anybody interested?  

Weekend in Nagoya

I had my last three-day weekend for awhile so I jumped on the Shinkansen to visit some friends in central Honshu. It took about 3.5 hours on the train (don't ask how much it cost!) and before I knew it I was having dinner with my friend Justin from Portland! Here are some pictures from the weekend, in no particular order: This is the view out of Justin's friends' apartment, overlooking the fabulous Osu Kannon temple.  Wow!
Best sunset view!
We spent one day playing games at the "fun center" where I particularly liked this Taiko game.
At the game center we saw girls dressed up for their coming-of-age ceremonies (the reason for the three-day weekend).  
It was freezing cold so the girls all had mink stoles to keep warm!  
A few loners rejected the kimono fashion.
Apparently everyone wearing a kimono is turning 20 this year.
I'm a bit blurry here, as I head through the torii gates in Inuyama.
Inuyama Castle is the oldest surviving castle in Japan.  It looks pretty much like all the other castles.  The day was freezing cold, hence my new earmuffs.  I think my friend Jarrad was embarrassed to be seen with me...
The first blossoms of the year!

Fire!

Every January 7th the city of Kurume, about 40 minutes from downtown Fukuoka, hosts one of the biggest fire festivals in Japan. Even though it was a school night, I had to go. And I was so glad I did. I think you can see why... After warming their buns at the bonfires, six different groups of loincloth-clad males of all ages paraded through the crowds at the Daizenji shrine, carrying torches and chanting. I imagined they were chanting, "It's cold! It's cold! It's cold" because it was so cold and they were so bare.
 Here they come...
And there they go!
Some of them were quite drunk, as a means of staying warm, no doubt.  
The torch to camera ratio was about 1:1, as the crowds full of photographers surrounded the loincloth brigades.
After several loops around the shrine grounds, the torch-bearers approached six giant torches, doused them with oil, and lit them on fire.  Suddenly the chanting stopped, confirming my notion that they were complaining about the cold, because suddenly it was HOT!
The air filled with smoke, ash, and flying embers.  I may have ruined my favorite coat, but it was great!


I guess 2009 will be a good year for me, because this festival is meant to ward off demons and bring good luck.  Plus I'll turn 33, and end the age which Japanese believe is the worst year to be a woman.  

Tonight I went to the exhibition hall at one of the downtown department stores to see an exhibit about Anne of Green Gables, a book dear to my own heart and apparently most of Japan's.  The exhibit was broken into three parts, one dedicated to the story, one to the author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, and one to the Japanese woman who translated the book for generations of Japanese to enjoy.  The book celebrates its 100th anniversary this year so the tourism of Prince Edward Island is milking it for all they can.  At the end of the exhibit were two more rooms, one all about traveling to Canada, and one for Anne souvenirs.  I almost bought an Anne cellphone ornament, but decided it was not necessary.  

Tomorrow I'm off on the shinkansen to Nagoya to visit some friends for the three-day weekend.  On the four-hour train ride (the train may be bullet-fast, but Nagoya is far!) I plan to grade papers, as next week is for semester exams and then my first year teaching at FIS will be half over.  I can't believe how fast it is going by!  I think I've been to four festivals so far, so we'll see if I can keep up that rate!  Matsuris (festivals) are definitely some of my favorite experiences in Japan so far!  I don't know why more towns don't have loincloth fire festivals!  

Motorbike Mania

Vietnam Files

I've posted many pictures and tales from my journey through Vietnam, which follow this post in backwards chronological order.  At the end you can link to my picasa photo album, but stay tuned because I plan to add even more pictures and stories to my blog postings later in the week.  For now I am tired, and barely ready to teach again tomorrow.  I should be writing final exams, but already I'm dreaming of my next trip...  spring break is at the end of March, and I may attend a teacher conference in Singapore, followed by an adventure in the Malay peninsula.  For my second spring break, Japan's "Golden Week" in early May, I may leave busy Japan for bustling Hong Kong.  I've already sent an email to the travel agency for help booking a flight!  

I am so fortunate.  

Happy New Year!  

Hanoi, Part 2

After a relaxing time in Sapa we returned for one more day in Hanoi.  Our sleeper car pulled in to the Hanoi train station around 4:30 am so we got a hotel room for a few hours sleep, or what we hoped would be a few hours sleep.  Less than two hours later we woke to the blaring loudspeaker, right outside our window, blasting Hanoians with the daily propaganda radio broadcast.  We tried to ignore it, but eventually we were laughing deliriously.  Sleep-deprived, we set out for the mausoleum to see Uncle Ho.  It was a solemn and strange experience.  Still, I was glad to see the man who fought for so long for his country to be free.  I am very sympathetic with Ho Chi Minh's goals.  Based on my understanding of the long conflict, I feel that he wanted independence for his country, from the French, Japanese, and Americans, and it makes sense why Marxism appealed to him as a just alternative to colonialism.  I know he visited Moscow, but I don't know to what extent he was working on his own versus working for Stalin or Mao.  I want to think that he was not a puppet, and I find it very tragic that we didn't support him.  Anticipating his sure win in a nationwide election after winning independence from France in 1954, the U.S. government supported a corrupt and cruel regime in the south, creating the country of "South Vietnam" which we would then "defend" from northern aggression.  Ho died in 1969, never to see his country free.  Now Vietnam is free, but incredibly corrupt, undemocratic, and poor.  What would Ho think today?  I think an epic biopic about his life would be fascinating!
For our final excursion around town Karinna and Michael took motorbike taxis while Karinna's mom and I squeezed into a rickshaw together.  Hanoi kinda grew on me, but man, that traffic was nuts!  

Sapa

After Halong Bay we had a long journey back to the madness of Hanoi, which we promptly left for the madness of an overnight train to the northwest mountains.  Sapa is a town in the highlands famous for the minority tribes that live in the area and farm the rice terraces that scale the hillsides.  We heard it was beautiful, but it was so foggy on our journey through town and out to the Topas Eco-lodge (18 km down a windy, muddy cliff-side road) that we couldn't see a thing (although mostly we just slept on the ride to the lodge, not having done much on the train ride).  
The fog settled around us, so we couldn't enjoy the lovely views from the lodge.  I heard it was clearer down the mountain, so I joined two Swiss guys and a guide for a hike.  It was beautiful, and we met many people from the Tay, Red Dzao, and Black Hmong tribes.  We entered a few of the houses on the way, and I felt like I was in Madagascar.  This was the poorest region of Vietnam I visited.  Houses had dirt floors and indoor fires for cooking.  I looked at the children and worried about their respiratory systems.  Despite the soot, the houses were kept very tidy and in most houses a television set was featured as the prize possession.  I wondered what the people thought about the wealth, violence, joy, and sadness they must see on TV, and about the daily stream of tourists gawking at their lifestyles.  I also wondered to what extent people choose to maintain their traditions, or to what extent the economy or discrimination keep them there.  
Cows (or are they buffalo?) roamed the rice fields and didn't mind having their pictures taken.
In the village of Ban Ho we visited a school, hot spring and waterfall, as well as a government office were officials are overseeing a major hydro-dam project in the valley.  

After the long hike down we took motorbike taxis back to the lodge. I'd seen a few bikes go down in the slippery mud and was freaked out for most of the journey, but my driver got me home without a hitch.

Halong Bay

We spent three lovely days in mystical Halong Bay, cruising in a small junk boat from Cat Ba Island into the emerald isles.  It was wonderful.  
We kayaked, read books on the deck, ate wonderful food, and relaxed in the peace and quiet, so much appreciated after busy Hanoi.  
Lots of tour companies offer overnight cruises of Halong Bay, but we were happy with the one I found (from an internet search that led me to someone's blog): Cat Ba Ventures.  Our guide was nice (I think he had a crush on me) and the scenery was stunning.  
We visited a few beaches and a cool cave.  Sunshine would have been nice, but at least it barely rained, and the mist seemed somehow appropriate.  

Tam Coc

We spent one rainy day visiting Tam Coc, where a river winds around beautiful limestone karsts, a couple hours south of Hanoi.  
As on most organized day trips in Vietnam, there were lots of tourists, and lots of Vietnamese women trying to sell things, like plastic ponchos, which came in handy.  The boat ride was beautiful, but really wet, and it was frustrating at the end when our rower demanded a tip.  I was overwhelmed with guilt and confusion, knowing that a tip wouldn't cost me much but not knowing how much was appropriate, and frustrated with her aggressive request.  In the end we hopped off the boat to meet our guide, who told us not to tip the rower, who then gave us dirty looks and punched the guide.  

Hanoi

My favorite way to get around Hanoi was by bicycle rickshaw.  I didn't mind putting my fate in the hands of the driver, who pushed us out into traffic with confidence and skill, because the alternative, walking, seemed a death-wish.  I didn't enjoy the traffic here, as I had in Saigon.  Hanoi drivers drive much faster, and seem certain to run you down if you take a wrong step.  The streets of the old quarter are also much narrower than in Saigon, and the sidewalks full of parked motorbikes.  Feeling safe in the rickshaw (an illusion, perhaps, but still...), I could take in the scenery.  
We visited the famous Temple of Literature, a Confucian temple in the heart of Hanoi.  
Here is one of the many Buddhist pagodas we visited in Hanoi.  
Ho Chi Minh's body is preserved in this mausaleum, but it was closed the day we first visited.  Having seen Lenin in Moscow in high school, I was determined to add another waxy dead Communist leader to my list of, well, waxy dead Communists.  I vowed to return... and was not disappointed when we saw Uncle Ho in the flesh on our last day in Hanoi (a week after our first attempt).  The security guards were as much a part of the experience as the body itself.  

Karinna and I had dinner on the street, an experience I was determined to have in Hanoi. The food wasn't that great, actually, but the ambiance was wonderful!