Chapter 15 – Saturday 28th June 2008
Today we planned to go and see ‘Takarabune’ the A Capella group that we met, sing at a large department store in Kobe. Here we go another ‘navigation adventure’!!! We found the right train and changed train lines and actually got there just in time. The girls were wonderful with tight harmonies and fantastic percussive expertise. We chatted with them after the performance and they each got a ‘trusty key ring kangaroo’ we made sure that they matched the colours of the kangaroos vests with their gorgeous long gown outfits. Yep! Another ‘Nols Fashion Triumph!!!’ Brian and I then went shopping…………No!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep!!! I found some new shoes. “Why are we not surprised!!” I cant believe how much walking we are doing. (Note to the Aussie lot coming over here soon: BRING COMFY SHOES and ones that can handle wet weather!!!!) Brollys are cheap and prolific here so you buy one when you arrive! We found a ‘Croc’ shop………..you know the bright rubber shoes everyone wears. Well I have never been a fan of them though people who have ‘originals’ tell me that they are really great! So Brian and I have relented and we are now wearing our ‘Crocs’. Brian got a pair that are all covered in (no holes) so look more like ‘interesting’ shoes and I got a ‘Minny Mouse’ red pair that don’t look like ‘Crocs’ at all……..waterproof!! We looked for jeans for Brian……….they have really ‘cool’ styles here with lots of patterns and chains and tears and stuff. The more tears the more expensive! Brian saw a pair with dragons embroidered on them problem is sizing it is hard to find things to fit. (Including shoes – my size 8 is considered about the biggest size and of course you have less choice!!) So no dragons for Brian as they didn’t fit! :(
I love all the wonderful fabrics and paper here and am having heaps of fun playing in the ‘craft’ isles. I am stocking up on wonderful Japanese designs for my ‘Fizychik - card creations’ and am looking at doing ‘fusions’ of Jappy and Aussie designs in my spare time. Huh? What spare time!!!
Brian wanted to buy some mugs. Whenever we do a course or have a special event we anchor it with a mug so that when we drink out of them it reminds us of the person or event. We found a wonderful shop full of bowls and plates, cups and glasses. All very Japanese. There is just something about their designs that I really love and I just wanted them all. In the end we found very simple hand thrown pottery mugs. The shop keeper kept bowing so low and running around serving us Japanese tea (in wonderful little cups of course.) and gift wrapping our purchases. I want to go back there just to experience his humble sweetness. Everyone is so helpful and the service is excellent. The ‘Croc shop’ guy ran across the road in the rain with us just to give us some directions. (I gave him a ‘trusty kangaroo’ in thanks!) Another lady I bought shoes off………….yes I know more shoes……….what can I say I like shoes!!!!! She took us out of the department store into the main shops to show us where the cafes were. Very polite and very helpful. Aussies take note!!!
We are spending a lot of time with Miyuki and Aki (Mugan Life Team) and as their English is minimal and our Japanese is the same, we have lots of fun and a little bit of frustration trying to communicate. Miyuki is staying with us in the ‘music room’ and Aki has a little one bedroom unit in the same block as us but they spend most of the time in our living room on the computers. There are 4 of them going all at the same time…………a hive of activity!!! I have to put my foot down and send them to bed as they stay up till past 1 am most nights working. Can’t believe how late the Japanese work here. Still making phone calls at 11pm. We had a business meeting with some wonderful guys ‘Jin & Yuminaka’ and we met them at 10pm for dinner!!! (See photo)The trains are still full at midnight!!!! “GO TO BED!!!!”
We have taught the girls to swear!!! Brian even wrote a phrase (which will not be repeated here) in Katakana so they could get the pronunciation exactly right!!! “F##KING AWESOME, MATE! (whoops!) It’s a Kak just listening to them practicing – breaks us up!!! They are so sweet looking too it just doesn’t seem right! Trust me to get them into mischief!!
Anyway stay on the edge of your seat the next instalment is on the drawing board……………………..”MARTINSSSSSSSSSSSSSS INNNNNNNNNNN JAPANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!”
Monday, 30 June 2008
Sunday, 29 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 14)
Chapter – 14 - Friday 27th June 2008
We were off on another ‘adventure’ today on the other side of Osaka to visit
‘Kimiko’ a friend of ours whom we have met several times in Australia and Japan in the past. Kimiko, very kindly, offered to be the drop off point for 3 ‘boxes of stuff’ that we posted before leaving Australia, mainly filled with ‘gifts’!
Japan has a gift giving custom that is prolific. You give everyone gifts all the time it seems. Well not quite, but it is the custom to bring a gift if you are meeting someone for the first time or as a thank you. ‘Local area’ gifts are considered the best as they represent the place that you come from and many Japanese exchange cakes or delicacies common to their region. So we have come armed with lots and lots of local ‘Noosa’ & ‘Aussie’ goodies. But I have been waiting for the boxes to arrive for ages (2 of them went missing and lots of phone calls back and forth eventually found them!! Thank you to our wonderful Fiona who is holding the fort at home.)
We had to navigate the ‘world wide web’ train system to get to Kimiko’s place and mobile phone/information booth/’you are here’ boards and crossed fingers, found us eventually on the right train. We did jump on one train and just at the very very last minute discovered we were heading for Kyoto!!!
Very nice place (one of the oldest preserved cities in Japan) but “Not today please!”
Kimiko was there to meet us in her car with her sister and very shy daughter. They took us to a fantastic local restaurant decorated in ‘traditional’ style (see photos). We ordered udon noodles and tempura (veges and prawns lightly battered and deep fried – very nice not like ‘normal fried food’.) Brian ordered the ‘Home Run’ dish and it was HUGE!!! He managed to eat it all though. Why are we not surprised! Kimiko took us back to her house. This is a great honour as most Japanese meet at cafes or away from their homes. So we felt very special to be invited. Kimiko had lots of different cakes and sweets on offer as well as several different kinds of drink. Oolong Tea is served cold as is traditional Japanese tea (both smoky in flavour – I prefer the Japanese Tea) Also hot tea and variations of the above. The sweets are very interesting looking. Bamboo leaves wrapped around ‘gluten’ – green in colour from the mugwort, would you believe and in the middle ‘sweet red bean paste’. Very very sticky – Note: “Don’t eat the bamboo leaves – very tough and for wrapping only!” Another variation is a green globby ball which is made out of ground rice. Then there is the pale green rice balls wrapped in maple leaves (Note: Maple leaves are OK to eat!)
Bamboo leaves………no eat……….maple leaves………eat………bamboo leaves…….no eat………….maple leaves……….eat! OK I think I have got it!!
We had brought our empty suit cases and back packs to fill up with all the goodies out of the boxes. Much easier to navigate home with wheels than carrying boxes. It was like Christmas with me unwrapping all the things I had packed weeks before and I was very pleased to have all the gifts as we had been meeting lots of new people and were ‘gift less’ so I have been happily dishing out the ‘kangaroo key rings’, Kitschy, but they love them.
On our way back we got to talking to these wonderful ‘older’ ladies in their Kimonos going home from somewhere special. We stood in line for the train with them and also on the ride back home. One of the ladies handed us her fan which was tucked into her ‘Obe’, that is the wide banded belt that goes around the waist of the Kimono. We were very touched as it is very beautiful with see through butterflies and golden wooden fanny bits. She then apologised that it was not ‘new’!!! We said we preferred that it was not as it had her ‘energy’ on it. Then another lady gave us a pretty cloth cover for it!!!
They were so generous and humble. I was so happy that I had ‘gifts’ and rummaged around in the suit case and found our ‘trusty clip on koalas’ they loved them and they all looked very fetching in their soft coloured, elegant Kimonos with their iridescent clip on koalas carrying aussie flags!!! A wonderful cultural fashion fusion!!! Tasteful very tasteful – good on ya Nols! Trust you to create a whole new fashion look!!!
The Gods have been working overtime with the blessings as we have had lots of ‘spooky synchronistic’ events happening!! Always nice confirmation that we are ‘in the flow’! We were getting on the train…………”Yea I know……..again”!!
And were just about to go on the escalator with that nice ’voice’ lady that talks to us but decided on the lift at the last minute (another nice ‘voice’ lady there too!) A girl jumped on at the last minute with us and just happened to be Australian!!! Kim! So we walked to the train together and sat and got talking and as stories go she is a singer too and lives in Sydney but used to live on the North Coast and sang with ‘Isabella A Cappella’. “Have you heard of the choir, Brian”!!! Well……………..just so happens that Brian sang with that choir for many years and Isabella was his mentor. Also seems that Kim is good friends with the ‘Best Man’ at our wedding, Simon!!! OH MY GOD!!! (I say that a lot!) What an amazingly small world it really is………..just don’t fart sideways cos someone will find out even across the other side of the world!!!
Well gotta go to bed…………….these Japanese working hours are crazy!!! Its midnight and here I am still on the computer!!!
So there closes another episode of “Martinssssssssssss Innnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn”!
We were off on another ‘adventure’ today on the other side of Osaka to visit
‘Kimiko’ a friend of ours whom we have met several times in Australia and Japan in the past. Kimiko, very kindly, offered to be the drop off point for 3 ‘boxes of stuff’ that we posted before leaving Australia, mainly filled with ‘gifts’!
Japan has a gift giving custom that is prolific. You give everyone gifts all the time it seems. Well not quite, but it is the custom to bring a gift if you are meeting someone for the first time or as a thank you. ‘Local area’ gifts are considered the best as they represent the place that you come from and many Japanese exchange cakes or delicacies common to their region. So we have come armed with lots and lots of local ‘Noosa’ & ‘Aussie’ goodies. But I have been waiting for the boxes to arrive for ages (2 of them went missing and lots of phone calls back and forth eventually found them!! Thank you to our wonderful Fiona who is holding the fort at home.)
We had to navigate the ‘world wide web’ train system to get to Kimiko’s place and mobile phone/information booth/’you are here’ boards and crossed fingers, found us eventually on the right train. We did jump on one train and just at the very very last minute discovered we were heading for Kyoto!!!
Very nice place (one of the oldest preserved cities in Japan) but “Not today please!”
Kimiko was there to meet us in her car with her sister and very shy daughter. They took us to a fantastic local restaurant decorated in ‘traditional’ style (see photos). We ordered udon noodles and tempura (veges and prawns lightly battered and deep fried – very nice not like ‘normal fried food’.) Brian ordered the ‘Home Run’ dish and it was HUGE!!! He managed to eat it all though. Why are we not surprised! Kimiko took us back to her house. This is a great honour as most Japanese meet at cafes or away from their homes. So we felt very special to be invited. Kimiko had lots of different cakes and sweets on offer as well as several different kinds of drink. Oolong Tea is served cold as is traditional Japanese tea (both smoky in flavour – I prefer the Japanese Tea) Also hot tea and variations of the above. The sweets are very interesting looking. Bamboo leaves wrapped around ‘gluten’ – green in colour from the mugwort, would you believe and in the middle ‘sweet red bean paste’. Very very sticky – Note: “Don’t eat the bamboo leaves – very tough and for wrapping only!” Another variation is a green globby ball which is made out of ground rice. Then there is the pale green rice balls wrapped in maple leaves (Note: Maple leaves are OK to eat!)
Bamboo leaves………no eat……….maple leaves………eat………bamboo leaves…….no eat………….maple leaves……….eat! OK I think I have got it!!
We had brought our empty suit cases and back packs to fill up with all the goodies out of the boxes. Much easier to navigate home with wheels than carrying boxes. It was like Christmas with me unwrapping all the things I had packed weeks before and I was very pleased to have all the gifts as we had been meeting lots of new people and were ‘gift less’ so I have been happily dishing out the ‘kangaroo key rings’, Kitschy, but they love them.
On our way back we got to talking to these wonderful ‘older’ ladies in their Kimonos going home from somewhere special. We stood in line for the train with them and also on the ride back home. One of the ladies handed us her fan which was tucked into her ‘Obe’, that is the wide banded belt that goes around the waist of the Kimono. We were very touched as it is very beautiful with see through butterflies and golden wooden fanny bits. She then apologised that it was not ‘new’!!! We said we preferred that it was not as it had her ‘energy’ on it. Then another lady gave us a pretty cloth cover for it!!!
They were so generous and humble. I was so happy that I had ‘gifts’ and rummaged around in the suit case and found our ‘trusty clip on koalas’ they loved them and they all looked very fetching in their soft coloured, elegant Kimonos with their iridescent clip on koalas carrying aussie flags!!! A wonderful cultural fashion fusion!!! Tasteful very tasteful – good on ya Nols! Trust you to create a whole new fashion look!!!
The Gods have been working overtime with the blessings as we have had lots of ‘spooky synchronistic’ events happening!! Always nice confirmation that we are ‘in the flow’! We were getting on the train…………”Yea I know……..again”!!
And were just about to go on the escalator with that nice ’voice’ lady that talks to us but decided on the lift at the last minute (another nice ‘voice’ lady there too!) A girl jumped on at the last minute with us and just happened to be Australian!!! Kim! So we walked to the train together and sat and got talking and as stories go she is a singer too and lives in Sydney but used to live on the North Coast and sang with ‘Isabella A Cappella’. “Have you heard of the choir, Brian”!!! Well……………..just so happens that Brian sang with that choir for many years and Isabella was his mentor. Also seems that Kim is good friends with the ‘Best Man’ at our wedding, Simon!!! OH MY GOD!!! (I say that a lot!) What an amazingly small world it really is………..just don’t fart sideways cos someone will find out even across the other side of the world!!!
Well gotta go to bed…………….these Japanese working hours are crazy!!! Its midnight and here I am still on the computer!!!
So there closes another episode of “Martinssssssssssss Innnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn”!
Saturday, 28 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 13)
Chapter – 13 Thursday 26th June 2008
Today was another eventful day.
We decided to venture out to our local ‘mountain’ yea the big one at the back you know the one!!!! The easiest way to get up there is by the ‘Shin Kobe Ropeway.(see photos) People do walk however but we couldn’t cos we didn’t have the right ‘outfit’. That’s right! Jack told us that the Japanese are very serious about looking the part for whatever they endeavour to do (remember the uniforms) well there is one for ‘hiking’ which is what you do seriously if you are going up the mountain by foot. It’s a long bloody way up mate! I saw proof with a group of middle aged ‘hikers’ with their hiking boots, hiking leggings, hiking vests, hiking hats, hiking staffs (yep you gotta have the proper ones from the ‘Hiking shop’!!! no sticks off the tree for this lot I can tell you!) They looked every bit the part and they didn’t looked puffed out either! Very fit people here too……….no fatties aloud (in fact if your waist measures over a certain amount here, once you are over 50, the government threatens to take your ‘benefits’ off you and you have to go on a fitness program-compulsory!!!!)
So as we did not have our ‘gear’ we had to take the ropeway (cable-car.) “What a shame. I was so looking forward to that really really really long walk up up up the high mountain!” Oh well maybe next lifetime! The views were spectacular. Looking out over the city that hugs the mountains out to the harbour. Just beautiful and right on our doorstep. There is a dam and waterfalls, beautiful Japanese buildings and a Kobe Nunobiki Herb Park. Very very pretty and you can walk from the Chalet (you could be in Switzerland) down through the glass house (see photo) and along pathways and water features, gardens and parks to the cable car (halfway connection tower). Then on you hop and down you go. You can buy a return ticket (which we did – remember no ‘gear’) or one way and walk back down (only with the right gear but!) or you can just walk all the way up and all way back (and have your head read in my opinion!!) Horses for courses I suppose but not for this little black duck!!
We had a meeting in the afternoon at ‘Café Freundlieb’ a German tea-house in a renovated church!!! It is just up the road from our house and we had organised to meet Mayumi and one of her fellow singers. (I discovered by accident a wonderful 6 piece A Capella group singing at the Crown Plaza early last week.) They sing the most wonderful arrangements of Amazing Grace and Jazz standards as well as sound scapes and the bass sings ‘true bass’ like a man – the most amazing range I have ever heard. Brian was in Osaka on that day so had not heard them sing……….even though I was trying to ring him and record them on the ‘Japanese mobile phone’ with little success. So today we met up with them to talk about how we can all work together. We attended their rehearsal (just around the corner from our place) and Brian was ‘blown away’ by their talent and style and really was excited about spending time working with them. We bought their Cd and have been enjoying their music at home.
We also have received an email from an organisation in Kyoto (1 hour by train from us.) who wants us to do some workshops with them. So the word is spreading and we really feel that our visits to the 2 Shrines has been very beneficial. Blessings blessing many blessings. I have bought a lovely ‘Japanese blue thing’ and put it in our entrance and light incense in it every morning and bow and talk to the Gods and ask to keep the blessings coming. It must be working!!! “Thanks Gods keep them blessings coming!” I have also bought slippers for inside as you have to take your shoes off at the front entrance. In most places this is the custom. (see photo) So we are very very authentic now. Tonight we went to another of our local restaurants ‘La la la” nice food and very snazzy décor with down lights that make circles on the walkway and cubic patterned leadlight screens at the front. The loo’s walkway has round stone ‘stepping stones’ surrounded by polished black pebbles. (I wanted to go to the loo even though I didn’t need to ‘go to the loo’ just so I could step on the stones.)
They have a ‘all bells and whistles’ loo like ours at home. Lots of places do, very fancy!!!
Speaking of loos (had heaps of feedback from you all with regard to my last description of our loo so here is some more information – very important if you are a visitor.) It’s the ‘squat and drops’! “What is that?” You ask! Well they are traditional style loos that have been ‘modernised’ so pretty much tear shaped porcelain holes at ground level with flushers that you have to squat frontwards over (for the girls only!) don’t know what the boys do haven’t been in their loos to see. (note: “Ask Brian?”) The problem is that some are cleaner than others (depends if you are in a building –like our venue for workshops (clean) or ‘the stations’ (not so clean). Some places have maybe one ‘western style’ loo but a lot do not. So I have learned to balance on one foot and carefully remove my shoe while I delicately lift anything that may accidentally ‘dangle’ in places that are ‘dangerous’ and at the same time concentrate and ‘aim straight’………….not so easy boys I can tell you!!!!
Well I think I have given you a ‘picture’. (note to our Aussie visitors – wear skirts – pants are harder to delicately dangle!!)
Well on that note I will close this chapter and make you wait with baited breath for another tantalizing episode of “Martinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnns Innnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnnnnnnnn!”
Today was another eventful day.
We decided to venture out to our local ‘mountain’ yea the big one at the back you know the one!!!! The easiest way to get up there is by the ‘Shin Kobe Ropeway.(see photos) People do walk however but we couldn’t cos we didn’t have the right ‘outfit’. That’s right! Jack told us that the Japanese are very serious about looking the part for whatever they endeavour to do (remember the uniforms) well there is one for ‘hiking’ which is what you do seriously if you are going up the mountain by foot. It’s a long bloody way up mate! I saw proof with a group of middle aged ‘hikers’ with their hiking boots, hiking leggings, hiking vests, hiking hats, hiking staffs (yep you gotta have the proper ones from the ‘Hiking shop’!!! no sticks off the tree for this lot I can tell you!) They looked every bit the part and they didn’t looked puffed out either! Very fit people here too……….no fatties aloud (in fact if your waist measures over a certain amount here, once you are over 50, the government threatens to take your ‘benefits’ off you and you have to go on a fitness program-compulsory!!!!)
So as we did not have our ‘gear’ we had to take the ropeway (cable-car.) “What a shame. I was so looking forward to that really really really long walk up up up the high mountain!” Oh well maybe next lifetime! The views were spectacular. Looking out over the city that hugs the mountains out to the harbour. Just beautiful and right on our doorstep. There is a dam and waterfalls, beautiful Japanese buildings and a Kobe Nunobiki Herb Park. Very very pretty and you can walk from the Chalet (you could be in Switzerland) down through the glass house (see photo) and along pathways and water features, gardens and parks to the cable car (halfway connection tower). Then on you hop and down you go. You can buy a return ticket (which we did – remember no ‘gear’) or one way and walk back down (only with the right gear but!) or you can just walk all the way up and all way back (and have your head read in my opinion!!) Horses for courses I suppose but not for this little black duck!!
We had a meeting in the afternoon at ‘Café Freundlieb’ a German tea-house in a renovated church!!! It is just up the road from our house and we had organised to meet Mayumi and one of her fellow singers. (I discovered by accident a wonderful 6 piece A Capella group singing at the Crown Plaza early last week.) They sing the most wonderful arrangements of Amazing Grace and Jazz standards as well as sound scapes and the bass sings ‘true bass’ like a man – the most amazing range I have ever heard. Brian was in Osaka on that day so had not heard them sing……….even though I was trying to ring him and record them on the ‘Japanese mobile phone’ with little success. So today we met up with them to talk about how we can all work together. We attended their rehearsal (just around the corner from our place) and Brian was ‘blown away’ by their talent and style and really was excited about spending time working with them. We bought their Cd and have been enjoying their music at home.
We also have received an email from an organisation in Kyoto (1 hour by train from us.) who wants us to do some workshops with them. So the word is spreading and we really feel that our visits to the 2 Shrines has been very beneficial. Blessings blessing many blessings. I have bought a lovely ‘Japanese blue thing’ and put it in our entrance and light incense in it every morning and bow and talk to the Gods and ask to keep the blessings coming. It must be working!!! “Thanks Gods keep them blessings coming!” I have also bought slippers for inside as you have to take your shoes off at the front entrance. In most places this is the custom. (see photo) So we are very very authentic now. Tonight we went to another of our local restaurants ‘La la la” nice food and very snazzy décor with down lights that make circles on the walkway and cubic patterned leadlight screens at the front. The loo’s walkway has round stone ‘stepping stones’ surrounded by polished black pebbles. (I wanted to go to the loo even though I didn’t need to ‘go to the loo’ just so I could step on the stones.)
They have a ‘all bells and whistles’ loo like ours at home. Lots of places do, very fancy!!!
Speaking of loos (had heaps of feedback from you all with regard to my last description of our loo so here is some more information – very important if you are a visitor.) It’s the ‘squat and drops’! “What is that?” You ask! Well they are traditional style loos that have been ‘modernised’ so pretty much tear shaped porcelain holes at ground level with flushers that you have to squat frontwards over (for the girls only!) don’t know what the boys do haven’t been in their loos to see. (note: “Ask Brian?”) The problem is that some are cleaner than others (depends if you are in a building –like our venue for workshops (clean) or ‘the stations’ (not so clean). Some places have maybe one ‘western style’ loo but a lot do not. So I have learned to balance on one foot and carefully remove my shoe while I delicately lift anything that may accidentally ‘dangle’ in places that are ‘dangerous’ and at the same time concentrate and ‘aim straight’………….not so easy boys I can tell you!!!!
Well I think I have given you a ‘picture’. (note to our Aussie visitors – wear skirts – pants are harder to delicately dangle!!)
Well on that note I will close this chapter and make you wait with baited breath for another tantalizing episode of “Martinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnns Innnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnnnnnnnn!”
Thursday, 26 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 12)
Chapter 12 - Wednesday 25th June 2008
Today we went to a café close to our place which looks like a whole forest has been chopped down to build it! No, seriously! All the tables are big and I mean big slabs of wood. The round tables are whole trees and seat 10 people (at least). The walls are all lined with wood and the beams are huge trunks. So of course all the food is BIG. We ordered an iced coffee each and a coffee jelly to share, lucky as when they arrived we just laughed in disbelief. The coffees came in 1 pint tankards like German beer and the coffee jelly was in a bowl the size of a salad bowl covered in cream with maple syrup on the side!!! The people next to us had the same situation. Her ‘fruit smoothie’ was served in a bowl like a gold fish bowl and as big and he had a lemon drink that came in a long tall jug rather than a glass as well as an ice-cream sundae that was over a foot tall with an ice-cream clown on top with a cone for a hat and cherries for eyes.
We were all laughing and wondered at how we were going to put all this stuff inside of us! (We couldn’t finish our food.) but the price was really really good and we saw that if you order a drink you get breakfast free!!! Toast and jam with an egg!!! We will try that next time. They were lovely people and were both primary school teachers and their English was passable they helped Brian with his ‘Kanji’ (One of the three Japanese alphabets that he is learning) it is also the hardest. Trust Brian to take on not just one but three!
Brian has been doing a lot of editing on the ‘Listen’ album and it is sounding wonderful. It is getting closer and closer and will be produced over here and all you wonderfully patience people in Aussie land will get them first and signed as promised! Thanks for hanging in there. By the way- you can hear a sample of 'My Heart Listen's', on the website - just click the link at the bottom of the homepage (just above the blog link!) Happy listening. Well done to Brian (of course) Lea (backing vocals) Rick Halstead(sax)Brett Young (guitar).You guys rock!!!
I went shopping at the supermarket today. There are so many different things on the shelves that I walk down the aisles with my eyes bugging out.
Most of the stuff I can maybe guess what it is but a lot of stuff I just have no idea. Baby eels in slime, tiny dried fish, dried fungus and other wonderful things. So I buy what I can recognise and then I buy some stuff that I don’t, got to experiment! I found a little display on one of the shelves with the most adorable miniature miniature food and cutlery and plates and stuff. You buy the sets in little boxes and on the back is what might be inside (it’s a lucky dip.) I was standing there ohing and awing with this little 3 year old boy. We were both in awe. (I bought 5 boxes!) Couldn’t wait to get home and open up my ‘special surprises’. (you get a piece of chewy too! Bonus!) I got an Italian meal (it has a little bottle of beer and tiny knife and fork and even a tiny receipt in a holder!) see photo sorry its a bit blurry. I scored in one of the boxes ‘A day at the fair’ with pop corn and toffee apple (so tiny made for fairies). I’m such a big kid. I have set them up on a counter near the kitchen so I can look at them all the time. I am hopeing that the fairies will come to our place to have a meal. Well there is Italian, Japanese and desert!! I may share them with the nieces and nephews if they are lucky but its going to be really hard to part with them!
Tonight is 'Cooking at home' night and I am experimenting with some of the interesting "I’m not sure what it is?" Ingredients, more lucky dip? I am blessed with a husband who will eat just about anything and in lightning fast time so if I’m lucky he won’t notice the octopus testicles! (Do they have balls?) Well you never know what you are going to get in “Noelines Japanese Kitchen!”
Cheers and stayed tuned for another ripping episode of “Martinnnnnnnnnnnns Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!”
Today we went to a café close to our place which looks like a whole forest has been chopped down to build it! No, seriously! All the tables are big and I mean big slabs of wood. The round tables are whole trees and seat 10 people (at least). The walls are all lined with wood and the beams are huge trunks. So of course all the food is BIG. We ordered an iced coffee each and a coffee jelly to share, lucky as when they arrived we just laughed in disbelief. The coffees came in 1 pint tankards like German beer and the coffee jelly was in a bowl the size of a salad bowl covered in cream with maple syrup on the side!!! The people next to us had the same situation. Her ‘fruit smoothie’ was served in a bowl like a gold fish bowl and as big and he had a lemon drink that came in a long tall jug rather than a glass as well as an ice-cream sundae that was over a foot tall with an ice-cream clown on top with a cone for a hat and cherries for eyes.
We were all laughing and wondered at how we were going to put all this stuff inside of us! (We couldn’t finish our food.) but the price was really really good and we saw that if you order a drink you get breakfast free!!! Toast and jam with an egg!!! We will try that next time. They were lovely people and were both primary school teachers and their English was passable they helped Brian with his ‘Kanji’ (One of the three Japanese alphabets that he is learning) it is also the hardest. Trust Brian to take on not just one but three!
Brian has been doing a lot of editing on the ‘Listen’ album and it is sounding wonderful. It is getting closer and closer and will be produced over here and all you wonderfully patience people in Aussie land will get them first and signed as promised! Thanks for hanging in there. By the way- you can hear a sample of 'My Heart Listen's', on the website - just click the link at the bottom of the homepage (just above the blog link!) Happy listening. Well done to Brian (of course) Lea (backing vocals) Rick Halstead(sax)Brett Young (guitar).You guys rock!!!
I went shopping at the supermarket today. There are so many different things on the shelves that I walk down the aisles with my eyes bugging out.
Most of the stuff I can maybe guess what it is but a lot of stuff I just have no idea. Baby eels in slime, tiny dried fish, dried fungus and other wonderful things. So I buy what I can recognise and then I buy some stuff that I don’t, got to experiment! I found a little display on one of the shelves with the most adorable miniature miniature food and cutlery and plates and stuff. You buy the sets in little boxes and on the back is what might be inside (it’s a lucky dip.) I was standing there ohing and awing with this little 3 year old boy. We were both in awe. (I bought 5 boxes!) Couldn’t wait to get home and open up my ‘special surprises’. (you get a piece of chewy too! Bonus!) I got an Italian meal (it has a little bottle of beer and tiny knife and fork and even a tiny receipt in a holder!) see photo sorry its a bit blurry. I scored in one of the boxes ‘A day at the fair’ with pop corn and toffee apple (so tiny made for fairies). I’m such a big kid. I have set them up on a counter near the kitchen so I can look at them all the time. I am hopeing that the fairies will come to our place to have a meal. Well there is Italian, Japanese and desert!! I may share them with the nieces and nephews if they are lucky but its going to be really hard to part with them!
Tonight is 'Cooking at home' night and I am experimenting with some of the interesting "I’m not sure what it is?" Ingredients, more lucky dip? I am blessed with a husband who will eat just about anything and in lightning fast time so if I’m lucky he won’t notice the octopus testicles! (Do they have balls?) Well you never know what you are going to get in “Noelines Japanese Kitchen!”
Cheers and stayed tuned for another ripping episode of “Martinnnnnnnnnnnns Innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!”
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 11)
Chapter 11 - Tuesday 25th June 2008
Today it was our trip to the Nagata Shrine for Ebusi-Shin the God of Business and prosperity.(see photo). We got ourselves to Nagata via the subway and did a pretty good job of navigating our way through the labyrinth of Japanese subway/train lines. There are sub stations within sub stations and different companies run different lines. There are machines that give you your ticket and luckily with some of the machines you can push an ‘English’ button and it all converts to our language (just a little easier to understand!!). You can buy ‘credit’ and feed your ‘card’ through the gates.
You put it in one end and it gets sucked out the other and tells you how much credit you have left. Some lines have a hard plastic credit card that you pay a deposit on (so you don’t chuck it out) and you can top it up. Other lines sell you a floppy card that is disposable.
Now which rubbish bin do I put that in?
Burnable paper or metal and foil???? Oh dear just trying to figure out the rubbish etiquette is getting to me and Brian has given up I think and looks at me with that ? face. Which bin dear?”
The trains run regularly and on time! Yay! So if you miss one it’s not long till the next one and they are very very clean. Come to think of it you don’t really see any rubbish around anywhere other than on collection days. If you are lucky enough to know which kind of rubbish day it is!!!!
At the moment it is ‘big rubbish’ day. That happens once every 2 months and there is anything from tables and chairs to clothes and bric-a-brac a bit like our kerbside council pick up. You only see the street people (and there are not many of them) picking through it. They score pretty well I think as the Japanese seem to like ‘new’ cos the stuff I saw on the piles looked pretty darn good! Bit like an op shop on the street and it’s for free!!
Now where was I…………….???? Oh yes, the Nagata Shrine. Very beautiful and the district of Nagata seemed more ‘local’ like little shops and the buildings not so big. Cheaper veges and some shoes that were only $20. Shoes are very expensive in Japan and they don’t have my size. (I’m only a size 8 but that’s like ‘big foot’ here.) Did I mention that the women are like little sparrows and have feet to match also no thighs; a pair of pants doesn’t go past my knees let alone get over my leg. So if you are bigger than a size 10 you are very limited to what you can buy unless you go for the baggy look!
Linen is popular with the older ladies and cool in this climate too. Looks like ‘baggy linen’ for me! I don’t iron so it will have to be ‘baggy, crinkly linen’ – nice look Nols!
Now where was I again……………..????? Oh yes, the Nagata Shrine. Hang on we are getting there! Yes…………very beautiful and lovely wide open grounds surrounding the main shrine and lots of little ones for the 7 other gods.
We did the rounds and rang the bells. Oh yea………….now the deal is that you have to make a donation (gift) to the gods so that they help you out (or no blessings for you buster) and there is a special ritual that you do. First you go to the water fountain (which is out the front of every temple) and drink and wash your hands.
Then you bow before entering the gates (the big archway things that look Japanese (funny bout that!) – you know the kind you see in all the pictures.) Then you stop by the shop and purchase either a pray book thingy which has the prays that you want already in them, like prosperity or good health or good luck or no senility (I need that one.) Or a wooden plaque that you can write your pray on or several other versions of same. You then go up to the stairs to the front entrance. Throw your money offering into the big box container, Bow, clap 3 times, ring the bell (which is at the top of a big thick rope and looks like an over grown cow bell and sounds just as tinny (not like a pretty chapel bell),
Then you say your prays (whatever they are) and when your done you clap 3 times again and bow again. You do the rounds of all the other little shrines which surround the main shrine and do the same thing (these are the ‘support team’) not all of them have bells though. Lots of clapping and ringing and bowing going on around these places. If you did it anywhere else they would put you away! Then on exiting you bow at the entrance arch and your done. You got your blessings!! Yay!!
How did we know to do this? Watching the locals!! You think that they would have an instruction book just so we don’t look like dickheads! Now there is an opportunity for a bright young thing! ‘Noeline’ famous for her ‘Temple etiquette for ‘Gaijin’ (that’s an impolite way of describing everyone who is not Japanese).
Well another successful ‘Shrine day, we feel adequately blessed and grounded and now can be considered as acquainted with our hosts. Dually noted and in the record books of the gods. Blessing, blessings many many blessings.
Sending many blessing to all of you (we can cos we have heaps to spare.)
Stay tuned for the next thrilling episode of “Martins In Japan”.
(Remember the Muppets and ‘Pigs In Space’???) every time you read it you gotta say it like the Muppets. OK?! Ready
“Martinsssssssssss Innnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnn” with that big booming voice and you gotta look up in the air like Miss Piggy used to do looking for the voice. It gives you a better effect then! Good!
Today it was our trip to the Nagata Shrine for Ebusi-Shin the God of Business and prosperity.(see photo). We got ourselves to Nagata via the subway and did a pretty good job of navigating our way through the labyrinth of Japanese subway/train lines. There are sub stations within sub stations and different companies run different lines. There are machines that give you your ticket and luckily with some of the machines you can push an ‘English’ button and it all converts to our language (just a little easier to understand!!). You can buy ‘credit’ and feed your ‘card’ through the gates.
You put it in one end and it gets sucked out the other and tells you how much credit you have left. Some lines have a hard plastic credit card that you pay a deposit on (so you don’t chuck it out) and you can top it up. Other lines sell you a floppy card that is disposable.
Now which rubbish bin do I put that in?
Burnable paper or metal and foil???? Oh dear just trying to figure out the rubbish etiquette is getting to me and Brian has given up I think and looks at me with that ? face. Which bin dear?”
The trains run regularly and on time! Yay! So if you miss one it’s not long till the next one and they are very very clean. Come to think of it you don’t really see any rubbish around anywhere other than on collection days. If you are lucky enough to know which kind of rubbish day it is!!!!
At the moment it is ‘big rubbish’ day. That happens once every 2 months and there is anything from tables and chairs to clothes and bric-a-brac a bit like our kerbside council pick up. You only see the street people (and there are not many of them) picking through it. They score pretty well I think as the Japanese seem to like ‘new’ cos the stuff I saw on the piles looked pretty darn good! Bit like an op shop on the street and it’s for free!!
Now where was I…………….???? Oh yes, the Nagata Shrine. Very beautiful and the district of Nagata seemed more ‘local’ like little shops and the buildings not so big. Cheaper veges and some shoes that were only $20. Shoes are very expensive in Japan and they don’t have my size. (I’m only a size 8 but that’s like ‘big foot’ here.) Did I mention that the women are like little sparrows and have feet to match also no thighs; a pair of pants doesn’t go past my knees let alone get over my leg. So if you are bigger than a size 10 you are very limited to what you can buy unless you go for the baggy look!
Linen is popular with the older ladies and cool in this climate too. Looks like ‘baggy linen’ for me! I don’t iron so it will have to be ‘baggy, crinkly linen’ – nice look Nols!
Now where was I again……………..????? Oh yes, the Nagata Shrine. Hang on we are getting there! Yes…………very beautiful and lovely wide open grounds surrounding the main shrine and lots of little ones for the 7 other gods.
We did the rounds and rang the bells. Oh yea………….now the deal is that you have to make a donation (gift) to the gods so that they help you out (or no blessings for you buster) and there is a special ritual that you do. First you go to the water fountain (which is out the front of every temple) and drink and wash your hands.
Then you bow before entering the gates (the big archway things that look Japanese (funny bout that!) – you know the kind you see in all the pictures.) Then you stop by the shop and purchase either a pray book thingy which has the prays that you want already in them, like prosperity or good health or good luck or no senility (I need that one.) Or a wooden plaque that you can write your pray on or several other versions of same. You then go up to the stairs to the front entrance. Throw your money offering into the big box container, Bow, clap 3 times, ring the bell (which is at the top of a big thick rope and looks like an over grown cow bell and sounds just as tinny (not like a pretty chapel bell),
Then you say your prays (whatever they are) and when your done you clap 3 times again and bow again. You do the rounds of all the other little shrines which surround the main shrine and do the same thing (these are the ‘support team’) not all of them have bells though. Lots of clapping and ringing and bowing going on around these places. If you did it anywhere else they would put you away! Then on exiting you bow at the entrance arch and your done. You got your blessings!! Yay!!
How did we know to do this? Watching the locals!! You think that they would have an instruction book just so we don’t look like dickheads! Now there is an opportunity for a bright young thing! ‘Noeline’ famous for her ‘Temple etiquette for ‘Gaijin’ (that’s an impolite way of describing everyone who is not Japanese).
Well another successful ‘Shrine day, we feel adequately blessed and grounded and now can be considered as acquainted with our hosts. Dually noted and in the record books of the gods. Blessing, blessings many many blessings.
Sending many blessing to all of you (we can cos we have heaps to spare.)
Stay tuned for the next thrilling episode of “Martins In Japan”.
(Remember the Muppets and ‘Pigs In Space’???) every time you read it you gotta say it like the Muppets. OK?! Ready
“Martinsssssssssss Innnnnnnnnn Japannnnnnnnn” with that big booming voice and you gotta look up in the air like Miss Piggy used to do looking for the voice. It gives you a better effect then! Good!
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 10)
Chapter 10 Monday 23rd June 2008
Today was a special day as we planned to go on a pilgrimage to the Ikuta Shrine (see photo) which houses the god that protects the city of Kobe and has many devotees. It dates back as far as the 700s AD. Yep really really old!
It is very important to introduce yourself to the guardian of the land in which you are a visitor so they can let the other gods know that you are here. You wanna as much help as you can get.
We decided to walk along the line of the mountain (see terrace photo) just along our street. We live in such a pretty part of Kobe. The further down the street we went the prettier it got with lots of little shops and exclusive wedding boutiques. There are lots of little chapels around (see photo) to cater for the ‘western style’ weddings which is what Jack does (as mentioned in earlier blogs). It is a very popular place as it is so pretty.
We wandered down the hill away from the mountains toward the Shrine and passed a line of teenagers waiting to go into a night club of some sort even though it was the afternoon. They were dressed in all sorts of garb from platform shoes and shorts with those funny long socks to ‘Baby Doll’ (see photo). I will endeavour to get more ‘fashion’ photos but most of the time people are moving fast and are hard to catch. But I am on task you can count on me to capture the fashion ‘essence’ of Japan!!!
(See attached photo ‘Male Fashion’ – a MUST for Brian don’t you think?)
The Ikuta Shrine (see photo) is surrounded by tall buildings, shops and by crazy city life yet is a wonderful peaceful oasis . There are old old trees and there is the Ikuta Wood at the rear rich in greenery which is popular with the locals to ‘get away and get back to nature’. The energy of the place was very tangible and Brian and I both experienced a feeling of ‘coming home’ and were drawn very strongly to the oldest section of the grounds. We were very moved by the whole place and are grateful to Yusan for advising us to visit this Shrine to ground us here in Japan. We will visit the Nagata Shrine tomorrow (which has over 1800 years of history and is the home of the guardian of business and prosperity and good fortune.) There are also ‘The seven Gods of Good Fortune’ represented there who are a group of gods from India, China and Japan. So we will defiantly be visiting there to get all their blessings!! Bring on the blessings!!!
We were drawn to the harbour and walked through more shopping streets and wonderful buildings (the architecture here is so diverse and modern – only 10 years old due to the earthquake destroying so much of Kobe proper.)
The Kobe harbour area is wonderful lots of space-age buildings.(see photos) We visited the Memorial to the earthquake victims, very moving but also inspiring watching footage of the re-building. We wandered around getting the lay of the land and made our way back in the direction of home via Chinatown. Lanes full of wonderful food vendors and grocery shops, cafes and gift shops. (see photo) We had a good Chinese meal and met a cute little lady who was 90 years old (see photo) Yep, have been taking just a few photos! Chinatown is right next door to one of the ‘covered air-conditioned’ shopping streets. Only in Japan!!! We found a great T Shirt for Brian that says “I love Kobe” (like the I love NY) but in Japanese with the love heart!!! We also found some cotton kimonos (we like to wear them as robes) very authentic and we really look like locals now! But only at home cos it wouldn’t be right to wear our bath robes down the street, I don’t think.
We passed a small little shopfront with the most wonderful and amazing artwork. It was the workshop of 'Itousan'. He has the most fantastic imagination and attention to detail that we have ever seen. We were fascinated with his ‘miniature mechanical music boxes’ so intricate and magical very ‘other world like’. Hard to describe and I wondered at the odd little moon man serving a drink to the odd little sun lady and see him pour the drink and her drink it, wearing weird coloured clothing very angular but soft and etheric. He says it takes a month to make each miniature. In the photo he is standing next to a very large (by his standards) ‘village’ which took him even longer to make. He sells the miniatures for $1500 and we are determined to do well enough here in Japan to be able to buy one to take home with us. He doesn’t have a website which is a shame as we would encourage you all to go to it and support him by buying his work. He is also studying Anthropology as he wants to learn more about all cultures. He is a gentle spirit with a lovely heart and a talent to express it through painting and intricate models.
What a wonderful way to end a very long and eventful day.
Stay tuned for another fascinating episode of “Martins In Japan”
Today was a special day as we planned to go on a pilgrimage to the Ikuta Shrine (see photo) which houses the god that protects the city of Kobe and has many devotees. It dates back as far as the 700s AD. Yep really really old!
It is very important to introduce yourself to the guardian of the land in which you are a visitor so they can let the other gods know that you are here. You wanna as much help as you can get.
We decided to walk along the line of the mountain (see terrace photo) just along our street. We live in such a pretty part of Kobe. The further down the street we went the prettier it got with lots of little shops and exclusive wedding boutiques. There are lots of little chapels around (see photo) to cater for the ‘western style’ weddings which is what Jack does (as mentioned in earlier blogs). It is a very popular place as it is so pretty.
We wandered down the hill away from the mountains toward the Shrine and passed a line of teenagers waiting to go into a night club of some sort even though it was the afternoon. They were dressed in all sorts of garb from platform shoes and shorts with those funny long socks to ‘Baby Doll’ (see photo). I will endeavour to get more ‘fashion’ photos but most of the time people are moving fast and are hard to catch. But I am on task you can count on me to capture the fashion ‘essence’ of Japan!!!
(See attached photo ‘Male Fashion’ – a MUST for Brian don’t you think?)
The Ikuta Shrine (see photo) is surrounded by tall buildings, shops and by crazy city life yet is a wonderful peaceful oasis . There are old old trees and there is the Ikuta Wood at the rear rich in greenery which is popular with the locals to ‘get away and get back to nature’. The energy of the place was very tangible and Brian and I both experienced a feeling of ‘coming home’ and were drawn very strongly to the oldest section of the grounds. We were very moved by the whole place and are grateful to Yusan for advising us to visit this Shrine to ground us here in Japan. We will visit the Nagata Shrine tomorrow (which has over 1800 years of history and is the home of the guardian of business and prosperity and good fortune.) There are also ‘The seven Gods of Good Fortune’ represented there who are a group of gods from India, China and Japan. So we will defiantly be visiting there to get all their blessings!! Bring on the blessings!!!
We were drawn to the harbour and walked through more shopping streets and wonderful buildings (the architecture here is so diverse and modern – only 10 years old due to the earthquake destroying so much of Kobe proper.)
The Kobe harbour area is wonderful lots of space-age buildings.(see photos) We visited the Memorial to the earthquake victims, very moving but also inspiring watching footage of the re-building. We wandered around getting the lay of the land and made our way back in the direction of home via Chinatown. Lanes full of wonderful food vendors and grocery shops, cafes and gift shops. (see photo) We had a good Chinese meal and met a cute little lady who was 90 years old (see photo) Yep, have been taking just a few photos! Chinatown is right next door to one of the ‘covered air-conditioned’ shopping streets. Only in Japan!!! We found a great T Shirt for Brian that says “I love Kobe” (like the I love NY) but in Japanese with the love heart!!! We also found some cotton kimonos (we like to wear them as robes) very authentic and we really look like locals now! But only at home cos it wouldn’t be right to wear our bath robes down the street, I don’t think.
We passed a small little shopfront with the most wonderful and amazing artwork. It was the workshop of 'Itousan'. He has the most fantastic imagination and attention to detail that we have ever seen. We were fascinated with his ‘miniature mechanical music boxes’ so intricate and magical very ‘other world like’. Hard to describe and I wondered at the odd little moon man serving a drink to the odd little sun lady and see him pour the drink and her drink it, wearing weird coloured clothing very angular but soft and etheric. He says it takes a month to make each miniature. In the photo he is standing next to a very large (by his standards) ‘village’ which took him even longer to make. He sells the miniatures for $1500 and we are determined to do well enough here in Japan to be able to buy one to take home with us. He doesn’t have a website which is a shame as we would encourage you all to go to it and support him by buying his work. He is also studying Anthropology as he wants to learn more about all cultures. He is a gentle spirit with a lovely heart and a talent to express it through painting and intricate models.
What a wonderful way to end a very long and eventful day.
Stay tuned for another fascinating episode of “Martins In Japan”
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 9)
Chapter 9 Sunday 22nd June 2008
Our first ‘official’ working ‘Workshop’ day (though we have actually been working pretty hard all week doing admin and Brian editing and admin.)
But today was our first introduction to the Japanese singers of our ‘World Music style’ with a 3 hour Joy of Singing Workshop in Osaka. We found our own way to the venue.(We were very proud of ourselves!) A couple of different train lines and subways and a bit of a walk but we navigated (well Brian did- “I’m with him!” there on our own. Yah!!!
We got there just before the rain too (did I mention It’s the rainy season here? Yep!) We met up with Masa (who had stayed overnight at our place and had left earlier the next day to meet up with Skeeter (our interpreter who was coming from Tokyo.) It was good to meet him as it is helpful to get a feel for a person before you work with them particularly in this situation where we are teaching people. The “Mugan Life Team’ arrived and we had a pre-workshop meeting. We had a full turn up of all the people who booked even though it was really raining hard and the workshop started at 6pm.
It was such a joy to be surrounded by so many enthusiastic people all willing to step up and have a sing. We taught them ‘Bayavuya’ first and they sounded
great straight away, a really cohesive group. Several songs later and lots of clapping and laughter we ended with a whoosh (as usual) and lots of smiling happy people. The ‘team’ ended up at a really cool restaurant. It had 3 floors and a big fish tank in the middle with 2 big eels, lots of medium sized fish and one big one swimming upside down. I don’t think he was very happy! I don’t think I will order him!
We were sent downstairs and had to take our shoes off and put them in a shoe rack (another opportunity to upgrade here like the umbrellas!) then we all sat in a booth with our feet dangling in a hole so it felt like we were kneeling but we weren’t. Tricky! The waitress arrived and slid our screen aside and gave each of us a little hot towel (I like this custom a lot – depending on the ‘standard’ of the restaurant you either get a cloth hot towel wrapped in a plastic bag, they must microwave them to get them hot, or you get a wet ‘towelette’ in a little bag. It’s really nice to clean your hands and refresh before eating.) The waitress also gave us chopsticks and a nearly raw egg floating in some sort of liquid. Mmm? Wasn’t sure what to do with it so just slurped it down. Tasted great once I got past the slight sliminess. I will try anything once and have learnt not to ask what something is as you can be put off by knowing I have found and its better to taste it first and decided it you like it, then ask what it is. I had pigs intestines for breakfast in Manila once (it was tasty but a bit chewy as I recall.) I have also tried sheep’s eyes!! (didn’t like them!)
Sucker for punishment!!! Aki ordered for us all so it was lucky dip!!! Most of the dishes she ordered were great except for this bowl of green slimy stuff…………I have decided I don’t really like slimy. I gave it a go though and I didn’t like the taste either. At the end of the meal Brian and I ordered the pudding and to our great delight found it to be ‘Crème Brule’ our very best favourite desert and they did a bonzer job of it too. We had our regroup meeting during dinner and got out just in time to walk to the train station and get the very last train to Central Osaka station at 11.45pm. Whew!!! Then it was a 30 min train ride (standing) from main station to Kobe. Masa, Skeeter, Brian and I got home around 1 am. They work really really late here in Japan and the trains are still packed really late at night. We were all a bit stuffed and fell into bed. Skeeter on the couch! We have a very big apartment by Japanese standards but Masa had already claimed the spare (music) room. Lucky I had just bought new bedding and a $3 (I am a shopping genius) curtain. We are a bit short on everything though as we only have 2 cups, 2 towels, 2 sheets, etc so I have had to do the ‘Jesus fishes and loaves thing’! Have I told you that I am a genius when it comes to manifesting!!!
The boys both had to leave early next morning. Skeeter was catching the famous ‘Bullet Train’ to Tokyo. It leaves from Shin Kobe Station right next to our place!!! It costs as much as flying about $250 but only takes 3 hours instead of overnight on the bus (though the bus is a quarter of the price.)
We will probably give the bullet train a go when we travel to Tokyo for the experience alone!
Well another episode bites the dust. Stay tuned for the next instalment as we have had a very exciting day today (Monday) but it is midnight………did I mention that we ‘Japanese’ stay up working late into the wee small hours?!!!
I am off to bed. I did a big wash today and got to talk and sing to the washing/drying machine! It really does both. I can’t figure that one out!
Goodnight!
Our first ‘official’ working ‘Workshop’ day (though we have actually been working pretty hard all week doing admin and Brian editing and admin.)
But today was our first introduction to the Japanese singers of our ‘World Music style’ with a 3 hour Joy of Singing Workshop in Osaka. We found our own way to the venue.(We were very proud of ourselves!) A couple of different train lines and subways and a bit of a walk but we navigated (well Brian did- “I’m with him!” there on our own. Yah!!!
We got there just before the rain too (did I mention It’s the rainy season here? Yep!) We met up with Masa (who had stayed overnight at our place and had left earlier the next day to meet up with Skeeter (our interpreter who was coming from Tokyo.) It was good to meet him as it is helpful to get a feel for a person before you work with them particularly in this situation where we are teaching people. The “Mugan Life Team’ arrived and we had a pre-workshop meeting. We had a full turn up of all the people who booked even though it was really raining hard and the workshop started at 6pm.
It was such a joy to be surrounded by so many enthusiastic people all willing to step up and have a sing. We taught them ‘Bayavuya’ first and they sounded
great straight away, a really cohesive group. Several songs later and lots of clapping and laughter we ended with a whoosh (as usual) and lots of smiling happy people. The ‘team’ ended up at a really cool restaurant. It had 3 floors and a big fish tank in the middle with 2 big eels, lots of medium sized fish and one big one swimming upside down. I don’t think he was very happy! I don’t think I will order him!
We were sent downstairs and had to take our shoes off and put them in a shoe rack (another opportunity to upgrade here like the umbrellas!) then we all sat in a booth with our feet dangling in a hole so it felt like we were kneeling but we weren’t. Tricky! The waitress arrived and slid our screen aside and gave each of us a little hot towel (I like this custom a lot – depending on the ‘standard’ of the restaurant you either get a cloth hot towel wrapped in a plastic bag, they must microwave them to get them hot, or you get a wet ‘towelette’ in a little bag. It’s really nice to clean your hands and refresh before eating.) The waitress also gave us chopsticks and a nearly raw egg floating in some sort of liquid. Mmm? Wasn’t sure what to do with it so just slurped it down. Tasted great once I got past the slight sliminess. I will try anything once and have learnt not to ask what something is as you can be put off by knowing I have found and its better to taste it first and decided it you like it, then ask what it is. I had pigs intestines for breakfast in Manila once (it was tasty but a bit chewy as I recall.) I have also tried sheep’s eyes!! (didn’t like them!)
Sucker for punishment!!! Aki ordered for us all so it was lucky dip!!! Most of the dishes she ordered were great except for this bowl of green slimy stuff…………I have decided I don’t really like slimy. I gave it a go though and I didn’t like the taste either. At the end of the meal Brian and I ordered the pudding and to our great delight found it to be ‘Crème Brule’ our very best favourite desert and they did a bonzer job of it too. We had our regroup meeting during dinner and got out just in time to walk to the train station and get the very last train to Central Osaka station at 11.45pm. Whew!!! Then it was a 30 min train ride (standing) from main station to Kobe. Masa, Skeeter, Brian and I got home around 1 am. They work really really late here in Japan and the trains are still packed really late at night. We were all a bit stuffed and fell into bed. Skeeter on the couch! We have a very big apartment by Japanese standards but Masa had already claimed the spare (music) room. Lucky I had just bought new bedding and a $3 (I am a shopping genius) curtain. We are a bit short on everything though as we only have 2 cups, 2 towels, 2 sheets, etc so I have had to do the ‘Jesus fishes and loaves thing’! Have I told you that I am a genius when it comes to manifesting!!!
The boys both had to leave early next morning. Skeeter was catching the famous ‘Bullet Train’ to Tokyo. It leaves from Shin Kobe Station right next to our place!!! It costs as much as flying about $250 but only takes 3 hours instead of overnight on the bus (though the bus is a quarter of the price.)
We will probably give the bullet train a go when we travel to Tokyo for the experience alone!
Well another episode bites the dust. Stay tuned for the next instalment as we have had a very exciting day today (Monday) but it is midnight………did I mention that we ‘Japanese’ stay up working late into the wee small hours?!!!
I am off to bed. I did a big wash today and got to talk and sing to the washing/drying machine! It really does both. I can’t figure that one out!
Goodnight!
Sunday, 22 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 8)
Chapter 8 – Saturday 21st June 2008
Today I am going to talk about the 'talking things' that seem to be everywhere. I walk into the lift and the nice lady there in ‘liftland’ says “Mighty Mighty Mouse.” I have no idea why and I have not seen Mighty Mouse there yet but I thank her anyway and bow as I get in and out of the lift. It seems the least I can do as she is so diligently good at her job and never takes any time off. But there is a really truly lady (there are 4 of them who share the job) who is standing (all the time) in the foyer and her job is to bow and say hello………..that’s about it…………she doesn’t have a computer or anything and it’s a long day just standing there (she sits down sometimes.) But stands up as soon as we arrive or leave. Very friendly.
The street talks, there are upright speaker thingys and the lady in that says stuff too. The escalator talks as well. Lots of talking. I told you so.
Then there are periodic loud speakers in the street that we hear from our apartment. Must ask Jack what they are saying. Just hope it isn’t an earthquake warning and we are happily oblivious to it all. Yep, I will check with Jack. Yep! Now I have mentioned the musical kettle and washing machine as well as the fridge! It beeps when the ice maker is ready.
It’s like a little ‘appliance family’.
Then there is our front door alarm speaker phone video surveillance machine.
Brian answered it and as there are lots of buttons (in Japanese) he hit the big red one!!! Not a good idea! That was the big apartment alarm wasn’t it.
Remember that nice lady who bows at the front door? Well she was not so happy after that as she rang us back and we sort of got the idea that we should not have pushed that particular button. We said sorry a lot and bowed though she couldn’t see us…………funny how automatic bowing is becoming. We saw her later downstairs and bowed a lot (she could see us that time) and lots of sorry sorry more sorry. I think she forgave us cos she smiles at us still.
When you cross the street there is a dinging sound as well as birds chirping.
Well that is what it sounds like to me . Maybe that is for all the blind Japanese!?
Sounds pretty anyway. You don’t get lonely here there is always an appliance, the lift or the street to talk to.
It is the rainy season here and everyone carries umbrellas. Now they are very honest in Japan as out the front of all the shops there are umbrella stands and I have discovered that I can upgrade my umbrella just by hanging around the entrances!!!! No, I don’t really do that but you could, except I did find a ‘lock up your umbrella stand’ and have added the photo.
Uniforms- they love uniforms. The road worker guys look really cool. They have these flashing light cross-over jacket things and they look very official and they wave these long flashing red light sticks. It looks like fun.
At the train stations there are guys who wear one type of uniform and have whistles and white gloves and they are in charge of pushing you into the train at peak times. There is also another guy with a loud speaker telling everyone to squeeze in and hurry up etc. It is all pretty organized. We all stand in lines of 2 by 2 behind a mark on the ground and the train stops just in the right spot to line up with the doors. We wait while everyone gets off the train and then we all get on-there is defiantly a system. The trains and subways are very organised and it’s pretty easy to get around. Though as you get further out the signs are no longer in English and Japanese and only in Japanese. Brian is getting really good at reading. “I’m with him.”
Its been a busy Saturday. The ‘Mugan Life’ team (they are our organisers here in Japan) arrived for a meeting at 2pm. Aki, Akko, Ryoko and Yusan we had not seen Aki, Ako and Yusan for a few years so it was ‘old friends week’.
Down to business though and Ryoko doing most of the translating with Yusan helping, he speaks pretty good English too. It is long and tedious work doing everything twice and getting the right information across. Lots of questions and answers for the team and getting everyone on the right page. It was a long meeting but productive. We waved them off back to Osaka.
Then we rang Jack.
“We are bored wanna do dinner?” So we walked 20 metres to a local ex-pat bar and it was full of Yanks who were smoking, drinking beer and BBQing buffalo chicken wings on the street, compliments of the owner. So we ordered Pizza and beers and ate heaps of wings…..BBQ spicy sauce, the sauce was so strong the smell stayed on our hands for ages afterwards. There were 4 guys in the corner playing cards and were so noisy Jack couldn’t tell his usual jokes over the din. We had fun though and caught some guys on the way out Jerry, Dan and Peter all working for a company in Osaka doing the engineering of a big building. Only been living here around 6 months and none of them spoke any Japanese. I introduced myself in Japanese and they looked at me funny!!! Speaking of which, my Japanese is improving but Brian is ‘The Star’ and he doesn’t miss an opportunity to ‘show off’ and impress our Japanese friends. Which they duely are as he is now reading and writing Katakana (Japanese alphabet for foreign words) Hiragana (Japanese alphabet for Japanese words) and they are both phonetic alphabets. Brian is going to start learning Kanji (which is the pictorial alphabet – a lot harder not even the younger Japanese know all the symbols now days.)
We start ‘official work’ tomorrow Sunday with a Joy of Singing 3 hour workshop in the evening so we are looking forward to getting started!!!
More soon stay tuned to ‘Martins in Japan’.
Today I am going to talk about the 'talking things' that seem to be everywhere. I walk into the lift and the nice lady there in ‘liftland’ says “Mighty Mighty Mouse.” I have no idea why and I have not seen Mighty Mouse there yet but I thank her anyway and bow as I get in and out of the lift. It seems the least I can do as she is so diligently good at her job and never takes any time off. But there is a really truly lady (there are 4 of them who share the job) who is standing (all the time) in the foyer and her job is to bow and say hello………..that’s about it…………she doesn’t have a computer or anything and it’s a long day just standing there (she sits down sometimes.) But stands up as soon as we arrive or leave. Very friendly.
The street talks, there are upright speaker thingys and the lady in that says stuff too. The escalator talks as well. Lots of talking. I told you so.
Then there are periodic loud speakers in the street that we hear from our apartment. Must ask Jack what they are saying. Just hope it isn’t an earthquake warning and we are happily oblivious to it all. Yep, I will check with Jack. Yep! Now I have mentioned the musical kettle and washing machine as well as the fridge! It beeps when the ice maker is ready.
It’s like a little ‘appliance family’.
Then there is our front door alarm speaker phone video surveillance machine.
Brian answered it and as there are lots of buttons (in Japanese) he hit the big red one!!! Not a good idea! That was the big apartment alarm wasn’t it.
Remember that nice lady who bows at the front door? Well she was not so happy after that as she rang us back and we sort of got the idea that we should not have pushed that particular button. We said sorry a lot and bowed though she couldn’t see us…………funny how automatic bowing is becoming. We saw her later downstairs and bowed a lot (she could see us that time) and lots of sorry sorry more sorry. I think she forgave us cos she smiles at us still.
When you cross the street there is a dinging sound as well as birds chirping.
Well that is what it sounds like to me . Maybe that is for all the blind Japanese!?
Sounds pretty anyway. You don’t get lonely here there is always an appliance, the lift or the street to talk to.
It is the rainy season here and everyone carries umbrellas. Now they are very honest in Japan as out the front of all the shops there are umbrella stands and I have discovered that I can upgrade my umbrella just by hanging around the entrances!!!! No, I don’t really do that but you could, except I did find a ‘lock up your umbrella stand’ and have added the photo.
Uniforms- they love uniforms. The road worker guys look really cool. They have these flashing light cross-over jacket things and they look very official and they wave these long flashing red light sticks. It looks like fun.
At the train stations there are guys who wear one type of uniform and have whistles and white gloves and they are in charge of pushing you into the train at peak times. There is also another guy with a loud speaker telling everyone to squeeze in and hurry up etc. It is all pretty organized. We all stand in lines of 2 by 2 behind a mark on the ground and the train stops just in the right spot to line up with the doors. We wait while everyone gets off the train and then we all get on-there is defiantly a system. The trains and subways are very organised and it’s pretty easy to get around. Though as you get further out the signs are no longer in English and Japanese and only in Japanese. Brian is getting really good at reading. “I’m with him.”
Its been a busy Saturday. The ‘Mugan Life’ team (they are our organisers here in Japan) arrived for a meeting at 2pm. Aki, Akko, Ryoko and Yusan we had not seen Aki, Ako and Yusan for a few years so it was ‘old friends week’.
Down to business though and Ryoko doing most of the translating with Yusan helping, he speaks pretty good English too. It is long and tedious work doing everything twice and getting the right information across. Lots of questions and answers for the team and getting everyone on the right page. It was a long meeting but productive. We waved them off back to Osaka.
Then we rang Jack.
“We are bored wanna do dinner?” So we walked 20 metres to a local ex-pat bar and it was full of Yanks who were smoking, drinking beer and BBQing buffalo chicken wings on the street, compliments of the owner. So we ordered Pizza and beers and ate heaps of wings…..BBQ spicy sauce, the sauce was so strong the smell stayed on our hands for ages afterwards. There were 4 guys in the corner playing cards and were so noisy Jack couldn’t tell his usual jokes over the din. We had fun though and caught some guys on the way out Jerry, Dan and Peter all working for a company in Osaka doing the engineering of a big building. Only been living here around 6 months and none of them spoke any Japanese. I introduced myself in Japanese and they looked at me funny!!! Speaking of which, my Japanese is improving but Brian is ‘The Star’ and he doesn’t miss an opportunity to ‘show off’ and impress our Japanese friends. Which they duely are as he is now reading and writing Katakana (Japanese alphabet for foreign words) Hiragana (Japanese alphabet for Japanese words) and they are both phonetic alphabets. Brian is going to start learning Kanji (which is the pictorial alphabet – a lot harder not even the younger Japanese know all the symbols now days.)
We start ‘official work’ tomorrow Sunday with a Joy of Singing 3 hour workshop in the evening so we are looking forward to getting started!!!
More soon stay tuned to ‘Martins in Japan’.
Saturday, 21 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 7)
Chapter 7 - Friday 20th June 2008
Well its been a week since we arrived in Japan and it feels like we have lived here forever. We have not ventured too far from home base yet. Brian says we are like a couple of cats circling our territory and making bigger and bigger circles. There is the harbour district, the mountains and lots and lots to see just here in Kobe let alone Osaka ,Kyoto and beyond.
We walked up the walkway next to Crown Centre (you know that little shopping centre of ours!!!) and “OH MY GOD!!!” it was the entrance to the cable car (apparently it’s the longest in the world-better check it out and report me thinks!) we just looked at each other and thought what dill pickles we are not to even know that its on our doorstep!! It was overcast and drizzly today so we will pick a sunny day and go for an explore.
We decided to go downstairs to our apartment block ‘Café’ to have breakfast and who should be there but……........wait for it.............Yep you guessed right. 'Jack and Chieko.' They helped us order breakfast and we mentioned that we only had 30 minutes before Brian’s lesson so Chieko jumped behind the counter to help make us food!! Jack informed us that she is “A force to be reckoned with!” (he has mentioned that often) “Yes Dear!” and told us that she is an ‘adviser’ of body corporate and organised the café to have all the mode cons included when it was designed. They bought their unit ‘off the plan’ nearly 4 years ago when the units were built. Very new and modern. Oh yea you know that already (note the photo of our washing machine as proof- did I mention it plays Mozart like the kettle- they must be related.)
We woofed down breaky and raced upstairs just in time for Ryoko and Masa to arrive for Ryoko’s lesson. (she is one of the organisers/interpreters and we met her 4 years ago when she was visiting Australia) she is a doctor and so is her friend Masa (she is staying with him and his wife and kids while in Kobe) It was a crazy organising time for a bit while Brian and Ryoko got ‘Japan stuff’ sorted. So Masa asked me if I could help him with some correction in a paper he had just translated from Japanese to English.He works with an organisation called ‘Weave’ which runs workshops for Hospice patients who are terminally ill as well as for their families. It is based on the teachings of Dr Elizabeth Kubler-Ross (very famous for her grief counselling and support). The paper was to be sent to her son in America and it had to be right! So I helped out by editing his transcriptions to his great delight…….there was quite a lot of things getting ‘lost in translation’ and in the end we finished with a wonderful written honour to Dr Ross and her work. I think her son will be very pleased when he receives it.Masa was very grateful and it felt good to be able to help him in such a way.It seems people who can translate written material correctly are few and far between so you never know I may be of help again. Thank god for spell-check I can tell you!!!
Ryoko had her lesson and before we knew it, it was 2.30 and we were hungry so off we went to have lunch and chat in a local noodle bar. Yum!Masa looked up with a look of pure shock on his face. “What!?” “I forgot that I left my dog in the car!” Says he. Shit!!!! So we race downstairs to the car park to find “Leo” the gorgeous 5 month old poodle happily lying in his big cage in the back of the station wagon. Lucky it was an overcast rainy day!Masa had gotten so involved in what we were doing that he plane forgot the dog but he was no worse for wear. (the dog not Masa)……..I was talking to him and realized he only spoke Japanese.(the dog not Masa)……….That’s funny!! So we waved them farewell and Masa promised that he would take us on some excursions as he is a local lad and we really felt that we made another wonderful connection. People are so so nice here.
We went supermarket shopping and I wonder at the funny looking food.I risked buying some rubbery grey looking blocky stuff today. I have decided that I am going to try something new every day. So added it to the meal tonight (Chicken and noodles with greens funny long skinny pale yellow mushrooms and grey blocky rubbery stuff) was OK! Brian reckons my cooking has improved since we got here. Maybe I am channelling my past life Japanese chef! Hai! I’m getting the hang of cooking here and now that we have purchased our ‘authentic dinner ware’ we feel like one of the natives. Even bought a little sake set (Jug and 2 weeny weeny cups) “Not gonna get pissed drinkin outa them honey!” (I hear Jack say.) It’s for warm sake which I am learning to ‘cook’. Very nice. Told you I was going to test the sakes. Speaking of which we ended up at our little Teppanyaki guy (The word "teppanyaki" is derived from teppan (鉄板), which means iron plate, and yaki (焼き), which means grilled.) I have found a great dictionary website! His name is ‘Kastsumi’ and as we walked in all heads turning again (I’m the only girl) lots of smoke………….yea they haven’t caught on that it gives you cancer and you die!!!! But we waded through the fog to the only 2 spare seats in the place and sat next to the sweetest man who was on business from Tokyo and was pretty good at speaking English he said he practices by listening to the radio. He helped us order our meal, a wonderful pancake with veges and meat type thingy and mixed vegies presented in that origami alfoil plate again (Katsumi is a master at work to watch him make it). The ‘Tokyo guy’ can’t remember his name…..ordered us another drink ‘Imoshyou’ you drink it long with ice. It’s made out of potatoes or wheat (we tried the potato one…tastes sort of like Sake but not.) Now did I mention that I am testing all the different Sakes? We did not stagger home though as we only had one and they water it down a bit so it’s not so potent and more healthy for you, so the ‘Tokyo guy’ said. Jack said “That’s bullshit”! (I like Jack.) We liked drinking it anyway and felt very ‘healthy’ afterwards.Anyway gotta go……….stay tuned for the next exciting episode of“Martins in Japan”
Friday, 20 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 6)
Chapter 6 - Thursday 19th June 2008
Well what a day its been…………so much shopping and walking that I broke my shoe………(had to catch the bus home 3 stops) and it (the shoe)just missed making the front door by 10 metres before falling apart!!! But was it worth it!
Jack rang again and said ‘Hey I’m bored wanna do lunch?” We said “Yea, which country this time?” “Chieko and I wanna take you guys to our favourite ‘Turkish place”!!!(We get to travel the worrld through food here I tell you.) Jack and Chieko lived in Turkey for several years and love the food…………..We walked (you know that’s what we do a lot of here.) It was threatening rain so brollys are the order of the day……..Jack brought 3 with him -he has his name on them so we couldn’t nick them!!! Damm!
We had a great lunch with lots of authentic food as the owner cooks food his mother makes. It seems that lunch is the main meal of the day here in Japan and there are so many different places to choose from you can’t get bored with the choices and styles. They have musicians there and belly dancers so Brian is sourcing them to play at our World Fusion concert.
Us girls decided that the shops where calling and I had a few essential purchases that needed to be made (of course!). So the boys went home (Brian to work and have a massage) and Jack to have a nap (he reminds me that he is old) 68 going on 18 and needs a ‘nana nap’ in the afternoon- he walks me into the ground so I think he is telling me a ‘porky pie’!
Chieko and I went off down another street (I have NO IDEA where I am going) and rely on those around me to point me in the right direction. We passed this amazing set of buildings……..I thought I was back in Rome!!! See photo below! They have all sorts of funny buildings that look like ships or vines growing up them or Robots. Or lots of colour and movement………they like lots and lots of colour here……..gets your attention.
Brian is doing a singing lesson tomorrow and we decided that we are using our ‘spare room’ to do the lessons in. It was looking very bare. The single bed needed a cover and the window needed a curtain so I was on a mission. I have found that the Japanese are very very accommodating and if you ask or even mention on the side that you are interested in something all of a sudden it is happening. I have to be careful what I ask for!!! So Chieko very graciously took me to lots of wonderful shops to look for my stuff.
The most wonderful shop ‘in the world’ is a department store called ‘Yuzawaya’ floors and floors of craft stuff……….One floor for jewellery making stuff, beads beads and more beads. Next floor all paper, so pretty Origami designs and stick on bits another floor with lots of tables where they run classes of all descriptions from leadlight to sewing or beading or pottery (I got the class list and can't decide which class to attend first!) Another floor of – fabric (OH MY GOD) the most fantastic Japanese designs I was like a kid in a candy store running around……..Chieko lost our umbrellas(found them but) as I kept running from one spot to the other, one gorgeous fabric to the next. (I wanted a curtain and was going to make one tonight to be ready for the lesson tomorrow) I was all set to get all the fixings and fabric when I spied a BARGAIN BIN……..I have an eye like a hawk and a nose that can smell are bargain a mile away………even Chieko was impressed!!! $3 curtains…………yep!! Discarded samples……..and of course I found the exact right design and colour to go with the very tasteful (of course) cover and pillow I bought to cover the bed. I’M A LEGEND IN MY OWN SHOPPING HEAVEN!
Couldn’t wait to get home and ‘fix up’ the room before Brian got home……………he walked in and was very impressed. “Nice music room Nols!!!!”
Chieko also took me to some pretty small shops where they sell Kimonos etc…….So So So beautiful I can’t describe. You only occasionally see a woman walking around in a Kimono and usually later in the day. They are either leaving work (tea houses or cafes where they dress up) or they are going out to some special event like a wedding or celebration. It is a shame as they look so beautiful. I have not been quick enough to get a photo yet except for the one (below) of this pretty girl at a café. Mostly I see the older women in them. I will probably buy myself one before we leave just so I can look at it to remind me of our stay here.
Its ‘burnable’ rubbish night tonight…………you put it outside your front door and the cleaner comes and collects it. But you have to know which night is the right one for the right rubbish.
‘Plastic’ night, ‘Folded Paper’ night, ‘Bottle and Can’ night. We have lots of little bins and Brian asks me “Which bin do I have to throw this in, Nols?” Pity anyone who puts the wrong kind of rubbish in the wrong bin and on the wrong night………You need a university degree to work it out! At least they recycle!! But they do have a lot of packaging particularly food. The packaging is so pretty it’s a shame to throw it away Plastic only bin’! Get it right now!!!
Well its dinner time and we are off to try another little place down the road a ways…….What country shall we visit tonight?????
Until my next exciting instalment! Sayonara.
Well what a day its been…………so much shopping and walking that I broke my shoe………(had to catch the bus home 3 stops) and it (the shoe)just missed making the front door by 10 metres before falling apart!!! But was it worth it!
Jack rang again and said ‘Hey I’m bored wanna do lunch?” We said “Yea, which country this time?” “Chieko and I wanna take you guys to our favourite ‘Turkish place”!!!(We get to travel the worrld through food here I tell you.) Jack and Chieko lived in Turkey for several years and love the food…………..We walked (you know that’s what we do a lot of here.) It was threatening rain so brollys are the order of the day……..Jack brought 3 with him -he has his name on them so we couldn’t nick them!!! Damm!
We had a great lunch with lots of authentic food as the owner cooks food his mother makes. It seems that lunch is the main meal of the day here in Japan and there are so many different places to choose from you can’t get bored with the choices and styles. They have musicians there and belly dancers so Brian is sourcing them to play at our World Fusion concert.
Us girls decided that the shops where calling and I had a few essential purchases that needed to be made (of course!). So the boys went home (Brian to work and have a massage) and Jack to have a nap (he reminds me that he is old) 68 going on 18 and needs a ‘nana nap’ in the afternoon- he walks me into the ground so I think he is telling me a ‘porky pie’!
Chieko and I went off down another street (I have NO IDEA where I am going) and rely on those around me to point me in the right direction. We passed this amazing set of buildings……..I thought I was back in Rome!!! See photo below! They have all sorts of funny buildings that look like ships or vines growing up them or Robots. Or lots of colour and movement………they like lots and lots of colour here……..gets your attention.
Brian is doing a singing lesson tomorrow and we decided that we are using our ‘spare room’ to do the lessons in. It was looking very bare. The single bed needed a cover and the window needed a curtain so I was on a mission. I have found that the Japanese are very very accommodating and if you ask or even mention on the side that you are interested in something all of a sudden it is happening. I have to be careful what I ask for!!! So Chieko very graciously took me to lots of wonderful shops to look for my stuff.
The most wonderful shop ‘in the world’ is a department store called ‘Yuzawaya’ floors and floors of craft stuff……….One floor for jewellery making stuff, beads beads and more beads. Next floor all paper, so pretty Origami designs and stick on bits another floor with lots of tables where they run classes of all descriptions from leadlight to sewing or beading or pottery (I got the class list and can't decide which class to attend first!) Another floor of – fabric (OH MY GOD) the most fantastic Japanese designs I was like a kid in a candy store running around……..Chieko lost our umbrellas(found them but) as I kept running from one spot to the other, one gorgeous fabric to the next. (I wanted a curtain and was going to make one tonight to be ready for the lesson tomorrow) I was all set to get all the fixings and fabric when I spied a BARGAIN BIN……..I have an eye like a hawk and a nose that can smell are bargain a mile away………even Chieko was impressed!!! $3 curtains…………yep!! Discarded samples……..and of course I found the exact right design and colour to go with the very tasteful (of course) cover and pillow I bought to cover the bed. I’M A LEGEND IN MY OWN SHOPPING HEAVEN!
Couldn’t wait to get home and ‘fix up’ the room before Brian got home……………he walked in and was very impressed. “Nice music room Nols!!!!”
Chieko also took me to some pretty small shops where they sell Kimonos etc…….So So So beautiful I can’t describe. You only occasionally see a woman walking around in a Kimono and usually later in the day. They are either leaving work (tea houses or cafes where they dress up) or they are going out to some special event like a wedding or celebration. It is a shame as they look so beautiful. I have not been quick enough to get a photo yet except for the one (below) of this pretty girl at a café. Mostly I see the older women in them. I will probably buy myself one before we leave just so I can look at it to remind me of our stay here.
Its ‘burnable’ rubbish night tonight…………you put it outside your front door and the cleaner comes and collects it. But you have to know which night is the right one for the right rubbish.
‘Plastic’ night, ‘Folded Paper’ night, ‘Bottle and Can’ night. We have lots of little bins and Brian asks me “Which bin do I have to throw this in, Nols?” Pity anyone who puts the wrong kind of rubbish in the wrong bin and on the wrong night………You need a university degree to work it out! At least they recycle!! But they do have a lot of packaging particularly food. The packaging is so pretty it’s a shame to throw it away Plastic only bin’! Get it right now!!!
Well its dinner time and we are off to try another little place down the road a ways…….What country shall we visit tonight?????
Until my next exciting instalment! Sayonara.
Thursday, 19 June 2008
BRIAN MARTIN MUSIC NEWS (Chapter 5)
Chapter 5- Wednesday 18th June
It is warm and humid here but still pleasant apparently it gets hotter later in July. We will be good though lots of places have aircon and you walk underground a lot.
There are whole long streets that are undercover with high high roofs and air-conditioned!!! Go figure!!!?? And of course SHOPS!!! I am so in heaven here I can’t tell you!
Jack had organised for us to go out to lunch today to meet with some ‘musician’ friends of his
Michael (who is a wedding celebrant/musician/magician and all around good guy………I gotta say that cos he is going to read this!!!) also his mate Brent who is also a musician. They work together at weddings and restaurants.
Jack said “Today we are going to our fav ‘Italian Place’ as it is the owner Pietro’s birthday."
So off we walked (again) down a new street……….”where am I again?” We passed this building covered in ‘man made’ vines like jack in the beanstalk. I asked Jack what was the reason and he said that is was a ‘Love Hotel’!!!! I raised my eyebrows with the odd look saying “What for prostitutes?” Real subtle like……….and he said “NO!!!” Its for lovers to visit on a short stay (a few hours!!) “OK!” I left it at that. I didn’t have my camera with me so I have to go back (only to take a photo………I know what you are thinking!!!)
We met the guys at the restaurant and Pedro arrived so of course (being musicians) we all burst into “Happy Birthday’ in 5 part harmony. Pedro was very impressed and shouted us a bottle of champagne. The food was great and the company even better. We had a great time bantering back and forth across the table. Michael pulled out his party balloons and ‘blower upper’ and made me a fabulous big red flower (to the amusement of the guests around us) I gave it to Pedro for his birthday so Michael made me a purple poodle. The guys have a wonderful dry humour and we had fun outdoing each other. Michael mentioned how nice it was to converse in this way as he misses it not being able to connect like that with the Japanese (lost in translation!!) Michael has lived here for more than 10 years and so has Brent so they speak and read the language really well. After a very liquid lunch we staggered home via the shops (of course) as Jack wanted to show me where I can buy wool (to make my nifty bags……….I think that the Japanese are going to like them and buy them from me!!) There were also great walkways with funky jeans and clothing (Brian was off on an errand so I will take him there to look for some cool jeans!!) He makesa da money I spenda da money.
After being at home for a while and discovering BLOGGING we decided to stay home (sore feet) and Brian whisked up a miso soup meal with noodles (very quick and easy and yummy) and we watched a ‘South Korean’ movie with Japanese subtitles…………lucky it was an action movie with an under water monster that eats lots of people and takes them down into the sewer and stores them till he is hungry….. no language required.
And now stay tuned for the next exciting episode of ‘MARTINS IN JAPAN!’
It is warm and humid here but still pleasant apparently it gets hotter later in July. We will be good though lots of places have aircon and you walk underground a lot.
There are whole long streets that are undercover with high high roofs and air-conditioned!!! Go figure!!!?? And of course SHOPS!!! I am so in heaven here I can’t tell you!
Jack had organised for us to go out to lunch today to meet with some ‘musician’ friends of his
Michael (who is a wedding celebrant/musician/magician and all around good guy………I gotta say that cos he is going to read this!!!) also his mate Brent who is also a musician. They work together at weddings and restaurants.
Jack said “Today we are going to our fav ‘Italian Place’ as it is the owner Pietro’s birthday."
So off we walked (again) down a new street……….”where am I again?” We passed this building covered in ‘man made’ vines like jack in the beanstalk. I asked Jack what was the reason and he said that is was a ‘Love Hotel’!!!! I raised my eyebrows with the odd look saying “What for prostitutes?” Real subtle like……….and he said “NO!!!” Its for lovers to visit on a short stay (a few hours!!) “OK!” I left it at that. I didn’t have my camera with me so I have to go back (only to take a photo………I know what you are thinking!!!)
We met the guys at the restaurant and Pedro arrived so of course (being musicians) we all burst into “Happy Birthday’ in 5 part harmony. Pedro was very impressed and shouted us a bottle of champagne. The food was great and the company even better. We had a great time bantering back and forth across the table. Michael pulled out his party balloons and ‘blower upper’ and made me a fabulous big red flower (to the amusement of the guests around us) I gave it to Pedro for his birthday so Michael made me a purple poodle. The guys have a wonderful dry humour and we had fun outdoing each other. Michael mentioned how nice it was to converse in this way as he misses it not being able to connect like that with the Japanese (lost in translation!!) Michael has lived here for more than 10 years and so has Brent so they speak and read the language really well. After a very liquid lunch we staggered home via the shops (of course) as Jack wanted to show me where I can buy wool (to make my nifty bags……….I think that the Japanese are going to like them and buy them from me!!) There were also great walkways with funky jeans and clothing (Brian was off on an errand so I will take him there to look for some cool jeans!!) He makesa da money I spenda da money.
After being at home for a while and discovering BLOGGING we decided to stay home (sore feet) and Brian whisked up a miso soup meal with noodles (very quick and easy and yummy) and we watched a ‘South Korean’ movie with Japanese subtitles…………lucky it was an action movie with an under water monster that eats lots of people and takes them down into the sewer and stores them till he is hungry….. no language required.
And now stay tuned for the next exciting episode of ‘MARTINS IN JAPAN!’
Wednesday, 18 June 2008
JAPAN NEWS FROM THE BEGINNING (Chapters: 1/2/3/4)
JAPAN NEWS (CHAPTERS: 1/2/3/4)
CHAPTER 1 - SATURDAY 14TH JUNE
Hi All,
Just a note to let you know that we made it safe and sound to Kobe, Japan!!!
After a very uneventful flight and whisk through customs we were met at the Osaka airport by our wonderful organizer Miyuki and a 40 minute bus trip into Kobe and taxi to our apartment we arrived at around 11.30pm a very long day as we had to get up at 3.30am for the shuttle to pick us up from Noosa to take us to Brissy airport.
Needless to say we were pretty tired on our arrival but very excited and overwhelmed at our wonderful little apartment (big by Jappy standards) 2 bedrooms, large bathroom very very modern with switches on the walls for everything. You can change the temperature of the hot water by pressing buttons so we have a 38 degree
shower every time!!!
The washing machine looks like a big blue robot (the directions and buttons are all in Japanese of course, it lights up and does all sorts of things and it dries the clothes too!!) Have not tried it yet..........that will be an adventure. There is a baby urn that boils water in seconds and plays Mozart when it is ready. Don’t even want to know what else the rice cooker does besides cooking rice!!! Now the toilet has a personality all its own. The fan goes on when you sit down and the seat heats up as well. When you are done you can squirt (special places) they have pictures so you know where the water is going and you can adjust the flow, pressure, temp etc to your liking!!! If you know what I mean!!! Then you push another button and you get dried with the nice fan aimed ever so exactly! Then when you flush the water goes through a tap/basin at the top of the cistern so you can wash your hands and not waste the new fresh water filling up the loo!!! All very, very civilized if you ask me!! We were so taken with these loos last time we were here that we bought one and had it installed at home but we have never been able to get it to work (something to do with the voltage being different) we just have to find an electrician who knows about these things). Anyway we have a very expensive loo seat at home with no squirts!!!
Today Saturday we had a guided tour of our local area (fantastic super market 1 min walk from our 5th floor apartment) there is a church just outside our window and there was a wedding there this morning. We have hills and green trees behind us as we are really close to the cable car and only a 10 min walk from the centre of Kobe!!
We are also not far from the harbour and of course lots of shops a cafes.................veges and fruit are cheaper here and we had dinner for both of us for $15.00 with more food than we could eat!!! With the dollar worth more than the Yen nowadays we are doing really well.
This afternoon we took a train into Osaka 30 min and then travelled all over Osaka by subway/train and mostly walking through the underground city which is a labyrinth of shopping malls connected to different train lines............so many people...........especially around peak hour..........fashion tastes here are unconventional and you see everything from 'Baby Doll' girls in there frilly outfits to grungy punkers and everything in between. Love it!!!
It was warm today 27 C and a bit muggy but not too hot. We did allot of walking as we were checking out the venues that we are going to perform the World Fusion concerts in as well as running New World Rhythm Japan and Joy of Singing courses. We travelled from one end of Osaka to the other and got home at around 9.00pm which is where we are now. Just had a 38 degree shower (regulated by our special push buttons on the wall)
So will head of to bed for a good nights sleep and tomorrow we do it all again looking at more venues in Osaka but not such a long day planned.
Stay tuned for our next instalment.
Sayonara
Noeline and Brian
CHAPTER 2 - Sunday 15th /Monday 16th June
I just got back from doing a bit of a reconnoitre around the local area...............we live in the best area right in the middle of Kobe near the rope bridge and a step away from the main Kobe train station called 'Shin Kobe' and a 10 min walk from 'Sannomiya' station. Look it up on this link and you can get an idea of where we are.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/hyogo/sannomiya.html
It is really pretty right next to the mountains and great shops and hotels very posh area and our apartment is awesome!!!
Brian is in Osaka today Sunday, looking at venues we did that yesterday too but I am stuffed so have stayed in Kobe to get the lay of the land.
We also live right next to the cable car which goes up the mountains which are behind us very green and pretty. We live right next to a big big shopping/hotel complex that has the most amazing shops very expensive but nifty. Amazing kids fashion which I want to buy everything but t shirts start at $50 and bibs at $25 but sooooooooooooooooo coooooooooooooooooooool.
Saw a great pair of jeans for me $165 on special but my thunder thighs didn’t fit (they are so thin here) and tiny tiny feet so shoes wont fit much for me. I can’t believe how all the girls get around in their stilettos and platforms as there is alot of walking to be done regardless of who you are. They love their fancy shoes and wear these long black socks over the knees and lots of sparkle bags and shoes. Lots of make up and blonde and light brown hair all straightened and then ringleted must take them hours to get ready.........false eyelashes too!!!! The girls do it too!!! (That was a joke!!) But not far from the truth I have to tell you the boys are just as particular about their 'look'!! We are really enjoying ourselves and I shopped at the 100yen shop yesterday to stock up on bits and pieces for the apartment. They didn’t have any prices on anything so I was not sure what things cost ended up at the check and EVERYTHING was $1.00 (our dollar is a bit stronger than the Yen) it didn’t matter whether I bought a bath mat or some tea lights they all cost the same price!!! They must figure that you will get a mixture of items and that they even themselves out but it is still very very cheap and nice stuff too!! Got some really nice drinking glasses and wine glasses. Wolf Blass wine at the supermarket was $8.00 (I was surprised thought wine would be more expensive) food is pretty good value too. A bunch of bananas were only $1.75 cheaper than home but a cantaloupe (rockmelon) $30.00 it had a pretty bow on the top so people must buy them as gifts (if it is boxed it costs $50.00!!!!) Alot of food is pre-packaged like sushi so you can get a meal for $3 that will do you for dinner!!
We are having a day off today Monday and resting from all our walking over the last 2 days (looking at venues for the courses).
Will keep you posted on the next exciting instalment t.
Love Noeline and Brian
CHAPTER 3 Monday 16th/Tuesday 17th
We went out tonight with our ‘new friends’ Chieko and Jack they live on the 11th floor (we are on the 5th floor) Chieko helped us find our way around on our first day taking us to the local supermarket and giving us the lay of the land. She is married to Jack an expat American who is retired but still works here as a marriage celebrant. Many Japanese want western style weddings and he performs the ceremonies (not legal just for show!!) It pays really well too he said and I got all excited planning my new career but he knocked that on the head quick smart as the Japanese only like males to perform their weddings!!!
I have to say my short lived career as a wedding celebrant burned brightly brightly and with beauty!! They took us out to downtown Kobe to all the ‘good’ shops………….they all look pretty good to me! Anyway………I wanted sheets for the beds (we have single beds……….Brian wasn’t happy) but we have pushed them together and I am getting good sleep as the beds are very very firm (warning to the team joining us from Aus in August) The Japanese either sleep on the floor (yep right on the floor) with teeny flat type ‘sleep mats’ more like ‘I will need a massage in the morning mats’ or very very firm beds! We only have big thick doonas and are already getting a bit warm in the night so off we go to find sheets!!! OH MY GOD! You would think that buying sheets would be an easy task………sorry no! They have sheets that are custom made for those ‘sleep mat’ things and then other kinds for the other kind of sleep mats and “which size do you want and I think that one is too short!”……..SO I bought 2 big big big type towel blanket thingy’s that I was told are used instead of top sheets in summer (soak up all the sweat I reckon) no its not that bad we have aircon! Then off to buy Brian some ‘new’ headphones cos he broke the last pair………..(why are we not surprised!) They had a BIG WALL of the buggers priced from around $50 to $500 and you can compare them as they are all playing the same music. I got scared cos Brian was listening to the $500 ones wasn’t he.
I kept showing him the cheaper ones (I couldn’t notice the difference anyway) but he said “NO” and decided on a $200 pair (which were on special so that was OK) They a small and fold up and will travel well if they last that long! He is editing ‘Listen’ so it is for a good cause the sooner it is edited the sooner you can all be listening to ‘Listen’.
On our walk back we stopped at Jack and Chieko’s fav little ‘café’ where we ate only chicken………..that’s all they cook. Chicken……….every single bit of the chicken so we had chicken livers in teeny weenie dishes with nice kind of mayonnaise stuff (I liked it but Brian made a face L) Then we had the ‘joints’ on skewers……the grisly white bit of the back bone (crunchy but nice) then skin on skewers (they apparently scrape all the fatty bits off and scrunch it up into little balls and BBQ it (yummy) then we had little wee chicken balls (no not that kind…………do chickens have balls???) Anyway all washed down with Jappy Beer (for Brian and Jack) and Sake (for the girls) I did not realize that there were so many brands of Sake so I have decided to test them all and I will be reporting on my progress!
After staggering home we decided that the reason the Japanese are so thin is because all they do is WALK!!!! (Note: lots and lots of walking always!!! Wear comfy shoes!!)
A day at home Tuesday is planned (NO WALKING!!!) Brian is downstairs in our ‘apartment coffee shop’ Hello!!! Are we posh or what!!! He wanted to do the editing out of the house so that we don’t work at home!!! I am here at home writing this and will join him shortly for a cappuccino……….they make good coffee here!
Then I may stroll (very gently) out to the supermarket to get some Epsom salts for our tired feet!
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of “Martins In Japan”!!!
Lots of love from Noeline and Brian
CHAPTER 4 Tuesday 17th June/Wednesday 18th
Tuesday saw us having a quiet day until Jack called and said ‘I’m bored wanna do lunch?” so even though I had just whipped up a yummy lunch of gyosa (a local delicacy- a bit like a moon shaped dim sim but nicer- I cheated it comes in a packet) and Italian salad (we like to mix it up a bit!!) we said “Yep lets do Chinese!” We had a great lunch at Jack’s fav Chinese restaurant (Japanese waitress wearing Chinese cheongsam) I get a bit confused as to where I am! Nice food and Brian snuck out pretending to go to the loo and paid the bill as Jack had shouted us dinner the night before (at that Chicken place)…..we left Jack and went down to the 100yen shop………..just hold me back!!! And bought ourselves some nice Jappy bowls and miso bowls (they are baby ones with little lids) so we can eat ‘authentic’ at home. On our way back we stopped at a tiny little café/shop and ordered coffee the lady there sews patchwork and very fine needle work bags and pretty things and I just had to buy a few things to bring home for pressies (so pretty)! The nice man there helped Brian with his Japanese as he insists on speaking it all the time (even to me when we are home on our own!!!) I just look at him and make a faceJ!!!
We then headed off in the other direction to find a café to set up our computers and do a bit of work. Brian editing for ‘Listen’ its getting there and me editing photos so I can send them to you and not break your computer memory. My son Harvey reckons I should get myself a ‘Blog’ and just keep adding to it so you might find that if I keep this up a ‘Blog’ might be the easiest way to go.
Looking into it!
Dinner found ourselves walking down our little street and looking at the local fare. Stopped at a tiny little café (yep everything is tiny in Japan including the people) with only about 10 seats around flat hot plates (Tepenyaki) can’t spell it let alone say it! Anyway its where the locals eat and they look at us funny as they are not used to ‘gaijin’ (outside person- this is an impolite name which they only call us out of earshot)but of course we are very nice and try hard to speak only Japanese and they laugh at our efforts and help us out. I have found pointing is very effective and have learned to wait until someone else orders and if it looks good I order it. Lots of places have pictures but my favorite is the plastic food out the front.
You know exactly what you are going to get! But you don’t eat the plastic stuff.
This little place did not have any pictures or plastic and nothing in English so we work on the ‘wait and see what that guy is having’ method and have the same thing. Well we were in luck cos it was YUMMY. Cooked right in front of us and eaten off the same hot plate. The ‘chef’ scoops the cooked food into alfoil that he has fashioned into a nifty plate in 2 seconds. I am going to go home a practice my ‘origami alfoil plate’. He made it look easy but I’m not so sure. We had these great ‘pancakes’ that are full of lots of good stuff like veges and meat and the art in the way he prepares and cooks it is just as fun as the eating. The other customers were very helpful and even though our Japanese is not very good we all seem to understand each other with gestures and facial expressions. Brian is carrying around a little note pad and writes everything down in both languages. One is Japanese and the other is Japanese/English Brian is trying to learn both…………I’m with him!!!
I find smiling and bowing works really well!!!
We had warm Sake…………..I’m liking this Sake stuff (latest Sake report)…..warm is good!!!
Anyway the food was fantastic and soooooooooooo cheap.$25 for the both of us and we were really full!!! Just 20 metres down the road from home. What can I say we are really enjoying this Japanese experience?
CHAPTER 1 - SATURDAY 14TH JUNE
Hi All,
Just a note to let you know that we made it safe and sound to Kobe, Japan!!!
After a very uneventful flight and whisk through customs we were met at the Osaka airport by our wonderful organizer Miyuki and a 40 minute bus trip into Kobe and taxi to our apartment we arrived at around 11.30pm a very long day as we had to get up at 3.30am for the shuttle to pick us up from Noosa to take us to Brissy airport.
Needless to say we were pretty tired on our arrival but very excited and overwhelmed at our wonderful little apartment (big by Jappy standards) 2 bedrooms, large bathroom very very modern with switches on the walls for everything. You can change the temperature of the hot water by pressing buttons so we have a 38 degree
shower every time!!!
The washing machine looks like a big blue robot (the directions and buttons are all in Japanese of course, it lights up and does all sorts of things and it dries the clothes too!!) Have not tried it yet..........that will be an adventure. There is a baby urn that boils water in seconds and plays Mozart when it is ready. Don’t even want to know what else the rice cooker does besides cooking rice!!! Now the toilet has a personality all its own. The fan goes on when you sit down and the seat heats up as well. When you are done you can squirt (special places) they have pictures so you know where the water is going and you can adjust the flow, pressure, temp etc to your liking!!! If you know what I mean!!! Then you push another button and you get dried with the nice fan aimed ever so exactly! Then when you flush the water goes through a tap/basin at the top of the cistern so you can wash your hands and not waste the new fresh water filling up the loo!!! All very, very civilized if you ask me!! We were so taken with these loos last time we were here that we bought one and had it installed at home but we have never been able to get it to work (something to do with the voltage being different) we just have to find an electrician who knows about these things). Anyway we have a very expensive loo seat at home with no squirts!!!
Today Saturday we had a guided tour of our local area (fantastic super market 1 min walk from our 5th floor apartment) there is a church just outside our window and there was a wedding there this morning. We have hills and green trees behind us as we are really close to the cable car and only a 10 min walk from the centre of Kobe!!
We are also not far from the harbour and of course lots of shops a cafes.................veges and fruit are cheaper here and we had dinner for both of us for $15.00 with more food than we could eat!!! With the dollar worth more than the Yen nowadays we are doing really well.
This afternoon we took a train into Osaka 30 min and then travelled all over Osaka by subway/train and mostly walking through the underground city which is a labyrinth of shopping malls connected to different train lines............so many people...........especially around peak hour..........fashion tastes here are unconventional and you see everything from 'Baby Doll' girls in there frilly outfits to grungy punkers and everything in between. Love it!!!
It was warm today 27 C and a bit muggy but not too hot. We did allot of walking as we were checking out the venues that we are going to perform the World Fusion concerts in as well as running New World Rhythm Japan and Joy of Singing courses. We travelled from one end of Osaka to the other and got home at around 9.00pm which is where we are now. Just had a 38 degree shower (regulated by our special push buttons on the wall)
So will head of to bed for a good nights sleep and tomorrow we do it all again looking at more venues in Osaka but not such a long day planned.
Stay tuned for our next instalment.
Sayonara
Noeline and Brian
CHAPTER 2 - Sunday 15th /Monday 16th June
I just got back from doing a bit of a reconnoitre around the local area...............we live in the best area right in the middle of Kobe near the rope bridge and a step away from the main Kobe train station called 'Shin Kobe' and a 10 min walk from 'Sannomiya' station. Look it up on this link and you can get an idea of where we are.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/hyogo/sannomiya.html
It is really pretty right next to the mountains and great shops and hotels very posh area and our apartment is awesome!!!
Brian is in Osaka today Sunday, looking at venues we did that yesterday too but I am stuffed so have stayed in Kobe to get the lay of the land.
We also live right next to the cable car which goes up the mountains which are behind us very green and pretty. We live right next to a big big shopping/hotel complex that has the most amazing shops very expensive but nifty. Amazing kids fashion which I want to buy everything but t shirts start at $50 and bibs at $25 but sooooooooooooooooo coooooooooooooooooooool.
Saw a great pair of jeans for me $165 on special but my thunder thighs didn’t fit (they are so thin here) and tiny tiny feet so shoes wont fit much for me. I can’t believe how all the girls get around in their stilettos and platforms as there is alot of walking to be done regardless of who you are. They love their fancy shoes and wear these long black socks over the knees and lots of sparkle bags and shoes. Lots of make up and blonde and light brown hair all straightened and then ringleted must take them hours to get ready.........false eyelashes too!!!! The girls do it too!!! (That was a joke!!) But not far from the truth I have to tell you the boys are just as particular about their 'look'!! We are really enjoying ourselves and I shopped at the 100yen shop yesterday to stock up on bits and pieces for the apartment. They didn’t have any prices on anything so I was not sure what things cost ended up at the check and EVERYTHING was $1.00 (our dollar is a bit stronger than the Yen) it didn’t matter whether I bought a bath mat or some tea lights they all cost the same price!!! They must figure that you will get a mixture of items and that they even themselves out but it is still very very cheap and nice stuff too!! Got some really nice drinking glasses and wine glasses. Wolf Blass wine at the supermarket was $8.00 (I was surprised thought wine would be more expensive) food is pretty good value too. A bunch of bananas were only $1.75 cheaper than home but a cantaloupe (rockmelon) $30.00 it had a pretty bow on the top so people must buy them as gifts (if it is boxed it costs $50.00!!!!) Alot of food is pre-packaged like sushi so you can get a meal for $3 that will do you for dinner!!
We are having a day off today Monday and resting from all our walking over the last 2 days (looking at venues for the courses).
Will keep you posted on the next exciting instalment t.
Love Noeline and Brian
CHAPTER 3 Monday 16th/Tuesday 17th
We went out tonight with our ‘new friends’ Chieko and Jack they live on the 11th floor (we are on the 5th floor) Chieko helped us find our way around on our first day taking us to the local supermarket and giving us the lay of the land. She is married to Jack an expat American who is retired but still works here as a marriage celebrant. Many Japanese want western style weddings and he performs the ceremonies (not legal just for show!!) It pays really well too he said and I got all excited planning my new career but he knocked that on the head quick smart as the Japanese only like males to perform their weddings!!!
I have to say my short lived career as a wedding celebrant burned brightly brightly and with beauty!! They took us out to downtown Kobe to all the ‘good’ shops………….they all look pretty good to me! Anyway………I wanted sheets for the beds (we have single beds……….Brian wasn’t happy) but we have pushed them together and I am getting good sleep as the beds are very very firm (warning to the team joining us from Aus in August) The Japanese either sleep on the floor (yep right on the floor) with teeny flat type ‘sleep mats’ more like ‘I will need a massage in the morning mats’ or very very firm beds! We only have big thick doonas and are already getting a bit warm in the night so off we go to find sheets!!! OH MY GOD! You would think that buying sheets would be an easy task………sorry no! They have sheets that are custom made for those ‘sleep mat’ things and then other kinds for the other kind of sleep mats and “which size do you want and I think that one is too short!”……..SO I bought 2 big big big type towel blanket thingy’s that I was told are used instead of top sheets in summer (soak up all the sweat I reckon) no its not that bad we have aircon! Then off to buy Brian some ‘new’ headphones cos he broke the last pair………..(why are we not surprised!) They had a BIG WALL of the buggers priced from around $50 to $500 and you can compare them as they are all playing the same music. I got scared cos Brian was listening to the $500 ones wasn’t he.
I kept showing him the cheaper ones (I couldn’t notice the difference anyway) but he said “NO” and decided on a $200 pair (which were on special so that was OK) They a small and fold up and will travel well if they last that long! He is editing ‘Listen’ so it is for a good cause the sooner it is edited the sooner you can all be listening to ‘Listen’.
On our walk back we stopped at Jack and Chieko’s fav little ‘café’ where we ate only chicken………..that’s all they cook. Chicken……….every single bit of the chicken so we had chicken livers in teeny weenie dishes with nice kind of mayonnaise stuff (I liked it but Brian made a face L) Then we had the ‘joints’ on skewers……the grisly white bit of the back bone (crunchy but nice) then skin on skewers (they apparently scrape all the fatty bits off and scrunch it up into little balls and BBQ it (yummy) then we had little wee chicken balls (no not that kind…………do chickens have balls???) Anyway all washed down with Jappy Beer (for Brian and Jack) and Sake (for the girls) I did not realize that there were so many brands of Sake so I have decided to test them all and I will be reporting on my progress!
After staggering home we decided that the reason the Japanese are so thin is because all they do is WALK!!!! (Note: lots and lots of walking always!!! Wear comfy shoes!!)
A day at home Tuesday is planned (NO WALKING!!!) Brian is downstairs in our ‘apartment coffee shop’ Hello!!! Are we posh or what!!! He wanted to do the editing out of the house so that we don’t work at home!!! I am here at home writing this and will join him shortly for a cappuccino……….they make good coffee here!
Then I may stroll (very gently) out to the supermarket to get some Epsom salts for our tired feet!
Stay tuned for the next exciting episode of “Martins In Japan”!!!
Lots of love from Noeline and Brian
CHAPTER 4 Tuesday 17th June/Wednesday 18th
Tuesday saw us having a quiet day until Jack called and said ‘I’m bored wanna do lunch?” so even though I had just whipped up a yummy lunch of gyosa (a local delicacy- a bit like a moon shaped dim sim but nicer- I cheated it comes in a packet) and Italian salad (we like to mix it up a bit!!) we said “Yep lets do Chinese!” We had a great lunch at Jack’s fav Chinese restaurant (Japanese waitress wearing Chinese cheongsam) I get a bit confused as to where I am! Nice food and Brian snuck out pretending to go to the loo and paid the bill as Jack had shouted us dinner the night before (at that Chicken place)…..we left Jack and went down to the 100yen shop………..just hold me back!!! And bought ourselves some nice Jappy bowls and miso bowls (they are baby ones with little lids) so we can eat ‘authentic’ at home. On our way back we stopped at a tiny little café/shop and ordered coffee the lady there sews patchwork and very fine needle work bags and pretty things and I just had to buy a few things to bring home for pressies (so pretty)! The nice man there helped Brian with his Japanese as he insists on speaking it all the time (even to me when we are home on our own!!!) I just look at him and make a faceJ!!!
We then headed off in the other direction to find a café to set up our computers and do a bit of work. Brian editing for ‘Listen’ its getting there and me editing photos so I can send them to you and not break your computer memory. My son Harvey reckons I should get myself a ‘Blog’ and just keep adding to it so you might find that if I keep this up a ‘Blog’ might be the easiest way to go.
Looking into it!
Dinner found ourselves walking down our little street and looking at the local fare. Stopped at a tiny little café (yep everything is tiny in Japan including the people) with only about 10 seats around flat hot plates (Tepenyaki) can’t spell it let alone say it! Anyway its where the locals eat and they look at us funny as they are not used to ‘gaijin’ (outside person- this is an impolite name which they only call us out of earshot)but of course we are very nice and try hard to speak only Japanese and they laugh at our efforts and help us out. I have found pointing is very effective and have learned to wait until someone else orders and if it looks good I order it. Lots of places have pictures but my favorite is the plastic food out the front.
You know exactly what you are going to get! But you don’t eat the plastic stuff.
This little place did not have any pictures or plastic and nothing in English so we work on the ‘wait and see what that guy is having’ method and have the same thing. Well we were in luck cos it was YUMMY. Cooked right in front of us and eaten off the same hot plate. The ‘chef’ scoops the cooked food into alfoil that he has fashioned into a nifty plate in 2 seconds. I am going to go home a practice my ‘origami alfoil plate’. He made it look easy but I’m not so sure. We had these great ‘pancakes’ that are full of lots of good stuff like veges and meat and the art in the way he prepares and cooks it is just as fun as the eating. The other customers were very helpful and even though our Japanese is not very good we all seem to understand each other with gestures and facial expressions. Brian is carrying around a little note pad and writes everything down in both languages. One is Japanese and the other is Japanese/English Brian is trying to learn both…………I’m with him!!!
I find smiling and bowing works really well!!!
We had warm Sake…………..I’m liking this Sake stuff (latest Sake report)…..warm is good!!!
Anyway the food was fantastic and soooooooooooo cheap.$25 for the both of us and we were really full!!! Just 20 metres down the road from home. What can I say we are really enjoying this Japanese experience?
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