Chapter 21 – Saturday 5th July 2008.
We had a meeting today with Qchan’s music teacher. (Qchan is another Mugan Life person) and she was keen to meet us. So Aki, Brian and I did some ‘train hopping’ (that is going on one ‘Train Line’ to another.) Different lines are run by different companies and their interconnecting stations are sometimes shared and sometimes (next to each other) which means you have to walk via subway/or above ground (there are shops everywhere anyway so I’m OK!!
It is reasonably clear but we have been known to jump on the wrong train, momentarily! (Remember the Kyoto incident?) Quchan met us at the station and lead us to her teachers apartment not far from the station. We went up 3 flights of very very steep stairs. (My dad, who was a builder, would have said that they were illegal – you wouldn’t want to be old or have hip problems!! (34 and holding and ignoring the jippy hip!) She was very welcoming and Makiko was there too so it was quite a little party. In this tiny little apartment full to the rafters with shelving and papers and stuff and slap bang in the middle was a GRAND PIANO!!! How the hell did they get that huge big thing into this weeny little place??? I asked, of course. By crane through the window!!! I would have loved to be a fly on the wall that day!!! She had all sorts of yummy cakes and puddings (remember I mentioned that people bring presents – we gave her some little ‘aussie’ momentos and some ‘cakes’. Makiko had brought little mango puddings………yummy. There were little pancakes folded in half and then ‘printed’ (how do you print on food??) with the design of a fish. “Fish Pancakes???” I was a bit reluctant to try those but dived in anyway- remember my motto “Try everything at least once.” To my relief there was no ‘whole fish’ inside……….that was a possibility though I can tell you. There was yummy white soft stuff that tasted slightly sweet and I was told it was the same rice stuff that is in the middle of those little rice cakes that go on the BBQ and puff up like popcorn (refer to past photo). There were really pretty packets of rice ‘cookies’ all shapes and sizes and colours and tasted yummy there was even a very very flat ‘prawn’ yep the whole thing head and all. I gathered up the packets. I do that at the restaurants with the Hashi (chopstick) covers as they are really pretty and I will use them in my ‘paper craft’. All the Aussies will be getting Japanese design cards with the name of a café on it or “Fish cookie” or “Please dispose of thoughtfully” designs on them. You guys are ‘Gaijin’ and can’t read them anyway!!! We had a great meeting and she wants to have some lessons and is recommending some of her students to our courses.
We then made our way (very carefully) back down the steep stairs and did and decided we were ‘on a ky a su tooy ta’ that means “my stomach is empty” (Isn’t that right Jack?). We wandered through the shops at the main station and passed a ‘Gyozza’ shop. (yummy little parcels that are fried – my favourite). We went up the stairs (not so steep these ones) and as soon as we entered the chef and waitress yelled at us really loudly in a sort of greeting so we just yelled at them back and we were all yelling and gesticulating and smiling and laughing. Turned out the other people sitting at the café were the owner and his friend. We got to talking and exchanged business cards (with two hands bowing) lots of bowing goes on here. The food was really good and we had fun yelling and ‘kumpiying’ (cheers).
It is a special festival today. Where the boy star and the girl star can meet across the milky way (they can only do it once a year) and you have to tie your paper wish on the special Bamboo tree. Aki was trying to explain to me several days ago about the festival and I was asking her where the special Bamboo tree was and she couldn’t explain it to me and/or I couldn’t understand so I left that conversation slightly confused. So I asked ‘The Guardian’ to help me find the ‘bamboo tree’ (I thought it might be in a special garden in the city or something) anyway he must of heard me and at our little ‘loud’ café a girl walks in with a little bamboo tree and puts it in a pot and the shop owner comes up and gives us all little strips of coloured paper to write our wishes on and I was the first one to tie it on the ‘bamboo tree’ right at the top!!!! I AM THE MANIFESTING QUEEN………………that is very close to THE BARGIN QUEEN!!! The owner then took us to the station to make sure we got on the right train to our next destination. Talk about service!!!
Off to a ‘University Glee Club Concert’ which we were invited to by the ‘main conductor man’ from the Osaka Choral Festival. The concert comprised of over 100 students on stage all wearing their ‘formal uni gear’ and a mass choir song. (see photos.)Then each individual Uni doing there thing each group walking on like soldiers very stiff and regimented. The audience only claps the conductor and accompanist. (The singers don’t get a look in.) I didn’t quite get that. Also they put the big grand piano in front of the choirs!!!
Then they all changed out of their ‘formal gear’ and came on stage wearing ‘cream casual’ outfits and did a sort of ‘play’ that was on going and was very very organised and wonderful. The ‘main man’ conducted this mass event and we think he may have composed it also. Brian was really impressed with his style and feels he could learn some stuff from him. He has invited us to another concert ($35 a ticket) as his guests so we are very chuffed. We did not get a chance to meet with him afterwards as the students were very excited as it was 4 months of rehearsal and they were throwing each other in the air in the foyer and singing and whooping holding flowers and gifts from parents etc. So we left hoping to give him his (aussie gifts) when we see him next time.
We went home via our favourite local and had Teppanyaki with Katsumi and ordered our ‘specials’. Then went home and watch ‘Pirates of the Caribbean - 2’ on the dvd with subtitles . (Brian bought me a copy for my birthday.) Brian needs his movie fixes!!!
Stay on this page for the next episode of “MARTINNNNNSS INNNNNN JAPANNNNNNNNNNNN!”
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