Tuesday, March 10, 2009

If You Have Any Problem Please Tell Me the Staff

I am not amused.
Over the weekend I took a trip to Hiroshima to hear from an atomic bomb survivor. Her name is Matsubara Miyoko. Her story is long and very graphic, but it was worth a listen. There are only about 20 survivors who are willing to speak to the public, so it was a nice opportunity. I'll spare you the details as it's very disturbing. If, however, you're interested, there are videos of her account readily available on the internet. Simply Google "Miyoko Matsubara." She is mostly deaf from the bomb, so her English is very difficult to understand.

After a heavy morning, we all took the ferry to Miyajima where we ran into more stinky beggar asshole deer like in Nara. The place is really famous for its sunsets, so naturally it got really cloudy right as we got there. The whole island closes at 5:00, so we took the ferry back and ate Hiroshimayaki. It's essentially Okonomiyaki with soba or udon. Mine had natto and, as the menu said, 'onions and ginger on them tops.' We then went to a hostel where a naked man with a one inch booger hanging out of his nose asked me personal questions while I brushed my teeth. The next morning my friend found blood stains on his sheets. Hostels are fantastic! Picz.

Also: 6 for 32, but two were Jehovah's Witnesses who proselytized during the photo...

And: Women from Hiroshima seem to really like tall American guys.

And: Fried chicken, fried pork cutlet, sweet potato tempura, inaka miso soup with white radish, rice, a salad made from flowers, and steamed vegetables. In your face.

And: Okonomiyaki with soba and natto topped with ginger, green onion, seaweed flakes, and crushed red pepper.

And: Curry rice, minced fish croquette with soy and white ginger, kimchi pickles, and miso soup with eggs and green onion.

And: A fish with a sweet sauce whose fins are delicious (Maybe mackerel? My host family called the spine a "bone cookie"), rice, soup, and flower salad.

And: Fish egg spaghetti, creamy potato soup with ham, and steamed broccoli. It tasted like tomato cream sauce. What the what?

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Cheesecake with breakfast, Smash Bros., and Japanese girls. I love this damn country.

My Monday schedule sucks. I have 4 hours to kill after lunch. As it turns out, you eat when you're bored. You eat a lot. Like half a box of wafer chocolates, obanyaki, a stick of HiChew fruit chews, and 2 donuts. So, a friend and I set off in a random direction to see what would happen. Here are some pictures of what we found. Oh, and a cleaning lady at the gym walked in on me in the shower.

Moral: When someone asks "is anyone in there?" don't worry about responding in the same language.

Also: 4 for 29.

And: Beef ramen with baked cheese onigiri and a salad with pickled cherry blossoms.

And: Fried rice topped with an omelet, miso soup with mushrooms, and a side of fruit.

And: Creamy pork stew with rice and Texas toast.

And: Steamed broccoli is amazing with mayonnaise and soy sauce. What the hell, Japan?