Even the barcode on wrappers are cute :D
To add to the last post, me and my friends went to a guitar/piano/flute/horn concert in town. Each was done by the year's music competition winners in a concerto format. So we got to listen to 5 different young musicians all show off.
The guitarist though, played something so radical I thought he was just tuning his guitar for a long time till he stood up and bowed.
The next piece he went berserk and started tickling the guitar, hitting it, switching hands and playing chords I never knew existed except when amateurs fiddle with guitars. And then 2 minutes later after mesmerizing us lot he stood up and bowed again. The rest of the musicians though, had common sense and played normal music for us proletariats. Today it is snowing like nobody's business. 
this is when I went for some ramen noodles. the really cool woman who ran this place was gone and there were 3 newly hired people who were absolute ninevites. so my noodles weren't good. boohoo
More on the birthday suit business - yes to Nic and CC...we bare all for hot springs. If you don't like that all you need to do is wash your body super quick then jump in to the water before anyone sees you. So back on subject, for new year the Japs eat what is called "osechi" - an assortment of foods that people prepare beforehand so that they don't need to cook during the new year and can just sit back and relax. (This is just my conclusion so don't go telling others) 
Entry no.1 Tamagoyaki : Egg mixed with soup stock. Cooked like an omelette in a small rectangular pan so it gets to this shape. 
Entry no.2 Kazunoko: Pickled herring eggs. I love the bubbly-ness 
Entry no.3, 4 &5 Kamaboko, Yatugashira and Kombu-maki: Pureed fish cake, steamed yatugashira potatoes and seaweed-wrapped carrots not my favorite but well-liked by the common public 
Entry no.6 "the Crab" staring you in the face!
As it is cold outside the japs have infused blankets and tables and a heater to make the KOTATSU!!!!
Once in you cannot get out... Japan=land of the rising sun, super toilets...and the HOT SPRINGS PS Did I tell you that the toilets here all have seat warmers? So that your bum won't cringe and shrivel when in contact with the toilet seat the kind japs have the seats fitted with an electric warmer. Ever so kind. Anyway, hot springs. Each Onsen is famous for something based on the mineral content of the spring. Kusatsu (2hr drive from my house) for example is famous for skin conditions and diabetes. So just in case you come over to Japan here I will like to brief you on the methodology of onsen-enjoying. 
First you wash your body OUTSIDE the baths. Using the bucket and stool (the wooden ones in the pic), the shower and soap, shampoo etc etc you first scrub yourself squeaky clean. If not who would want to share a hot spring with you? Yuckk Traditionally we scrub each other's backs, but not often nowadays. Next we go and plunge! 
The towel or scrubber you washed yourself with must not come into contact with the water (etiquette). So we put it on our heads or on the stones outside. I usually put mine on the stones which mean they are stone cold by the time I pick them up again.
So late night on the 31st me and my friends went to one and really enjoyed ourselves. I also for the first time tried a "korean skin scrub"- something which would remind you of the ancient roman baths (we had the roman baths down our street in Glasgow, sorry if this illustration doesn't ring your imagination). Korean ladies fitted with scrubbing gloves rub you down raw and exfoliate you to the extreme. I hate pain (especially if you have to pay for it!) so I had never had one. But I thought it would be interesting if I became whiter after it so off we went. I wouldn't do it again but your skin does get super soft after it. that my eyesight got worse. Recently I would squint a lot and I thought it wouldn't be comforting for people on the back of my bike knowing that I actually couldn't see much...
so me and my mum went to the glasses store to get glasses! Half an hour of choosing the coolest frame (there were ones I would look like the last emperor of China! ones I looked like Kim Jong-un...and normal ones) we went to choose the lens Only to realize that my eyesight was superb and I could see fine without them. seems that its just because I am almost always too tired my eyes just can't be bothered to see well. oooopsy. | Authormumbly and crumbly ArchivesMarch 2013 Categories |
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