Another Weekend

On Saturday we played video games in an arcade, and then we found an unused movie theater that we played charades in.

At around 6 we left to get some dinner. It was early in the evening, but the others had been drinking all through the afternoon and once again I was one of the only sober ones present.

We made quite a commotion as we walked through the city. Most of them were doing silly things. We passed a sushi shop that had a radio playing outside. Someone turned the volume up and then ran away. They saluted the Japanese people walking past, and began demanding that everyone they met on the sidewalk give them a high-five. They jumped up and touched the banners hanging from the shops just to prove they were tall enough to do it. In short, it was very 1st year JET stuff. They had only been in the country for a few months, and most of them were still a little intoxicated with all the attention.

Although age wise some of them were as old or older than me, everyone else in the group were all first year JETs. They were still going through the first year JET phase of playing things up because of all the attention they were receiving. Once upon a time that was me as well, but I feel like I’ve mostly moved past that.

I was both embarrassed to be part of this group, and at the same time regarding it with a kind of amusement to see what would happen. After all, I was always complaining about how boring things were. Maybe with all the trouble they were causing I would have a few interesting stories by the end of the night if I stuck with them.

In the end though nothing happened. I was somewhat reminded of the night Junior year when Brett and I were really bored out of our minds. In our quest for adventure we wandered around the campus creating little mischief. We moved barriers into the calvin street, and then hid and watched as campus safety came along to move them back. Eventually Brett commented about how silly the whole idea is. “All were doing is just annoying people,” he said. “The campus safety officer is just muttering under his breath about stupid kids, and that’s about it.” Its hard to create big adventures out of little acts of mischief.

Sunday
On Sunday I went to Kyoto with a group of friends.

Kyoto is of course the most important historical and cultural city in Japan. (And, for you trivia buffs, one of the four final potential targets selected for the atomic bombing. It’s frightening to walk around all the old temples and castles and think how close it all came to just being wiped off the face of the earth in one instant.)

Regular readers of this blog might recall a re-occurring them is how pathetic my traveling is. For instance, this is my fifth year in Japan, and I’ve only been to Kyoto a total of for two days (during spring break 4 years ago). Especially now that I live in Gifu, only two hours away, there is really no excuse for not getting off my ass and exploring Kyoto more.

This time we went near the mountains on the edge of the city to explore some of the old temples and shrines there. But because it was on the edge of the city didn’t mean it was any less crowded. In fact, because the leaves were changing colors, it was packed with tourists coming to see the fall leaves.

One thing about Japan is people adhere to a schedule very strictly. At certain times of the year there are certain things you must do. In the spring you must have picnics under the cherry blossom trees. In the fall you must go out and see the leaves changing at recommended scenic spots.

Kyoto is beautiful in the fall I’ll admit that. We had a lot of picturesque moments walking around through the ancient temples under the fall leaves. But I hate fighting crowds and I hate the feeling that I’m part of a rush of people being herded to a certain spot at a certain time of year just because this is one of the things “I’m supposed to do.”

Additionally I felt like, despite my best efforts, I could not help but play the clumsy bumbling foreigner. Old hunchbacked ladies half my size were scurrying about the road below my field of vision, and I repeatedly knocked into them as my eyes were focused on the next site I was heading too. I stopped at a shop to admire some shirts, and was the shopkeeper yelled at me not to block the entrance.

The group we were with was about 12 people, which is a lot of people to keep track of in a crowded tourist destination. At the beginning of the day, Adam commented to me that he just wanted to relax and he didn’t feel like spending the day trying to keep track of everyone in the crowds. I responded that it wouldn’t be that bad, but in the end Adam was right.

We had a hard time moving anywhere because we couldn’t decide where to go. Finding a place to eat lunch took forever, and by the time we finally got some food we were all hungry and cranky.

At several points we stopped to take photos. Several of us murmured about how we were blocking up the road, and how the people on either side of us were getting angry, but for some reason we stayed where we were until a picture had been taken with everyone’s separate camera.

But that’s just me complaining. Big groups are always a hassle, but at the same time can be a lot more fun. Once we got to where we were going, we had a good time. And the train ride there and back was made a lot more fun because of everyone there.

Link of the Day
Wow! Damn it now this is cool. Video of John Lennon and Bob Dylan riding in the back of a taxi in 1966. Sure they don't say anything intelligent. Sure they mumble a bit, and appearently are stoned. And yet, seeing these two legends together in the back seat, you can't help but feel like they just don't make rock stars like this anymore.