Dance Carnival

Carnavales. En particular los de Vinaros. Mi amigo y companero de piso es de ese pueblo, asi que fui con el el fin de semana. Nunca habia ido, ademas tuve la oportunidad de vivirlo desde dentro, pues estuve con gente del pueblo, que vive esa fiesta de otra menera.

Mi "disfras" fue el hapii y la cinta de la cabeza que podeis ver. Es una camisa de fiestas de verano japonesa que compre la primera vez que fui. El simbolo grande esta en la espalda, y significa "festival"; la cinta de la cabeza dice "Japon".

Puedo decir que no habia nadie mas vestido asi. Y como anecdota de la primera noche que salimos de fiesta, os puedo contar que un pequeno grupo de japoneses que habia ahi me vieron y se quisieron hacer unas fotos conmigo. Solo me puedo imaginar su sorpresa, que en un pueblo, a 10,000km de su casa, encontrarse a alguien con una vestimenta tipica de su pais.

De la segunda noche que salimos, lo mas destacable fue que mi amigo ligo, no solo eso ya es bastante anecdota, pero ademas es la frase que ultizo... De antemano pido disculpas a todos, en principal a las chicas, pues la frase es ciertamente machista, ofensiva y vulgar, pero esta historia no se comprende del todo si no se sabe. Lo que dijo fue "Quisiera ser priata, no por el oro ni por la plata, sino por ese tesoro, que tienes entre las patas". Tanto sus amigos como yo, no solo nos sorpendimos de que dijese eso, pues es una persona bastante seria, timida y educada, pero es que ademas de eso no solo no le reventaron la cara de un guantazo (cachetada), sino que ligo.

Carnivals. The ones in Vinaros to be precise. My friend and housemate is from that town, so I went with him for the weekend. I had never gone there, and I had the oportunity to live it with people from the town, who live the carnivles with all their heart and soul.

My "costume" was the hapii and the head band that you see. It's a Japanese summer festival shirt that I bought the first time I went there. The big simbol goes in the back, and it reads "festival"; the headband reads "Japan".

I can asure that there was nobody else dressed the same way I was. On the first night we went out, which is in the one we dressed up, a small group of Japanese saw me and asked me to take a picture with me. You can imagine their surprise to find, in a small town 10,000km away from their home, someone dressed up in something typical from their country.

As for the secon night, I can outline is that my friend picked up a girl, which by it's own it's quite unusual and outlineable, but also the phrase he used... I must apologize beforehand, specially to the girls, because such phrase is malish, offensive and plainly wrong, but this story wouldn't be complete without knowing it. What he said was, and simply translate literly from Spanish, but it rhymes in such language, "I would like to be a pirate, not for the gold or the silver, but for that treasure, that you have between your legs" (*sigh*, it doesn't even have a ring to it in English). His friends and I were surprised not only because he said such thing, because he is a shy, respectful and serious person, but also because he didn't get slapped, instead he succeded.

Ponerse al dia - Up to date

Vuelto de mi viaje, fue llegar a epoca de examenes, aunque tambien me fui justo al terminar un examen. Por lo que las ultimas semanas (al igual que antes de irme) he vivido encerrado en la... en la... no puedo ni decirlo... bib... bibli... biblioteca.

Ahora que al fin ha pasado, y que he logrado poner al dia este blog, toca ponerme al dia en cosas que deje de lado los ultimos 4 meses, como por ejemplo la lectura que se aprecia en la imagen. Toca retomar proyectos, pasatiempos y actividades cotidianas que casi fueron olvidadas... En otras palabras, vuelta a la vida tras la no-vida de examenes.

Back from my journey, it was right into finals period, but I also left just after a final. For the last couple of weeks (just the same as before I left) I have lived enclosed in the... in the... I can't even say it... lib... libra... libarary.

Now that it's finally over, and that I have been able to put this blog up to date, it's time to get back to things I left aside for the last 4 months, one thing being the reading that can be seen on the image. It's time to go back to proyects, hobbies, and every day activities that where almost forgoten... In other words, back to life after the finals no-life.

Tales of Nippon: Epilogo, Epiloge

Como toda gran historia, no termina con "Fin", siempre hay secuelas, y no solo en la cuenta bancaria; quedan los recuerdos, las vivencias, las experiencias, las fotos y las compras. Nos hace crecer como personas y se convierte en otro capitulo de nuestras vidas...

Mis amigos y yo queremos agradecer a: Starbucks, por estar siempre para ofrecernos una bebida caliente, un asiento comodo y un bano en todo sitio al que fuimos; a las cadenas de combinis (en especial a Seven Eleven y Lawsons -dicho con acento britanico-) por estar abiertas las 24 y tener un gran surtido; a JR por la extrema puntualidad en sus trenes; a las tiendas de segunda mano, por tener las cosas como nuevas y mas baratas; al exelente servicio ofrecido por todo buen empleado japones; y yo en particular y especialmente a mis dos amigos ahi, con quien vivi grandes e inolvidables momentos... A todos: Gracias, totales!

Like every great story, it's not over with "The End", there's always the aftermath, and not only on the bank acount; we have the memories, the experiences, the momentos, the pictures and the bought things. It makes us grow as a person and becomes another chapter of our lives...
My friends and I would like to thank: Starbucks, for being always there to offer a hot drink, a comfortable seat and a bathroom to every place we went; to the combini stores (specially Seven Eleven and Lawsons -said with a British accent-), for being open 24 hours a day and have a great selection; JR, for it's extreme punctuallity on every train; to the secon hand stores, for having things just as new and way cheaper; to the exelent service offered by every Japanese employee; and I particulary want to thank my two friends there, with whom I lived great and unforgetable moments... To everyone: Thanks a buch!

Tales of Nippon: Enero 17, January 17th

Mi partida, el cielo de Tokyo lloro mi partida ese dia. Y no pude corresponder tal gesto de otro modo que brindando con una fanta de melon.

Durante el vuelo termine de leer el libro "State of Fear" de Michael Crichton, que habia comprado un par de dias antes. Y hube de didicarme a jugar PSP la mayor parte del tiempo, pues no tarde en deborar el libro.

La ruta de vuelo pasa por el polo norte, y me hubiese gustado ofreceros una foto de los cascos polares, que son una hermosura, pero en esta ocacion el cielo estuvo nublado todo el viaje.

Departure, Tokyo's sky cryed my farewell that day. I only con answer such gesture with a toast with melon fanta.
During the flight I finish reading the book "State of Fear" by Michael Crichton, which I had bought a couple of days before. I had to spend most of the flight playing PSP, since it took me no-time to eat my way trought the book.
On the way back the flight goes over the North Pole, and I would have loved to offer you an image of the polar ice, which is just beautiful, but this time the sky was claudy during the whole flight.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 16, January 16th

Ikkebukuro, la ultima parada en este viaje que al fin va a llegar a su fin. Quede con mi amigo en esta zona para buscar ciertas tiendas que nos interesaban. Comimos ahi mismo, una alimentacion completa y balanceada: una hamburgues con queso y tocino (carne, pan, lacteo), patatas con chilly y queso (lacteo, carne, cebolla, judias y patata) y la fantastica fanta de melon (la fanta de los dioses).

Despues de eso, me dedique a hacer las maletas.

Ikkebukuro, the last stop in this trip, which finally comes to it's end. I met my friend in this area to look for certain stores we were interested in. We ate there, a complete and balanced meal: cheeseburger with bacon (meat, breath, cheese), fryes with chilly and cheese (cheese, meat, beans and potato) and the fantastic melon fanta (the fanta of the gods).

After that, I spent my time making my lugage.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 15, Januray 15th

No queria irme sin pasearme por la zona de la palacio imperial, el cual esta cerrado al publico junto con todos excepto uno de sus jardines (solo se puede entrar durante el cumpleanyos el emperador el 23 de diciembre y el 2 de enero para el discurso de anyo nuevo). Dicho jardin solo cierra viernes y lunes... Era lunes, pero es que simplemente no habia habido tiempo antes, y no habria tiempo despues.

Recorri los jardines exteriores, los cuales ya son muy impresionantes, solo puedo imaginarme los de dentro.

Despues me dirigi a la zona de Ginza, donde se encuentran los edificios de Sony y Apple, muchas tiendas muy caras y teatro Kabuki.

Caminando, me volvi a encontrar a mi mismo en Akihabara, aunque a estas alturas no me quedaba nada que ver por ahi, aun asi heche otro vistaso.
Caminando aun mas llegue hasta Ueno, donde decidi cenar en un sitio donde uno elije el plato, paga en una maquina que da un boleto, uno lo entrega y le preparan la comida.

I didn't want to leave without visitint the area of the Imperial Palace, which is closed to the public, along with all but one of it's gardens (you can only go in on the Emperor's birthday on December 23th and on January 2th for the New Year speach). Said garden only closes on Fridays and Mondays... It was Monday, but there simply hadn't been any time before, and there would be no time after. I went around the outside gardens, and they are quite impressive, I can only imagine the inner ones.

I then went to the Ginza area, where you can find the Sony and Apple buildings, expensive stores, and the Kabuki Theatre.

Walking, I found myself again in Akihabara, there wasn't anything left to see there, but I went around again anyways.

Walking even further I found myself in Ueno once more, where I decided to have dinner in a place where you chose what you wanted, payed in a machine which gave you a ticket, you turned it in and they prepared your food.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 14, January 14th

La visita le toco en esta ocacion aun pueblo, Yokosuka, en el que transcurren los hechos de un video juego llamada Shenmue que mi amigo jugo hace muchos anyos. Este sitio da al mar, aunque aun no nos explicamos porque habia tres submarinos con la bandera imperial de Japon, en primera porque se supone que Japon no puede tener ningun tipo de ejercito, marina o fuerza aerea; en segundo porque la bandera imperial... bueno, que creo que seria como poner la bandera de Franco en Espana.
Aqui nos llevamos una sorpresa, ya que de repente nos vimos transportados a Estaduos Unidos de Norteamerica, durante media calle todo estaba en ingles y no habia ni un japones a la vista. Giramos la mirada y descubrimos la razon, habia una base de la marina de los EEUU.

Luego fuimos a Kamakura, cada uno queriendo ver una cosa, ademas el pueblo esta lleno de templos y cosas asi. Yo queria ver la cueva en donde unos cuantos cientos de samurais se hicieron el harakiri al morir su senor, mi amigo queria ver el segundo Buda mas grande de Japon (el primero esta en Nara, y como lo habia visto en mi pasado viaje a Japon, no me hacia ilusion), al final vimos este y nada mas.

Luego fuimos a Yokohama, la segunda ciudad mas grande de Japon, despues de y junto a Tokyo. Tras al fin lograr salir de los laberintos subterraneos de una combinacion de la estacion con unos centros comerciales logramos salir al aire libre. Tomamos un ferry que nos acerco a la noria (rueda de la fortuna), la cual era nuestra meta. Y si, subimos, siendo nosotros tres cuando en general solo suelen subir parejas, ya que va muy lenta y es muy alta.

The visit this time was to a town, Yokosuka, where the story of a video game called Shenmue my friend play many years ago took place. This place is next to the sea, we still can't explain how there where three submarines with the Imperial flag, first because Japan isn't supposed to have an army, air force or navy if I recall correctly, and because the Imperial flag... well, let's just say it's not supposed to be very popular now a days.
We had a surprise here, for half a street we found ourselves in the middle of the United States of America, everything was in English and there was not one Japanese in sight, we turned our heads and found the reason, there was a US Navy base right next to us.
Then we went to Kamakura, each one of us wanting to see a different thing, there are many temples and other things there, I wanted to see the cave where several hundread samurais comited harakiri when they lord died, my friend wanted to see the second bigest Buddha in Japan (the bigest one is in Nara, and since I had seen it the last time I was in Japan, I wasn't quite eager), in the end we just saw that.
Then we went to Yokohama, Japan's second largest city, right after and next to Tokyo. After finally being able to get out of the underground maze made from the train station and some malls, we where able to get some fresh air. We took a ferry all the way next to the wheel of fortune, which was our goal. And yes, we rode it, even tought we where three and it's mostly rode by couples since it's really slow and reaaly high.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 13, January 13th

Quede temprano con mis amigos en Shinjuku, originalmente no ibamos a salir de la estacion de JR, sino que seguiriamos rumbo a otro sitio, pero decidimos comer en la zona.
Tratamos de pasar una tienda de donas (donnuts, rosquillas... el nombre por el que las conozcais), pero desde que abrieron el lugar hace meses, siempre hay una fila de mas de media hora para comprar... La explicacion, o son las mejores donas del mundo o los japoneses son demasiado fanaticos a veces.
Fuimos a comer a un restaurante que se encuentra en lo alto de un edificio de oficinas, poca gente sabe de ellos, por lo que eramos los unicos extranjeros. El sitio era un sukiyai, como el shabu shabu, aunque este no era libre, pero estaba mucho mejor y nos explicaron bien como se debia hacer.
Despues fuimos a un sitio, que no recuerdo el nombre, simplemente a ver unas tiendas, buscando unas cosas, pero ibamos cortos de tiempo desafortunadamente.

La razon de nuestra prisa es que teniamos entradas para el museo de los esutudios Ghibli en Mitaka. Aunque es museo, solo hay numero limitado de entradas, y hay horarios para entrar. Ademas de eso, al parecer solo venden las entradas los miercoles en los comibinis Lawsans (Laaawwwwsssaaannnsss... dicho con acento britanico), o eso entendimos en la pagina web, y asi lo hicimos. La verdad lo que merece la pena es la primera planta, donde proyectan unas peliculas cortas exclusivas del museo y hay una habitacion dedicada a la animacion.
De ahi nos fuimos al karaoke, donde cayeron (y digo calleron, porque los matamos, jajajaja) clasicos como "New York New York", "Unusual" y temas de series y video juegos.

I met with my friends early in Shinjuku, we weren't going to go out of the JR station and head elsewhere, but in the end we decided to eat in the area.

We tried to go to a donnuts place, but since they opened months ago, they always have an over-half-an-hour line to get in... The reason, either they are the best donnuts in the world, or the Japanese are really grat fanatics.

We ate in a restaurant in the higher floors of an office building, few people know about it, so we where the only foreigners there. This was a sukiyaki place, similar to the shabu shabu, but not a free buffet one, but it was a lot beter and they explained to us how to cook it properly.

After that we went to a place which I can't remember the name, to look at some stores and look for some things, unfortunately we where short on time.

The reason for our hurry was that we had tickets for the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka. Even tought it's a museum, the number of visitors is limited, and there are schedules to get in. Also, it seems that you can only buy the tickets on Wednesdays at the Lawsons (Laaawwwsssaaannnsss.... said with a British accent) conbini stores, or so we understood at the webpage, and so we did. What really is worth it is the first floor, where they play exclusive animations and there's a room dedicated to animation.

From there we went to the karaoke, where many songs went down (and I say went down, because we just killed them, hahaha), clasics like "New York New York", "Unusual" and anime and video game themes.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 12, January 12th

Este fue el dia que mas horas y mas kilometros camine. Comence con una caminata, con lo que se supone toma unos veinte minutos desde donde me encontraba hasta Asakusa.

En Asakusa se encuentra el principal templo budista de Japon, donde ademas de las enormes (el doble de mi tamano) sandalias de Buda, hay todo un camino lleno de tiendas para turistas nacionales y extranjeros.

Como aun era temprano, y en el mapa no parecia muy retirado, decidi ir andando hasta Ueno, zona en la que ademas de un area de tiendas un tanto interesante, hay un gran parque con un par de lagos. Un lago lleno de patos y hierbas, y otro en el que las parejas pueden alquilar un bote de remos o pedales.

Tras ver tiendas y dar vueltas por el parque, seguia sin ser tarde... Viendo en el mapa Akihabara no parecia muy retirado, asi que ese fue mi proximo destino, para volver a recorrer tiendas enormes que ya he descrito antes, y buscar y encontrar tiendas nuevas al recorrer otras calles de la zona.

Ya que habia estado andando todo el dia, decidi intentar volver andando hasta mi punto de partida. En total, unas 12 horas andando sin parar, y un total de no tengo ni idea de cuantos kilometros.

This was the day that I walked the longest and the furthest. I started my walk with what is supposed to be a 20 minute walk from where I was at the moment, to Asakusa.

Asakusa is where the most important Buddhist temple in Tokyo is found, where besides Buddha's sandles (wich are twice my size), there's a road full of souvenier shops for both national and foreighn visitors.

Since it was still early, and it didn't seem to far away on the map, I decided to walk all the way to Ueno, where besides some interesting stores, there is a big park with a couple of lakes. One lake full of ducks and plants, and in the other couples can rent paddle or pedal boats.

After looking at the stores and walking around the park, it wasn't late yet... Looking at the map, Akihabara didn't seem to far away, so that was my next stop, so I could once again go trough enormous stores which I have described before, and seach for and find new ones in streets I hadn't gone before.

Since I had been walking all day long, I decided to try and get back to my starting point by foot. In the end, I walked for 12 hours and only-God-knows how many miles.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 11, January 11th

El dia comenzo temprano y con cielos muy despejados, tan despejados que desde el tren en el que iba camino a Makuhari se pudo ver el Monte Fuji, algo muy inusual.

La razon de mi visita a Makuhari no fue el centro de convenciones donde se celebran ciertos eventos de manga y video juegos, sino visitar y conocer la universidad de mi amigo.

La universidad es grande, con un estilo occidental, como podeis ver en la imagen, con jardines, zonas llenas de bicicleas y una cafeteria con un menu totalmente japones... Nosotros, claro, comimos ramen.

Despues de acompanar a mi amigo hasta su trabajo, otra vez hasta Shinjuku, hice rumbo hacia Roppongi, zona en la que ademas del edificio de Konnami, han puesto un area nueva y moderna con fuentes, tiendas y eidificios impresionantes. Entre curiosidades, encontre la arana de la imagen, que resulta que exactamente la misma que se encuentra en el museo Guggenheim de Bilbao.

Como tenia tiempo decidi buscar el edificio de TV Tokyo, que lo encontre, quede justo a un lado de la torre de Tokyo. Asi que no desperdicie la oportunidad para subir a sus dos mirados. La vista de Tokyo de noche es cautivadora, y la torre en si es impresionante.

Volvi a Roppongi, para tomar algo en un Starbucks y poner a prueba cierta leyenda urbana de la zona... Si un extjero va y se siente en un Starbucks de Roppongi, algun japones o japonesa se acercara para hablar. Una de dos, es mentira, o soy la excepcion que confirma la regla. Al menos tome un buen te y pude disfrutar de leer un libro.

The day started early and with clear skyes, so clear that from the train I took to Makuhari I was able to see Mount Fuji, somethings that is really unusual.

The reason for my visit to Makuhari was not the Convention Center in which some manga and video games events take place, but to visit the university in which my friend studies.

The university is big, with an occidental style, as you can see on the first image, with gardens, bicicle parkings, and a caffeteria with an all Japanse menue... of course, for lunch we had ramen.
After leaving my friend at work, in Shinjuku, once more, I made my way to Roppongi, where, besides the Konami building, they have made a new and modern area with fountains, stores and impresive buildings. Among other things, I found the spider from the image, which happens to be the same one that can be found in the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

Since I had time, I decided to go look for the TV Tokyo building, wich I found, which left me just next to the Tokyo Tower. I didn't let the oportunity to visit it's two viewpoints go by. The sights from the tower are breath taking, and the tower is just impresive.

I wento back to Roppongi to drink something at a Starbucks and try my luck with a certain urban legend... If you sit in a Starbucks in Roppongi, a Japanese (girl if you're a guy, guy if you're a girl) will come and talk to you. Either it's a lie, or I'm the exception that confirms the rule. At least I had a good tea and enjoyed reading a book.

Tales of Nippon: Enero 10, January 10th

Este dia fui a comer con mi amigo en el descanso de su trabajo, que esta en la zona de Shinjuku. Una vez el tuvo que regresar al trabajo yo me dedique a andar por zonas que ya he mensionado antes.
Primero ahi mismo en Shinjuku, luego fui a Harayuku, a buscar mas chocolate Wonka, pero no habia mas. Estuve caminando y viendo tiendas hasta que decidi irme a Shibuya y ver otras cosas.
Ahi hice estas fotos del famoso cruce, aunque desde la estacion de JR y no desde Starbucks, pero se puede apreciar la diferencia de cuando la gente no cruza y de cuando cruza.

On this day I went to have lunch with my friend near his work, which is in the Shinyuku area. Once he had to go back to work, I went around some areas I've mentioned before.
First I went around Harayuku, to try and get some more Wonka chocolate, but they didn't have any. I walked around and looked at stores until I decided to go to Shibuya to see some other things.
That's where I took this pictures of the famous street crossing, altought I took it from the JR station and not the Starbucks, but you can clearly see the difference between when people are not crossing and crossing the street.