Wednesday 27 April 2011

High School Debut

Last night, I went to the movie theater with three of my friends, so we could watch the Japanese film "High School Debut or Koukou Debut". I was really surprised because I could understand almost everything that they were saying in the film. I think it was because everything they were saying was super easy and they only used slang. Sometimes, I wonder if I know more Japanese slang than proper Japanese. Also, there was no one else in the theater, so we were able to talk really loud during the movie. It was really fun because we joked around throughout the entire movie. Also, I think Junpei Mozobata is really cool. Apparently, he was in "Buzzer Beat" too, which was the first Japanese drama I watched. However, I can't remember him in it. I need to watch it again.
The next movie we want to go see together is "Paradise Kiss".


Monday 18 April 2011

Kamakura

For the first weekend of cherry blossom season, I decided to go to Kamakura. My Japanese friend who I had met in Thailand offered to guide me around because he lives there. It was really difficult to get there though because the trains were still messed up due to the earthquake, but eventually, I was able to arrive. His family's house is right by the station, so we were able to ride bikes. We went to so many temples and shrines. I don't know how far we rode bikes, but it must have been so many kilometers.
At this temple, there was a snake climbing on the wall. It was so crazy because it was a straight drop that he was climbing on. I think his home was in that hole in the cliff.
Another place we went was Hokoku-ji Temple. There is a bamboo forest here. It's really quiet and pretty.
Also, we went to this little cave thing where samurai did seppuku (ritual suicide) back in the day. Also, I can't remember the name of this temple, but below are pictures of a really cool temple by the ocean. There is a special place at the temple, which you can get access to if you ask for the key. There are these lantern stone things which I think are tombstones. Apparently, some people got into an argument, and the man was like I'm taking these with me from Kyoto to Kamakura. They are so huge. I'm not sure how they transported them.

There was a really cute stray cat at the temple.
After seeing a bunch of temples and shrines, we rode bikes along the ocean. The beach is really pretty there, and lots of people were surfing. Next time, I go to Kamakura I really want to visit this island below!!
After riding along the ocean, we went to the big buddha. It was pretty cause it started getting dark just as we arrived. The flowers were really pretty here.



After finishing our bike ride, we went to my friend's house. His mom made us lots of food. I was really happy I got to go to their house because I never get to go inside Japanese people's houses. I got to see what they ate and what she cooked, so I was so happy that I had this chance.

Monday 11 April 2011

Thailand - Day 4-9

On day 4, we went to the shopping center which is really huge and amazing. That day we had to catch our flight to Phuket, but we had some time to kill before the flight. We decided to go to the cinema. We ended up watching the Thai film "Suckseed" which is about three secondary school boy students who form a rock band to impress girls, but despite their efforts, play poorly and regularly end up losers. It is really interesting to see how films are made in different countries. After the movie, we got our flight to Phuket. The next day, I went out for a walk around Phuket and laid by the pool the entire day. The following day, I took a boat tour of Phi Phi Islands. Basically, we just went to different islands and chilled on the beaches. It was really fun though because I got to go snorkeling and feed fish with a banana. However, I kind of freaked out when the fish started eating and dropped it. Also, I met 2 Japanese boys from Yokohama and 2 Japanese girls from Kobe. I sent the whole day practicing Japanese, and I made new Japanese friends.
Phi Phi Islands




The final day, we got Thai massages, and then started our journey home.

Friday 8 April 2011

Thailand - Day 3

On Day 3, we took a tour of the floating market, the Bridge over the River Kwai, the tiger temple, and the elephant sanctuary.
The first place we went was the floating market.
This is our boat. We had a driver that took us along a canal where lots of shops were positioned on the sides of the canal. Most people there were tourists other than the people selling the goods and the boat driver.
A woman selling goods



Next, we went to the Kanchanburi War Graves where lots of British WWII soldiers were buried. The next place we went was the Bridge over the River Kwai. It was really hot, so we didn't stay here too long. We walked over the bridge though.
After this, we went to lunch. There are really good slushies in Thailand. I've really missed slushie drinks. The next place we went was the tiger temple. Here you were allowed to take pictures with the tigers. Also, there were deer, a bear, water buffalo, and boars here. It was really cute cause you could take pictures with baby tigers too.
If you payed extra money, you were able to play with the tigers in water, but it looked really dangerous so we didn't do it.

After this, we went to the elephant sanctuary. This was our driver. He said he had been doing it since he was 16.


That night, we went to the Siam Paragon shopping center and ate Mexican food. Then that night we headed to Patpong to walk through a big market. They were selling lots of knock-off goods.

Friday 1 April 2011

Thailand - Day 2

The second day, we did a 25 kilometer bicycle tour in Ayutthaya, which is an ancient city located north of Bangkok. It used to be the capital city of Thailand. First, we went to Wat Yai Chai Mongkol. This is a temple compound famed for its reclining buddha. It was built in 1357. The Chedi was built in 1592 to celebrate King Naresuan’s single-handed defeat of the then Burmese Crown Prince after an elephant back duel.


The second place we went was Wat Phra Mahatat. It is a temple that was the symbolic heart of the old city and is now famed for the picturesque tree roots that ensnarl its imbedded Buddha relic.


The third place we went was the Old Royal Palace.
Next, we went to Wat Chaiwatthanaram, which is a Buddhist temple located on the bank of the Chao Phrya River. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was first constructed in 1630.
After this, we stopped at a cremation temple, and then we stopped for lunch. We were so tired that we couldn't eat. It was really hot that day. I think it was around 35C, so riding bicycles was really difficult.
After lunch, we took a ferry across the Chao Phraya River with our bikes.


Our final destination was the Summer Palace (Bang Pa-In Royal Palace).