Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Daily life in Fuk

It's amazing how when I was first transferred to work in Fukuoka, I felt sort of lonely and out-of-touch with my English-speaking colleagues back in Osaka.

Now, nearly 2 months have gone by, and I was told that I will be transferring to the Tokyo branch in mid-Dec.

Feeling? Sort of reluctant to move now, considering I have accustomed to Fuk's way of living and working, and the office colleagues, the lunch talks..the apartment I am living in, my neighbourhood, my neighbours, my neighbours' gardens, people I see everyday on the train, people I see on the way walking to the train station every morning, which supermarket sells cheaper food than which, and if one sells cheaper raw food doesn't mean it sells cheaper fruits and bakery.... the list is endless....

Not to mention the train is pack in the morning with people rushing to work (yeah, my office is strategically right in the middle of the city where everyone works too) -- see above pic.
Oh my god.. I cannot imagine in Tokyo!!! I will be definitely squash by human stampede!

These are photos of my neighbourhood and what I see everyday
(For Mark)



















Those orange hanging bits in the above pic are my neighbours' garden-grown persimmons. Yeah.. they hang them dry. Now I know how my favourite dried fruit is preserved.

Friday, November 09, 2007

Trippy trip to Saga...



Saga -- a prefecture just next to Fukuoka.

Why? To see the International Hot Air Balloon Festival/Competition... There were hundreds of them!

Went there -- last Saturday night, stayed over at Yukiyo's house, as we needed to get the first 5.45am train on Sunday, to the paddy fields for the festival.

How many people were there? According to the announcer, half a million. Well, this is Japan after all, paddy fields or not.

Experience in a typical Japanese house -- I tried to push the thoughts of The Grudge out of my mind, but I cannot help it. The house is beautiful, large, Japanese garden, but very similar to the Grudge style in the inside. Part parquet flooring, part tatami flooring. I had a room to myself. I was spooked before I went to bed as many thoughts flown through my head as I lie there.. silence was eery. In the middle of the night, I experienced what the olden Chinese believe it as the Spirit/Ghost crushing you as you lie in bed..

I was fully awake, my mind was so conscious and all but I cannot open my eyes, I cannot move, I cannot speak...it just felt as though something very heavy is pushing me back down. But I refuse to believe such Spirit/Ghost explanation. If any of you out there who can give me a logical one, please feel free to enlighten me.

Photos: