Noodles And Beer

Don't know what's going on in Japan at the moment the rainy season is over yet there's been more rain in the last few days that in the rainy season, or at least the part i went through.

It's rained pretty much all week and then on Friday the heavens opened, it was torrential the drains were backing up in the streets and it was almost lifting the covers off out of some of them, there was a fountain of water coming up instead of going down. Would have taken a photo but for two things didn't have my camera and just being out in it you'd have been soaked in a second and so would the camera.

That was Friday night you can tell it was bad as i even stayed in and watched a couple of films, imagine that Friday night of all nights, did go out Saturday though, it was raining but not as hard.

Also Friday watched a bit of news the BBC on my skyperfect TV , what's going on in the UK sound like the economy is going right down the tubes. What's his face A Darling has given a pretty gloomy forecast as I'm sure everybody there knows, it's all they seem to be talking about here at the moment, probably a good job I'm working in japan right now from the sound of it. One good thing that has come out of it i'm getting paid in dollars while here and the exchange rate's getting better, so come on you Darling.

As you know the boys left the other day and I've been cleaning up, not that they were that messy but just been putting the beds away and a few other things. I'm pretty surprised all that they forgot was a T shirt one lone white sock and the mount Fuji walking sticks they'd used on the climb. I'll bring the sticks back later, as they are a bit of a memento as you get them signed at every station on the climb up Mt Fuji and are a bit of a keep sake. Spoke to Ben on Friday the day he got back to the UK flight went nice and smoothly it seems they both got up graded to business on the flight from Tokyo to Helsinki, think that was the icing on the cake for them. Think they enjoyed them selves and it was nice to have them and they are welcome back any time, just give me a couple of months to get over this trip

It's Sunday as I'm writing this and I'm just debating what to do for food, found a take away noodle shop the other day called Hotto Motto, food was great so i may go there again. The other good things about it are as well as the food being good, it's cheap (i like that) and it's just down the road from the apartment and i can walk there pretty easy, may go for a beer then stop in on the way home and get some food, yes that sounds like a plan.

Not a lot has been happened since the lads left in fact it's been pretty quiet really. Work has been a bit of a wash out as well, I mean literally a wash out because of all the rain we've had. Things are moving along well but because of all the water it has caused some small delays, but there are plans a foot to get round these.

While walking around on site the other day i noticed some plastic bags with what looked like beer wrote on them, check out the photo, personally i prefer my Beer to come in a glass you don't spill so much that way but each to his own.

The other thing i noticed the other day when i was in the supermarket, was the amount of guys on the phone obviously speaking to there wives or girl friends (maybe both i don't know) about what to kind of lettuce to buy, personally i think they should get a green one.

It seems some things are the same the world over. Always makes me smile when I'm in a supermarket back home and people are phoning about what to get, what kind of milk and that sort of thing, come on be a man and make a decision get the white stuff the cows want back. It's easy for me to say as I'm not married would probably do exactly the same if i was, but I'm not so i can mock

everyone on the phone in the supermarket making that big decision about today's dinner or lunch if your American, yes i saw it in the states as well.

Can't think of a lot to write at the moment so am going to make a cup of tea, a cup of PG to be precise brought 320 of the little beauties back with me this time.

By the way i know the title sucks but I'm going through writers block at the moment, well at least that's my excuse, really it's just that I'm not very imaginative.

Will try and think of something more interesting to write about in the next blog so until then flatmates.

Fuji and Karaoke

Well they did it, congratulations bet there aren't many people in Loughborough who've climbed Mount Fuji and they got all the way to the top. For that matter apparently only about 1% of the Japanese population ever get to the top of Fuji San lots of them start but not many go all the way.

It rained most of the time they were climbing, Ben and Tristan were probably the least prepared surprise surprise, took them about 7 hours to get to the top. Apparently it was freezing especially with all the rain and it was pretty windy as well, Fuji is a 3,800mts high.

But they're down now and can bask in the knowledge that they did it, don't think they would do it again though,

Couple of photos at the top of mount Fuji, they got there about sunrise which apparently is the most popular time but this obviously means climbing at night which make things worse, you need a torch to climb, don't think it's that well lit.

This ones at the 5th station about half way up and before they started this is where most people start from. You can start from the bottom which is the first station if you want but obviously it takes a lot longer.

They met a couple of other guys while they were there and climbed up with them one was a Brit and i think the other was from Belgium, not sure about that though , think the photo below is about half way up from the 5th station.

These two are of the sunrise at the top and of the top gate, the one with the flag is on the way down, think it took about 4 hours to get down.

Any way they got back on Tuesday which was there last night in Utsunomiy as they had to got to Nagoya on Wednesday as their train pass's run out then and anyway the plane back to the UK leaves on Thursday at 11 in the morning from Nagoya.

So after they had had a bit of a kip took them out to to a bar which happened to have Karaoke in it.

The bar we went to was/is different to anything we have in the UK, I'd told them about these kind bars before and had said if we got chance would take them one just to see what they were like.

It was been to a similar one when i first came and said i would never go back but you know you should never say never. Basically it was just a small room not much bigger them my apartment, you pay 3,000Yen to get in and your drinks are free for the first hour but you can only drink Whisky or Soju which is like a Vodka. There are girls there whose job is to talk to you and get you to buy drink for them and stay longer.

As it happened this one was like a Philopeno bar, meaning the girls in there were from the Philippines, as it happened they also had a Karaoke. One thing led to another and the next thing we knew we were haveing a go, and were we bad. All the girls had good voices though which was just as well because we didn't. Couple of photos below, they didn't turn out very well but never mind you get the idea.

So that was it there last night in Utsunomiya and the second to last night in Japan, going to Nagoya tomorrow and would be staying there for the night. Think they'd had a good time done a lot of travailing, met a lot's of people. Last couple of days though there's been a lot of rain so hope that didn't spoil it too much for them, been nice to have them and I've done a few things i probably wouldn't have if they weren't here so it's been good. Dropped them off at the train station the next day, this is them packed up and ready to go.

Anyway now they are on their way normal service will be resumed as soon as possible.

Geronimo

Well the boys got back from Kyoto, Osaka and Hiemji on Thursday and think they were pretty tired as they just stayed in and watched TV.

They seem to have had a good time and have certainly done some travailing, making the most of the rail passes they bought. They are planning on going to Roppongi again the next day or should i say the next night think that's why they came back Thursday to rest up, this time though no hotel train back early Saturday morning.

Tristan went to Tokyo the next day early and was going to meet Ben that night he wanted to get some photos of Harajuku girls. It a style of dress for girls in Tokyo that started out in you've guessed it an area of Tokyo called Harajuku. Never heard of them but apparently Tristan has and he's into photography, anyway couple of photos in case you're wonder.

Not exactly sure what to make of it all but each to his own, sort of remind me of dolls and punk, am told you even get Harajuku boys.

So anyway way Tristan's in Tokyo and Ben's going to meet him later, me I'm still undecided but in view of the fact that Ben is not here every day I'll probably go as long as I'm not cramping their style and they both say I'm not, so polite.

Ben goes off to meet Tristan in Tokyo and i said I'd meet them about 10.30 in a bar we all know there. About 30minuets after Ben had left there was an earth quake, it shook the building quite a lot and to anyone who has never experienced one it quite disconcerting and that's pretty much all us Brits. Say what you want apart from the odd flood we don't really have many natural disasters to worry about do we, apart from maybe an actors strike on Coronation Street or Emerdale. Like i say for a few seconds i wondered if i should leave the building, to a Japanese person I'm sure it was nothing but to me it was quite weird, the biggest one I've felt since being here, we small earth tremors every week. When i saw Ban later in Tokyo he told me he was on the train and they stopped it on the track and turned out the lights for 15mins. Ben said he didn't know what was going on but there were people trying to get out of the doors, as they say ignorance is bliss.

On to their last night in Roppong not going to talk about it just show a few photos. Scratch that went into a bar called Geronimo's, small bar lots of people got some drinks and did some people watching. Being a bar with a name like Geronimo's it obviously had an Indian theme, the main one being if you bang the drum behind the bar you have to buy a drink (shot) for the whole bar and i mean everyone. Well strike me down with a Harajuku girl, we'd only been in the bar twenty minuets and some EEjit bangs the drum and it's shot time. Thought we were in luck as i said to my self that don't happened very often, then another EEjit bangs the drum again, and another shot. I'm thinking twice in one night must be unusual and were getting free drinks, then the drum bangs again can't believe it, some one must have more money than sense, I'm thinking the bill for one round of shots must be about 200quid, the bar was small but it was packed.

Well stone me if another guy doesn't go up and bang the drum, we get another round of shots. Sort of lost count after that but i do remember that one guy hit the drum twice and bought two rounds, must have been about 400quid. Couldn't work it out buying a bar full of strangers a drink the only thing you got was for everyone to say cheers and your name on a plaque on the wall for banging the drum it takes all sorts and we weren't complaining. Bet we had about 6 free drinks so well done guys keep banging the drum it's lovely music, if you re ever in Tokyo go to Geronimo's you never know you might get lucky.

Now for some photos not sure i have one from Geronimo's though, too busy drinking no time to take a photo. Found one what ever you do if you see a bell or a drum behind a bar don't ring it or bang it or you could get more than you bargained for.

Ben Tristan and some Auss guy we met a Geronimo's, this was taken in can't remember but it was somewhere else.

Oh forgot to say Ben and Tristan are going off to climb Mount Fuji, or Fuji San as the say over here, on Monday. It's been pouring down all day today so hope it's good weather for them, else they will get wet, Fuji is getting on for 4,000mts so that won't be fun in the rain

They fly home on the 28th and climbing Fuji San has been one of the big things on their list of things to do do, the next blog will hopefully start with they did it.

Roponngi To Himeji

Quick review of Roppongi, probably not a place you would want to go to all the time but it's defiantly worth a visit just be prepared to get hassled by all the touts trying to get you into their bars. It's busy and heaving with people, lots of westerners either on holiday or expats working in Japan. It can be expensive but there are places to go either bars or restaurants that won't break the bank, you've got to be a little bit careful though of walking into a bar and having to pay a cover charge which can be pricey in some. The other thing that surprised me was the amount of stalls that sell Kebabs, just like being in the UK, bit strange really being in Tokyo and all that but i guess with all the foreigners around it was OK.

You also tend to loose track of time as well because everywhere is open real late or real early depending on your take on it so before you know it it's 8 o-clock in the morning, you're still drink beer and dancing around, that is if you have the energy and most sane people are getting up not just thinking of going home. Got to say though it's good fun and if you're visiting Tokyo it's something you have to do even if only once, can't really recommend anywhere as there as so many and we only visited a few but all the ones we when in were pretty good, just go somewhere that looks OK. The plan by the boys is to do it again next Friday so i guess they like it, will see if I'm up too going with them when the time comes.
Sunday Ben and Tristan got back from Tokyo late afternoon and crashed out in bed, can't say i blame them as they had to leave the hotel about noon and that was with not getting in until about 9.30 Sunday morning. Think they got up hung around TGI Fridays for something to eat and then came back, hung around is probably the right word as I'm sure that what they were.
I didn't get in that much earlier but not having to get up and check out of a hotel made it easier and i didn't feel too bad considering the time i got in.
Didn't do much Sunday as they spent most of the rest of the day and night sleeping, plan is to go to Nikko Monday for some sight seeing. Nikko is one of the most famous shrines in Japan which just happens to be only about 40kms from Utsunomiya. I did say that was the plan but as someone said "the best laid plans of mice and men", needless to say they didn't work out, couldn't get them motivated, ah well maybe next time.
I'm back at work Tuesday and they are supposed to be going to Kyoto and Osaka, go to make use of the train pass, they are also going to go to Himeji castle well that's their plan, will see what actually happened when they get back on Thursday.

Oh as we didnt go to Nikko took them to the local shrine in Utsunomiy Monday as well to take some photos and have a look round. Did find a good noodle bar Monday night which i took the B and T to, the food was good and think they both liked it.

After that went for a beer to the Lions Head and then on to a small Japanese bar i know.

Photo of the owner and his wife in the noodle shop at least i think it was his wife, then one of me and Ben with the waitress from the small Japanese bar we went in.

The boys got back on Thursday and they had actually done what they said they would, so i'm going to post a few photos of their trip.

Roppongi Again

I caught the first train back to Utsunomiy on Saturday morning like i said, actually it wasn't the first train think the first one leaves Tokyo for Utsunomiya about 5.30 in the morning and i got back about 9am. Negotiating the subway system and Tokyo central station is not the best thing to do when you've been out drinking all night but i finally managed it.

Ben and Tristan had booked into a hotel for the Friday and Saturday nights, they said it was pretty nice. Cost them about 100pounds each for two night so not bad for central Tokyo but there again they were in a twin room which makes it cheaper http://www.ishinhotels.com/theb-roppongi/en/index.html
The B Roppongi is right in the center of Roppongi so not far to walk home for them, don't envy them on Sunday morning though when they have to check out before noon, which probably means about 2hrs sleep.
Roppongi has gone a bit up market in the last few years with the addition of a shopping and apartment complex right in the middle of it, strangely enough called Roppongi Hills, very pricey to have an apartment here.

I wasn't with them during the day actually it was late afternoon as i don't think they got out of bed till about 3 when they had a look round it, here's a couple of photos there's a giant spider right in the center of the shopping area, actually it looks more like something out of war of the worlds.

That was pretty much it for Saturday day time, i was still in Utsunomya and was going to meet them later that night. So the rest of this page will pretty much be a collection of photo's of the night events.

Good job Ben had brought his phone else meeting up would be difficult as there are hundreds of places to meet.

Finally got in touch and met them in a bar called LinerFlips, think it got it's name because it specialised in cocktails and the guys behind the bar put on a show mixing them, bit like Tom Cruise in the film cocktail. After that we went to a place called Gas Panic lost of people and a bit of a panic but no gas, after that it was off to Shubuya to meet some friends from Utsunomiay. This was a bit of a disaster as while we were on our way there they phoned me to say they on there way to Roppongi, we were on the metro at the time thought we'd carry on.

Needless to say i never thought about the underground closing so no sooner had we got to Shubuya and realised we needed to get back and the underground was shut, so taxi it was.

Am sure there is a lot more to Shubuya than we saw but we didn't have time to see or find it this time so it was a bit of a dead loss.

Some photos one on the metro and one on the crossing in Shubuya one we though was the big one there but it turned out it wasn't. The other one's of me still in the Taxi, tip for anyone getting a taxi over here, the doors open and close automatically so don't be hanging onto the door or you could get a nasty shock.

Back in Roppongi and on to the next place, we were meeting the others at a club called Muse or at least that was where they we going whether we met them or not was another thing. On the way we stopped off in a bar called Heartland which was built in the Mori tower of Roppongi hills, very nice and a bit more upmarket than most of the other bars, there were even people of my age in there believe it or not and trust me i found it hard to believe.

Some photos of us in Heartland one with a couple of girls, one of them turned out to be some sort of agony aunt on the radio

After a beer or two on to Muse, finally got there as you can see we got a beer and went to explore , not sure what Ben and Tristan are doing in this photo and i took it. Probabbly something that sounded like a good idea at the time, looking at it now just looks like two blokes with there head in a hollow tree and a bottle of beer in there hands, something you see everyday,

Ben giving me a bit of fatherly advice, something like ain't it past your bed time. A couple of party goers, and a photo of Ben and Tristan with a couple of girls they bumped into on the street, not sure if i took this photo or not they say i did but i can't remember think the night or should i say morning got to be a bit of a blur. Anyway that's it just remained for me to find my way back to the subway station and then on home, think it was even later or should i say earlier today than it was before

Friday in Roppongi

Well it's Friday and I've got a day off work as it's a holiday over here for the site, as luck would have it it coincides with the first full day that Ben and Tristan are here in Utsunomiya.
They got up fairly late because of the flight and going out last night, feed back I'm getting from them is wow! were in Japan bring it on. They've plans to climb Mount Fuji and see other things before going home but this weekend apparently is to be spent in Tokyo and they've booked a hotel for two nights there, guess I'll join them later but I'm going to get the train in and depending on the time either get the last train back or the first train Saturday morning back, will see how it goes.
After they get up i took them for lunch at a place called CoCo's and easy introduction to food over here and pretty close actually you can see it from the window in the apartment, food is a cross between western and Japanese it's good, think it maybe some chain from over in the states as there are a few of them here. After that it was a bit of a tour round Utsunomiya but as it was hot and they were planning on going to Tokyo we didn't see a lot, Ben was fascinated by the grammar on this sign for my favorite supermarket though, got to say the food is much better than the grammar, and also the Manga book/comic he got Tristan to hold. So anyway off we go back to the apartment for them to get ready and go to Tokyo and find there hotel and go out for the night, I'd decided to join them but would get the train and meet them later.
So off they go and get the train thought I'd take the chance to go to the gym for an hour as i probably wouldn't get to go much in the next few days, I'd a feeling we may be doing a bit of drinking.
Had arranged to meet up about 10.30 outside the Almond Cafe in Roppongi, apparently it's very central and used as a meeting point but as I've never been don't know.
So do my hour at the gym get back and get changed, running late as usual so phone and say i won't make it till about 11.30 Ben's phone just goes to voice mail though. So much for catching the last train back as i ended up catching the last train to there which got into Tokyo about 30mins aft the last train to Utsunomia had left the station.
Finally get to Tokyo about 11.30 then have to catch the subway to Roppongi, had finally managed to get in touch with Ben and had arranged to meet in a pub called the Hobgoblin, get there about 12 they'd had a few by then of course.
















We then moved on to a few other bars, was actually surprised that there was a bar there where the beer was cheaper then in Utsunomiay, it was called the Piccadilly or the Underground something like that anyway and know locally as the 500 yen bar, this is us there posing with a couple of local girls. I look pretty surprised in one of the photos but a guess that's one thing about being old you get to pose with the girls.







Few more photos below of Ben an Tristan in a few more bars, turned out to be a real good night.
Actually they are not all of B and T there is the odd on of yours truly and some random Swiss guy turned up as well. Ben said he got lost in Tokyo on Saturday morning and too a photo of himself trying to get home but i think that he was a little drunk and his hotel was behind him all the time, didn't say much when i pointed that out.

Sorry about the bolg think it is going to be mostly about being out and about in Tokyo, but for the next couple of days think that's what's going to happen as they want to go out in Roppongi again tomorrow, they do want to do some sight seeing so they tell me, but seeing Tokyo is sight seeing even if you are in a bar.
Oh, forgot to say i left before they did so i could get the train, it was Saturday morning and not the first train to Utsunomiya unfortunately. Try negotiating the subway and train system in Japan when you've been out all night, think i got home about 9am. Tristan left Ben to his own devices and went back to the hotel a bit after i left, Ben went for coffee somewhere with some random Swiss guy and a couple of girls and then promptly got lost on his way home so he tells me.
Will find out more tomorrow when i see them for the next installment of Tokyo at night, anyway that's Friday night come Saturday morning over until next time, which may turn out to be Saturday night come Sunday morning, may have to give it a miss but they are only here once.