CORRUPTION and fun things

So I left off yesterday morning, huh? I did end up walking. I went out in one direction for about a half hour or a little more and found a store sort of like Barnes and Noble called Tsutaya. They sell books, movies, and music (like B&N). Looked around but didn`t buy anything. Then went back home for a break.

It`s easy to get lost because of the narrow streets. You`re also never sure if they will connect through to where you want to go. Shirai-san (host mom) drew me a map, though, which is very helpful. Shows how to get to the train station, which was useful today...

but I`m getting ahead of myself. I haven`t taken pix of the neighborhood yet, but then I can`t upload them yet anyhow, since I`m using Shirai-san`s computer. Mine doesn`t work yet, but I will try to explain the problem tomorrow to someone who will come to fix it...maybe haha Explaining computer problems is hard enough in English @_@

I took another walk in a different direction, too (and ate bentou that Shirai-san bought for me :D) There are lots of interesting things around even though it`s a residentail neighborhood. Little shops like for used bicycles, furniture, bakery items. There are also vending machines every block or so...probably more than that, actually. There are seriously a lot of vending machines. I already knew you could buy beer and cigarettes etc from them, but I didn`t realize that you are never more than a few yards from a cold (or sometimes hot!) drink at any time.

Toru got home and mostly just watched cartoons. The babysitter is an older lady named Komaki-san. She is nice, but sort of intimidating because my Japanese is not so great. She explained to me the four different trash cans, though. (If you didn`t know Japan has a very strict system of separating and bagging trash...) Later Toru and I played more Gamma Bros. but then he had to do his homework. He reads stories just like any kid you`ve seen a movie do it, very theatrical...well modulated.

Last night ended with the three of us watching Cellular in Japanese. I was surprised it was something she would want to watch with Toru, but I guess he survived ok. They had Tivo`d it with their PSX, I guess. That`s a big white box that combines the power of a PS2 with a digital video recorder. I liked the movie. Of course, I couldn`t understand everything, but you can cheat by watching the pictures, ne ;D

This morning another huge breakfast. The same soup with tonkatsu sandwiche again, but we had lemon yogurt and fruit on the side. Oh, and corn on the cob. And tea, of course. Toru was a handful going to school today, so Shirai-san ended up taking him on her bike. I guess he didn`t want to go because the food has been making him sick, which Shirai-san attributes to his stress. Today he was ok, though, he said.

When they left I decided I would leave too. I was supposed to meet Chris bright and early (well, around 8:30 or 9) in Akihabara, but I was late. Mostly because I had no idea how the trains worked, as I had never ridden them before. I had heard how complicated it was, though, so at least I was somewhat prepared. What i really should`ve been studying before I came, though, was place names, because I can`t read most of that kanji at all. After wasting time through indecision and plenty of dropped phone calls, I finally got on the right track (hurr)

Akihabara was pretty freaking sweet. We really made the rounds off some of the awesomest game stores around. First I bought my copy of Crisis Core. That was easy. I took some pictures outside a Sofmap, so I`ll be talking more about that later on my game blog. Anyways, while waiting for Chris to come back from his CC experience (he stood in line at Yodobashi Camera for a limited edition new-type PSP and the game in a boxed set) I went to this cute spot called Moco Cafe. Right on the main drag, but really no one in it while I was there. They were advertising this drink called a koori cafe outside, so I decided that was good enough to lure me in to use their bathroom. Koori cafe is essentially sweetened milk plus flavored ice. I got green tea ice in mine, and when Chris showed up he ordered a chocolate one. Pretty tasty, but it`s sort of just like a troublesome shake. It`s a perfect sit and wait drink because the flavor is locked in the ice until it melts. If you try to eat just the ice itself (impatiently) it doesn`t taste as good. Maybe this is a good lesson...

After that we went to the net cafe up on...I think the 8th floor of some building. That was when I e-mailed some people with TOTAL SPOILERS for this blog ;D Chris and I got boothes next to each other with a window between so we could hang out while we internetted. It was fun, but sort of expensive. Had to be done! Then we realized after that buying the computer time also gave us access to a drink bar, but we were already leaving : /

For our awesome kyuushoku adventure! I had looked up the address at the cafe so we thought we were all set but it was really hard to find. It`s actually a lot further from the train station than it looks on the map on the website, so we nearly gave up and ate elsewhere. Luckily at the last minute, we found it. I have plenty of pix to come for this one. I had omuraisu for the first time, which is basically ketchup rice inside an omlette. They put meat sauce on top and added a (potato) croquette on the side. Plus miso and a really great salad. Altogether too much food but then we HAD to get agepan (fried [sweet] bread) so there was no way in hell I could eat it all. Chris had curry, but since I had that homemade (brilliantly) the night before I went with the omuraisu. Uhmmmmmmmm DISORGANIZED! Anyways, that place is really great and there is no excuse to not go there if you are near Akihabara. The staff is all dressed up as kids at school serving lunch (which the kids do in elementary school, if you didn`t know) and you eat out of metal bows and trays the same sort of thing the kids might eat. Delicious and awesome. I got kinako (sweet...soy powder?) on my agepan like Kayo suggested before I left. It was my first time having kinako, but I liked it pretty well.

After we both ate too much we walked all the way back to Akihabara where we went shopping like crazy. I actually broke down and bought Napple Tale (since I`ve wanted to play it since high school) so I`m pretty excited to try that out when I get back. Yoko Kanno did the soundtrack and it`s supposedly a pretty sweet play. Chris ended up buying the weird turn-your-ds-into-a-mouse-and-pretend-to-be-a-magnet game as well as some other things he was hoping for, so it was considered an all-around success. After that (and it was a lot of that) we actually ended up going back to Moco Cafe to relax a bit before heading out. I had some iced apple tea, which was interesting for tasting like candy apple but not...sweet. CONFUSING.

I got the train home and found my way back with no trouble. Much smoother than the morning. Toru was watching TV while Komaki-san cooked. I lamneted the lack of internet and then studied a bit of kanji. Introduced Toru to my DS. He`s become kind of a handful at times for reasons which are entirely my fault.............. I mean, other times he can be cranky, but the games bring out his worst when it`s time to quit.

Dinner was tons of food again. I managed to eat everything, but I was sooooo full. I like having so many vegetables, though.

Well, I think I mentioned everything except some picture stuff, which will have to come later. Now my neck is very sore from sitting here. And my arms. And everything haha cuz my feet still hurt from trekking all over electric town. Word!