So as most of you know I love Asian food. From Thai curry to Japanese Natto each region of Asia has it's own unique flavors, cooking styles, and dishes. Japan by far has my favorite cuisine but there is some food here believe it or not that just outright sucks. So I want to try and dedicate some space on my blog to this shitty food as I encounter it.
Now I love Japanese food so I don't want you to think that I'm lumping it all into this category but there is some food that even I have a hard time stomaching (this coming from a guy who can down balout).
Today I want to talk about Mochi.
Mochi, as I knew it until today comes in a variety of colors and is filled with goodies such as Anko or Ice Cream and is quite the tasty dessert.
So when my host mom told me I'd be having mochi for lunch today I was rather curious...Why is that I'm having mochi for lunch? I wasn't about to question it but as I sat down I realized this kind of mochi wasn't filled with anything. It was just a solid cube of pounded glutinous rice (don't worry I'm not ragging on my host mom's cooking, it came from a package). So we then heated said brick in a toaster over and it began to grow, and grow, and grow....and......pop.......???
After 5 minutes in the toaster over I took said lump of goo and doused it with soy sauce. I'm not talking a little spritz I mean filling a bowl with the stuff and rolling it around in it, which is then wrapped with a piece of salty seaweed and eaten.
Now there's another Japanese food I have a hard time eating that I'll talk about later due to the amount of salt content but this seaweed wrapped ball of packed rice and salt was pretty rough. But I had to put my best foot forward and eat it....nono not just one....but three!!!!! THREE!!!!!!
As I was eating my host mom popped her head out and said "Isn't it delicious?!"
while trying to chew this was nearly impossible the best response I could give was "mufffmrrruuummpphhhmumphmuph"
well after two my host dad told me I didn't need to add more soy sauce in the bowl for the third mochi because there was already enough in it....so I replied "well I'm kinda full from the last two so if you want it.....?"
"No that's not what I said" he said, "You don't need to add more soy sauce...please....eat it".
Now I was trapped and had to eat a third mochi. With the best effort and with the biggest exertion of mastication ever I managed to down it as quickly as possible, with it slithering like a slug all the way down my throat.
Once again my host mom pops out of the kitchen saying "Isn't it delicious?!"...
I personally enjoy eating weird food but packed rice and copious amounts of salt....not my bff....but I managed a "yeah it's pretty good" back to her.
she then tells me how much she loves the stuff.....why wouldn't they eat the third piece?! :(
So if you're ever in Japan and you see this:
http://www.pjvoice.com/v51/photos/mochi.jpg
You're safe to eat it.....
but if you ever see this:
http://oohara.mt.tama.hosei.ac.jp/nk/jpegfiles/mochi.jpg
don't even think about eating it........it feels like a solid brick has been dropped in my stomach....because it has.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
Japan....
So I've been in Japan for 10 days now and it sure has been quite the ten days.
The first day was real rough and ended in me ralphing from the ninth story window of my hotel...I felt really bad for the passersby.
My Japanese wasn't exactly what I would call "up to par" and going out to dinner was mostly a giant awkward fest. What with the Japanese students being unable to communicate with me and vice versa (I refuse to use English!!!!).
the next couple of days were racked with orientation sess after orientation sess. Boring, but useful information.
After three days in the hotel I moved in with my host family, the Isohata's :).
They're some of the nicest people I've met. Sweet, friendly, willing to hear me out, despite the language barrier. I'm really glad they don't speak english though because this is how I'm going to become fluent, by only using Japanese.
I found a nice gym near my house with a pool I go swimming in twice a week. Next week I'm also going to resume training for the Tokyo Marathon. I'll find out next month whether or not I get in but I can't quit training.
Tocay, we had our last orientation session, where after meeting some pretty ladies (They're everywhere!!!!) I headed off with my new friends for Karaoke. After that my host mom arranged a meeting for me with a really famous yoga instructor. and Tuesday I'm going to her class.
Sure has been quite the experience thus far. The food is amazing, the people are great, and school starts in two days. Well that's the short of it.
Until next time.
The first day was real rough and ended in me ralphing from the ninth story window of my hotel...I felt really bad for the passersby.
My Japanese wasn't exactly what I would call "up to par" and going out to dinner was mostly a giant awkward fest. What with the Japanese students being unable to communicate with me and vice versa (I refuse to use English!!!!).
the next couple of days were racked with orientation sess after orientation sess. Boring, but useful information.
After three days in the hotel I moved in with my host family, the Isohata's :).
They're some of the nicest people I've met. Sweet, friendly, willing to hear me out, despite the language barrier. I'm really glad they don't speak english though because this is how I'm going to become fluent, by only using Japanese.
I found a nice gym near my house with a pool I go swimming in twice a week. Next week I'm also going to resume training for the Tokyo Marathon. I'll find out next month whether or not I get in but I can't quit training.
Tocay, we had our last orientation session, where after meeting some pretty ladies (They're everywhere!!!!) I headed off with my new friends for Karaoke. After that my host mom arranged a meeting for me with a really famous yoga instructor. and Tuesday I'm going to her class.
Sure has been quite the experience thus far. The food is amazing, the people are great, and school starts in two days. Well that's the short of it.
Until next time.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
two months in Glacier
Well I've been in Glacier for two months and I have to say this has been one of the craziest and best summers of my life. I've met a lot of great people, did so many things I never thought I'd get to do, seen enough bears to last a lifetime, and am really figuring my shit out.
In just one month I leave to Japan, another part of my time away from home. I can't say I'm ready for such a dramatic shift from being in the middle of nowhere to suddenly being in the largest city in the world, but who really is?
I'm really going to miss this place but if things work out then maybe I'll be back.
In about a week people will start to slowly trickle away from Swiftcurrent. Some friends, some not so friends, but things are going to start changing soon. Change is hard but I'm ready for what may come.
Well the last few days have been pretty crazy. Yesterday was our talent show. A friend and I played a song we wrote and although we didn't win, we accomplished what we setout to do, have a good time and get some laughs.
Also, it's Ramadan...and that means....The Jordanians will be exceptionally cranky....ugh
I suppose that's it, you can watch the video of mine and Matt's performance on facebook.
In just one month I leave to Japan, another part of my time away from home. I can't say I'm ready for such a dramatic shift from being in the middle of nowhere to suddenly being in the largest city in the world, but who really is?
I'm really going to miss this place but if things work out then maybe I'll be back.
In about a week people will start to slowly trickle away from Swiftcurrent. Some friends, some not so friends, but things are going to start changing soon. Change is hard but I'm ready for what may come.
Well the last few days have been pretty crazy. Yesterday was our talent show. A friend and I played a song we wrote and although we didn't win, we accomplished what we setout to do, have a good time and get some laughs.
Also, it's Ramadan...and that means....The Jordanians will be exceptionally cranky....ugh
I suppose that's it, you can watch the video of mine and Matt's performance on facebook.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
4th of July!
The 4th of July.....I worked a long shift, got hella tips, and then heard about the rumor mill that they were having fireworks down at Babb (about 12 miles away) So me and about 12 other people all climbed into two cars and drove down to Babb, and the dive known as Charlie's bar. A native american hangout for those extra gangster Blackfeet. Anyways being mostly white doesn't exactly put you on the in crowd but I didn't really need to go inside since I was there to watch the fireworks...which had apparently already ended.
After my second runin with a crazy drunk lady deciding she was going to go for a ride with us, the 7 of us that decided to leave since there were no fireworks headed back in Erika's 5 seater Saturn. Upon entering the park I like to do this thing where Daniel, since the park box is closed pretends to look at my badge and well this is sounding silly but he pretends to look at it and decides whether or not to let me in.
This time....because it was funny, I drove off and left him at the station. After a couple of minutes I drove back to pick him up and he was talking with someone....a Police officer.....
I turned around, got out of the car and began to talk my way out of why I straight up left someone behind at the ranger station...why nobody was wearing seatbelts, why there were 7 of us in the car etc etc.
Well it worked....and they let us off with a warning. I went home at around 1 and woke up at 6 today for work.
This had to have been one of the better 4th of July's I've had.
Hope it was all well with you folks!!!
After my second runin with a crazy drunk lady deciding she was going to go for a ride with us, the 7 of us that decided to leave since there were no fireworks headed back in Erika's 5 seater Saturn. Upon entering the park I like to do this thing where Daniel, since the park box is closed pretends to look at my badge and well this is sounding silly but he pretends to look at it and decides whether or not to let me in.
This time....because it was funny, I drove off and left him at the station. After a couple of minutes I drove back to pick him up and he was talking with someone....a Police officer.....
I turned around, got out of the car and began to talk my way out of why I straight up left someone behind at the ranger station...why nobody was wearing seatbelts, why there were 7 of us in the car etc etc.
Well it worked....and they let us off with a warning. I went home at around 1 and woke up at 6 today for work.
This had to have been one of the better 4th of July's I've had.
Hope it was all well with you folks!!!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Forgot my bad day I DID SHANGRILAH!!!!!
Soo this morning is my first day off in a week so I slept in and sleepily walked to the employee dining room or EDR for a quick breakfast and then I was off to figure out what exactly I was to do today. My co-worker Max told me he was going on a hike but I was really tired so I sorta blew it off until Josh mentioned that we were going to do Shangrilah. I didn't know what it was but I remember everybody talking about it and saying how amazing it was so I decided I better do it. So after a quick breakfast I changed really quick and headed off towards the hike that I had no clue about. I was told it would take about two hours so I didn't bring much food...that was a mistake.
At first the hike was really easy, just a simple trail that was on the way to Red Rock Falls but then we began cross countrying through the woods and along a stream. As we were hiking, on the mountain slope next to us we (me and my friend Josh who had been seperated from the rest of the group) encountered the biggest grizzly bear I have ever seen. Not that I've seen that many grizzlies but this one was BIG! We began hollering and shouting and waving as to not surprise it but instead I think it just made the bear a little more curious of us...sooo it stood there checking us out, and me knowing all too well that it could cover the 150 yards of distance between us in no time and me not being able to move very much due to the thickness of the underbrush. I had bear spray but it's not very comforting....Anyways the bear loped off around the side of the mountain...towards are companions who apparently encountered the bear as well.
Soooo after a long uphill haul we began freeclimbing the rock face of this mountain in order to enter the punchbowl of Iceberg Lake which was still a few miles off. After the rock wall a mile hike over ice and mud, followed by another rock wall. Along the way I saw several small lakes and all sorts of cool flowers and scenery.
Then, after climbing, and hiking, and waiting for the people who were scared shitless of this hike (with reason of course) we summit the side of this mountain peak and behold!!! SHANGRILAH!!!!!! The view was absolutely gorgeous!!! The way down however was....hairy. Skree. At the steepest angle I've ever encountered. SO like everybody else in the group we began making our way down. At one point almost getting hit bit a giant boulder that became dislodged. SO at the end of this skree field was a giant ice patch...I didn't want to go on it but I watched Josh slide down it so I thought it looked pretty cool so I made a steep cut towards the ice, and turned on my camera to film either my death or something cool.
So I'm making my way to the ice and BAM!!! the ice was slick and I lose my footing sending me in an uncontrollable slide towards the punchbowl valley. I narrowly avoid this rock, and that rock, and then slide right over one! It was the biggest addrenaline rush I've ever had!!! I was ALIVE!!! when I reached the bottom all I could d was laugh and shout and cheer. It was perfect. A little bruised, a little battered I hit the trail back to home. Oh yeah...I almost jumped into the frozen lake at the bottom before cutting out.
I spent the rest of the day playing guitar and fishing. It was a perfect end to a perfect day. I love this place and despite the stress of my job all i have to do is walk outside after my shift, breathe, look around and I'm allright. This is paradise and it's almost perfect. Almost :)
At first the hike was really easy, just a simple trail that was on the way to Red Rock Falls but then we began cross countrying through the woods and along a stream. As we were hiking, on the mountain slope next to us we (me and my friend Josh who had been seperated from the rest of the group) encountered the biggest grizzly bear I have ever seen. Not that I've seen that many grizzlies but this one was BIG! We began hollering and shouting and waving as to not surprise it but instead I think it just made the bear a little more curious of us...sooo it stood there checking us out, and me knowing all too well that it could cover the 150 yards of distance between us in no time and me not being able to move very much due to the thickness of the underbrush. I had bear spray but it's not very comforting....Anyways the bear loped off around the side of the mountain...towards are companions who apparently encountered the bear as well.
Soooo after a long uphill haul we began freeclimbing the rock face of this mountain in order to enter the punchbowl of Iceberg Lake which was still a few miles off. After the rock wall a mile hike over ice and mud, followed by another rock wall. Along the way I saw several small lakes and all sorts of cool flowers and scenery.
Then, after climbing, and hiking, and waiting for the people who were scared shitless of this hike (with reason of course) we summit the side of this mountain peak and behold!!! SHANGRILAH!!!!!! The view was absolutely gorgeous!!! The way down however was....hairy. Skree. At the steepest angle I've ever encountered. SO like everybody else in the group we began making our way down. At one point almost getting hit bit a giant boulder that became dislodged. SO at the end of this skree field was a giant ice patch...I didn't want to go on it but I watched Josh slide down it so I thought it looked pretty cool so I made a steep cut towards the ice, and turned on my camera to film either my death or something cool.
So I'm making my way to the ice and BAM!!! the ice was slick and I lose my footing sending me in an uncontrollable slide towards the punchbowl valley. I narrowly avoid this rock, and that rock, and then slide right over one! It was the biggest addrenaline rush I've ever had!!! I was ALIVE!!! when I reached the bottom all I could d was laugh and shout and cheer. It was perfect. A little bruised, a little battered I hit the trail back to home. Oh yeah...I almost jumped into the frozen lake at the bottom before cutting out.
I spent the rest of the day playing guitar and fishing. It was a perfect end to a perfect day. I love this place and despite the stress of my job all i have to do is walk outside after my shift, breathe, look around and I'm allright. This is paradise and it's almost perfect. Almost :)
Monday, June 28, 2010
Long Day part 1
June 27, 2010
Today was rough. But before I get to today I want to go over the last few days since they were pretty frickin’ cool. On my days off earlier in the week Erica, Daniel and myself all decided to venture into Canada for a couple of days to see the sights, visit various places and just do whatever. I bought a few things…namely a pillow and a new pair of pants for work, oh yeah and Kinder eggs. What are Kinder Eggs you ask? Well Kinder Eggs are a chocolate egg with a small toy inside that’s comparable to what you would find in a happy meal…only cooler. So I had never seen these before so I bought a couple since it was kind of fun and a bit of a joke between the three of us. Well what I didn’t know was that Kinder Eggs aren’t sold in the US for a reason…I mean it crossed my mind a few times as to why they have them in Canada and not here in the US but I was too enthralled in the idea of them to really consider it. So after staying a night in Fort Mclaud, Alberta we headed back across the border. Before this, a couple days before I was talking to Daniel as to why it’s better to not give extra information when being questioned by the police in hopes he would take it to heart since he kind of rambles when speaking with them. Well the Border Patrol Officer asked us if we bought anything and the first thing that Daniel mentioned was that we had Kinder Eggs. The border officer…not quite seeing the awesomeness and silliness in this got incredibly pissed that we were trying to bring something that was illegal over the border. ILLEGAL!!!!! KINDER EGGS!!!!! We asked him why and apparently we here in the states are too stupid to realize that there is in fact a toy inside the chocolate and not another edible piece of plastic. They would have searched the car….they would have confiscated them from us and probably fined us, but instead they made us turn around, go back into Canada, and throw them away. Erica was pissed so she threw all the toys in her shoes and we crossed the border again. They let us through and we successfully smuggled small plastic toys across the border despite the best efforts of the Border Patrol Agents. Since then I’ve been giving Daniel a hard time about it.
Well a few days went by and one night after work we decided to head out to get cell phone reception so Daniel could get his clock working again on his phone. I had never seen the moon so bright before. And after that, when we arrived at the point where we get cell phone service there was a fireworks show that I got to watch. It was a pretty amazing night….and Filip is hilarious.
Well that brings me to today…but I’m too tired to write about it so I’ll finish it tomorrow. Goodnight.
Today was rough. But before I get to today I want to go over the last few days since they were pretty frickin’ cool. On my days off earlier in the week Erica, Daniel and myself all decided to venture into Canada for a couple of days to see the sights, visit various places and just do whatever. I bought a few things…namely a pillow and a new pair of pants for work, oh yeah and Kinder eggs. What are Kinder Eggs you ask? Well Kinder Eggs are a chocolate egg with a small toy inside that’s comparable to what you would find in a happy meal…only cooler. So I had never seen these before so I bought a couple since it was kind of fun and a bit of a joke between the three of us. Well what I didn’t know was that Kinder Eggs aren’t sold in the US for a reason…I mean it crossed my mind a few times as to why they have them in Canada and not here in the US but I was too enthralled in the idea of them to really consider it. So after staying a night in Fort Mclaud, Alberta we headed back across the border. Before this, a couple days before I was talking to Daniel as to why it’s better to not give extra information when being questioned by the police in hopes he would take it to heart since he kind of rambles when speaking with them. Well the Border Patrol Officer asked us if we bought anything and the first thing that Daniel mentioned was that we had Kinder Eggs. The border officer…not quite seeing the awesomeness and silliness in this got incredibly pissed that we were trying to bring something that was illegal over the border. ILLEGAL!!!!! KINDER EGGS!!!!! We asked him why and apparently we here in the states are too stupid to realize that there is in fact a toy inside the chocolate and not another edible piece of plastic. They would have searched the car….they would have confiscated them from us and probably fined us, but instead they made us turn around, go back into Canada, and throw them away. Erica was pissed so she threw all the toys in her shoes and we crossed the border again. They let us through and we successfully smuggled small plastic toys across the border despite the best efforts of the Border Patrol Agents. Since then I’ve been giving Daniel a hard time about it.
Well a few days went by and one night after work we decided to head out to get cell phone reception so Daniel could get his clock working again on his phone. I had never seen the moon so bright before. And after that, when we arrived at the point where we get cell phone service there was a fireworks show that I got to watch. It was a pretty amazing night….and Filip is hilarious.
Well that brings me to today…but I’m too tired to write about it so I’ll finish it tomorrow. Goodnight.
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