Entries this day: AM zzz

AM

11:27am JST Saturday 4 October 2003

Haha just talked to some Japanese with a couple Japanese words and they were all impressed. We were scopin' the map and a woman came up to us, "may I help you?" (note to Japanese: this is a very good thing to do) and we asked her about some of the temples; on our map there is a picture of a monkey, and I want to know if there are really monkeys there or if it's just to make the map cute or what. She didn't say "yes there are monkeys ," but avoided the question by saying what there *was* in the area, name of temple, etc, which might mean there are no monkeys there; I dunno. But then a guy came up on a bicycle and started talking to her in Japanese and she translated for him and then he spoke in English "go straight 15 minutes" and then he put out his left hand to say turn left, but couldn't think of the word left so I said hidari, the Japanese word for left and they freaked, like "whoah you know Japanese, dude!" and I was like, "choto choto Japanese," but it was good anyway.

The level of Japanese conversation I want is to get around on the streets, asking people questions about where to eat and where to sleep and where to see a good movie about vampires (oops there's some higher level vocab) that kinda thing. Getting closer to that goal.

Right now I'm standing in the streets of Kyoto waiting for janette while she browses throught a fabric shop. She must really like it; she's been in there a while.

- - - -

Heehee. janette likes this shop. She came out mentally wringing her hands over what do do: "This fabric is perfect, but it's real expensive. " She wanted to know if the fabric is silk and if it's old, and something else, and I was like, "here" and gave her my translator. Just type "silk" and show them the translation. Then type "old" and show them the translation (Rob's Technique of Living in Japan). She wanted to know how to say those words. And know if they take credit cards. I was like, "go ask if they take credit cards now," wondering if that would get her over the hump of asking about the things she reallly cared about. It did.

Few minutes later she came out, "yes they're silk. Yes they're old. Yes they take credit cards. Come buy some."

Nice.

"Do you mind waiting?"

Nope.

zzz

8:13pm JST Saturday 4 October 2003

Went to a river. Saw no monkeys. Ate vanilla and green tea softo cream. Did see three guys in truncated kayaks. Saw some babies tears moss. Surprise/spider lillies. Saw a giant tent that turned out to be white sheeting hiding a well tower. Ate om rice at a little out-of-the-crowd cafe.

The train going back was cheaper, faster and less crowded than the bus going there.