So friday we had off for some holiday so I thought Id take the chance to go visit the actual famous spots in Kyoto. I've been to Kyoto many times but Ive never actually gone to Kin/Gin kakujinja or the thousand something torii gates so I thought Id do that. Of course I wasn't smart enough to find out exactly how to get there I just kind of got a general idea of where the stuff was located and had at it.
I head off in a new direction then I normally go and start walking. It was raining just a little bit so I was a little uneasy about using my camera but the weather was stopping and starting all of the time so I thought it would clear up. It was just a little chilly too. I got some good shots on my way trying to get there because there are temples EVERYWHERE in Kyoto. Its like walking down the street, house, house, conbini, temple, conbini, temple, temple, temple, house. So at one point I found this really neat hall way that went to a residential area or something but it was really cool so I climbed to the top and tried to get a picture but my battery died. So pull some batteries out of my back pack put them in but as Im putting my arm through the strap on the back pack I somehow let my camera slip out of my hands and it hit the hard floor with the lens extended.
Of course it was broken. Pretty badly actually it wouldn't close right away, I played with it for a bit and got it to close almost all of the way but it made a loud clicking sound when changing zoom and of course, it couldn't focus at anything but 8x zoom. So I gave up on the trip at that point. I let my self feel a little sad for a bit but then I just told myself its only a problem to fix, and its going to cost money but money isn't anything to be sad about. Once I got home I looked up Canon's Japanese website and found out that they had a repair center in Osaka! Even though it costs $100 to fix a $260 camera, I think I was really lucky actually.
So Saturday I thought that I would just stay inside but the weather was so good I couldn't help myself but to go walking again. Taking along my old camera I headed off. I didn't have a goal at first so I just got off at Kousoku kobe and walked towards the port area. I've never really gone there but its a pretty nice area, very pretty. Lots of young families where there, I think I want my own baby really soon, there so cute.
Somewhere I got the idea to go to Port Island. There is a little island where, as you may guess, is a lot of ports but also a lot of international center and just a really nice area. I thought that it was the place that we were the first night we got to Japan so I wanted to go back. Now that I have my bearings for Kobe I wanted to put those memories from those first few exciting days in order in my head. But we actually went to Rokko Island for orientation. So anyway I walked across the bridge, there was a walking path, and saw some incredible ocean scenery. When I got to Port Island I was blown away with how beautiful everything was. I think either part or all of the island it self is man made so everything is really new and they had some really nice parks and I just took my time wandering around enjoying everything. I was actually pretty sure that Port Island was the place even when I got there because I thought the trees looked familiar. So I spent a good amount of time walking around trying to find this hotel building that wasn't there. I should have caught on because there weren't many tall buildings there to begin with. But its so nice and peaceful there it was a worth while mistake.
So once I figured out that it wasn't there I just took the train back, its actually a monorail so it also had a great view of the area. It stopped at Sannomiya and there I found out that there is Rokko Island. It was around 3 I think, I was tired but I really wanted to go and see the real place. So I took a JR train to a few stops east and was going to transfer but then I saw there was a Toys R Us in the station/department store. I wanted to see what a Japanese Toys R Us was like so I took another detour. Inside the first floor of the department store was a little performance by four japanese girls singing something in English I think. I'm pretty sure they were doing it with out music but they werent really that good. Toys R Us was what I expected actually smaller, more compact and carried Gundams, sentai, and Kamen Rider stuff. I actually found one of the girls in uniform random box toys for half off so I grabbed two of them and got Hurricane blue (I like this one because she is henshined except for her head) and Sakura from boukenger.
Anyways I got on the right monorail to Rokko and I got to sit in the front and its facing the front of the train so its kind of like your piloting it. I took some pictures actually. I felt a little embarrassed doing that but I thought no Japanese person would say anything so who cares, but randomly one of my ryugakusei friends was on the train too. She didn't care but there actually was someone who thought it was weird. Actually when I got there I didn't have much time before I needed to head home for dinner. I got a few pictures, enjoyed the scenery again, then went home.
Sunday, went to church, came home, then started to read some manga. I wanted to catch up with Naruto. Now of course after all of the effort I've put in to studying Japanese I want to read it in Japanese, but its really hard to find good raws of Naruto. Its really easy to find translated ones and people put a lot of effort into cleaning them and even coloring them, but I can't find Japanese versions that aren't someone just taking a picture of the page. Thats kind of my current frustration.
Monday, school was so so. I hurried home and finally mailed off my gundams, figures, and games. It cost $75 but it was a pretty big box and I put a LOT of stuff in there. I was thinking about doing a lot of small boxes but I figured thats just increasing my odds of damage or lost.
Tuesday, the second part of my camera quest. So earlier I had filled out an application form for repair and printed out maps. After a silly sakubun test/contest at school I hurried over to Umeda. Now there were two ways to get the place, I could transfer twice on two different train lines that I've never even heard of before or I could just walk. I decided to walk and once I got my bearings I was there in about 30 mins or so. Wasn't too hard to find. I got to the Canon place and talked to the lady at the counter and got everything set up and they said to come back in 3 hours. As I was heading back I started to feel pretty good about myself. Like it wasn't that long ago I was scared to use my Japanese at all but now I am doing every day earns in Japanese with out an major problems. Like there isn't anything special about me but if even I can accomplish a goal like that then anyone can do anything. Its all just a matter of choosing what you want, planning it out, and holding on to the determination for it.
So I go back to Yodobashi in Umeda and I find something I can't believe I didn't have before, a neck strap for my camera. Duh I use this and then I can't drop it at all. Lesson learned the hard way I suppose. I also pick up a tiny tripod(like pocket size) and a case. I waist some time around Yodobashi and then decided to head back around 3 (its supposed to be ready at 4). On the way to yodobashi I took a different way but I figured if the direction was right then I shouldn't have too much of a problem so I tried to just go back the way I just went. Somehow something when wrong. I got lost, I think I must have been going south west instead of south or something but I had no idea how I got there or where I made the wrong stop. I by luck found a JR station and figured I'd just go back to Umeda and start again this was taking too long. When I got on the train I saw the next stop was actually a place on my map so I got off there. It got to a tricky part here and I think this is the same spot I messed up before. I needed to go south but the station comes out at an angle so I wasn't sure if I turned right or went straight at the crucial intersection. I first went right then decided that was wrong and then went back up. While being lost I got a few phone calls from the service center and he said it wouldn't be ready when they thought it would and I said its ok if it takes an hour more or something as long as its done today. But I kind of felt my Japanese fail me because I was ultimately able to do the conversation but there were things he said where I didn't know I just said “hai” but I don't think they were yes or know questions. Some how I communicated, found the place, and got my camera back. Oh it was an adventure unlike anything else. Hurried home ate dinner, watched Tora Dora then wrote this.
Tomorrow is Sumo match I'm looking forward to it!
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