(above: football makes the world go round)
..stone-walled by snow. The ETC (or Electronic Toll Collection system/aka toll highway) or express highway to and from Sapporo was shut-up due to snowfall. It was a rare occasion indeed. But this bit of information has to do with my travels to and from Sapporo this last weekend. A thing that I’ll arrive at later in the post. Now, if you will excuse my absurdness, let me begin a-right below..
Hi there. Fancy meeting you again here. You just gotta love it. I mean, at this point in the week, okay, it is a Monday, but it is so nice to have you guys here to settle back down with and share a few words.
I won’t lie, I was a little betrodden on what I could write today, on what I should write about. But we always have life to turn to, beauty in the mundane, glory in nature, wonder in the unseeable, etc. Maybe I should save creative spurtings for books -and that being said, I should read more books. And I am, and I will !
SO. All that being said, I thought I would treat you with not just a story but a few snippits on a few different subjects on what life is like these days here in Hokkaido.
First, my town is under attack. My town is under attack by snow. I kind of love it. I won’t lie. When I wake up in the morning, long underwear donned (I feel like of like a logging man or winter trekker in my long-laden sleeping outfit) I do grace to the whole other lot of five year olds and youngsters that peer out their morning windows to see if its snowing. Peering out the window just hoping, wishing, waiting on more snow because with fresh snow there is so much to do ! Like walk to work in it. Haha. But really, I love the snow.
These days, somehow since day one here in Japan, I have established a hard and fast routine in the morning. I like to peel myself out of bed a good hour and some before work and I usually get right to cooking up a storm for breakfast. Miso soup with a litter of ingredients, alongside toast or rice, coffee -the stir-in kind, and a side of sliced apples, etc. My tiny tiny table near the tv is always spotted with plates and shuttles of drink and coffee in the morning. I like to have a good start to my days.
Speaking of days, and day’s at week’s end,(I’m afraid you won’t have any mercy with the spontaneity of the commenting today) the weekend was a blast. Some fantastic friends in town here offered to charity me to a soccer match in Sapporo. Me? Well, how can I say no to a car ride, a football match(soccer game, I just like to say football), and the chance to eat food out of town?
Consadole Sapporo was on for their last match of the season against FC Tokyo. The stadium, Sapporo Dome was packed to near-capacity with a blundering thirty-nine thousand and then some fans.
Now speaking of football, I have always wanted to see a football match in the UK because when you watch those broadcasts of the European matches on tv you hear the amazing chanting and parading of the corresponding team-sections, etc. This match did not disappoint. Drum beating, shouting, yelling, mega-phoning all coordinated made the cheering just as much of a spectacle as the match itself.
Of course the last fifteen of the game were the best and yes, Consadole won at 2- 1. It was a brave game. Gosh, there is just something about a ripe-gree soccer pitch, soccer boots, a match ball that just makes me want to tear across that field and put ball-to-net with those players. I love it!
A few things about the match stood out to me. The players of Consadole (no, I’m not spelling that wrong..) did a ‘thank you’ circuit around the pitch to thank the spectators for their support during the game.
And each player has their own chant. Whether injury or goal, each player, at the right time, is chanted and supported.
Plus, who can say no to stadium foods like spicy-tofy donburi; and stamina meat-packed bento boxes? Huh? You’re thirsty? Wash it down with a melon soda. Gosh I love the selection.
And so this was Saturday this last weekend. Football, food, and snow as we exited the stadium. I promise to share photos.
Golly, what else..?
Oh, yes !
I am more than happy to say that I will be working two days this week and then I am off by bus to Sapporo again for the mid-year conference for JETs in Sapporo. The two day conference runs just to Friday meaning that I can spend the weekend in Sapporo as well. Travelling on Wednesday means getting to the conference venue early. And weather permitting the weekend just might be a fun one -I have planned for myself karaoke for one, more noodles to eat, and a romantic stroll in O-dori park to view the Munchen Christmas town and spectactular Christmas light-up in Sapporo. Oh gosh, some hot coffee, fresh pastries, window shopping, people watching.. it’s so easy to get carried away. I feel.. I feel like I am alive for the first time seeing and doing all of this. What an elation..
Now, I don’t want to disappoint but I have more paper work and text book study calling for me at this hour -and I have a gleaming new kotatsu, or table-blanket-heater-warmer thing to set up at home. And new books to read. And deer meat to cook for dinner. And packing to do for my travels.
Did I mention that I’m going to Tokyo for Christmas? Well, maybe that’s still a surprise to you AND me!
Anywho, all excuses aside, with your permission I am to log off and organize myself for the week in due. And speaking of life, you know what? I always wondered when I would have that office job, all the meetings, travels, and time to try and buy new things but hey, all in the blink of an eye life is along and here I am doing it all -though I have to say that filing papers and scripting lessons is a little tougher than a thought. But all in good time !
I hope that you are looking forward to your holiday plans. And should it all be so kind, I would dearly like to squeeze a few more posts in here this week !
All the best to you -oh, and don’t overshop for Christmas!
(above: a dinner that does the body good. After eating I wasn’t the only one singing)
The Traveller's Typewriter 