Shenanigans
*******ADDEDNDUM********
After i wrote this i decided to go for a stroll round Dogo again and find a nice place to eat. I stumbled across the Onsoen again and went for a soak and found this delightfull reseraunt across the way. They serve their own brewed beer, a lager, a light and a stout, All delicious, well i assume the lager was as good as the other two. And i had some fine grub. Good night, i may sit in the lounge and wait for Peter now, his train i assume arrives at 10.30, but i dont think he realises how distant it is from the station. I hope he heads my advice and takes my advice and hops on the Tram.
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Good Afternoon Readers,
I may disapoint some today by having no misshaps to report, today was simply marvoulous. I saw pretty much everything today, i am so much more efficiant when i sightsee alone. And still had time for a nice hour sleep in the park. Bliss.
What a wonderful city this is. Yesterday i was convinced it was the size of London, but now i relise that the percived size of a city is
Size = ([backpack weight]x[quality of directions])*heat
Which made Matsuyama the size of Kent. Today I showered and Dressed in a light shirt and some comfortable trousers, slipped on the sandles(which are begining to hurt again) and skipped out into the warm but breezey day. First on my carefully planned Itinerary was a spot of bathing at the Onsen. So at 10.30am i walked in the door, and after some mild confusion and much bowing, was shown to my private room (payed extra for this) where i washed again before heading to my deliciously hot and very relaxing bath. Only able to stand 10 minutes of this, and with my Tea and Rice sticky things finished, i showered off, dried my self down and stepped out into the sunny day, more refreshed and relaxed.
Hopping on the Tram took me right to the end of the road where i was to find the Chair Lift to Matsuyama-Jo Castle. The guide books and i agree, this is one of the most impressive castles in Japan. A little like Stirling in its location, but without the gentle slope on one side, the only sensible way to reach the 135m high Castle is by Ropeway or Chairlift, they both cost 250yen each way, and as there was a 30 minute wait for the ropeway, i climbed on the Chairlift.
...Keith, our HSE officer in the Office would have had a fit at how dangerous this was. A tiny Primary school seat is given for you to sit on, with no restraint. The only thing stopping you falling out is the primitive instinct not to bloody kill yourself. Below you about 7m down is the least comfortable looking Steel Net to, i presume, make sure none of the bigger bits of your body fall down into the forest, in the event of your tragic slip and enevitable death. Anyway...
Surviving the Chairlift i mosied on up the path to the castle stopping at ever bench for a few minutes in he sun for my back to dry off and so i could get a few more minutes of video. And 30minutes later and 3 bottles of Pokari Sweat, i reach the entrance. Handing the girl my ticket i had a shifty round the interior of the castle. As with every castle in Japan, at somepoint the whole thing has fallen down and had to be rebuilt, either through was, lightning, arsen, carelessness or earthquake. Building a castle out of wood just doesnt make much sense, but then they only got the Cannon about 100years before they had Battleships, Fighter Planes, Aircraft carriers and the like. They learn quickly. So none of the castle im looking at is 900 years old. But like an old broom, you can change the head, and then you can change the handle, but its still the same broom you bought 20 years ago. ...ramble ramble ramble...
The castles interior was quite dark, very wooden, and to be very honost, quite dull. But i couldnt come and not see it so i did. Taking another 20 minutes to get back down, again on the chairlift, i head into town. Wondering down the main Arcade, i find myself wishing i had brought my hat, and 10seconds later, im waking past a shop that sells hats, so another 45seconds pass and im walking out the shop, the proud owner of a large white, wide brimmed hat. Pleased as punch. Then i find myself thinking, i wish, for the last 10 days, i had brought a pair of sunglasses, but i always forgot to buy them, as for no good reason, the Japanese dont seem to wear them. but lo and behold, a sunglasses shop, and in a similar time, im the proud owner of some decent, sensible sunnys. Nothing fancy or ridiculous, just plain glasses, tinted to shade the eyes.
With my lunch, just bought from Family Mart, in my hand i head to the park and findd a comfy bench to sit on while i slurp my pasta, and quaff my sweat and rest my piggies. I wake up 65minutes later to find i had been asleep, ha. Checking my watch, which said 4.30 i proceeded back to the hostel, to shower and change and to confide my day to this blog.
Im going to wonder around Dogo after it gets a bit darker and hope to find a nice resteraunt to eat in and have a pint before i head back here and wait for Pete, wo should be in around 10.30 so at the hostel by 11.15?
Good night Readers, tommorrow, quite day at the Two Shrines
After i wrote this i decided to go for a stroll round Dogo again and find a nice place to eat. I stumbled across the Onsoen again and went for a soak and found this delightfull reseraunt across the way. They serve their own brewed beer, a lager, a light and a stout, All delicious, well i assume the lager was as good as the other two. And i had some fine grub. Good night, i may sit in the lounge and wait for Peter now, his train i assume arrives at 10.30, but i dont think he realises how distant it is from the station. I hope he heads my advice and takes my advice and hops on the Tram.
****************************
Good Afternoon Readers,
I may disapoint some today by having no misshaps to report, today was simply marvoulous. I saw pretty much everything today, i am so much more efficiant when i sightsee alone. And still had time for a nice hour sleep in the park. Bliss.
What a wonderful city this is. Yesterday i was convinced it was the size of London, but now i relise that the percived size of a city is
Size = ([backpack weight]x[quality of directions])*heat
Which made Matsuyama the size of Kent. Today I showered and Dressed in a light shirt and some comfortable trousers, slipped on the sandles(which are begining to hurt again) and skipped out into the warm but breezey day. First on my carefully planned Itinerary was a spot of bathing at the Onsen. So at 10.30am i walked in the door, and after some mild confusion and much bowing, was shown to my private room (payed extra for this) where i washed again before heading to my deliciously hot and very relaxing bath. Only able to stand 10 minutes of this, and with my Tea and Rice sticky things finished, i showered off, dried my self down and stepped out into the sunny day, more refreshed and relaxed.
Hopping on the Tram took me right to the end of the road where i was to find the Chair Lift to Matsuyama-Jo Castle. The guide books and i agree, this is one of the most impressive castles in Japan. A little like Stirling in its location, but without the gentle slope on one side, the only sensible way to reach the 135m high Castle is by Ropeway or Chairlift, they both cost 250yen each way, and as there was a 30 minute wait for the ropeway, i climbed on the Chairlift.
...Keith, our HSE officer in the Office would have had a fit at how dangerous this was. A tiny Primary school seat is given for you to sit on, with no restraint. The only thing stopping you falling out is the primitive instinct not to bloody kill yourself. Below you about 7m down is the least comfortable looking Steel Net to, i presume, make sure none of the bigger bits of your body fall down into the forest, in the event of your tragic slip and enevitable death. Anyway...
Surviving the Chairlift i mosied on up the path to the castle stopping at ever bench for a few minutes in he sun for my back to dry off and so i could get a few more minutes of video. And 30minutes later and 3 bottles of Pokari Sweat, i reach the entrance. Handing the girl my ticket i had a shifty round the interior of the castle. As with every castle in Japan, at somepoint the whole thing has fallen down and had to be rebuilt, either through was, lightning, arsen, carelessness or earthquake. Building a castle out of wood just doesnt make much sense, but then they only got the Cannon about 100years before they had Battleships, Fighter Planes, Aircraft carriers and the like. They learn quickly. So none of the castle im looking at is 900 years old. But like an old broom, you can change the head, and then you can change the handle, but its still the same broom you bought 20 years ago. ...ramble ramble ramble...
The castles interior was quite dark, very wooden, and to be very honost, quite dull. But i couldnt come and not see it so i did. Taking another 20 minutes to get back down, again on the chairlift, i head into town. Wondering down the main Arcade, i find myself wishing i had brought my hat, and 10seconds later, im waking past a shop that sells hats, so another 45seconds pass and im walking out the shop, the proud owner of a large white, wide brimmed hat. Pleased as punch. Then i find myself thinking, i wish, for the last 10 days, i had brought a pair of sunglasses, but i always forgot to buy them, as for no good reason, the Japanese dont seem to wear them. but lo and behold, a sunglasses shop, and in a similar time, im the proud owner of some decent, sensible sunnys. Nothing fancy or ridiculous, just plain glasses, tinted to shade the eyes.
With my lunch, just bought from Family Mart, in my hand i head to the park and findd a comfy bench to sit on while i slurp my pasta, and quaff my sweat and rest my piggies. I wake up 65minutes later to find i had been asleep, ha. Checking my watch, which said 4.30 i proceeded back to the hostel, to shower and change and to confide my day to this blog.
Im going to wonder around Dogo after it gets a bit darker and hope to find a nice resteraunt to eat in and have a pint before i head back here and wait for Pete, wo should be in around 10.30 so at the hostel by 11.15?
Good night Readers, tommorrow, quite day at the Two Shrines
posted by Scott Leiper at 9:34 am
3 Comments:
Hi Scott, everything seems much clearer today. You are obviously more relaxed as this comes shining through your blog as I read. It was beginning to sound a bit stressed on the previous 2 days. Please don't write about chair lifts again though, I beg. Glad you are about to meet up with Pete once more - I think! Looking forward to the next instalment. Please do not consider giving up on the daily updates. They are great. xx
you are just too funny, i don't even think you mean to be but you just are. These tales could def be made into a book!
emma
Checked out Pete's flikr photos today. Marriot Hotel obviously do not cater for men size 6'3" with size 12 feet! Glad he's got his camera working again though! Look forward to hearing from you again in Tokyo.
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