23 December 2005

ルミナリエ Luminarie

I too went to the Luminarie and it was lovely. It was way crowded but everyone was in such a happy festive mood, and they were playing this great choral music.

I thought it was really funny though that despite the recorded announcements saying "Luminarie is very crowded, please move forward in an orderly fashion without blocking the road and taking photographs.", that's exactly what everyone was doing. Come on though, you can't tell the Japanese not to take pictures at a tourist attraction. It's one of their national pastimes, right after riding a bicycle while holding an umbrella, and right before ikebana...

They also had tons of great food stands, so it was almost like a carnival except for the part where you're freezing your ass off. No, I jest... the night I went it wasn't actually that cold, and I got to have a yummy candy apple so I was happy.

And! And, and, and! On the way back there were several street performers who had set up to catch the Luminarie crowds and I got to see a fire eater. He did a pretty impressive trick where he stood on a platform on top of a rolling wheel and juggled flaming torches, and he finished by gargling gasoline and spitting fire! Pretty damn sweet. I wish I'd gotten I picture of that... And, because it's the Kansai he had a great comic patter that was almost as good as the show itself.

OK more updates later, including some more Kyoto pics! Goog Morninger!

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18 December 2005

Vicious Deer Attack in Nara


So, Matt and I had a great time visiting various spots around the Kansai. On the first day we went to Nara (via the long, long way round, which was almost deja-vu of the time I went with Dad) to see the Giant Buddha, and you guessed it: the DEER.

Now, the Nara deer are not your average, every-day, friendly, "I'm-so-cute-come-and-pet-me" kind of deer.

They are vicious killers.

They are out for blood, and once they smell fear on you, you're a goner. Thusly, although Matt somehow strangely emerged unscathed, I was not so fortunate, and was savagely mauled, barely escaping with my life.

I learned 2 important lessons though:

1) Never let a Nara deer out of your sight
2) From now on, leave the photo-shopping up to Erica.

Goog Niter

PS: For those have you who (thankfully) have never heard it, believe me when I say that the cry of a deer is one of the most horrifying sounds imaginable; a high-pitched hissing whine, halfway between a spitting cat and fingernails on a blackboard.

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