Wow, I`m still tired from this weekend.  Saturday was pretty cool.  In the morning, I went with Chiharu-chan and Noriko-san to learn how to play the koto (Japanese harp).  Apparently I was really good for it having been my first time.  I played Sakura Sakura.  I really liked it, it`s pretty.  After that, we did some calligraphy and I drew a really good kanji of mizu (water) but I had to write my name in katakana beside it, which I hate doing so I ruined it by writing my name ugly.  Ah well.  I`ll be getting a set when I get back to Canada and will do more then, I really enjoy it.  After that, the three of us went out again to go to an old Feudal Lord`s house.  It was so beautiful!  The view of the garden from one room is amazing.  They had a full suit of samurai armour there too.  We also went to a small cemetery where they had this huge statue of the Buddha and beside it was a really beautiful temple.  We then all went out for dinner and did sparklers when we got back home.  We`re saving the big firecrackers they got to do with me for another night.  Apparently you`re allowed to do firecrackers whenever you want in Japan. 

 

Sunday was intense.  It apparently got up to around 35 degrees or so and we were walking around Namba all day shopping.  I found this pair of K-Swiss shoes I really wanted because they had a kabuki mask on the side but they didn`t have my size. (T_T)  We went to this department store that had three floors worth of music.  Me and Kyle loved it because they have CD`s there that we don`t have in Canada...I mean like Indie Canadian bands.  Can`t get their CD`s in their own country but you can in Japan.  I used my credit card for the first time there.  I bought a Mew CD because it has a bonus track on it.  Then me and Kyle randomly bought a CD because that`s what they were playing in the store and we really liked it.  It`s Indie Electronica and the band is called Digitalism.  After a lot of shopping and picture taking (we got picture sticker things done), Holly had to go back home and we met up with Kyle`s homestay brother, Takeshi, his girlfriend and four of their friends.  Me and Kyle bought a little bottle of wine each, which were about $3.30 and I got Christine a juice box of wine which was $1...all this at the convenience store.  And yes...it was wine in juice box form!  I have pictures, no worries.  Karaoke was　hilarious...Bohemian Rhapsody was just too fun.　Christine and I took a train home together but had to get off and take a seperate train to get to our own places.  We were so amazed by the fact that people would get on and the moment they sat down, they`d be sleeping.  Actually, on the way to Namba, I was on the train alone until a few stops after my departure where I met the other three once they got on.  Anyways, while I was by myself, I saw this guy sleeping and his head was sort of rolling from side to side until it rolled back and he smashed his head off the window behing him and woke up.  I mean, he hit it hard!  It took a lot of will power not to burst out laughing at that point.

 

Last night, after school, Takeshi took me, Kyle, Christine and his girlfriend, Taeko to a concert.  It was traditional court music.  The costumes and instruments were amazing, I took some videos and pictures.  Takeshi`s uncle was in it so we got the tickets for free.  It lasted 2 hours but about 40 minutes worth was this guy talking, which was boring since we couldn`t understand him.  Diagonally to the right of where we were sitting was a balcony where a bunch of kids were sitting and at one point Christine nudged me and let me know that the kids were pointing and staring at us.  Too funny.  Hmm, today I might be buying a yukata.  Yay!!  Then tomorrow I`m apparently teaching some kids who live near me some English.  That should be interestnig, I`m not even sure where to start.  (>_<)  Anyways, I`m going to head home now so I can go buy that yukata.  Bye bye!

 

...today two guys asked me which one of them I thought was cuter.  (>_>)  This is getting old fast.

 

-Sharon