“Unchi-kun Choco” white chocolate lollipop version. For those not versed in Nihongo, “unchi” is “feces”. Yeah. Go figure. I want the milk chocolate version. Available at a dagashiya near you!
Archive for the 'Travel' Category
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I hate you, JAL bagel. You taste funny. Your label says you’re “maple-walnut flavored” and that you’re “New-York-style”. I haven’t been to New York, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a maple-walnut bagel before you. Don’t get me wrong – I like bagels – just not you. I almost don’t think you’re really a bagel. When I bend you, you tear instantly. Although you’re dense and chewy inside like you should be, your rind is almost nonexistent. It’s like you weren’t boiled anywhere long enough prior to baking. The long-winded description on your packaging says you’re made with the finest wheat from Montana and pure spring water from the Cascades. I didn’t realize Montana was such a famous wheat-producing state. In any regard though, even the best of ingredients can be made into the worst of foods. Importing ingredients from America doesn’t automatically render an American bagel. I saved part of you for Root to eat so he could taste your nostalgically unpleasant flavor and get all angry too, but he didn’t show up today. I don’t want to be wasteful, but I think I’m just going to throw the remainder of you away since my stomach already feels a little upset. Continue reading ‘JAL Bagel’
When you engage in certain activities, say snowboarding or mountain biking, you have to be willing to accept the consequences of your actions and decisions. I’ve always been aware of this, but sometimes, something comes along and smacks you in the face to underscore it. A couple of years ago, it was riding into a tree branch I didn’t see and busting my helmet and nose and splitting my goggle lens right down the center (Root was there for that one): This year, it was riding headlong off a triple-overhead drop.
With news of the 5-year record snowfall in my head, several continuous days of snow behind me, I headed out to Sapporo Kokusai ski-jou for some powder poaching. I had no illusions of the bottomless fluff that I’ve experienced there before, as the snowfall had been consistent but not heavy, and a weekend of endusers had probably already cut up most of the easily-accessed ungroomed areas. The morning had arrived with a few centimeters in town, which meant that there would be a little new coverage out at the resort, but it wasn’t enough to erase the sidecountry slash marks that squiggled down the visible faces. Continue reading ‘Pay the Piper’
On the way to Sapporo, I only had an hour layover in Narita, so after getting through immigration, baggage claim, and customs, I ran over to the domestic counter to check my bags in then went up to the observation deck to cool down. After the sweat evaporated, I went inside to look for a quick bite. I was thinking of going to Sushi-den, the usual sushi-ya I eat at, but I didn’t want to scarf everything down in like 10-minutes and run out of there, so I went to Kyotaru, the take-out sushi place over on the North side (it’s right on the main walkway fronting the balcony overlooking the check-in counters). One of the first things I saw was their Battera, so without even looking at any of their other offerings, I grabbed one and was off to the domestic gate. Continue reading ‘Mmm… Battera’
A few years ago when JAL retired it’s last B747-200SUD on a final return trip from HNL to NRT, it was met with much fanfare, filled with people who bought tickets in advance specifically to be on that last flight. I used to avoid the HNL-NRT run if I couldn’t get the later flight that was downsized to a newer B767 to specifically avoid that plane. It was stinky, creaky, noisy, and uncomfortable, yet some people found some sort of nostalgia in all of that – enough to pay a premium to be on that last flight. I was on it a couple of weeks before that final flight, and I don’t miss that old bird one bit. Continue reading ‘Jumbover’
No, really people. I heard the lady, and she even said it in Japanese! In fact, she ONLY said it in Japanese! As I wait near the gate in the waiting room, I watch all the anxious people milling about the gate. There are a few tour groups, and their companion guide is even telling them, “please, go sit back down until they call your row,” but they insist on clogging up the area in front of the gate entrance. At every instance when a slightly different announcement comes over the PA, whether it be for premier members or parents with young children, they start the push again. There is no way I could be a guide because I’d be all like, “F**k, are you m**herf**kers all like f**king stupid or something? Sit the f**k back down!” Samuel L. Jackson as a tour guide… Continue reading ‘Wait Until Your Row Number Is Called…’
Man, I don’t think it has been colder than usual, but I am noticing that jeans and a thin baselayer are feeling like not enough. I almost wish I had my heavy ECWCS polypro drawers right now… Must be old age kicking in.
(0)It’s been pretty much snowing non-stop since I got here… well, and even before I got here. The news was saying that this year has set a record for snowfall for the last 5 years, although you could have fooled me in November when I was here. The snowfall started late, and has been pretty much constant. There was around 10cm of settled snow in the street in town this morning, and as evening advanced, the snowfall resumed, so there should be another good layer tomorrow morning.
Aboard equipment JA8089 747-400. Probably the last time I’ll be on one of these after JAL retires this one in March.
(0)Ahhh! Air conditioning is your friend. Have to enjoy it, since plane will probably be hot until after takeoff. Lots of gaijin, mostly military – including one O-type who is talking really loud on his unencrypted Blackberry about some sensitive stuff that probably doesn’t need to be public knowledge.
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