Hopefully untill next time!(English version)
Door: Martijn Nijland
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Martijn
01 November 2013 | Japan, Hikari
Kon'nichiwa!
After several requests from different persons, I finally decided to also write my blog in English. I know it’s not going to be perfect... but at least I’m trying... I know you’ll probably will start in the middle of my adventure, but see it as a television soap... eventually you’ll catch up.
The title of this story may sounds a little bit dramatic, but this is the case.. I ate some Fugu fish tonight. When this fish is not prepared in the right way there is a change you’ll die of the poison... A good moment to tell my adventures of the last two weeks.
At this moment I’m in Hikari. If you never heard of this place before... that’s not a shame... With my arrival I became the tallest (temporary) person in Hikari and the amount of people who can understand English increased with 10%. Nevertheless, the people are great and the surrounding is quiet. This in great contrast to Osaka and Tokyo (I mean the quiet part).
To give a small update since my last story:
-Made a visit to the Hakone mountains. On top of these mountains you can find small volcanic pools. In these pools you can cook eggs. They will turn black by the sulfur though...
-Made a visit to Yokohama. From the 3 big cities in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama) this is my favourite. I went there with a big group and the restaurant we visited had the best meat I had in a long time!
-Kyoto, also the cultural capital of Japan. There are many temple’s and castles in this city. I made a small visit to the castle of the shogun, the golden pavilion and the Kiyomizu-deru temple.
The best thing of Kyoto is that it finally felt like an old Japanese city. Where you’ll mostly find concrete skyscrapers in Osaka and Tokyo. Kyoto actually has some very old buildings. The main reason for this is because they didn’t bombed Kyoto during the second world war. I’ll visit another time for sure!
Now a subject I can always talk about... the food in Japan! These last two weeks were very interesting for me on this subject. The good things was that I tasted Nato (fertilized soybeans) and chicken hearts, which I both really liked. On the contrary, I also ate a fish eye and Fugu fish... I made myself a promise I’ll try to taste everything while I’m Japan, nevertheless, I really had to cross a mental border for these last two. A short explanation of my experience with these two dishes.
It’s a big honour if you’re allowed to eat the fish eyes (there are only two with each fish). However, it was kind of strange to be watched by my food. After collecting enough courage to put one in my mouth I can describe the taste as follow: Salty, fishy and slimy with some crunchy parts...
Than to the Fugu... As said before, it’s lethal when it’s not prepared in the right way. I heard it only kills a maximum of 6 persons a year in Japan. However, for some reason I couldn’t lose the small voice in my head who constantly was whispering:”What if?”. The taste was pretty good though...
Last time I started answering people’s questions made in the comments. It will be something I’ll continue to do. So if you’re having any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments! Let’s take a look at the question that were made at the last story.
"How many kilometres do you have to travel? Enjoy and you’re not working too hard right?”
I’m afraid that I can’t answer the last question... There is a change people from my company will read this... However, I think I’ll have to travel 4000 kilometres during my internship.
“The wheatear is very bad in Holland... how is it in Japan?”
First of November but still 20 degrees... I almost feel sorry for the people in Holland...
“Did I you met more people from Holland?”
I did! The strangest thing was that I didn’t met them in a big city but in the Hakone mountain’s. I was lost and when I asked them for directions I heard this strange accent.... Dutch...
“How far is it to travel to a new place and how do you travel?”
An average of 500 kilometers and I’m travelling by train.
The photo’s I made will be uploaded with the Dutch story but this can take a while.
(Hopefully) until next time!
Sayōnara!
After several requests from different persons, I finally decided to also write my blog in English. I know it’s not going to be perfect... but at least I’m trying... I know you’ll probably will start in the middle of my adventure, but see it as a television soap... eventually you’ll catch up.
The title of this story may sounds a little bit dramatic, but this is the case.. I ate some Fugu fish tonight. When this fish is not prepared in the right way there is a change you’ll die of the poison... A good moment to tell my adventures of the last two weeks.
At this moment I’m in Hikari. If you never heard of this place before... that’s not a shame... With my arrival I became the tallest (temporary) person in Hikari and the amount of people who can understand English increased with 10%. Nevertheless, the people are great and the surrounding is quiet. This in great contrast to Osaka and Tokyo (I mean the quiet part).
To give a small update since my last story:
-Made a visit to the Hakone mountains. On top of these mountains you can find small volcanic pools. In these pools you can cook eggs. They will turn black by the sulfur though...
-Made a visit to Yokohama. From the 3 big cities in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama) this is my favourite. I went there with a big group and the restaurant we visited had the best meat I had in a long time!
-Kyoto, also the cultural capital of Japan. There are many temple’s and castles in this city. I made a small visit to the castle of the shogun, the golden pavilion and the Kiyomizu-deru temple.
The best thing of Kyoto is that it finally felt like an old Japanese city. Where you’ll mostly find concrete skyscrapers in Osaka and Tokyo. Kyoto actually has some very old buildings. The main reason for this is because they didn’t bombed Kyoto during the second world war. I’ll visit another time for sure!
Now a subject I can always talk about... the food in Japan! These last two weeks were very interesting for me on this subject. The good things was that I tasted Nato (fertilized soybeans) and chicken hearts, which I both really liked. On the contrary, I also ate a fish eye and Fugu fish... I made myself a promise I’ll try to taste everything while I’m Japan, nevertheless, I really had to cross a mental border for these last two. A short explanation of my experience with these two dishes.
It’s a big honour if you’re allowed to eat the fish eyes (there are only two with each fish). However, it was kind of strange to be watched by my food. After collecting enough courage to put one in my mouth I can describe the taste as follow: Salty, fishy and slimy with some crunchy parts...
Than to the Fugu... As said before, it’s lethal when it’s not prepared in the right way. I heard it only kills a maximum of 6 persons a year in Japan. However, for some reason I couldn’t lose the small voice in my head who constantly was whispering:”What if?”. The taste was pretty good though...
Last time I started answering people’s questions made in the comments. It will be something I’ll continue to do. So if you’re having any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments! Let’s take a look at the question that were made at the last story.
"How many kilometres do you have to travel? Enjoy and you’re not working too hard right?”
I’m afraid that I can’t answer the last question... There is a change people from my company will read this... However, I think I’ll have to travel 4000 kilometres during my internship.
“The wheatear is very bad in Holland... how is it in Japan?”
First of November but still 20 degrees... I almost feel sorry for the people in Holland...
“Did I you met more people from Holland?”
I did! The strangest thing was that I didn’t met them in a big city but in the Hakone mountain’s. I was lost and when I asked them for directions I heard this strange accent.... Dutch...
“How far is it to travel to a new place and how do you travel?”
An average of 500 kilometers and I’m travelling by train.
The photo’s I made will be uploaded with the Dutch story but this can take a while.
(Hopefully) until next time!
Sayōnara!
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Je kunt nu ook Smileys gebruiken. Via de toolbar, toetsenbord of door eerst : te typen en dan een woord bijvoorbeeld :smiley
