The Half Arsed Traveller: 2015-03-22: Shopping and Fights and Colours!!!

Maybe 20 years ago I could aspire to this. Nowadays the hair would be the only feasible component

I have a new gym. It is a boxing gym. They have a smith machine. I have never used one before. It is kind of cool as it removes a lot of the fear factor I have about picking up heavy things by myself (that's my justification anyway).

Gyms here seem to be either tiny or vast. This one is tiny. The bike room is heated though for extra pain.

I set new personal records for Picking Things Up and Putting Them Down By Myself but I am not sure they count as the machine does make it easier. The bar on the smith machine is only a 5kg bar so it started bending a little bit on my dead lifts. That made me feel like one of those huge strong guys that throw beer kegs over things. The little Japanese dude that was watching me said I am very powerful.

I bought all the fruit and vegetables at the 7-11, I might need to find a new grocery place...

I didn't tell him that the weight should be compared to body weight and I weigh at least twice what he does so I am not actually that impressive.

So much Red

Conrad took me electronics shopping. Shopping tires me out mentally so we stopped at a festival for beer.

I know I have seen the white mascot before but have no idea where

The fountain means it is culture, not porn.

Not positively identified as a gangster

We settled down in the sun at a shellfish place which has charcoal burners so you can cook oysters and so on. This guy with the phone and the rings was kind of weird but after he left three guys took his place. Conrad mentioned he believed they were local low level Yakuza.

I think this is Sydney Park, Nagoya is sister cities with Sydney

Quite a few of the shellfish being cooked were exploding and I think that might have got the Yakuza guys jumpy. Soon the biggest (in stature and apparent respect from the other two) was involved in a pushing match with some skinny kid. It didn't really go anywhere. Apparently pushy shovey fights are pretty much ignored but if you throw a punch you'll be spending some time at the local police station.

Every splash of red on that bag was the word FUCK

This is the first time I have seen anything resembling a fight in Japan. Even late Friday nights when the streets are swarming with seriously plastered guys I haven't even heard a voice raised in anger. The onlookers had expressions of "oh how embarrassing for the two of you" rather than what I would expect if a gangster related fight started in a bar in Sydney. I did not take pictures or get involved in any way. This shows I am learning to be accepting of other cultures and am maturing as a Grown Up.

Cultural Observations: Shoes

As a rule I take my shoes off near the door at home. It isn't a crazy hard and fast rule, just a general tendency. Everyone knows Japanese culture the shoes off thing is very strict.

Yuko wouldn't even let her shoes touch the floor in the apartment when she had to come see something for a second. Although that could be just because piggy back rides are fun!

At the gym I went through the most complex shoe rules I have ever been through.

Walking in off the street

Changed street shoes to gym slippers *tiny things that dangle off the front of my foot

Walk to change room leave slippers at door, get changed into gym shoes

Walk to stretch area, take off gym shoes, stretch barefoot

Gym shoes on, ride bike, pick up things

Change back to gym slippers walk to front door

Change to street shoes

I am glad I didn't need to use the toilet as there are usually another set of slippers there.

I think I put more energy into the shoe rules than the workout. The mental activity probably staves off Alzheimers which is a bonus.

Rating: 5/10 (it's a gym full of the normal crud, the shoe thing isn't making a noticeable difference in that case I don't think)

Learning to eat Fish Continued

Muscles need protein to grow, fish has protein. Let's find some fish.


This place across the street has been full every time we walk past, there is a table available at last

Raw octupus in a sauce, too advanced for me, Edamame has protein though

Sushi I can do. I still get the rules for eating it wrong but at least I can eat it and no longer get a rash. That is an achievement

Nagoya is famous for it's chickens so wings are everywhere, I am not one to turn down wings even on sushi night

Eating the wings meant that I _had_ to try the miso katsu as well (best one we have had so far)

But we got back into the fishy goodness. I am now confident eating 5 types of fishies

I forgot what this was. Probably it was good though, everything I remember was

Linguistic Skills: Bathroom Signs

There are three doors. Each has a sign.

Right door: I guessed Lady because the kanji are prettier

Left Door: Man

Middle Door: Man urinal only or something?

At least I got Man correct. The sign on the right door reads "Store Room", the middle is shared Mens and Ladies.