Overnight Trip: Day Two

Throughout the night, we did crazy stuff, like dressing up as "samurai's". Well, we looked as if we were going for a costume party, eh? Oh, we went from room to room to "visit" people, and getting people to pay up the taxes to the feudal lord.

Oh, by the way, that's our Japanese teacher. Shh, she doesn't know I'm posting her photo here. Or else she'd say dame(ダメ)! No!

Yeah, that's when we made that stupid film (if you can call it a "film"). Didn't really had that in mind at that time. We were just filming it ad lib, for fun. (Refer to The Four Samurai, September 25, 2006)

In the morning, we headed for Matsumoto Castle (松本城). The 400-year-old castle is actually 6-storey. The third floor, a dark room without windows was a secret from the enemies. Warriors stayed there during wartime.

We should be able to see the alps but the weather wasn't too good.

There were stuff on exhibition, like this samurai armour.

Guns.

Canons. It's kind of strange to imagine samurai's fighting with these weapons, though.

This used to be the daimyo's (大名) seat. Bow to the feudal lord!

With uneven, steep steps the castle is easy to defend and hard to attack.

A view on the castle's surrounding from the top floor.

The castle, from the opposite view.

Our last stop on the way back was the grape farm （ぶどう狩り), for an eat-all-you-like!

Ah, grapes! Grapes! Fruits are expensive here in Japan, grapes included. This "buffet" was only 1000 yen!

And they're big ones! Like typical genetically-engineered grapes in Japan, you pop the whole grape into you mouth, press it with your tongue, and the skin just comes off. You'll just have to spit it out. GE fruits maybe creepy to some people, but the consolation is you're not eating the chemical.

Just when I thought we'd have plenty of time there, we were told to get ready to head back to the campus before I had enough! Jeez. Don't think I've eaten 1000 yen worth of grapes.

~ End ~

Overnight Trip: Day One

This is a delayed post of the one-night trip we went for on 21 and 22 September. Should have posted them earlier. This pathetic man with a short-term memory can't remember much of the trip now. But, here you go, anyway.

Leaving at 8 in the morning, we headed for, uh, let me think... Sho... Ah, Shōsengyō (昇仙峡) Somewhere to the west of Tokyo, I don't remember which place exactly. It's a famous spot for momiji (紅葉), especially, and there's a waterfall.

This, is the cute little statue found in front of the public toilet. How matching, huh?

The gate.

30m Sengataki (仙峨滝), formed by upheaval of the earth.

Ishimon (石門), literally, "stone gate". Crazy people stick one yen coins into the crack of the stones.

So far, the rivers I've seen in Japan are way cleaner than the cleanest ones back in Malaysia. There was a short news coverage this morning about salmons being found in upstream some 60km from the pacific ocean. That river used to be polluted but much has been done to bring the river back to live. So the brouhaha was understandable. It was a success for the locals. Malaysians still have a lot to learn... I wonder how long it's gonna take before you can start seeing fish in Sungai Pinang. Oh yeah, wait till you see the photos I took in Mitake Keikoku (御岳渓谷).

The tour guide was pointing to one of the cliffs which looked like a dragon when we were in the bus. Couldn't really see it well nor take a photo.

One of the best meals I've had in Japan. Well, after getting used to the yucky food I cook everyday, anything is edible.

Then, we headed for the Suwako music box museum (奏鳴館).

And, guess what! We're given the chance to assemble our own music box! Much to my surprise, it didn't involve any rocket science at all. Just some simple mechanisms.
This is the final product. In the report I handed in to my teacher, I wrote that this is for my future girlfriend. Then, she started saying, "Oh, what a coincidence that so-and-so picked the same tune! I wonder...".

Some of the antique music boxes first brought in to Japan.

And this is probably something from the latest Mission: Impossible movie. A bomb disguised as music box.

~Continued~

Unanswered Questions

Sometimes, strange things do happen, don't they? Things that keep you wondering. Like an story with a missing chapter. You want to know what's going on. You can't just not give a heck about it and proceed.

Perhaps, you'll never know what's written there, because you're not meant to know. Or, perhaps, you'll just have to figure out what's "supposed to be there". Or, better, just elaborate it anyway you like.

Whatever is kept away from you, is at best, left that way. Don't insist for an answer. Curiosity, in this case, isn't exactly the right mode. After all, that's the reason curious felines get killed.

"A Rubix Cube is like a dick. The more you play with it, the harder it gets."

Nevertheless, the guessing game just isn't less tricky a business. You may keep guessing, but at the end of the day, you'll only be further away from the truth. I've never been good at this. Heck, I don't even understand myself well and now, I'm trying to dive into the psyche of someone else and dig for whatever is hidden down there?

If you don't know the answer, you just can't tell how wrong you are, right? Might as well let it be so, then...

The Pursuit

Hell do I know why I'm doing this? There's just this burst of energy yearning to be released. And so be it. It shall be drained till the last drip.

First lap...

Cold. Cold.

It is impossible to even summon at least the last bit of sanity left. I'm losing myself to this cold. Or, am I being consumed by this vicious flow of unknown energy instead?

Second lap...

There are things which need to be sorted out, I tell myself. That's why I'm doing this. To tap this unknown, yet familiar strength into something constructive.

Fifth lap...

Runnning and running like a lab rat on a threadmill. No. I still haven't found myself. I just pretend to be chasing towards a goal which is not there. When in fact, I'm running in circles.

Or, there is a reason to that, isn't there? The existence of an unseen force - like the gravity that binds a satelite to its orbit?

Seventh lap...

Closing my eyes, I try to feel the force and go along its flow. But, I start to head away from the track. The unseen force is just a product of imagination after all, isn't it? Something which has been unconsciously drawn out from nothingness just to fill the void with a purpose, a reason?

Thirteenth lap...

Oh, come on, will you? There's no point to this self-torturing. You know this well 'cause you've been through this.

Stop it! There is a reason to this. I have to do this because I'm getting consumed by it. And there is a purpose to this. I have to put an end to this, by pushing till the limit, burning it out. So, just shut up!

Twentieth lap... Or... Whatever. Nevermind. Just get tired already and cut this out.

No. Not yet. Not until the last drip is still left. Damn it. I'm tired of this already. Mentally, though. Not physically. How long have I been storing this? And how long will it take to let it all out? Heck.

Perhaps the star will have to keep on burning until it collapse upon itself.

Dead Man's Requiem

The sand swirls, giving form to the verocious wind as a demonstration of its virility. It howls like a wild beast, threatening to sweep away anything that dares stand in its way. But the man stood just there - a solitary figure. As if with nothing to lose, he challenges the beast to come at him.

The man feels its breath in his face; and its claws, scraping his very skin raw. He bites his lips, and stands unfaltered at the face of the savage. Soon, pangs of pain jolt him awake, coercing him into begging for his life. It was too much for him to take, as the beast tears his flesh apart. He gives in without a struggle, for he knows this is his only way to salvation.

At last, the beast finds what it has been looking for - the soul. Within it, lies all his deadly sins - fear, doubt, grief, despair, anxiety, pessimism, disharmony, impatience, selfishness, greed, egoism, lust, envy, anger, resentment, hatred... All of which has been intoxicating and consuming him for so long a time.

The beast feeds on all these, like a spider would suck its prey dry, leaving nothing but an empty shell behind.

The wind continues to howl its final requiem for the dead man. Only that it sounds more like the sickening laughter of a pack of hyenas after a satisfying feast.

Now, it has only one thing left to do. Bury this unsightly remains under a dune.

In paradisum deducant te angeli,
in tuo adventu
suscipiant te martyres...
~In Paradisum