Busy week

More than week has passed since last post. Sorry about that. I can only defend my self by saying the obviuos: "I've been hell busy". Doing what? Can't even remember anymore. But last week I didn't leave lab before midnight in any of the days. Luckilly Thursday was a public holiday. Ok, and here you have some pictures from my phone.


One morning, some time ago, I witnessed morning work out of construction workers. Nice, this way they keep fit and I bet less injuries in this building site that the one with out morning streching. :)


Problems with ATM?...no worries, just take a picture and ask translation from your tutors and next time you master it well. ;P


High pressure machine from our lab. My sample in the midle will feel 5000 times atmospheric pressure when those anvils starts to press it. Not too many machines like this in whole earth.


Noodle cup serving me good as a sample holder when heating my samples... ;)


Yesterday morning it was raining heavily and this kitten was talking me while taking my bicycle to go university. I was in a hurry but always some time to chat with "kawaii" kittens. She said that it's too cold and wet. I agreed. Told her to go home next to the radiator wait the sunny day. When I jumped to my bike I was even more in a hurry. The day of Weekly Meeting, better not to be late.


Today at lunch I took this small things to my salad. Hot as HELL. No wonder they were served from so small plate...

And let's see...what has happened last week except hard working in lab. BTW, "hard" doesn't mean anything negative. Now I'm working in a place doing things I've been dreaming since the very first chemistry lesson of mine.

Welcomming party for international students was held in our campus (Yeye! didn't need to go far far away, Ookayama;). Lots of food, beer and wine. Only enjoyed the first one. Oh, so party must have been before half marathon... On Thursday my legs were somehow recovered from running (now I know what is waiting me in old age...damn that walking can be hard). So, I headed for a whole day Krav-Maga seminar. Good trainings (a bit soft for what I have got used to in Finland and Hungary) and especially nice to meet new people.

Saturday I would describe quite effectively used day. Woke up 6 am. bicycled to lab. Started some long measurements (over 15 h) and write few lines for my this week's presentation. Took train to Shibuya where I met Fujita and Janny. We headed to Mt. Takao. Walked till the top (like few hundred other people also on that day) to eat lunch and enjoy colorful autum view. Saw Mt. Fuji first time in my life! Next summer the top of Fuji-san in my goal. After comming down more trecking styled route we took train to Shinjuku. Visited 100 yen shop (guess who owns now sake bowl for atsukan! ;). Shop where you can find almost anything between heaven and earth and only with 100 yen! We were dying hungry, so time for dinner. Went to eat "chapu-chapu". Once again new experience. Cook your own food with boiling water and eat as much as you can with in 90 minutes (1890 yen). One of my favourite places from now on. :) When returning home made one last stop in Aobadai (next station to the home station Fujigaoka) and had a drink of sake with my new australian friend who I met week ago. Maybe two a clock I finally dropped to my bed and fell a sleep in micro second.

Next morning woke up with out alarm clock and headed to krav-maga gym before noon. After 1 hour sweating (they really have physical trainings here) headed again to my lab. More measurements and making of the presentation till midnight (dead-line for sending it to professor Monday 6 pm.). On Monday I gave the last touch for pp-slides and sent it at 5:53 pm.

And yes, camera was with me in Mt. Takao trip, so some pictures will appear in near future. Now it's time to eat and study a bit before hugging my lovely pillow for next 7 hours.

Oh, almost forgot, I was today so energetic that went to BIG shopping mall one station behind our campus and bought two pair of shoes. Did I tell you that my shoes went broken something like 3 weeks ago? Ok, I had my hiking boots and running shoes, so haven’t been really in a hurry with this matter. But finally it was time. Got my suit from Finland (Million thanks mom!) and it needed shoes to accompany it. And next week suit will be worn first time here in Japan when it’s Finland’s Independence Day 6th of December. Once again got change to participate party in embassy (last year the same thing in Budapest).

Didn’t writing of this post’s took so long that our incredible internet connection was lost from our dormitory...nice. Wednesday shall it then be when you get this one.

Half marathon

Early wake up this morning, sun wasn't even risen when I woke up 05:30. Felt a bit like in Finlad at winter time, wake up when it's still dark. But even though I slept only 5 and half hours I didn't feel tired at all. The day was finally here. It was time to test my body with half marathon. It took place in Kawasaki. The goal was to survive trough all the 21 kilometers and smile at the finish.


I had to register in the morning 'cause the pre-registration time had already gone when Fujita asked me to join to the event.


Fujita preparing for the run with our personal assistant Janny. :)


Friends ready for the run.


And last minutes middle of the other runners...(damn, I should piss)...just when we were about to start had urgent need to urinate, but too late now.


"GO"


2.00.59, we finished the run exactly with same time. It was nice to run together. Time was passing much faster when we were chatting. Race was over before you even noticed. :)


And the smile at the finish.

Nice experience! Can't wait to get to participate next one. Maybe few of these before the real one...just to study this thing how to survive. Right now I have two major problems:

1) I had to stop to piss after 3 km (and it was a long one...it felt like it's not going to end ever) and second stop wasn't far away, luckilly I could hold it. And you must drink during the run.

2) I was REALLY hungry when we finished. Never would be able to run another 21 km with empty stomach. How to fill my stomach without throwing up during the first half? Maybe have to take those gel energy things (saw someone eating it today).

Next time (maybe on February) the goal is to go under 2 hours. Feel quite good now. Only my right knee is hurting a bit. Had the same problem few years ago when tried to start jogging in Helsinki. Hope that it won't stop me running more. This is FUN! Like sports where you can really push your body to the edge... ;)

Ok, time to relax by going to sento (artificial onsen) which I learnt to be located quite near to our dormitory. But first need to get my bicycle from the Fujigaoka station...who told me to forget it there.

Disneyland

Ok, and who told me to put this many pictures in this post?! Anyway here you have them organised and with some explanations, perhaps.

The Saturday in Tokyo Disneyland was amazing! After long long waiting the inner child was released in farytale world with Mickey and Donald (yep, some of you are right, the child in me not only "inner"...if I'm said to be 20 years old, does it mean that child in me is then 5?). The place was most crowded place in whole Tokyo so far, but it didn't bother me at all. I was going a round with big gleaming eyes from morning till evening. Some attractions had 170 minutes long waiting queues. We didn't do that long waitings. We used this magnificent "fast pass" system (you could get max. for three attractions these tickets which let you walk straight in at certain time). We were 5 people from our lab together exploring the wonders of wonder land. Ok, but let the huge amount of picture tell the story from childrens world.


Poster in my home station, Fujigaoka. It gave the first starange feeling in my stomach...now it's happening (I gotta see Disneyland!).


And here we are. Christmas Mickey smiling right after main gate. Entrance fee 5800 yens.


Immediately the first parade, yeppee!


Mickey and Minnie!


Familiar flag middle of palm trees. :)


The area was huge. Every now and then we had to stop reading map how to get to th enext attraction (from left: Izumi-san, Kadota-san, Abe-san and Inga-san).


Crowded?


Familiar boat from comics!


Indian village next to railroads.


Most of the attractions were boat rides trough the magnificent puppet shows.


Here they had all the countries from the earth. Hello's to Ireland! Zoom the picture if possible...


Russia.


Wouldn't it be nice to have a summer cottage next to that mountain.


BIG parade. Toy story, one of my favourites.


Santa-san!


And the Santa's little helppers...why I always thought that they are small ugly dwarfs...?


Roller-coaster.


This is like casttles should look like! I was so disapointed in Transylvania last winter when count Dracula's casttle wasn't even close to this.


Pirates of Caribean.


Me and Donald Duck himself.


Disney and George Lucas took us to the stars.


On the way to the 3D-movie.

Collection of funny trees:






I wan't to have that kind of round trees in my yard someday (if I have a own yard).


Japanese are masters of mixing tastes together. Never so shorter than 85 meters long queues to popcorn carriages.


Electric parade at the night time.


Perfect ending for the day, FIREWORKS!!! Like a lot!

Sweating and fighting

No Disneyland today. Weather was almost perfect (a bit chilly though). People had got sick or had some other assignments. But 'cause I was already awake early in the morning, decided to do something fun myself. Went to Krav-maga gym to get rid off extra energy. And they really know how to put people sweat in this gym. It was great to be fighting again! Today had to participate on level 3 training 'cause they weren't sure where to put this strange finnish trainee-instructor. 4 is highest level in that gym (they have differen't level system compared to europe...so same stuff just wrapped differently). After one hour sweating I had earned the permisson to participate also level 4 hours. On next Sunday I can sleep 1 hour later. ;)

And of course I headed to lab after got out from the gym and here I'm still. I think that right now my stomach is telling me to head home. Actually I came here just to get my bicycle which somehow was left behind on Friday...And couldn't resist to come in my "office". Now I feel like going to this sento (=artificial onsen) next to our dormitory.

party week

This week I have been really busy with reading articles from my new research topic. End of the week has been filled with parties though. On Thursday was Inga's doctor degree graduation party and on Friday morning had my first REAL hangover. There was someone hammering with huge hammer inside my head. After I had just recovered from this we had a farewell party to Mikko and Markus who are returning to Finland soon. And of course it was Saturday morning before getting to the bed. Last night ended up to a club where all the drinks were free (entrance fee 4000 yen) and the rest you can guess...


Big guy staring all the people passing by.

Oh, and tomorrow we go to the Disneyland if it's not raining. :)

Encounter with police

Hee, just got home from the lab. I was bicycling home when in the mid way of my journey I was stopped by two police men. I think I had to use all my japanese learnt so far when explaining what I'm doing there with the bike. Ok, they didn't speak more than three words of english but luckilly they understood a bit more. ID-card was checked (luckilly I got it today) as also register number of my bike...or should I say Markus' bike. I don't know how that works. But anyway, they were nodding when I explained that I got that bike from another FINNISH who is just about to leave the country. They made a phone call to check it and finally let me go. Wow, they were so nice and polite. Ok, not in that way as the ladies in Mcdonalds counter or in groceries but the way that you still felt that you are dealing now with some authorities.

Ok, time to sleep. Tomorrow is the studying day, lectures from 9.00-16.30.

Nikko

Last Sunday we did a day trip to Nikko, nice mountain area 3-4 hours from Tokyo by car. And finally experienced the famous japanese onsen. Onsen is a hot bath which gets its water from hot spring. It was just like hot baths in Hungary. I loved it...so relaxiting. Oh, and they had also sauna. I had to survive one month without sauna so it was about the time to get in one.


They have pretty good service in gas stations around here. There were three guys cleaning the windows while one was filling the tank.


After 4 hour driving we arrived to the Nikko. Hee, try to guess who was sleeping like a baby most of the time.

Here you have some pictures from the trip.








Didn't got a picture of the monkey I saw but this small fellow was more willing to pose us. Hee, it was really funny to see monkey sitting on a fence in center of Nikko town. :)






This kind of views are always facinating...we lack mountains in Finland.