Now and then...(Wuhan, Hakata, and tonkotsu ramen)

It's been a while since I've written on here.  Last week at school, there were many things happening. I had to hand in interim reports.  There were a series of department meetings and a general staff meeting.  I went to boys' poker night.  Bled chips at the beginning, but by the end I came out on top.

 I also got fed up with my social studies students for dirtying up the classroom and leaving it as a pigsty every day.  So I decided to go military on them.  Look at how clean this room is!  I was told by some of my students that it's the cleanest room in the school.

A number of teachers decided to become hardcore gym rats.  Work out every day at 4:00PM. I'm one of them.  We hang out in the weight room after school.  Some of us learn kung fu on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and I go running around the track if I'm late getting to the gym.

 Okay.  Let's go back on the road...

Two months ago, I left Hong Kong for Japan.  I landed in Fukuoka (Hakata). What a pleasant city! Interesting things to see, and tasty eats!  It's the ramen capital of Japan.  After having ramen in Hakata, all other ramen paled in comparison.

When I finally got to my hotel, it was night time.  I decided to walk around the nearby nightlife area of Hakata (which apparently was one of the most famous red light districts of Japan).  I saw what would become a constant reoccurring sight throughout my travels in Japan - roving bands of drunk businessmen stumbling out of stripper joints.  Went to buy some food and called it a night.

The next day, I went to visit some shrines. They had these funny looking entrances where you had to go through a big guy's mouth.

It was fairly cold outside, and a sweet old lady beckoned me into her small mama-papa restaurant.  I guess she could tell I was a gaijin (foreigner).  Had some delicious homemade udon, which hit the spot.

Grannie also gave me a free ticket to go to a nearby museum, where I learned a bit about the Gion Yamakasa festival, where large groups of men run floats around town.

 

At night, I went to a place called Ramen Stadium for dinner.

TONKOSTU RAMEN!!!

Here's something funny I found out.  Apparently, to many Japanese, ramen noodles are Chinese pulled noodles.  But here in Wuhan, and even when I was down in Hong Kong, ramen is deemed Japanese.  The Japanese think it's Chinese, and the Chinese think it's Japanese!  I chuckled to myself as I finished my delicious meal.

Even though the Japanese and Chinese get on each others' nerves sometimes, I find it funny they don't realize that they have so much in common, and that they don't give each other enough credit for each other.  But at least they do recognize that the other culture can make something delicious like ramen. That made me have a little bit more faith in humanity, and made me warm and tingly inside...or was that just the noodles?

Japanese Earthquakes

Well, my friend and coworker from Sage Bistro Joyce is in Sendai, Japan right now. We all know about the recent 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan on the 11th of March.  Well, it hit Sendai particularly hard.  Actually, the epicenter was near Sendai.  Apparently, aerial photographs of the region look like a playpen of kids' toys - mangled, ripped up, and smashed.  Not to mention the aftershocks and the potential nuclear power plant meltdown. I really liked Sendai when I was there last month.  I hope the city redevelops itself to its former glory after these troubling times.

My thoughts and hopes to Joyce, her students, colleagues, friends and community.  I hope they can stay safe and unharmed in the upcoming and challenging weeks or months ahead.  If you're reading this Joyce, here are some pictures for you to remember better days...

Wo bu shuo Guangdong hua! Part 5

After going back to Hong Kong from Macau, I had early dinner at a low-key local place. I was very hungry.

Wonton and San Mig. Fills you up very fast.

View in the restaurant

The last thing I did in HK was to check out the laser light show from Kowloon that overlooks Hong Kong. 

Had to hit the sack early for an early flight to Fukuoka, Japan the next morning.  But back at the Chungking Mansions, I didn't get much sleep at all.

Maybe it was me getting used to the comfy bed in Macau.  Maybe I was too excited about going to Japan. But, there was a couple next to my guest house room that were making a lot of squeaky noises on their squeaky bed.  That kept me up.

Well, that pretty much sums up my journey throughout Guangzhou, HK and Macau.  I love the Cantonese-speaking areas of China.  Hong Kong is one of my favorite cities the world over.  The places and adventures I've had in these places were awesome.  The food was even better!  I look forward to my next visit to this area of the world.

Next up...JAPAN!

Gamblor! Macau! Part II

Well, Gamblor caught up with me again.  Went to another guys poker night last Thursday.  This time my colleague from the Foreign Nationals school didn't clean me out.  Time did.  I bled chips the whole night, except for winning a few really big pots which inevitably bled too.

And speaking about gambling, during my second day in Macau, I decided to go to the Venetian Casino Hotel.  Apparently it's a carbon copy of its Vegas counterpart.

All in all, I really enjoyed my little side-trip to Macau.  It is such an interesting place.  For an island that caters to all sorts of vice, it was very pretty and a lot of fun.  One day, I shall return to there (hopefully with some of my friends from Wuhan or Vancity).  Maybe then I can actually win at the tables.  And if not, at least I'll be in an interesting venue with them that I can explore some more (and eat delicious food)!

The super posh lobby of the Venetian

It had a faux-Venice shopping area that had a faux- river running through it. No faux-Rialto Bridge though.

Walking around Senado Square, which dons both Portuguese and Chinese characteristics.

My hotel room