Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Oooh! Bird!

Guess what time it is! Time to pee!

OK NOW guess what time it is! Blog update time mmmhmm.
So never got to writing about last Sunday.

As many of youz know, and some do not, I am a firm believer that the biggest problem facing religions around the world, is the clergy. *TAM TAM TAAAAAAAM*!
However, every once in a while, someone comes along and proves me wrong (partly wrong at least). Someone like Father Manfred. Father Manfred came from Germany to Japan 43 years ago, that would be 16 years before I was born lol, and is still going at it with a lot of passion, compassion and love.


You see Father Manfred believes the world is just a bigger version of this bus:


We're all in this journey together. Might as well make it a pleasant one :D Reminds me a lot of my grandfather, but that would be a nice subject for another post (or 30 hehe).
Off to Bibai (north of Sapporo)!

First stop: Tsukigata Kabato Museum.


This museum was originally a prison for political prisoners during the Meiji Restoration period. This was around the time when the shogunate decided to extend the Japanese reach to the island now known as Hokkaido for several reasons. This is where the aforementioned prisoners come into the play. They were exiled up north because of the severe weather (yes...) and to build the infrastructure needed to cultivate the lands.


The prison cemetery, where people offer thanks to the prisoners who built what eventually became the roads we use today. Yes, learned a couple things today, very important stuff too, like the fact that I like ginger ale!
Couldn't take photos inside, and I didn't secretly take a couple photos, and their quality didn't turn out really crappy coz of the lighting, the reflection on the wooden floors (so pretty are the wooden floors and walls...).

This wasn't taken inside.


Nor was this (cedar tree found buried).


Second stop, beautiful lake with some pretty swans. Oh and FOODz!


Coolest stairs ever! Donno why. They just are! Mmkay?


Za lake.


Ate our sammiches in a nice and big shack thingie with no walls, so had to put up plastic curtains to stop the wind that really slices you to pieces... Prisoners could probably only escape 2-3 months a year and still have above 20% chance of survival... Sandwiches and hot rice (and curry and stuffs) were welcome, but no tea for me, apparently I have what Japanese call "cat's tongue", which means I f**kin hate hot drinks!

BIRDY NUM NUM!


Not the smartest of creatures, but perrrty! And they look amazing when they land (and fly it would seem), too bad didn't have camera out when it happened.

Strange pink building, this one's for you Dina :D (check out her blog it's also about life in Japan and really cool).


Final stop, and highlight of the day, Miyajima Luma lake. Seriously. Wow.
You see a lot of birds migrate north this time of the year, I don't blame them, who would ever be happy with warmth and sunshine?! Again, not the smartest of creatures hehe. So where we were is the final pit stop before they reach their destination. They stop here to eat the remaining grains in the rice fields. Apparently there were around 30,000 or so, and at night, most of them sleep in this lake, to avoid predators. Unfortunately, when around so many birds, this is bound to happen :)


Truly a marvelous sight.


Now some people say I have a very short attention span, and that I get easily distrac... ooh look a bird! Doh!


They CAAAME... from... BEHIIIIND!!


I blame my couz Imad for this... must... resist... urge... to link... video...

2 comments:

  1. OH MY GOD! And only a few minutes ago I was thinking how I miss to hear your voice....after this video I changed my mind... guess some things never change... ya allah shouuuuuuuuuu sakeeeeeeeellll

    Thanks for the update...looks like a real beautiful country minus the cold...and bicycles....:P

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  2. LOOOOOOOOOOOL
    Hahahahaha ababa Bird Bird Bird! The Bird's the word!
    Miss you cous!
    Awesome blog btw ^_^

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