SNOW and LEAVES and RACCOONS!
There have been some developments! Sorry, I'm just being dramatic - nothing earth-shattering, but some news nonetheless. It's cold here. No, not just cool, but icy. Okay... FREEZING! A couple of days ago I would have used that word figuratively, but now I can use it literally.
Today it snowed... it actually snowed!!! Just a little bit, but still... snow! Sorry, I'm still computing this. About 2 weeks ago on a particularly cold morning I emerged from my apartment (sorry it couldn't have been that early - probably about 10am!) and the shaded ground was painted white with frost. "Okay," I thought, "I guess it's almost winter". That was the first sign. Then last night there were some slippery, glazed-over patches on the concrete stairs up to my place - I was surprised to see it was ice. Then this morning at about 9:15 I ran out the door to get to Japanese class on time and was shocked to see all the puddles from last night's rain were frozen solid. They were a couple of centimetres deep. Then, lastly tonight I was gob-smacked when I realised what looked like bits of ash drifting down from the roof of the station was snow coming down from the heavens! The first I've ever seen falling in my life. I was expecting to see this in January sometime, not now! About 2 months ago I was turning on the air-con when I got home late to cool down!
Well, I felt really low yesterday, but I dragged myself to church anyway... and I'm really glad I did. Fumi-san, the pastor of Crossroad, spoke about what lies at the heart of the Christmas story. Not Mary or the wise men and nativity extras, the star or even a cute plastic baby in a cardboard box - but the fact that Jesus gave up the highest place of heaven and made himself poor, in order that we might become rich (no, he wasn't talking $$$ as some do). He urged us to ponder this and be generous and giving of ourselves to God and to others in every way. I'm really grateful for finding this church - there's a real heart in what is said and done and the people are great. An American fellow, Eric (an actor among other things!), invited me to meet up with him - I'm really looking forward to it, he's a top bloke. Fumi, Miko (his wife), Keiji, Azumi and Taketo were also great to talk to.
Well, today was fantastic. Partly just by comparison because yesterday was pretty crap (I was quite homesick... church was a great encouragement to me, but I was still a bit down) but that aside, I couldn't have planned it better. I'm not bragging by saying that - I didn't plan it at all ! It just happened. On the spur of the moment, after Japanese class I hopped on a train to Kyoto. What prompted this? The horrible realisation that I was going to miss Kyoto's
koyo - its autumn colours. I have discovered they are as fleeting as the cherry blossom! One cold snap can turn leaves from brilliant red to rust, or worse still, rake-fodder! No wonder the samurai mindset was one that embraced life's transcience and impermanence - they were constantly seeing cycles of generation and degeneration. I guess the Bible has similar imagery -
who are you but a mist that rises in the morning and then vanishes? (sorry, paraphrasing!), but comes to a very different conclusion. Don't worry, I won't try to do a comparitive study of religion right now... as if I could! haha... moving along... yeah, I was asking people at church if they thought it would still be worth going to Kyoto next Sunday to see the
koyo, and the general concensus was
maybe... let me think about that...nup. Despair turned to panic and I postponed meeting with Eric this evening (I'm so 2-faced aren't I? "I'm really looking forward to it..."chop! I am looking forward to it, but I just couldn't shake my compulsion to make a last-ditch effort to see Kiyomizu Temple in all its finery... plus they are still lighting it up at night for the next week only).
As the day progressed I kept thinking I'd completely messed up my timing, but it turned out to be just great. I went very late in the piece to the discount ticket shop and the lady fixed me up with some cheap tix to Kyoto.
I was anxiously watching the colours of the trees in the passing landscape as I trained my way there - in parts they were different shades of brown (Ahhhh!!!), but there were still pockets of colour (Maybe...just maybe!). This must all sound pretty fanatical, but if you come here, you'll understand - it really gets you in. I'm by no means an avid viewer of
Gardening Australia or whatever that show is with that guy that's just walked off the set of
Leon the Pig Farmer, but yeah... it's just visually spectacular. In the same hillside or garden you can see yellow, orange, vermillion, maroon, green, brown and primary red.
I'll try to cut this short(er)... I got to Kiyomizu-dera and some trees were on the way out, but a lot weren't. My camera battery had just enough juice to snap what I wanted. The light was fading fast though and I quickly made my way around to the large wooden deck that looks out over the forest towards the city. It was beautiful. The night-viewing... that was something else again. The lights brought out the best in even the fading trees. I will post photos soon but I hope you can see it yourself one day.
Then, as I waited for the bus back to Kyoto Station I met this great old fella called Sadami, or Murakami-san (no relation to author Haruki, Brad! I checked...he laughed!). He loves to travel and has been to Sydney and other parts of Australia. His English is pretty good.
No, no... broken! he would say each time I'd compliment him. He looks like a Japanese version of George Dubya (no offense to Sadami intended), but spoke more like Boris Yeltsin. Anyway, we caught the train back to Osaka together and once there he bought me a bento-boxed dinner and a bottle of tea despite my protests (they are very pricey in platform stalls). I have his address to which I am to send him a New Years card. I hope we can keep in touch. When he bought me dinner and then left my platform I felt kind of teary... like I do now.
Class was great today too (I discovered my teacher Kinu-sensei loves cars too! She used to race Toyota MR2's when she was at uni! I went to Osaka Motor Show last weekend, so that's what prompted our discussion. She loves rally and wishes for a Subaru WRX STi. She's not doing too badly though - drives an Altezza {badged Lexus IS in Aus}. Anyway, sorry where was I?). My Japanese class friend Justin (from the States) is having a Christmas party next weekend, so it'll be tops to share some festive cheer! (Christmas hasn't seemed this important to me in years!)
Anyway, I really have to go to bed, but one last thing - a pair of raccoons crossed my path on the way home tonight. How good is that!? They were pretty big, but stealthy. One stopped, eyeballed me and then darted off into the bushes. They must be smarter than Australian wildlife - haven't ever seen any form of roadkill anywhere in Japan (although I haven't been on many highways). I've always loved raccoons. I can now add to the list of local wildlife: crabs, crows, frogs, largish spiders and smallish snakes (I'm told I'll see them out and about in the warmer months - they're smart enough to hibernate through this freeze! Thankfully they aren't so big! I hope). Anyway... really should stop this rambling.
Night all (^_^)
