Japan Journal # 16

[Windmill Boy]

Thursday February 6, 2003 ....

Checked out  of  the  hotel  at  10  and I  lugged  my  bags  down the  street  back  towards the
Train  Station.  I  stopped  by  the  temple  on  the  way to the  train  station  to  snap  of  a
couple  of  pictures.  The  temple  had  a  water  fountain for  cleansing  away  your   troubles
like  all of  the  Buddhist  temples had   that  I  saw  on  my  trip.  The  notable thing  about  this
water  fountain  was  that  it was sculpted  very nicely  in the  shape of  a dragon.  I  continues
toward  the  station  but I stopped  off  at  the  central  post office  located  next  door.  I  had  to
exchange  some  money  and  this  is  actually  where  banks referred  me  to  do this.  As  I  was
waiting to  receive  my  money  there  was  a scruffy   25 ish  European guy  (German ?)
exchanging  also.  He  sat  down  to wait  in  the  chairs as  they often prefer  you to do when
they  are doing your  transactions.    I noticed  a wallet / checkbook  on the  counter close to
where he was just standing.   I  said  excuse  me  you left  your  checkbook  he  looked  at  me
blankly  and  said  it  wasn’t  his  so  we  did  the  good  deed  and  turned it  into the  clerks
behind  the  counter.  Though  I  didn’t  handle  the  wallet  myself  It  looked as  if  it  had  a
large  sum  of  money  inside.   But honest  is  honest.  we  all  know  how  much it  sucks  to
lose  something  valuable.  Got  to  the station  and I  talked  a little  with the  cute  information
girls wearing their  smart looking  Jacqui  Kennedy  uniforms and  matching  hats.  I  handed  out
1  of  my  business  cards  to the  girl I  talked  to.  using her  directions  I  found  the  ticket
office  and I  reserved  my seat  for  the  local  train  going  to  Kanazawa.  I would  have  a 1 1/2
hour  wait  before  it  left.  I  found  a  Belgian  waffle  stand   and  I  bought 2  that  were
delicious.  Then I  did a little  shopping  at the  local  stores  in the station.  I  still  had  time  to
kill  so I  just  leaned  up  against the  wall  and I  people  watched.  The  same  types  of  people
as  anywhere  else  I  concluded  they  just  had black  hair and  Asiatic  features.

The  train took  off  from Kyoto station  and  we  followed  the  contour  of  lake  Biwa- Ko  the
largest  lake  in Japan  to the  north of  Kyoto.  I  dozed  off  to  sleep  before  we left  the  lake
area  I  think.  Then  the  train proceeded  for  about  2 -  3  hours   through  very snow covered
picturesque countryside.  I  recall  the  train  blew  it  horn  2  or  3 times  for  something.  This
is  the  only time  I  heard  a  train blow  it horn  in  Japan. What a  relief  that  must  be since  I
live  relatively  close  to  train tracks  here in  California  and  every train that  goes  by  has  to
blow  their  horns  for  the crossing  even  at 3  am in the  morning.  As  we  got  closer  to
Kanazawa  at  1  stop  I saw  and  attempted  to take  a  picture  of  a  huge  golden  statue of  a
woman  in  this  town  that  probably  stood  50  ft  tall well over  the  trees.  I  asked  my friend
Masami  who is  from Kanazawa  last  week  about  it.  She  recognized the  statue  and  thought
that  it  is  a  Buddhist temple that  people  visit.     I  arrived in  Kanazawa  and  took  a taxi  to
the  hotel  as  it  was  too  far  away to  walk.  They told  me  I  could  have  taken  a bus  that
was   a lot  cheaper  but  I  did not  want  to go through  the  hassle  of  figuring  out  what  to do.

I  checked  into  the  hotel  and noticed  that  there  was  an adjoining  hair cut  place.  threw  my
bags  in the  room  and  I  decided  to  go  for  a  cut  as I  was  meeting  Kyoko  A  friend  of
Masami  who  I was  interested  in.  doesn’t  hurt  to  make  a  good  impression.  I  had  to  pay
1000  yen  or about  $8.50 to  get  a card from the  machine  on the wall to  hand  to  the  hair
stylist.  She  did  a  good  job  though it  was  a dry  haircut.  at the  end  she  pulled a  Vacuum
cleaner  hose  from  the  ceiling and vacuumed my  head  to  suck  up  the  clippings.  Though  it
was  strange  it  was  very  effective --  something  that they should  introduce  here.   Hell  it
was a good  haircut for  $ 8.50, and  no  tip  expected.  It  was also kind of  interesting watching
the  stylist who was next  to me and  maybe  35 - 40  with  her hair  dyed  blue.

As  it  got  close  to  6  PM  it  was  time  to  leave  and  walk a  few  blocks  to  meet  Kyoko  at
a  nearby  Starbucks  that she  e-mailed  me  about.  Kyoko  is  34    5  foot  4  maybe  and  I
thought  she  was  cute.  She  has  a very  alluring  smoky voice .  She  is a  kindergarten  teacher
and  she  apologized  that  she  was  hoarse  from  yelling  at  the  kids  all  day.  Masami  told
me later  though  that  that  is her  natural  voice.  It  is  as  if  she  talks  as  if  she has  a  slight
case of  lyaringitis.   My  friend  Masami  who  lives  in LA  was dead  on when  She  described
Kyoko  as  being a  funny  girl.  She was  entertaining  and  amusing.    We  left  Starbucks  and
went  next door  upstairs  to  a  department  store  where  she  knew  of  a  cooking  school.   We
went  there  to inquire  about  it  and I  had  20  women staring  me  up  and  down  wondering
who  is  this  white  guy and  why  is  he  here. Then I  sort  of  experienced  Reverse
discrimination.   They  told us  that they  could not help  me  and had  nothing  to  offer  as the
School  is  only open  to  women.  It  was  sort  of  a  school  to  teach  housewives  and  younger
women  to  cook meals  for  their  families  or  whoever.

Kyoko  and I  decided  to  hunt  town  something  to  eat  I  jokingly suggested  McDonalds  and
she  distinctly  said  NO!  We  wandered  the  streets looking  for a  nearby Curry  restaurant that
she thought  she knew  about  but we never  found  it.  Instead  we  found  a  French  restaurant.
They  sat us  down  on the other side of  the counter from the kitchen.  So  as  we  talked  we
could  also  observe.  It  was a nice  meal  with small  but  heavy  tasting  courses.  As the  meal
wound down  we  struck  up  a little  conversation  with  the  Chef.  he  had  trained  in  Paris
and  there were  French  culinary words posted  on his  refrigerator  too.  The  restaurant
probably  had  35 -40  guests  and  He and  his  Cute  22 ish  Assistant (commis / Apprentice)  
were  really  kicking  it into high  gear  along with 1  waitress.  I  took a  picture  of  him  and his
assistant  for  posterity.  Kyoko  and  I  had a  great  evening  talking  bout  many  different
topics  with  very  little  trouble  I thought  we  clicked  well and I  hoped  she might  be a
potential  girlfriend also.   After  dinner  Kyoko  walked  with me  to  my  hotel  and  we said
goodbye  until the  next  evening  when  her  friend  might  join us.

[Dave H]

... in response to Japan Journal # 16, posted by Windmill Boy on Mar 14, 2003

Hi WB,

Buy a Flowbee, they work great! It sucks up your hair while it is being evenly cut...no mess and no itch. =:o) Worth every penny and more high-tech than the Japanese!

Dave H.

[lswote]

... in response to That's nothing!, posted by Dave H on Mar 14, 2003

I use a Flowbee too, so I am a fan of them but remember Windmill Boy was traveling in Japan.  The Flowbee and even the smallest vacuum would take up a lot of space in a suitcase.

[Dave H]

... in response to Re: That's nothing!, posted by lswote on Mar 14, 2003

Hi Iswote,

I'm a big Flowbee fan myself! I thought maybe Japan would have a do-it-yourself Flowbee Salon! =8o) I see you're in the Ft. Lauderdale area also.

Dave H.

[lswote]

... in response to Hi Neighbor!, posted by Dave H on Mar 14, 2003

Yeah, I sure am. I live in Weston, which is west of Fort Lauderdale right next to the Everglades.  You don't know of any movie theaters in the area that show movies in Spanish or with Spanish subtitles, do you?

[Dave H]

... in response to Re: Hi Neighbor!, posted by lswote on Mar 15, 2003

Hi Iswote,

I live south of you in Pembroke Pines. Just go to Muvico in Davie and listen to all of the people talking and translating the movie into Spanish. ))) Seriously, I will ask my Latin familia in Hialeah and Miami-Dade.

Dave H.

[Peter Lee]

... in response to Re: That's nothing!, posted by lswote on Mar 14, 2003

And here I was thinking that I was the only one that knew about the flow bee.  No hair on the floor, vacum sucks it right up.  Only problem was the blades would eventually get dull.  I thought that they went out of business.  You don't travel with the vacume cleaner!  When you get to where your going there will always be a vacum cleaner someplace.  This proves the whole world sucksm LOL.

[Dave H]

... in response to Re: Re: That's nothing!, posted by Peter Lee on Mar 14, 2003

Hi Peter,

They are still making them. http://www.flowbee.com/ I've had mine for 6 years and want to buy a new one for a spare. My brother moved away and had to but his own. LOL

Dave H.

[Peter Lee]

... in response to Still Available!, posted by Dave H on Mar 14, 2003

So Dave,
If you saved the address could you post it so I can buy another one?
I loved my flowbee.  What did you do when blades got dull?

[Dave H]

... in response to Re: Still Available!, posted by Peter Lee on Mar 14, 2003

[This message has been edited by Dave H]

Hi Peter,

My blades are still pretty good, sometimes a slight pull. I bought mine in the mall at a "As Seen On TV" stand about 6 years ago. My brother bought a new one at the Swap Shop flea market in Ft. Lauderdale about a year ago for $49. Flowbee's website is http://www.flowbee.com The "Complete Flowbee System" sells for $69.95 plus shipping and handling. Blades are $25. They even sell 5 Flowbees for $200.00 plus S&H.

Dave H.

[Peter Lee]

... in response to Re: Re: Still Available!, posted by Dave H on Mar 15, 2003

I am ordering one as we speak.  It will go good with the sail boat.  I have been out there for months at a time without a hair cut.  This would solve the problem.

[lswote]

... in response to Re: Still Available!, posted by Peter Lee on Mar 14, 2003

Buy another flowbee.  I am on number two.
http://www.flowbee.com

[Dave H]

... in response to Re: Re: Still Available!, posted by lswote on Mar 15, 2003

Hi Iswote,

Some of my spacers are broken and I have a crack in the case from dropping it once. The extra spacers will allow me trim longer hair.

Dave H.

[Peter Lee]

... in response to I Need To Myself!, posted by Dave H on Mar 15, 2003

ya! I remember, you can't drop it.  Mine was full of duck tape LOL.  I thought is was just a fade and never reordered it when it broke.  But I missed using it and lost the address.