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Blogs from Masuda, Shimane, Japan, Asia
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May 28th 2007
The Many Happenings in Masuda Masuda, as it turns out is not exactly set up for tourism. It's not that there's nothing to see here, or that the people are unhelpful. Okay, it's not that the people are unhelpful, but there isn't a great deal to see just here. It is, however, an excellent jumping off point, and a great way to get a feel for "the real Japan" as far as it may exist. As for the tourist industry in Masuda, it appears I am the tourist industry here in Masuda. I don't want to give it a bad wrap though, as I have had a great time here with Camille and Denise. Much of what is great about Masuda is that it is a great place to rest. It's a town where very few ... read more
March 8th 2007
It's been one year since I left and it feels like yesterday - it's amazing how time goes by so quickly. In that year we've done quite a bit of traveling, made plenty of shiny new friends, and have enjoyed a host of unique cultural experiences. It's been quite an adventure to say the least, both good and bad, and I'm very thankful that Denise works so hard so that I can be a lazy mooch. However, life in Japan, in Masuda, has turned out to be vastly different than we expected. Japan can be rather taihen for a foreigner, and getting routine things done, such as going to the bank or the post office, can turn into confusing ordeals that drag on for days because they don't quite understand the concept of travelers cheques or ... read more
July 19th 2006
"Go-Go Gadget Bitch Slap!" screams our protagonist, Captain James T. Kirk* as a hand extends from the top of his head to deliver a downward, open-palm smack across the face of his evil landlord neighbour, Mr. Stinkydickface**. The slap sends him reeling backwards, crashing hard into his computer (which was later found to contain vast amounts of child pornography and stolen credit card numbers). "Shoulda bought a muzzle, bitch." lectures Capt. Kirk to his arch-nemesis, as he motions for the enraged mob of sleep-deprived citizens awaiting outside to enter the premises and lynch the irritating dog that has been waking them up at 5:00am again. The mob tears through the house, breaking through rice paper walls to get at the incessantly barking animal. The dog, sensing impending doom, transforms into a space ship and blasts off, ... read more
March 8th 2006
I just spent the last hour wandering around trying to find the library so that I could check my email and type this entry. What was supposed to be a five minute stroll turned into a lengthy tour of the south-east corner of the city. I still can't check my email, but I now have in my possession a spiffy new Masuda City Municipal Library card and have free internet access. And next time, I won't waste half the afternoon trying to find a computer. Needless to say, the accuracy of my map is questionable and will soon be tossed into the "useless" bin for recycling. The details of my trip across the Pacific Ocean are marginally more interesting. I didn't get rubber-gloved at customs, but I did manage to get fabulously lost in the neon-lit ... read more
