Going back after the Onsen (album)

May 3, 2008 Saturday
Nagasaki, Japan 

After we returned from Ioujima Island, our schedule was not really fixed since either one of Joy's bosses may come over for dinner or there was a friend of his who wanted to meet him.

In the end, we did some grocery shopping at the store across the couple's apartment, ate dinner cooked by Benjie, then left Joy behind to sleep as Benjie and I went off for a walk. I do not blame Joy as after wallowing in an onsen, the body feels deliciously relaxed, and I would be rolling in bed myself if not for my being curious about their neighborhood.

We dropped by a 24/7 store (can't remember the name..was it "Family Store"?) where I hoped to get the "hentai" manga that an officemate of mine wanted to have as souvenir when he found out I would be going to Japan. 

I was a bit self-conscious poking around the stands, but in the end, all I could find was a magazine, not the manga kind which I think he would have wanted. Oh well, I got it anyway, and since it was taped I really could not see what was inside but the cover was suggestive *grin*

While in the store, we bought a couple of onigiris (rice balls), pastries, breads, chocolates and drinks which we would be bringing along to the next day's early trip to Huis Ten Bosch (posted a video preview in the Video section somewhere on this site).

We then dropped by a couple of pachinko (gambling game in Japan played on vertical pinball machines) places and posed. I thought they would not close but as 11 pm neared, we managed to catch the last dregs of the players. 

Afterwards we walked back and it was the first time I could remember walking a street in the dead of the night and feeling safe. I didn't even have to skirt along the edges of shadows. I couldn't imagine myself doing this at some places in Manila (I'd probably walk in the middle of the road) but all along the street we had strolled you could see evidence that people here pretty much left things as is - from cute pots of gorgeous flowers, to umbrellas and other stuff outside which would probably be gone in a wink in other places *wink*

We strolled along until we reached their harbor near their apartment where Benjie and I talked about different topics and marveling on how funny it was...both of us never thought we would be strolling one night in Japan and doing all the things we have done - from dining on Japanese cuisine, strolling around parks and dropping Japanese phrases, to the latest activity of going bare as we dared visit an onsen. We had a good laugh over that one.

There was some reminiscing and updating, and even plans for their next trip as Joy was going to Vietnam. I hope they do spend their Christmas in Vietnam with their children and I hope in the future I could spend more visits abroad in the company of old friends and acquaintances like what I was doing at that time. 

I felt a pang that time was so short and that I would be leaving Benjie's delicious home-cooked meals to continue on my trip alone (I gained weight!), but it will be an adventure and more tales to share with friends later. I was sorry too that I could not buy food which I could bring back to the Philippines as my journey would continue for more than a week yet....

P.S. I think some pictures are still displayed on their sides..weirdly I cannot fix it even if I have rotated them already, they return to the original one. Oh well, I will try to repost later by using pics which are already aligned correctly...in the meantime have fun angling your head...

- May 28, '08 11:17 PM