Mountains and Octopi

Okay, so, let's go over the last week or so because I've been lazy to getting to this, as usual.

The last time I posted I had just gotten done hiking all over an anonymous mountain fairly close to where I live.  We walked about 5 miles and I ended up getting my legs eaten alive by the most invisible mosquitoes to ever exist.  I have giant, super-red bumps all over my legs and they're SO terrible looking and itchy at the same time, I don't even.

Emily and I standing on the trail.

It was a fun time, there were so very many steep trails and stairs and everything.  Emily and I got into a conversation about climbing Mount Fuji, so I think I might actually go do that.  I mean, who knows when I'll be back here again?  And how many people can say they've climbed Mount Fuji?  Especially people from Michigan.

The trails were quite steep and my feet hurt like crazy by the time we were done, but it was totally worth it.  I just drank my bottled water and ate my dried fruit, had friendly conversation, and enjoyed the absolutely fantastic views we kept encountering.  We found a couple cool, little shrines hidden in the mountain trails, and a cool, giant beetle.

The crazy-steep stairs that I had to walk down and try to trip over my own feet as I usually do.

Me walking into one of the little shrines we found.

There's so many things just about that little excursion I'd love to share with everyone, but it's not easy to show how amazing it really is when you're there.  Pictures don't do many things in nature justice.

After that we got ice cream from Baskin Robins here.  I "challenged the triple" because it means that a triple cone costs the same as the double and I love ice cream.  I got coffee, custard pudding, and mango flavors.  The coffee and custard pudding ones were okay, but the mango one was beyond delicious.

Today we had a takoyaki party in our lounge area of Michigan House.  It was a bundle of fun.  Takoyaki is like a dough ball with octopus in the middle.  We also had ones with quail eggs in it.  We had a lot of people come and it was a lot of fun. 

Here's everyone who came to the Takoyaki party!

First cut all the things up! Like cabbage, green onion, octopus, cheese, sausage, and red ginger.  You don't have to cut up the quail eggs, though.  You also have to make the batter to cook it all in.

You then make a mess all over the takoyaki grill and let it cook.  Here is where the ones with quail eggs were made.

Here's where the octopus(tako) ones were made.

Then you spin then and flip them until they're cooked to how you like them.  Elmo and I prefer them more cooked, but the Japanese people seem to like them really gooey and runny.  Makes sense, that's how they like their eggs, too.

Then, when they're done, you remove them from the grill with a pick and put them on a plate and everyone can eat delicious things with those pick things we're all holding here.

Besides all that, I worked once this week.  I work again on Friday, then I get five days off for some reason, so I need to find something fun to do.  I'm hoping to go to Hikone sometime this weekend.  Maybe I'll hang out with the Australian guy, Paul, on Monday, since that's his day off.  Elmo and I are going to a judo dojo on Tuesday, I think.  I'm also planning on making everyone zaru soba some time in the next week because it's been so ungodly hot out.  We're officially out of the rainy season and into the sweltering hot times.  It'll be unbearable hot and humid until right after I go home to America.

Tomorrow I'm going to the beach to go swimming with everyone, the Americans and Australians.  In the morning I'm planning on going bathing suit shopping with Wes.  The one I brought is getting old and faded and I want a cuter one that covers more... they're very modest here.  Plus, they have the cutest, ruffly bathing suits.  Love it.