Snack Attack (Prt 2)

Awhile ago when I was living in Tokyo looking for a job I started article on this blog called Snack Attack. I'm not sure why I stopped at one but I've decided to bring it back on going. There are a lot of interesting treats to be tried in Japan so I hope I can help you decide which to buy in bulk and which to rid of your consciousness.


 Milk Shake
As the name implies this is essentially an attempt at putting the taste of a vanilla milk shake (or banana, I'm not even sure) into a bottle thus turning it into a drink. While it is decent and taste pretty much like you'd expect a strictly liquid version of a milk shake to taste it doesn't beat having the real thing and not something I necessarily have to drink again.

 

 

**1/2 out of *****

Fujiya Milky Cookies
Let me get it out the way quickly but saying these things are awesome. Its a soft cookie with a kind of milky white chocolate center and they remind me of my family's cream cheese cookies which are to die for. As of now these Fujiya cookies are the best cookies I've had in Japan and you can find them cheap in the supermarket. I usually find them in the supermarket Marunaka. Eating these cookies along with a cup of Swiss Miss hot cocoa is truly heaven on earth.

 ***** our of *****

Japanese girl explains Titanic

 A Youtuber by the name of Japanarchist asks his friend to explain the movie Titanic.

I being one of the 15 people in the world who haven't seen the movie Titanic can appreciate this condensed version. Cute and 10 times better than any explanation I could give in Japanese.

I like to make music

No confusion with a title like that.

Along with making films (Here,Here,Here) I also like to dabble in making songs from time to time. I've been rapping for a long time for fun and occasionally one of my songs actually gets recorded. Here are a few of them. At the time I went by the stage name of "Critically Acclaim".

I did this one on my brothers Mix tape he made for Germany. I'm the one rapping the verses but you can hear him on the chorus.

This was my first attempt at writing a rap in Japanese. I hope it makes some sense.

While I do a little rapping in this song most of it is actually me attempting to sing. Unlike the other ones which were done in studios, I did this one completely by  myself in my room with "Garage band" for the MAC.

This final one is also with my brother and you can hear him on both the 1st and 3rd verses while I am in the 2nd.

If you wanna hear some more good music check out my brothers stuff. While I dabble in it he's really doing it. His name is Rockey.
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/rockeystl
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/rockeystlMy

Chocolate bar madness!

Here is the original commercial for a chocolate bar in Japan called "Ipon Manzone"

The original itself already has that quirky Japanese style we've all come to know and love but apparently people have taken it upon themselves to make remix versions of this commercial and taken it to a whole different level of quirky and weird and it is absolutely  glorious! Here are the ones I like the best.


 This one introduced a steady cheerful tempo and overall makes the commercial look like a fun time. Its like something out of the opening of an Anime.

This one reminds me of something from the soundtrack of a video game. Something made by SquareEnix possibly. A calm yet gradually upbeat melody. The creator also uses a lot of effects to change and distort the commercial any different ways.

This last one is one of my favorites. The melody is very upbeat and the song playing in the back sounds like something from the video game Dance Dance Revolution. It may actually be but I am too lazy to research it. Anyway, this version definitely feels like a dance version and the part where he is quickly taking a bite out of the chocolate bar makes me laugh every time. It captures the wackiness of Japanese commercials perfectly.

The Cannabis Craze

So I was sitting at my desk in the teachers room my first day back after vacation when I heard some fellow female teachers raving about another female teacher's blanket. (Many teachers use a small blanket for their legs in the winter.)I look over my shoulder to see what the fuss is about and one of the teachers is holding up a blanket with a huge cannabis leaf on it.

(Cannabis leaf)

And this isn't the first time I've witnessed something like this. Often you can see products in stores with this symbol and even Jr.High school kids walking around with clothing that has this symbol and my only question is, do the Japanese know what this leaf is? Ask anyone in America and as soon as they see that picture they will tell you its a Cannabis leaf also known as Marijuana which is technically a drug.

What is even stranger is that Marijuana is considered even more as a bad thing in Japan than say somewhere like America. In Japan Marijuana is classified the same as cocaine and punishment for using Marijuana is severe and yet so many people are walking around with huge Marijuana leaves on their clothes or accessories. I've heard some people say that the Japanese think that the leaf looks similar to the Japanese momoji leaf and that is why they like it or that they relate it to Reggae culture and that is why so many young people adorn it. I just wonder if anyone knows the actual meaning? Maybe in Japanese culture it doesn't have the same connotation but for me its strange.

(Momoji leaf)

This also awesome reminds me of all the Jr.High school girls who have the playboy bunny on their socks and bags. Do they know?

(Awkward)

Taiwan: My first journey away from home away from home

I've recently returned from a 5 day vacation in Taiwan including Christmas. When deciding where to go for a fraction of my vacation I took a few things in account.

1.Somewhere that isn't too cold (which eliminated front runner S.Korea)
2.Somewhere where I have friends to visit (which eliminated a possible Bejing)

Taiwan was the perfect choice. Fair weather and a few friends who I haven't seen in awhile. It was also my first time going there. A lot of things stuck out at me about Taiwan in which now I will discuss.

Where do I begin? Coming from Japan Taiwan is a relatively quick flight. It was about 3 hours going there and only 2 coming back. During my visit I stayed in a hostel by the name of JV's Hostel. Good prices and fine accommodations I would recommend it to anyone taking a trip to Taipei. It's also in a really great location next to a night market and a walk from Taipei 1o1. Check them out

It being my first time in Taipei and me being famous for getting lost I decided to play it safe by taking a taxi from the airport to the hostel. Still to this day I don't quite have a grasp on the money and what is a lot so I thought 1300NTW (new Taiwan dollars) was a good deal but apparently it isn't and I learned when leaving that the bus is a much better option costing only 140$. If anything take a bus to the city (its about an hour away from the airport) and then catch a taxi from downtown to your hostel, and if you are staying in the mentioned above JV's then the taxi will run you less than 1$. (You live and you learn.)

Taipei
One think I noticed quickly about Taipei is that it is a city packed. Packed with buildings, packed with cars, packed with people. Just like most big cities but here it feels all a bit more chaotic. (Which is both good and bad.)

(It also seems to rain a lot in December)

Although Taiwan has its own government now it was once just another area of China and thus its roots are deep in Chinese culture and its appearance reflects that. In Taipei you have this big city that also feels a lot like a small Chinese village with all the local shops crammed together. This makes it feel a bit more cultural than say Tokyo which some even go as far to classify its image as separate from the rest of Japan. Even in a modern place like Taipei the culture can always be felt.

(Taipei 101, the 2nd tallest building in the world. Was once the first. Here it is on a bad day)

(And here again on a much better day)

(And to finish off the trilogy here is a night shot)

My second day there was on Christmas and boy does Taipei sure know how to dress up for Christmas.

(Its raining blue. Xinyi shopping district)

(Santa taking the Merilyn Monroe thing to a level of creepy)

(A winter wonderland without the snow)

(Human snow globe)

(Enjoying a faux sleigh ride with my friend Yuka. Brought to you by CitiBank)

Taiwan also has some interesting food to partake in. Amongst all the good ones there were two that I tried that invoke a want to vomit.Even still I am glad to have tried them. It makes me feel a tad bit more cultured.

The Bad

Zhu-Xie-Gao (Pig blood cake)

This consist of actual pigs blood steamed with rice and covered with peanut powder. The best part about this food is the peanut powder, the worst part is everything else. I almost threw up eating this.

Stinky Tofu

(The food on the bottom is stinky tofu. The top was an oyster sauce omelet)

There are some fermented foods I found good for example Kimchi, and then there are some that I am not a fan of such as Natto. Stinky Tofu falls into the category of foods I will spend the rest of my life trying to purge from my memory. It smells and taste stinky. Horribly stinky. Its also quite famous in Taiwan and many people enjoy it so I guess I'm just strange..

The Good

Dumplings

There is a restaurant called Din Tai Fung which is famous amongst travelers for its dumplings and they were indeed delicious. Inside each dumpling is a hot soup so just popping them in your mouth will get you burned. You should first poke a small whole and release the broth into your spoon and then drink it and eat the dumpling.

Fried Chicken

The first thing you will notice is that it is the size of my friggin head. Its also quite good and comes in regular and spicy flavors. There is a famous shop in the Shilin Night Market in which I picked up this baby.

Gua Bao(Steamed sandwich)

This traditional delight is made with a soft, fluffy white steamed bun stuffed with a succulent flavorful simmered pork and garnished with pickled vegetable, peanut powder, cilantro and savory sauce.

Tofu Pudding

Tofu, sweet potato balls and taro balls make for kind of dessert soup.

Chua Bin(Chipped Ice)

My absolute favorite. Super fine chipped ice with milk syrup and various toppings. As you can see I chose strawberries and bananas. Its quite a sweet treat. Japan has a similar dessert known as Kakigori but I must say the one I had in Taiwan was the best.

Besides food another thing Taiwan is known for is its Night Markets. Dozens upon dozens of small shops all concentrated in a small area. Within a Night Market you can find all sorts of interesting foods and snacks as well as good deals on clothing and other merchandise and if you are in the mood you can even try bargaining with the shop owner the even cheaper prices. Just looking unsure about an item can get them to lower the price. Generally a Night Market is open daily from 5pm-Midnight. You don't go to Taiwan without visiting a Night Market. It is Taiwanese culture.

(The most famous and largest of these markets is the Shilin Night Market.)

Famous spots of Taipei
Like any big city there are a plethora of places you should go to as a tourist. Ranging from temples and museums to shopping districts and memorials the city of Taipei has a lot to see.

(C.Y.K Memorial. ChiangKai-Shek. A monument to the first president of Taiwan)

(Outside of the CYK memorial)

(Inside of Longshan temple)

(Outside of Longshan temple)

Along with Taipei I was also able to visit a small famous village known as Jifuen and the seaside like area of Danshui and Bali.

Jifuen
Apparently Hayao Miyazaki of famed animated movies such as My Neighbor Totoro and Nausicca was inspired by this village and its easy to see why after one visit. Once a thriving mining town Jifuen is now a magical tourist spot which also includes Keelung Mt. Getting to Jifuen is rather easy. Take a Keelung company bus from Zhongxiao Fuxing station located on the blue line in Taipei. The bus stop is located at exit 1. The trip itself is just a little over an hour and well worth it.

(One of my favorite shots from Mt.Keelung)

(Mt.Keelung from afar. I would soon climb it)

(Jifuen from above)

(View from the top of Mt.Keelung)

(Magical isn't it?)

(Everyone wanted this shot)

Danshui/Bali
From Taipei main station you can hop on the red line and ride it all the to the end which is Danshui station. It takes about 45 minutes. Bali is a small island which can easily be accessed by ferry from Danshui. An inexpensive trip as well.
Danshi/Bali are pleasant places to go when the weather is nice. The water is wide and there are little beach areas as well. In Danshui you can also visit Fisherman's Wharf along with some temples and the Red Castle which has European history.

(Hanging out in Bali)

(Temple of the Master of the Chinswee Caves)

(Red Castle)

(The ferry ride to Bali)

(Bali docks)

(A strange sight to behold. 11 dogs in total relaxing out on the beach.)

( Danshui is known for its sunsets)

There are a number of things I learned and found interesting during my time in Taiwan.
1. There seems to be a lot of dogs. It felt like every shop keeper owned a dog a long with what appeared to be a lot of stray dogs. I've seen similar situations with cats but never with dogs. Fortuantely they all seem to be rather friendly.
2. There is a grittiness to many of the shops and restaraunts. Honestly many people in America would see this as dirty but I liked it and thought it gave the place personality and culture.
3. People assume you speak Chinese will talk to you extensively in Chinese. While I don't know Chinese I appreciated that they didnt attribute me being foreign with not having the ability to learn their language as happens often in Japan.
4. People will also effortlessly try and speak English to you to help you. Many seem to have some level of English and even if its not so good at least they try.
5. There are some aspects of Taiwainese behavoir that felt a bit too rude for example they didn't really seem to care too much that I was standing somewhere and I was always forced to move out of the rain even though I may had been standing somewhere first. They can also be quite blunt with their emotions. I think its a apart of the Chinese culture and so I try not to get to offended by it but for an outsider its something to be prepared for.
6. The metro is super clean and a lot of this is in part to a rule that you are not allowed to eat or


All in all it was a great trip. I got to see some good friends and visit some great places. The weather was much better than Okayama in December and things were cheaper. A blessed trip and I wouldn't be surprise if I make my way back to Taiwan again someday.
I leave you with a few more pics of interests and videos.

(There are a huge number of people riding scooters and motorbikes in Taipei and its not unormal to see a family on one of these things)

(10 minute massage, also known as the most painful 10 minutes of my life. These are apparently suppose to make you feel great but one time was enough for me to swear them off. It felt like the man had a grudge against me.)

(Rocking out with my friends in the Miramar Entertainment district)

(This was pretty cool. The green traffic light is an animated man walking. When the timer hits 10 secs the man begins to run and the red light is a little red man standing still upright)

(2011: Year Of The Rabbit)