Alain

Although there are no bombs here, those of you in America may have heard about Korea's recent problems (not the missiles). Yes, the crazy floods.

Today is another monsoon of a day in Seoul. I've now cancelled my planned trip to the National assembly twice due largely to my inability to find my local subway entrance through the downpour. I've also been unwilling to discover some new places by going with the flow as it were and chasing the determined looking ladies who cut through the sheets of rain will great speed. Instead, I've donned my Westerner cap + cheap umbrella to go from Starbucks to Starbucks (each, of course, being in a long city-wide chain only meters away from each other) in search of one of those elusive free sofas or love seats where I may read my new books in peace and comfort.

The books are all by the same author, Alain De Botton, and have been collected over the past month from Australia, Japan and two yesterday here in Korea. I've started with his ones on philosophy but am really excited to start the others too. Although I've read a number of things on philosophy, Alain's style and perspectives are mind-blowingly lovely. I haven't read so quickly in my whole life... two down, three and a half to go.

Why do I love him? As far as the philosophy books go ('The Consolations of Philosophy', and 'How Proust can Change your Life'), one of his best qualities is in his superb introductions. I really do feel like he's introduced me to Schopenhauer, Socrates and Seneca. As I'm learning about Montaigne's feelings on happiness, Alain will pop back over to our table, ask how things are going, prod him to elaborate on some ideas that Alain and I know relate well to a previous discussion we were having with Nietzsche at the bar.

Next, his books are not a compare/contrast fest at all; something university students are all too familiar with. The generic Philosophy 101 text book places the reader as the judge and the author/editors (usually in a haughty know-it-all manner) calling every great thinker in the world to lay out their best ideas to have them chopped and mutilated by all the other philosophers, each struggling to "win" the battle of ideas. That style of text book often leaves the student wondering whether any of these people have had a worthy or original idea. Alain is a completely different story. Never judging, never harsh, he is simply working a room of friends of which you are the newest member.

Most importantly, Alain will show you how these ideas or perspectives appear in your own life. Perhaps, it is because he understands that no introduction is complete without everyone feeling like they have truly understood each other. I am so happy to have literally taken a hike up a Swiss mountain with Nietzsche when, before I could catch my breath, I'm sitting with Seneca in his garden noting that ugly roots often lead to beautiful flowers. You owe it all to Alain's invitation and warm introductions.

In short, Alain's books on philosophy are superbly engaging and entertaining. They simply allow you to meet and great some cool people at an informal and warm setting (like a Starbucks on a rainy day). Alain shuttles you across time and culture to allow each philosopher, in their own words, introduce themselves and Alain simply pops in to tell you a bit about their great aunt or how he has an interesting link to the guy you were listening to over in the previous chapter. Each thinker and thought is presented in context and has a warmth and humanness that is hard to find in many philosophy books but is indispensable at a good dinner party. May his Rolodex and grow and publisher prod for more parties.

Today's reading list: get into 'Status Anxiety'

Hiroshima?

Some of you may be wondering if I'm still stuck in Hiroshima. Nope, I am back in Korea. (some posts about that to follow... I'm sure... trust me)

But, I would be lying if I said my mind wasn't kind of still stuck in Hiroshima. That place was really inspirational for me. We'll see, but I think I have big plans after visiting that place.

Hiroshima

Hiroshima can be an awkward place for an American to visit. World War II analysis and justifications aside (there are numerous arguments for and against Truman's decision), we still carry a passport from the country that leveled their town with a nuclear bomb only 60 years ago. And, it's not unusual to be sitting on the tram amongst a few people who were living here that day.

The A-bomb dome (one of the few buildings that survived the "flash blast") is a part of the peace memorial park here. Most of the photos are of this park and the surroundings inlcuding the picture of the eerilly odd flower box located on the bridge that was used as the target by the bomber on the Enola Gay. (Is that song weird to put on there or what...)

Fashion

A) Umbrellas - you can find many women twirling their parasols all day here. If it's not battling rain it's fighting the sun. This mans that the umbrella is a major part of any outfit and usually matches what their wearing (sometimes down to the patern ... frightening.)








B) Contemporary san wear - "highly fashionable" business casual has arrived. In a regular mainstream sort of department store, the outift you see here (without shoes) costs over 60,000 yen (about US$600).









C) Yukatas - What I thought was simply a cheap hotel robe turned out to be a traditional summer outfit for men and women. (Although, the yukata I was seeing was a cheap hotel version.) Supposedly you can wear them anywhere. But I suspect that this may not be entirely true, and instead Aki told me this so I would walk to dinner in mine. Just in case, I made him wear his too. Emblazond with "Hotel Central" on us, we took the yukatas down the block to get our rice and curry.

D) America - Yes, it's still ridiculously popular here to look like a US high school sophomore. The shirt I call "the liberty whip", which features the Statue of Liberty holding a book saying 'love & peace' while whiping pink stars, is very popular now and all of the shirts on that table were only US$20.

Great Finds! (two)

Matsuyama

Today Aki and I travelled into the main part of Matsuyama and rode on the old trams. We also saw Matsuyamajo (Matsuyama castle) which is curenltly going through a bit of restoration so there are a lot of funny signs around with a mini cartoon samurai telling you to be careful etc. Up on castle hill the view of the center of Matsuyama was very cool, especially the hills surrounding the city.

Family

Aki's aunt Minae met us at the station with her cute daughter Momojan. Everyone in Aki's family greated us warmly last night. His grandma reminds me a lot of my G-ma as well. It's funny that the feeling of a grandma's house is a bit universal. I feel really comfortable here.

For dinner, we all sat around an improvised barbecue and chatted in a hillarious confusion riddled translation conversation (accurate translation is not something Aki feels that he excels at.). Somehow I made Aki's aunt Michiko laugh so hard she had soy sauce coming out her nose (see photo below). I was a bit expressive perhaps. Nose soy aside, it's better to be laughing a lot than sitting in awkward silence (aparently, the Japanese from thsi village in Shikoku are not known for their silence, awkward or otherwise).

Tada to the Rescue

Aki's uncle Tada is the Chief of the Matsuyama Volunteer Firefighting Brigade. Every 3 months they have a "pumpu soho" (pump race) and we were lucky enough to be here on the night.

During the soho they drive two of their fire trucks to the local play ground and baseball diamond for a contest to see who's quickest at running with a fire hose coil, who's loudest at shoulting the location of the fire across the yard, who's group can stay in formation the longest, etc. The only thing they were missing were ribbons for 1st through 3rd place.

Note: I was inducted as an honorary member of the MVFB. Yes, this severly unskilled non-Japanese speaking eeedjit may need to put out a rural Japanese rice silo fire. Honestly, I'm very proud. They may look and sound funny, but due to their extremly well-honed pumpu skills, they're number one in their region and that should be enough for anyone to be proud of. Way to go guys (and gal), I'm ready.

To: Shikoku

Osaka's done. After our early AM breakfast (of prawn muffins, miso soup, tasty omelette, rice and soy mil), Osaka Joe and I are off to see Aki's grandma (and most of his aunts, uncles and cousins). Should take about 6-8 hours depending on how lucky we are with our train/taxi/ferry connections.

Great Finds!

Some neat photos have been popping up in the camera now. Here are a few of our favorites.

Aki Favs:















My Favs:

Osaka Joe

A big day out in Osaka seeing the ancient sights. My fav was Osakajo (Osaka castle). And, as I do, I've started calling Aki 'Osaka Joe'. It may annoy him, but I haven't asked.

Lessons

Mah. Being a bit lazy today really. But, Aki and I did manage to get out and explore some more of Osaka. We learned a few lessons today.

Lesson one: Don't rub Hiro's belly. He may look like he's having a good time, but he's very sensitive about others touching his overalls.
















Lesson two: Don't try to whack Hiro for knocking out your friend or he'll knock you out too.
















Lesson three: Aki's mom makes the best rice balls in Kansai!

If only Cher was here...

Tonight we went to a tucked away community theater production near Kobe where one of Aki's friends was performing. It turned out to be "Summer of Love", a '60s thing with a bunch of Japanese singers doing a bit of 'Age of Aquarius', 'Blowin in the Wind' and 'Close to You' mingling between some one act plays featuring love and peace themes. It makes you just want to put on a kimono, hop up there and belt out some 'Forever in Blue Jeans'.

Gift Exchange

Osaka is really different from Tokyo; it is much more lighthearted and engaging here. Nice. Maybe my experience is different because I've got a native guide in the form of Aki (who swears that his living in the US over the last 6 years has diminished his Japanese so much that he sounds "speakishly disabled" to his fellow Osakans). Well, I'll take his speakish disability any day over my Japanese phrase book fumblishness.

Aki grabbed me from the station and we went straight to his place where his mother and I exchanged gifts. I received a multi day stay at their home complete with awesome food, super friendly doggies (with color coded bows in their hair in case you forget which is which), and full use of their multi lingual son. In return I gave them 5 Korean mandarin oranges and a sea shell from Australia. Ahem... Domo arigato gazaimas!