Was going to take a shot I saw last night and try out using a tripod for first time. But it’s raining outside and I suspect my camera is allergic to rain. *pout* Serves me right for not going back last night and taking it.
So instead, I shall post photos of the weekend, which saw me going to osaka for starofpersia‘s b’day. Second weekend in a row of going to other cities for b’days – feeling like quite the gadabout town gal right now!
whitmanschild and I met in Osaka earlier to visit Yodobashi Camera – I am so in love with this store! We both picked up webcams and have been very silly with them since.
Arriving at the meeting point early, we were treated to the Mintia Girls….
Their entire purpose seemed to be to look like the advertising slogan and stand in lines waving the big Mintia cards around whilst jiggling. There was some kind of game going on too where you could win a photo with al the girls. Bizarre.
Having gotten the Mintia jingle stuck our heads, we retreated to the Starbucks which was the meeting point. We figured we didn’t have enough time for a cuppa, so waited on the steps instead. What does a bored Amber with a camera equal???
Not long after, people started arriving and we did have time for a cuppa while waiting. There was a very officious micro manager at Starbucks, who whitmanschild and I had encountered earlier. He busily told us we weren’t allowed to use the toilets, then got a bit flustered when we explained we were looking for somewhere to sit. He then moved another couple to give us two tables together. He left us alone after that, except for a small, reclaiming of a chair incident – we pulled an extra chair over for people we were expecting, he came and put it back in its place and hurriedly wiped it down – gaijin germs on their chairs just won’t do!
With almost everyone together, we set off for the Turkish restaurant, which apparently only one person knew the way to, and that person called to say they’d meet us there! not quite the disaster it would’ve been pre mobile phones 🙂 I was nervous about not knowing anyone apart from starofpersia and whitmanschild, but all of starofpersia‘s friends were wonderfully quirky and interesting and fun to be with.
Round the table, left to right: Mike, Chelsea, starofpersia, drawma_boy, Elizabeth, me and Laura (photo courtesy whitmanschild
The food at the restaurant was very yummy, and we were treated to a floorshow….
She did three dances in the set, and finished the last one by getting us girls up to dance with her…
(thank-you whitmanschild for the pic!)
We lingered over dinner long enough that we were there for the second show – this time she started with candles :-))
At that point my camera batteries died 🙁 At the end of the second set, she asked the men to join her…. (again with the thanks to whitmanschild for piccy goodness)
After dinner, drawma_boy, Elizabeth and Mike split. whitmanschild was going to take last train home – he had an appt at silly o’clock the next morning – but at last minute decided to join us for karaoke. Now, I am not a big fan of karaoke, but I was enjoying hanging out with starofpersia, Chelsea and Laura so much that I also decided to skip last train home. As whitmanschild said, when else was I going to be able to do karaoke in osaka with starofpersia, Chelsea and Laura. Glad I stayed – karaoke can be really fun with the right people!
Photos courtesy whitmanschild
We then all embarked on the mission of finding a love hotel to crash in – much cheaper than normal places. There are stories within the foreign community of people sneaking in groups of 5 or 6 people and staying for very cheap. This requires finding a love hotel with automated check-in – which are apparently few and far between, where we were anyway. I have decided that it is an urban legend made to torment foreigners with the idea of cheap accomodation and crash space in cities.
The idea of traipsing around, searching for this fabled pot of gold, grew less appealing as the minutes ticked away and wanting-to-sleepness kicked in. Then whitmanschild suggested he and I crash at the net cafe near Nanba station (where we would be catching first train home). I love that I can live here for so long, and still find/be shown new and exciting things and concepts. This place is great.
You can hire a cubicle for five hours for about $20, with internet, light and reclining chair, free drinks, showers there somewhere, and it’s warm . Mmmm… suddenly going out to Osaka doesn’t seem quite as bad – more expensive yes, but much more appealing if I can actually go somewhere to kip when the 3am lag hits.
It was a good night. Thank-you starofpersia for having a birthday do, taking us to such funky places and for having such cool friends. You rock!
Thanks for coming love! I had a great time and was thrilled you could join us!
Great account and fun pictures! It was really cool to meet you. Hopefully we’ll have the chance to party again before we part ways.
Last weekend in may – fetish and pjs at mine 😉
So, I guess you’re not recontracting again? How can you possibly leave your island of no assistance and special toilet??!!
You know, it’ll be tough. But I think I’ll be able to graduate to a western toilet with ease. 😉
I’ll have to let you know about the fetish party as I have a friend possibly coming in that weekend. I’d love to go though! So what qualifies as fetish wear? and how far can I take it? >:-)
Your friend is welcome to come too, what qualifies as fetish is a very personal and individual thing(read:anything goes – doesn’t have to be something you wear, could be somethign you bring) and you can take it as far as you dare. Any ideas you might have for interesting games/activities would be appreciated too!