This is what happens once you get into the routine: time picks up pace, nothing seems to happen, at least nothing extraordinary, and before you know it the blog goes stale.
But that shouldn't be, after all there were many cool little things going on. My free-time is precious, so I make the most out of it. Even despite of the rain, that seems to break down on us during the least ideal moments, and even despite of the extra workload I was given, as an opportunity to earn some extra money in a six-day week, since two teachers had left and the new ones still have to learn the ropes.
Regardless, last Sunday we went out to an onsen. There are many hot-springs in this area, and the Japanese are just as crazy about them as anyone would be. Unfortunately, this also means that they tend to be quite developed, with a spa built around them. The one we went to is way up in the mountains, East of Matsumoto, about an hour by car from Shiojiri. According to Yanik it was one of the nicer ones, where we could sit outside, with a view over the valley. Of course it was raining again, but what better thing could you do in a weather like that, than sit outside, in a pool of hot mineral water, where you are wet already? It was five of us, Ross, Dana, Yanik, Vanessa, and me.
Driving up the winding mountain road into the clouds was quite spectacular, but just enough to set the scene for the onsen experience. The spa itself was a wooden cabin, with a small foyer to pay the 300 yen entry fee, then behind it a place to undress and put our stuff into baskets on the shelf. No lockers, or anything of that sort. It would have been untypical for Japan anyway. Armed with a soap and small hand towel, which the locals strategically hold with two hands to cover their genitalia, we marched into the shower room, to give ourselves and intensive scrub-down. Not that either of us really needed it, but it is an expected thing in Japan to demonstratively undergo a thorough cleaning session before getting into the water with others.
Finally, when we were all clean and shinny, we left the cabin and climbed into the water. It was nice and warm. The pool was surprisingly small, with just enough space for about twenty Japanese people, or four rowdy foreigners. Vanessa was not with us, as the Japanese onsen tend to be traditionally segregated, so she had to sit in the pool for women, on the other side of the fence. She didn't mind though, as she told us later. She speaks pretty good Japanese, and could interact with the locals whenever she wants to.
For our 300 yen we got to enjoy the soaking for an hour. That was just enough time to get a good view of the beautiful valley, for my hands to become wrinkled, and my silver necklace to take on an ugly shade of gray. Plus we had gotten quite hungry, and a beer sounded like a pretty good idea too. So we got out and went to Matsumoto, where we stumbled into an Indian restaurant, that turned out to be fantastic. They serve the biggest naan I have ever eaten.
This weekend we were also trying to go to an onsen, this time by bike, with Yanik and Vanessa. According to the map there is one here in our area, so we tried to find it. The weather was a little-bit better. It wasn't raining, but the air was amazingly humid. The mountains were hidden behind a thick white haze, and although the sun was technically shining, the sky was anything but blue.
The direction took us into the neighboring village of Asahi, famous for its ski slopes, its mountain trails, and its fishing grounds. When we asked people about an onsen, however, people seemed a little confused. Still, they directed us further up the hills. Eventually we found the place, but had to realize that a soaking was out of question... if not by a sudden downpour from the clouds that were hanging dangerously low. The spa had been closed for renovation. In fact, they were building a whole new one, which had not been completed yet. Too bad. So we turned around, to enjoy the downhill ride back into the valley. No success, but an awesome bike-ride. The scenery is so gorgeous in that area, that we decided to come back for a hike, and maybe camping in two weekends. I can't wait.
To complete the outdoor water experiences, Yanik and I went up to the Kiso valley today. We took the train to the famous swimming place, where the crazies jump off the rocks into the water. I had mentioned it before, but today I could see it with my own eyes, and maybe take a swim myself. It is a little bit further that I'd thought, about twice as far as the lovely village where they held the lacquer ware festival. The scenery was way more than I'd expected.
Cliffs of all shapes and sizes. A diving-board paradise, without diving boards of course. There are real low ones of one or two meters, those of medium hight, maybe five to ten meters, and then there are the amazingly tall ones of twenty, maybe thirty meters, where it is not really recommended to jump. At least not by me. But of course you won't see a disclaimer anywhere, and it is quite obvious to jump at your own risk.
I jumped... from one of lower ones. Then I immediately climbed out of the water. It was cooooold! Uncomfortably cold. Normally, once the initial shock is over, you get used to the temperature. But here, after the first few strokes my mind started conjuring up images of penguins and icicles. No fun! So I instead of swimming, I climbed around on the rocks, took some pictures and lay around in the sun, chilling. I can't wait to come again in August, or whenever it is supposed to get REALLY hot.
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