Juane's Hideout

Edinburgh - Salisbury Crags

2006-11-17T18:40:00.001+01:00

Edinburgh - Salisbury Crags
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

After a long silent period, my blog comes back to life!

Not in Japan any more, I am in the capital of the country of kilts, haggis, whiskey, tartans, William Wallace, Loch Ness... do you need more hints? I bet that's enough to guess Edinburgh, Scotland.

I finally found a job here and I'm staying in this wonderful town. Here you have a view of the city centre from Salisbury Crags, these impressive rock formations on the right. Edinburgh's Castle and the Firth of Forth can as well be seen on the picture.

Cheers!

Emerald Pool

2006-07-31T09:23:00.000+02:00

Emerald Pool
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Statement: Japan's nature is amazing.

This picture doesn't need much description, it's a pool below one of the waterfalls near lake Biwa. It was really inviting us to jump and swim... although it's difficult to realize from the picture, there were about 7-10 metres to the surface of the water.

If you like hiking, try in Japan!

Trustworthy Japanese

2006-07-31T09:18:00.000+02:00

Trustworthy Japanese
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

The fact that Japan is a very safe country is quite well-known, but many people don't know until what extent this is true. In this country, criminality rates are extremely low, compared to other developed countries.

Some facts: I lost my wallet and my cellphone and I got them back completely untouched, policemen are very rarely seen out of their 'police boxes', streets are very dark in the night and nothing happens...

Just take a look at the picture, it was taken when the shop was closed: the white and blue small metallic box is where customers are supposed to insert their coins as payment. Real Self-Service.

Sand Bath

2006-07-31T09:10:00.000+02:00

Sand Bath
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

What you can see in the picture is called 'sand bath' and it's a speciality from the hot spring town of Beppu. They're usually located indoors in hot spring resorts or outdoors in the beach.

In short, it consists of putting a yukata on, selecting the sand 'pool' depending on its temperature, digging a hole in it and covering yourself in sand with the help of another person. As a pillow you're provided with a square piece of wood... it's kinda special feeling but I think I won't become a fan of this stuff.

Red Lotus

2006-07-25T10:05:00.000+02:00

Red Lotus
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is the famous red lotus, a flower that plays an important role in many Asian cultures and religions. Due to its beauty and to the fact that it grows in muddy swampy water, it symbolizes the purity and perfection over the sinful world and, usually, the Buddha himself is represented sitting down on a lotus flower or leaf.

In the picture, both the red-pink flower and the cone-shaped fruit, full of lotus seeds, can be seen. Both are edible and often used in certain dishes, as well as the leaves and stems. If you happen to see one of this plants, try pouring some drops of water on the leaves, I promise some funny behaviour!

Nigetsu-Do

2006-07-25T09:56:00.000+02:00

Nigetsu-Do
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This nice wooden structure, standing on the slopes of Nara Park, is one of the most beautiful sights in town. It is situated slightly off the track (although not difficult to access) if one wants to visit the most famous places like Todaiji, Kasuga Taisha, Kofukuji... and, since it's not included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, you won't find it highlighted in almost any tour of Nara.

My opinion is that the atmosphere created at sunset is not easily improved: the wonderfully changing colors, tens of hanging lanterns that are lit, the city that extends below the sinking sun, a few locals who come here just to silently enjoy this moment...

Yukata Style

2006-07-19T04:51:00.000+02:00

Yukata Style
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is the month of Gion Matsuri in Kyoto. It is one of the most important events in Japan, and the climax of the festivities takes place on the 17th of July, the Day of the Sea (Umi-no-Hi), when there is a huge parade on the streets of Gion, the most traditional town in the ancient capital.

These days, many people wear 'yukata' (japanese style robe, similar to 'kimono' but less complex), 'obi' (the belt) and 'geta' (wooden shoes) and, since we wanted to purchase japanese clothes as a souvenir, this was the perfect occasion to buy and start wearing them immediately!

In the picture, Rebeca, I and Rasa are posing outside the temple 'Sanjusangendo' in Eastern Kyoto, Japan's longest wooden structure and famous for its 1001 statues of the Buddha.

Fuji - Above the clouds

2006-07-10T10:25:00.000+02:00

Fuji - Above the clouds
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Some people would say that we were unlucky and couldn't see the land of Japan from the top of Fuji, which is supposed to be an incredible sight. Actually, Japan is a very cloudy place, and even thoughout the summer there are usually just a few days when visibility is good enough at the top.

However, on the day we climbed, the clouds stayed below 3000 metres, which gave us the opportunity to enjoy this alternative magnific view. The feeling was very very close to fly...

Fuji - Dormant volcano

2006-07-10T10:19:00.000+02:00

Fuji - Dormant volcano
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is a picture of the huge crater on top of Mt. Fuji. Due to the altitude, it was still partially covered with snow and ice in late June.

According to history, Mt. Fuji's last eruption ocurred in 1707, Japan's Edo Period. The magma didn't come out of this crater, which is significantly older, but from a new secondary peak, which appeared on the south-eastern slopes. Nowadays, that side of the volcano is still covered with recent volcanic gravel, completely black and devoid of vegetation.

Fuji - 3776m

2006-07-07T04:34:00.000+02:00

Fuji - 3776m
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is the true top of Japan, the highest point of Mt. Fuji: 3776 metres of volcanic rock and ascending zig-zag. We were so close to the summit and the weather was so nice that we almost forgot the exhaustion and the altitude sickness.

Although from a distance Fuji-san has a nearly perfect conical shape, it has a crater on top due to its volcanic origin, and the size of it isn't negligible at all. The trail you can see in the picture actually goes around the border of the crater, whose highest point happened to be on the other side of the spot where we arrived, and it took us about half an hour to reach it.

Blood Hell - Foot Massage

2006-07-07T04:19:00.000+02:00

Blood Hell - Foot Massage
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

In the onsen-city of Beppu, one of the main touristic attractions are the so-called 'Hells'. They are natural hot springs, which are too hot to be used for bathing and are visually nice for different reasons.

We visited the Umi-no-Ike Jigoku 'Sea Pond Hell' and the Chi-no-Ike one, 'Blood Pond Hell', which receive their names from the color of the water, blue and red, respectively. It was not unusual that part of the next-to-boiling water was used for a foot massage bath... if you want to have an idea of the water temperature just have a close look at our faces!

Fuji-san?

2006-07-07T04:12:00.000+02:00

Fuji-san?
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

The summit looks really close but... wait, those trees look too big and the top of Fuji isn't supposed to be covered with grass!

Of course, this is not the biggest mountain of Japan, but just a beautiful scale version of it created in Kumamoto's Suizenji Koen, 'the park in front of the water'. It's a Japanese-style landscape garden which, apart from Mt. Fuji, reproduces the 53 stations of the Tokaido, the ancient way which links Kyoto and Edo (old name for Tokyo).

Fuji - Happy climbers

2006-07-03T09:37:00.000+02:00

Fuji - Happy climbers
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

As I previously mentioned, we didn't find many people on our way to the top of Fuji. However, we weren't alone either and, in this spot, we came across our improvised 'photographer', who was already hiking down the mountain.

At this altitude, the clouds had almost dissappeared from the sky, a rewarding sun was giving us strength and we went on, with the sight of traces of last winter's snow and ice outside our trail...

(to be continued)

Main Crater

2006-07-03T09:28:00.000+02:00

Main Crater
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is how the core of an active volcano looks like. It belongs to Aso-san in Kyushu, a place which I have recently talked about here.

The greenish color of the lake was due to the high concentration of sulphur and other elements, which also produce the dangerous fumes that rise above the main cone. It was relatively safe to watch this from the observation platform, since there were plenty of concrete bunkers to take shelter in case of sudden eruption and the local authorities were checking the wind direction constantly to prevent people from inhaling the toxic gases.

Fuji - The endless climb

2006-06-28T09:37:00.000+02:00

Fuji - The endless climb
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

The ascent to Mt. Fuji is divided in 'stations', ranging from 1 to 10, and representing the height in the mountain. We decided to start from Kawaguchiko's 5th station, a usual choice located at 2305 m., and go up to the summit, at 3776 m.

This means almost 1500 metres of countinous and steep ascent, on a volcanic rock trail. It was the first time for both of us to try such a demanding hike, mainly due to the 'altitude sickness', and we were unsure of the result.

In the picture, Rasa is fighting hard against gravity. We were close to the 8th station, with a long way below us and the weather still fine...

(to be continued)

Kurama Onsen

2006-06-28T09:23:00.000+02:00

Kurama Onsen
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Kurama is a small town, north of Kyoto, famous for its natural hot springs, called 'onsen' in japanese and very popular among japanese people and tourists.

In this picture, Andres and Alberto are enjoying a relaxing bath in the open air version of the 'onsen', which is called 'rotenburo'. The day was rainy and cold, perfect for this kind of activity :)

Notice a couple of typical details: a japanese guy with a small wet towel on his head and a (sort of) bucket, used to pour hot water on oneself.

Fuji - Stairway to Heaven

2006-06-26T08:25:00.000+02:00

Fuji - Stairway to Heaven
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I had been thinking of trying to climb Fuji-san, the highest mountain in Japan, since I knew I was going to live here for one year.

It was Saturday, June 24th. Summer solstice, a special day celebrated in many countries. In lithuania it's 'Rasos ir Jonines', dedicated to Rasa and Juan. One week before the official climbing season, a bit cold but still almost nobody in the mountain..

Rasa and I started the difficult path to the roof of Japan...

(to be continued)

Genbaku Dome

2006-06-22T09:01:00.000+02:00

Genbaku Dome
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

8:15 AM, August 6th, 1945.

Hiroshima, a city in the south-west of Japan, became the target for the first atomic bomb (in japanese 'genbaku') used for war purposes. Thousands of civilian lives were taken and the effects of radiation prolonged people's suffering during decades.

In this picture, the former Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition building can be seen as a reminder of the tragedy. Due to its location right below the hypocenter of the explosion, which ocurred several hundreds of meters above, many walls could resist the pressure wave, while almost everything else in the city was blown off.

Deadly Blowfish?

2006-06-21T11:05:00.001+02:00

Deadly Blowfish?
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Many people have heard about how dangerous it is to eat blowfish (in japanese 'fugu'), but not so many have actually tried it... there are many legends and stories about it, but the truth is that eating blowfish nowadays in Japan is expensive but safe.

Nicola, Nacho, Uge and I ate what you can see in the picture: a dish called 'tessa', which consists of raw fugu sliced very thin, 'tecchiri' or boiled fugu with vegetables, fried fugu...

Everything was very tasty and a nice experience in general, give it a try!

Girl-Lifting

2006-06-21T10:59:00.000+02:00

Girl-Lifting
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is a new sport, which has become very popular in Japan recently. It is called in Japanese 'Jo-Jou', which means literally 'Female-Lift', and there are even professional girl-lifters who appear in TV and magazines, and have groups of adolescent female fans who want to be lifted by them.

Once we decided to try ourselves and, with the help of Chigu-chan, Rasyte and a thick bamboo trunk, this funny pose resulted. Girl-lifting is very dangerous...

BTW, jokes apart, 'Jo-Jou' would be a valid reading for the kanjis of Female and Lift, forming a compound.

Itsukushima Shrine Bridge

2006-06-16T10:42:00.000+02:00

Itsukushima Shrine Bridge
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I took this picture inside Itsukushima Shrine, in the island of Miyajima, close to Hiroshima. It is very famous because it's standing on wooden poles, and when the tide is highest, the structrure seems to be floating on the sea.

We were not so lucky and couldn't be present at that moment, although the place is quite impressive itself, especially when the day is foggy in the mountains. Like Amanohashidate, this site is designated as 'Nihon Sankei', one of the three most beautiful places in Japan.

Rice Fields

2006-06-16T10:36:00.000+02:00

Rice Fields
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This season in Japan (June-July) is called 'tsuyu', the rainy season, and it's the equivalent of the monsoon in mainland Asia.

Just before it starts, thousands of empty fields are filled with water and smalls rice stems are planted, usually with the help of machines. This rice fields are everywhere in Nara region, occupying almost every unused bit of land.

Multi-Stepped Waterfall

2006-06-16T10:31:00.000+02:00

Multi-Stepped Waterfall
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

If you like waterfalls, you would have loved this one-day hike, next to Biwa-ko, the biggest lake in Japan.

The waterfall in the picture is one of the set known as 'Yatsubuchi-no-taki', which pour down the gorge that we climbed. And I say 'climbed' because quite often we had to use metallic handles and chains attached to the rocks to be able to advance, making this trail a difficult one.

Aso-san

2006-06-16T10:26:00.000+02:00

Aso-san
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

If you start wondering if I have travelled to Mars, don't worry... this is just Aso-san, the most active volcano in the world, in terms of frequency of eruptions, located in the middle of Kyushu island (southwest of the main island, Honshu).

This hike, with Andres and Alberto, was one of the most exciting ones I have ever done. I had never seen an active volcano, and I was really shocked by the smell of the sulphuric gases, the desolated volcanic landscapes, the clouds of insects on top of the main peaks... and the unforgettable huge crater and its exhausts.

Meoto Iwa - The Wedded Rocks

2006-06-16T10:19:00.000+02:00

Meoto Iwa - The Wedded Rocks
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This couple of rocks are a very famous sightseeing spot. They're located next to Ise, the village with the most sacred shrines, not very far from Nara.

They represent a wedded couple: the husband is the big rock and the wife is the small one. Both are tied by a sacred shinto rope, used to mark holy places and objects, and topped by a tiny torii (gate).

Although this is a very beautiful spot, I don't like the idea of the man being more important than the woman, a belief that comes from ancient times and is still present in modern Japan.

Gaijin Farewell

2006-05-19T05:02:00.000+02:00

Gaijin Farewell
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

On the last day my friends were here, we decided to organize a typical spanish dinner, using food and wine that they had brought from home.

It was very nice to eat some jamon, lomo, chorizo, etc. and spend the last minutes together before their departure. All of us have already gone back to our duties and routine, but I hope that they have a nice memory of the trip, as I do.

From left to right: Uge, Rasa, Nacho, Nico, Inex, Alex and myself.

Ukimi-do en el Parque de Nara

2006-05-11T08:15:00.000+02:00

Ukimi-do in Nara Park
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

In Spanish this time...

Dedicado a todos mis lectores hispanohablantes, en especial a mi padre, quien me sorprendio hace poco cuando me dijo que estaba pendiente del blog :)

Este es uno de los lugares mas bonitos de Nara, especialmente durante la epoca de 'sakura' (cerezo en flor). Es una estructura no religiosa en medio de un estanque, a la cual se accede por medio de un puente, y cuyo reflejo en el agua sirve de inspiracion para muchos artistas.

Espero que os guste... intentare escribir algo en castellano de vez en cuando!

Ninja Museum

2006-05-02T06:59:00.000+02:00

Ninja Museum
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

One of the day-trips I did with my friends who were visiting from Europe was to Iga-Ueno, home to one of the main ninja schools in Japan.

In this town, to the north-east of Nara, there is a feudal castle and a ninja museum. The museum was quite interesting, and there were ninja techniques performances. Although we almost missed the main performance completely, Nacho, Uge and myself could take a couple of pictures with the ninja masters :)

Takkyuu no Toki

2006-05-02T06:47:00.000+02:00

Takkyuu no Toki
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Lately we've been quite lazy for 'takkyuu' (ping-pong), but we used to play for about half an hour after lunch every day. Now, since the weather is getting nicer, we're trying to switch to badminton.

At NTT, apart from the table tennis room, we also have a small but very well equipped gym, a library and a tennis/soccer court. All this is meant to increase productivity, of course ;)

Kinkakuji

2006-05-02T05:03:00.000+02:00

Kinkakuji - Golden Pavilion
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion) is arguably the most popular sightseeing spot in Kyoto, and probably in Japan.

It is a three-storied building, built in a different architectural style for every floor. The building is actually covered in real gold, and the shiny reflection on the surrounding pond makes a very nice sight.

Anecdote: the original temple remained until 1950, when a mentally disturbed monk burned it. Yukio Mishima, a famous writer who commited ritual suicide ('seppuku', incorrectly known as 'harakiri' in western countries), made a fictional version of these facts in his novel 'Kinkaku-ji (The Temple of the Golden Pavilion)'.

Maiko-san at Gion, Kyoto

2006-04-27T08:27:00.000+02:00

Maiko-san at Gion, Kyoto
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Many people think that spotting 'geishas' is easy in this country... nothing close to reality. Even in Gion, the 'geisha' neighborhood in Kyoto, it's actually quite difficult to come across one of these women, incorrectly thought of as prostitutes in western countries.

We were lucky enough to see one Maiko-san (geisha's apprentice) taking some fresh air, sitting on the windowsill of a window. I asked in japanese, in the most polite way I know if it was possible to take a picture of her: 'sumimasenga, shashin wo torasete itadakemasenka?' and she even came down to the entrance and we could take a few pictures with her.

Wishes

2006-04-27T08:18:00.000+02:00

Wishes
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This post is dedicated to Pablo, the guy from Chile who left us about a month ago to go back to his country and duties.

During our last visit to Kyoto, we wrote a couple of sticks of wood with wishes for the future, a traditional japanese custom at many shrines. You can read the messages yourselves, if you understand our messy handwriting.

Pablo, mucha suerte y un abrazo desde Japon! :)

Schoolkids and Deers

2006-04-27T08:15:00.000+02:00

Schoolkids and Deers
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Many famous touristics spots in Nara (where I currently live, former capital of Japan more than a thousand years ago) are located in Nara Park, in the heart of the city.

At almost any time, this place is full of deers, symbol of the city, schoolchildren who buy cookies to feed these cute animals and get scared when they try to take them from their hands, and of course, many japanese and foreign tourists.

Amanohashidate

2006-04-27T08:10:00.000+02:00

Amanohashidate
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Meaning literally something like 'the bridge that stands in heaven', Amanohashidate is one of the most scenically beautiful places in Japan.

It is a sand bar, covered with pine trees, that links both sides of a bay in Japan sea's coast. It's about 4 kms. long and a few dozens of meters wide. It is said that, in order to imagine this bridge in heaven, you have to go uphill and look upside-down between your legs...

From left to right: Tommi, Rasa and myself.

Kobe's Earthquake

2006-03-27T10:26:00.000+02:00

Kobe's Earthquake
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Unfortunately, Kobe became famous for the earthquake that destroyed the city about 10 years ago. Many lives and urban infrastructure were lost in that catastrophe.

Nowadays, the city looks completely new. But there is a place next to the port, called the 'Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Memorial Site' that reminds of the tragedy. It consists of an outdoors museum and a section of the destroyed port, left as it was after the earthquake. Difficult to imagine the whole city like that...

Shark Whale

2006-03-27T10:18:00.000+02:00

Shark Whale
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Visit to Osaka's Aquarium (Kaiyukan), the biggest in Japan and one of the best in the world. I'm not very fond of aquariums, but this was really worth the visit.

The main atraction is that scary thing to the left of us, a real alive shark whale. There were many different environments from all over the world, which were artificially reproduced and gave a very realistic atmosphear to the place.

Sunset in Nara

2006-03-22T03:08:00.000+01:00

Sunset in Nara
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

There nothing 'specially special' in this picture, but I like it :)

This pedestrian street is in the center of Nara, where many traditional shops and restaurants are located.

Notice the ubiquitous electric power lines and the kanji-katakana signs, things that anybody who visits Japan gets used to immediately. I think I'll miss it somehow after leaving the country in August.

Snowboarding in Nagano

2006-03-22T03:01:00.000+01:00

Snowboarding in Nagano
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Since it's almost impossible to tell from our looks, we are Pablo, I and Rasa, snowboarding in Hakuba-Iwatake, Nagano prefecture.

As you can see, the weather was quite horrible this day... it was very cold, snowing, windy, foggy, the slopes were icy... But we survived like brave boarders and had a great time again!

PS: This time Tommi couldn't make it :(

Himeji Castle

2006-03-22T02:58:00.000+01:00

Himeji Castle
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Cloudy, rainy and gray day in Himeji, west of Kobe.

This city is famous for its castle, which is one of the few originals that still remain, and considered to be the most beautiful in Japan.

It belongs to the list of UNESCO World Heritage List and it's definitely worth the visit. Apart from the main tower in the picture, the whole fortress was very interesting to walk around. There was even a Seppuku-Harakiri chamber!

Ride to NTT

2006-03-22T02:53:00.000+01:00

Ride to NTT
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Every morning I (try to) ride my bike to work. It takes about 40 minutes and if it rains or it's too cold it's quite tough... that's why I take the bus quite often too.

This is the street right in front of my apartment in Tomio - Nara, where Vladimir (NTT trainee from Kazakhstan) and I are just about to start our race to the lab.

I miss my inline skates.

Dotonbori at Night

2006-03-22T02:47:00.000+01:00

Dotonbori at Night
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is one of the most famous sights in Osaka. It's one huge wall covered with neon lights advertising all kinds of stuff.

It can be seen from Ebisu bridge, in an area called Dotombori and very close to one of the hearts of the city: Namba station.

Mid-term Reporting Session

2006-03-22T02:45:00.000+01:00

Mid-term Reporting Session
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

More Kendo! :D

Last week, Rasa and I decided to make a joint presentation at the EU-Japan Centre for the reporting session. We talked, in japanese, about our traineeships at NTT Communication Science Labs, and our life in Nara.

At the end of it, and right after speaking about kendo lessons, we took our 'shinai' and, dressed in formal clothes, made a small performance in front of our friends and the staff of the Centre :)

Snowboarding

2006-02-26T09:22:00.000+01:00

Snowboarding
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This picture is dedicated to all the people who had the privilege to see the 'Alien' in Stockholm :D

Boarders: Tommy, myself, Pablo and Rasa. First time on a snowboard... the picture was taken before the action started, and luckily all of us survived. There was no need to call sergeant Ripley for 'Alien Returns'.

However, I fell down hundreds of times, following my own tradition, but I had a lot of fun, and would like to repeat the experience. Maybe in Pirineos?

Snow is cool!

Chinese New Year in Kobe's Chinatown

2006-02-26T09:07:00.000+01:00

Chinese New Year in Kobe's Chinatown
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

We went to Kobe to visit the city and enjoy the celebrations for the Chinese New Year (around the first week of February), held in the big Chinatown of this important japanese port.

During the whole day, there was a white dragon dancing through town and entering the shops and restaurants. In the picture, you can also see a traditional chinese gate ('mon') marking the west border of the town.

Kobe Tower and Maritime Museum

2006-02-26T09:06:00.000+01:00

Kobe Tower and Maritime Museum
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I love these night pictures... :)

The picture was taken at Kobe's port area. The tall red building is Kobe Tower, whose shape reminds of a traditional japanese hand drum. The other structure is part of the maritime museum, and my guess is that it's design is inspired by a ship.

Hakone

2006-02-17T09:38:00.000+01:00

Hakone
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is a picture taken on a day we decided to go hiking with the japanese teachers, to Hakone area. I wanted to show how beautiful and impressive Mt. Fuji is, but... it got cloudy!

Mt. Fuji is supposed to be behind those clouds on the left, I have seen it several times and it's really amazing. However, I have good news for my fans, because I have in mind climbing the sacred mountain of Japan this summer, and I'll show you the pics!

Careful Elephants!

2006-02-17T09:32:00.000+01:00

Careful Elephants!
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

In my dear homeland of Spain, you can find traffic signs warning you about deers. So far, normal.

In Sweden, it was already shocking to see those famous signs that warn drivers about mooses, those horse-like animals with huge horns that appeared in the TV-series 'Northern Exposure', in spanish 'Doctor en Alaska'.

In Cambodia, you can see what kind of fauna you have to be 'carefull' with, I wonder if the insurance covers it...

PS: In Japan, I haven't seen any 'Mind the Godzilla' sign yet. XD

Birthday Present

2006-02-17T08:54:00.000+01:00

Birthday Present
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I know it was long ago (my birthday is on Nov 21st...), but here it goes anyway. This is the place where my friends in Tokyo took me, without previous notice, to celebrate my birthday.

It was a 'theme restaurant', like a prison-psychiatric-dungeon style, with very cute waitresses. They even made a very funny performance in the middle of the dinner.

BTW, I know what many people will think when they see the handcuffs, but the present was not that good... XD

Osaka - Picture with Drumming Man

2006-02-17T08:45:00.000+01:00

Osaka - Picture with Drumming Man
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Well, let me explain... this is a picture with a drumming 'dummy' in Osaka. And the reason of taking a picture precisely there is just because everybody does it. Conclusion, people take a picture there because it's what you're supposed to do.

I think I'll have to live longer in Japan to understand this kind of stuff, but I'm starting to get the point... XD

From left to right: Tommi (FIN), I, Pablo (CHI) and Petr (CZ).

Floating Villages

2006-02-14T09:18:00.000+01:00

Floating Villages
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Holidays in Cambodia, boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang.

It's indescriptible what one feels when travelling through these floating villages in the manglar (flooded jungle) and all the children around want to greet you.

Indeed, one of the best experiences in my life, the kind that you usually watch in National Geographic but it's hard to believe it's real.

Yokohama Bay

2006-02-14T09:17:00.000+01:00

Yokohama Bay
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Sightseeing around Yokohama, the biggest port in Japan. Actually, Yokohama is a huge city itself, but it's impossible to tell when Tokyo ends and Yokohama starts...

This is the area around the bay, with the famous ferris wheel that gets lighted in the evening and the promenades over the water. In this area there's also the Landmark Tower, the highest building in Japan, and several other great sights.

Funenbutsu Team

2006-02-14T09:14:00.000+01:00

Funenbutsu Team
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

One of my 'admirers' got surprised when she got a glimpse of me wearing suit and tie... well, here you have a close-up ;)

This picture was taken in December, right after the final presentation of the japanese language course. We had to speak in japanese for 15 minutes + 15 minutes of questions. The topic was 'Resource Usage' and the name of our team was 'Funenbutsu', i.e. 'The Unburnables'.

From left to right: Juan, Rebeca and I. Spanish team, as you can see...

Automatic Vending Machines with Eggs!

2006-02-14T09:05:00.000+01:00

Automatic Vending Machines with Eggs!
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Japan is crowded with automatic vending machines. Recent studies show that there's one of these machines for every 30 japanese!

They usually sell beverages, but also newspapers, transportations cards, meal tickets and... eggs! Yes, this is one of those machines, quite close to my apartment, and it sells fresh eggs.

I haven't bought any though...

Kendo in the Street

2006-02-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

Kendo in the Street
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

One of my last extravagant ideas: going to kendo lessons! :)

Kendo (literally meaning 'the way of the sword') is the martial art derived from traditional japanese fencing, which samurai warriors practiced.

In the picture, Rasa, who's also taking lessons with me, and I are trying the bamboo swords, called 'shinai', in the street in front of the kendo gear shop.

I promise future pictures of ourselves with the full equipment on... don't miss them!

Korean Traditional Costumes

2006-02-13T09:24:00.000+01:00

Korean Traditional Costumes
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This funny and colourful picture was taken at the Korean Folk Village in Seoul, where tourists could try traditional costumes on themselves for a reasonable price.

I'm still laughing when I see myself dressed in such a way... but apparently, Korean people liked it long ago!

From left to right: Tommy (Fin), Rebeca (Spa), I and Rasa (Lit).

National Museum of Khmer Sculpture

2006-02-13T09:21:00.000+01:00

National Museum of Khmer Sculpture
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is the inside of the National Museum of Khmer Sculpture, in Phnom Pehn, the capital of Cambodia. The Khmers are the people who built the most powerful empire in South-East Asia about 1000 years ago.

The eye-catching decorations on the roof are typical of Cambodian architecture, and they can also be seen, for example, at the Royal Palace or at many of the Buddhist temples around the city.

Angkor Wat - Flower Pool

2006-02-13T09:13:00.000+01:00

Angkor Wat - Flower Pool
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Angkor area is located close to Siem Reap, in Western Cambodia. The main temple, Angkor Wat, is the biggest religious building in the world.

This is a front view of the inner palace and one of the flower-covered pools that surround it.

Just look...

Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Jinja

2006-02-13T09:09:00.000+01:00

Kyoto - Fushimi Inari Jinja
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This picture is especially dedicated to my good friends (Alex, Ines, Nacho, Uge and Nicola) who are going to visit me in Easter.

You can see here the start of the 4 km. long path that leads to one of the most famous shrines in Kyoto. The way is very densely covered with these beautiful red 'torii' (shinto gates) that make this walk a very special one indeed.

NTT Welcome Party

2006-02-13T09:05:00.000+01:00

NTT Welcome Party
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is the welcome party that NTT organized for me and my Vulcanus mates at an izagaya (japanese style restaurant-pub) in Nara.

We had a great time there, we're all quite happy with the atmosphere at the lab. The man to my left is Ishizuka-san, the supervisor of my research, and the girl to my right is Yoshimura-san, kind enough to solve many of our daily 'gaijin' problems.

Sachiko From Osaka

2005-11-25T14:24:00.000+01:00

Sachiko From Osaka
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

In Kyoto, a mingling evening with japanese university students was organized by some of us. Everybody had a partner from the other side, whom he/she had to exchange presents with, have dinner, talk, etc. in japanese.

I was lucky enough to have this nice girl as my partner. As a short description, her name is Sachiko, lives in Osaka and plays baseball!!Since she studies in Kyoto and I'll work there, we'll hopefully meet again.

Sachiko, matane!

Kyoto´s Workshop

2005-11-25T14:16:00.000+01:00

Kyoto´s Workshop
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

After a day full of presentations and a visit to Panasonic center in Osaka, the dinner ended with a very funny and interesting performance of japanese 'taiko' drums. If you like percussion instruments, you would have loved it.

After the professionals did their work, everybody was invited to play a little bit and, of course, I was there trying to beat the stress out!

My own meishi

2005-11-25T14:08:00.000+01:00

Meishi
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

'Meishi' is the japanese name for name cards, where all the contact information of a person is contained. These cards are very important in Japan, and virtually any relationship starts with a 'meishi' exchange.

The rules for this exchange are very important, for example, they have to be given and taken with both hands with your name facing the receptor, after receiving one, some comments on it are a must and, during the whole meeting, the card must be kept in a visible position.

Usually, japanese customs are very complex...

BBQ in Tokyo Bay

2005-11-25T14:02:00.000+01:00

BBQ in Tokyo Bay
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

One of the activities organized by our japanese teachers was a barbecue where we could meet japanese people and talk to them (nihongode dake...).

For the occasion, Matsui-san, I, Jaakko, Rebeca and Guillaume had the opportunity to prepare 'yakitori' sticks (chiken, paprika and leek with a mirin and soy sauce), grilled steaks and bananas with chocolate (swedish recipe). Wonderful!

Tokyo Dome Fun-Fair

2005-11-20T14:27:00.000+01:00

Tokyo Dome Fun-Fair
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

After a week of japanese lessons for five hours a day, what's better to release all the stress than riding a rollercoaster?

There's one in the center of Tokyo where you can just go and pay for a single ride. The funniest part of it is that it's built on top and THROUGH a shopping mall, so that it actually gets inside part of the building. Notice also that the wonder wheel spins around it...

Tsunami Danger

2005-11-20T14:19:00.000+01:00

Tsunami Danger
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Who hasn't heard about the word 'tsunami'? It's of japanese origin, and it means tidal wave due to an earthquake.

Tokyo is very well protected against them, both naturally and artificially, but if you go to places that face the open sea in Japan, like the island of Enoshima, you might see signs like this. Scary, right?

Raw Fish

2005-11-20T14:14:00.000+01:00

Raw Fish
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

One day, the japanese teachers took us to the 'Tsukiji' early in the morning, the biggest fish market in Tokyo. It was amazing how feverish the activity was in this place!

There we were able to try ultra fresh 'sashimi'(raw fish with soy sauce and wasabi) and saw how a big tuna fish is cut to pieces by skillful japanese hands.

In the picture, there are four big pieces of raw 'maguro' (tuna fish) and some dry ice to keep it cold.

Juane Japanese Style

2005-11-20T14:08:00.000+01:00

Juane Japanese Style
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I'm becoming more and more japanese every day that passes by... XD

Nowadays, japanese houses aren't usually this way (although I have tatami mats in my room...). This traditional japanese house was inside Edo-Tokyo museum, visitors could enter and admire sliding paper doors, tatami mats, low tables, etc. One could also wear a 'yukata', the japanese name for this piece of cloth similar to 'kimono', made of cotton and more informal than its famous relative.

Ryuuzu Falls

2005-11-19T11:41:00.000+01:00

Ryuuzu Falls
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This picture was taken during a hiking trip in the surroundings of Nikko. The sight of the waterfall is specially nice in the autumn, when the trees' leaves are red, green and yellow.

In Japan, many people do sightseeing trips in the forest in the autumn, for the coloured leaves, and in the spring, for the 'sakura' or cherry blossom. I promise that, at least in the autumn, japanese forests are really wonderful.

Tea Ceremony

2005-11-19T11:34:00.000+01:00

Tea Ceremony
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

The woman in the picture is the coordinator of the Vulcanus in Japan program, her name is Sato-san and she's dressed in traditional japanese 'kimono'.

She invited us to the 'ochakai' or tea ceremony. It consists on the gathering of some people, usually friends of colleagues, eating some traditional japanese sweets and drinking very bitter and dense green tea.

Daibutsu in Kamakura

2005-11-11T11:48:00.000+01:00

Daibutsu in Kamakura
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This was one of the best day trips I've done so far, incredible sights and the best company.

During the day we visited Kamakura, old town that was for a short time capital of Japan, and after sunset we went to Enoshima, an very nice island with great views of Mt. Fuji.

In the picture, I am with Rasa in front of the Daibutsu (Big Buddha), the second biggest Buddha in Japan. Originally, there was a temple over and around it, but it was destroyed by a flood.

Home Stay Family

2005-11-11T11:36:00.000+01:00

Home Stay Family
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

These people are the family who kindly invited me to their home in Hiyoshi surroundings, not far from Yokohama.

The family name is Yumoto, and the young 4-year old kid is Ken-chan or Kento-kun. We had very interesting conversations (I tried japanese, but it worked better in english...) and I really felt at home with them.

Arigatou Gozaimasu!

Japanese Trains

2005-11-04T06:50:00.000+01:00

Japanese Trains
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

You could think that I'm a master with Adobe Photoshop but that's not true, I was really there!

Not surprisingly, that is the usual crowded state of japanese trains at rush hour, where I have to stay for 3 hours a day... don't worry, sometimes I find a place to sit down :)

Scary

2005-11-04T06:47:00.000+01:00

Scary
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Another stupid picture taken at Tokyo Game Show... the guy on the left is Sonic The Hedgehog, famous for his appearance in Sega videogames.

Cool, right?

Chanko Lunch

2005-11-04T06:46:00.000+01:00

Chanko Lunch
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Do you know why Sumo Wrestlers are so strong and fat? Because they eat chanko three times a day!

Chanko consists of thick noodles called Udon in combination with boiled chicken and vegetables, that you boil yourself at the table... the amount is really huge.

After the lunch, Piet and I became like these wrestlers, just prepared for the upcoming sumo fights!

Vulcanus Family

2005-11-04T06:43:00.000+01:00

Vulcanus Family
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This is a nice picture that Asaumi-san took for a workshop that's going to be held in Kyoto in middle november.

Approximately, from left to right: Slavek, Pierre, I, Linnards, Jaizki, Dariusz, Guillaume, Frederik, Adolfo, Laurent, Hannu, Enrico, Jaakko, Koen, Dani, Pietr, Tommy, Nik, Rasa, Piet, Rebeca, John, Christian, Attila, Cris, Jan, David, Fer, Juan and Ina.

Pikachu Plane

2005-11-04T06:36:00.000+01:00

Pikachu Plane
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

We were quite nervous in Paris airport, waiting for our plane to approach the gate and... what do we see? Pikachu plane!
Seriously, this is the plane that brought me to Japan, it was a special All Nippon Airways plane with Pikachus all around it... no comment XD

Famous Toilets

2005-10-19T09:43:00.000+02:00

Famous Toilets
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Who hasn't heard about the famous and complex toilets in Japan? Well, this is a picture from one of the toilets at the EU-Japan Centre.

It has functions such as spraying, sound making, drying... To tell you the truth, I haven't tried any of those functions, I'm really scared!

Odaiba & Rainbow Bridge

2005-10-19T09:39:00.000+02:00

Odaiba & Rainbow Bridge
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I, Rasa and Rebeca went to Odaiba to spend the evening. Odaiba is an artificial island in the middle of Tokyo Bay, quite futuristic and amazing.

It can be accesed either by monorail or boat, and we took both! Just the view of Tokyo's Rainbow Bridge at sunset is worth the visit.

Hama-Rikyu Gardens

2005-10-12T10:24:00.000+02:00

Hama-Rikyu Gardens
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Japan's wonderful combination of traditional japanese gardens and skycrapers is impressive.

This place is next to Tokyo Bay, and the tea house in the middle of the pond is a really nice place. In the background, some metal and glass certify that it is Japan.

Tokyo Game Show - Cloud

2005-10-12T10:19:00.000+02:00

Tokyo Game Show - Cloud
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

The funniest thing at the Tokyo Game Show, where I went with some friends, was the so called "Cosplay".

Teenagers dress up in a way that imitates that of their favourite manga or videogame characters, quite accurately, by the way.

This girl was Cloud, from Playstation's videogame Final Fantasy VII.

Spanish Pavilion in Aichi's EXPO

2005-10-12T10:16:00.000+02:00

Spanish Pavilion in Aichi's EXPO
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This colourful building was the Spanish Pavilion, made of red and yellow hexagons. The inside wasn't specially nice, though.

Funny that we didn't have to queue when the people at the entrance door realized that some of us were spanish!

Happy Faces

2005-10-12T10:14:00.000+02:00

Happy Faces
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

From left to right: Rebeca (ESP), Juane (ESP...) y Rasa (LTH). I spend a significant part of my time here with these wonderful girls.

We've been together for the japanese lessons, train trips back home (they live close to mi dorm) and, of course, during much of our free time.

Thanks Rasele and Rebeca for everything!

Shibuya at Night

2005-10-12T10:09:00.000+02:00

Shibuya at Night
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This huge district in Tokyo is famous for the crowds of young people wandering around it, its shiny neon lights and huge party places for the night.

Isn't it the image that everybody has from Japan's capital?

I feel European

2005-10-12T10:05:00.000+02:00

I feel European
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

For those of you who don't know, my scholarship is paid by the EU-Japan Center for Industrial Cooperation, and I felt very European when I knew that!

This picture was taken on the day when we visited the building of the European Comission in Japan, to listen to a speech by the vicepresident of this organization.

Cult of Luna

2005-08-17T17:16:00.000+02:00

Cult of Luna
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

After some adventures, I had to leave my stuff at the hostel in Gothenburg and literally run to the concerts place, first to the Opera and then to take a free boat that crossed the port. I arrived 3-4 minutes before Cult of Luna started playing!

They played quite well, but the concert was very short, it was outdoors at 19:30 and the public was not in the mood. Fortunately, the masters of doom metal Candlemass compensated for that later, with a one hour and a half performance, a very good set-up and the people jumping and singing in unison (no pics since I ran out of batteries for the camera).

Great night!

Japanese Visa

2005-08-17T16:19:00.000+02:00

Japanese Visa
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Finally I got the japanese visa for cultural activities, which entitles me to enter Japan and live there for one year. You need this if you're planning a long stay in the country, not just a short touristic visit.

I hope this is the last bureaucratic arrangement I need... it's cool to see this sticker in my passport at last!

Surströmming Eaters

2005-08-15T16:40:00.000+02:00

Surströmming Eaters
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This picture is dedicated to Mariano, Raúl and Víctor. The legend of the surströmming eaters is true...

It was on the "surströmming och kräftor fest" at Lappis. Jonathan, Per and Martin, swedish corridor mates, ate surströmming and even said they LIKED it. No comment!

Skating over the Mälaren

2005-08-15T16:33:00.000+02:00

Skating over the Mälaren
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Yeah, that's me and that's a frozen lake with a polished track for skating. Nacho and I went to Sigtuna, a village close to Stockholm, to try it.

Actually, in Sweden there's a forecast service that tells you the thickness of the ice in every lake. When it's more than a certain amount, it's really safe to stand over it, or even drive a car!

Colette & Laura

2005-08-15T16:27:00.000+02:00

Colette & Laura
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

My two beloved corridor mates: Colette and Laura. On that night, Markus and Colette decided to swim at Lappis beach to celebrate Colette's birthday (after a proper party, of course...)

I will miss you a lot in Japan, I hope you can come and visit me! Best wishes to both of you in Stockholm and Sitges!

Traffic Danger in Riga

2005-08-15T16:20:00.000+02:00

Traffic Danger in Riga
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

We were used to the Scandinavian standard for driving safety... but this was at the other side of the Baltic Sea, in Riga, capital of Letonia.

Francesca, I, Nestor, Ines and Andrés had to wait in the middle of a big road with a lot of heavy traffic for a while. Scary experience!

Canoeing at Brunnsviken

2005-08-15T16:15:00.000+02:00

Canoeing at Brunnsviken
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

This was one of the first days of August'04, we decided to hire some kayaks at one of the lakes nearby.

Robert, Marie, Daniele, Martin, I and Colette, dressed with lifevests after four hours of paddling... funny and exhausting!

PD: Colette only paddled for 40 minutes... XD

Asturies

2005-08-15T16:08:00.000+02:00

Asturies
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

From left to right: Sergio, Raúl, Dani, Víctor and me. The photographer is Iñaki.

The picture was taken at the Naranco hill, Oviedo (or Uviéu, in the regional dialect ;) ). The picture reminds me of a rock band album cover...

St. Petersburg

2005-07-29T11:50:00.000+02:00

St. Petersburg
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Incredible picture of a sunset in Moscow. That was the area where our hotel, the Ukraine, was located.

The artist was Hotsumi, a japanese girl I met in this trip. Maybe I should have asked her for permission to publish this... XD

Tunnelloppet

2005-07-29T11:46:00.000+02:00

Tunnelloppet
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Starting line of an inline skates race that I took part in October'04. I am among the crowd, try to find me!

I finished the race in the 177th position, out of around 2000 poeple. The length was 10.8 km and my time was 30:51.

Do you like sushi? I do...

2005-07-29T11:41:00.000+02:00

Do you like sushi? I do...
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Close-up of some maki-sushi that we prepared one evening, supervised by Chef Cesc-san.

These are made with salmon, avocado and tuna fish. I get hungry just looking at them... :)_

Valborg at Uppsala

2005-07-29T11:38:00.000+02:00

Valborg at Uppsala
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

The last day of April every year, there's a party called Valborg in Sweden.

Uppsala is a student town close to Stockholm, and it is traditional that the students build their own weird boats and race down the river.

Osqvik's Sauna

2005-07-29T11:34:00.000+02:00

Osqvik's Sauna
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Those blurry things are me and some friends. I really don't know who dared to get inside with a digital camera, I wouldn't have done it.

By the way, this is the night when Paco and I established the spanish sauna record at 112ºC, beat it!

Skiing at Bielmonte

2005-07-29T11:26:00.000+02:00

Skiing near Prativero
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Nacho, I, Nuria and Nico went to ski to the Alps, to a place close to Prativero, Nico's home town.

It was my first time and it was really funny, although I fell too much and the later called "Alien" appeared on my leg (a huge swollen haematoma that was there for almost a month)

Snow Mobiles at -20º

2005-07-29T11:21:00.000+02:00

Snow Mobiles at -20º
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

I actually don't know what the temperature was when we drove the snow mobiles in Kiruna, but it was fucking cold!

The driver here is Uge, trying to survive at least until the youth hostel. He didn't feel his feet when we arrived (not a joke...)

Cold-War Chess Board

2005-07-29T11:15:00.000+02:00

Cold-War Chess Board
Originally uploaded by juanerubio.

Funny souvenir in St. Petersburg, Russia. They sold all kind of stuff related to the communism and the cold-war era, but this one caught my eye!

Everyone was present in the game: Lenin, Stalin, Gorbachov, Kennedy, Bush, Clinton...