HOT SPRINGS PART 2

GROTTO LIKE SPA 
FISH THAT CLEAN FEET. (SIEJI HATED THIS ONE) TICKLED A LOT
SAKE SPA 
HONEY SPA FELT AMAZING. 
RED WINE SPA ...

OTHER BATHS NOT PICTURED WERE CHOCOLATE BATH, SALT BATH, ROCK WALK BATH, AND MANY MORE. 

Natural Hot Springs: Yunneson

COAL HOUSE ... SPA HEATED ONLY BY COAL
GREEN TEA (SMELLED AMAZING) 
WATERFALL 

COFFEE SPAS (SMELLED AMAZING TOO)

Trip within my Trip

Since 1878, Fujiya Hotel has been renowned globally as one of the most classical resort hotels in Japan. With a reputation for its incomparable hospitality and service, the Fujiya Hotel has drawn many dignitaries and celebrities from all over the world throughout the century. Yes I Erikku spent 2 lovely days in Hakone where this magnificent hotel lies. A 3 hour train ride south of Tokyo and we arrived. Located on a scenic area 3000 ft above sea level the surrounding areas was filled with life and mystery. Fujiya Hotel now accommodates a maximum of 300 guests in 146 western style guest rooms at the 5 hotel houses (Main Building, Comfy Lodge, Restful Cottage, Flower Palace and Forest Lodge) built in 1891 thru 1960 and in 3 Japanese rooms at Kikka-so Inn, a former imperial villa, built in 1895. The old charming houses of the Main Building since 1891, the Comfy Lodge and the Restful Cottage since 1906, the Restaurant House since 1930, the Flower Palace since 1936 and the Kikka-so Inn since 1895 have been appointed The Cultural Assets by Japan's Cultural Properties Protection Commission. 

Some world class celebrities that have stayed include : John Lennon and Yoko Ono (for like 6 months), Albert Einstein, Prime Minister of India Neru, Emperors and Empresses of Japan, Charlie Chaplain, Dwight Eisenhower, General McCarther, Helen Keller, Alfred Hitchcock, Neil Armstrong, Prime Minister of England Thatcher and now Erik Sanchez. Here are some pictures enjoy.

Tokyo Night Life

Seiji and I began the night off early took an hour train to Ropps (Roppongi) where we were supposed to meet up with some girls at 10 pm we got there at 9 pm so we went to HUB the first PUB we saw. Bartender hooked us up with a beer and said we had to leave within the hour because the whole place had been rented for a soccer game (Japan vs Uzbekistan). We drank up and went to another bar where we watched the game and waited. Friends were fashionably late. Once they arrived we met up with more people and drank at a nearby park -it became more or less like a high school reunion. We gathered a large group and went to a club FERIA. pretty legit kicked my ass for sure. Seiji and I had to make a GRAND decision take the last train home or wait until 5 am for the first train the next morning. Guess which we chose? Yes we decided to stay until 4:45 am. Beautiful sunrise from the balcony of the club. 

Thoughts on Japan

Ok been here for about a week and these are some thoughts.

The culture is amazing. although people claim that the old ways are dying and the new generation is taking over i beg to differ. Family is still a key component, respect is always giving to any elder person. Although my Japanese is still not sharp one of the first things i learned was how to show respect. The traditional way is bowing as low as possible. When speaking to an elder we always have to end it with GOZAIMAS. 

No one really drives in Japan the majority of the transportation is done by train. TRAINS own this city everywhere you look there is a station. This brings me to another thought JAPANESE NEED MORE SLEEP i ride the train everyday and everyday i see at-least 10 people asleep on the train. Its pretty funny to see people sleeping while standing or in their seat and start to lean on their neighbor. Yes i have fallen victim to this and Yes i have passed out on the train. Thanks to Phillip keeping me up all night and waking me up extra early. An amazing fact, none of them ever miss their stops its like an internal clock that is never late. 

Another amazing thing for me is the food. I love eating food and i am very open to new things, since i have been here i have taken the opportunity to taste everything and anything. 

Final comments ... i love it here, everything about Japan is beautiful and delicate. everything has a purpose and a meaning. I am considering not returning home. 

Soccer Store/Museum

A huge store & museum dedicated solely to soccer... my heaven and kryptonite. Had a large woody the entire time there ... not really but close to it. Here were some sweet pics of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Real Madrid my favorite team. 

Tokyo Drift ???

This is Shibuya. Amazing city very modern and extreeeemly big. This is a crosswalk right outside the train station at every change of the light large crowds like this form. We sat at a 3 story starbucks people watching and were amazed as to how many people would cross. Did I mention this is where The Fast & The Furious Tokyo Drift was filmed?

War God.

Pictures of some kind of Shinto god in another temple. 

Bamboo Forest

Some pictures of a nearby bamboo forest ... amazing inside. That is a picture of me and "Cookie".  Cookie happens to join us everywhere we go ... more of him coming. 

Artist's Home

Some random artist's home in Matsudo Japan. Good way to advertise his work  ehh? 

Tokyo Tower

It looks really small and insignificant but keep in mind it was a far shot and it was really rainy. Located in the city of Minato, the Tokyo Tower is the French version of the Eiffel Tower. To date it is the largest building in all of Japan measuring over 1000 feet.  

Dragon Temple

Image of a nearby temple it reads "ryuenji" which means something dragon  ... 

Katsu Dine

This is a picture of an incredibly talented and under-rated chef in the town Matsudo, Chiba. He runs his own restaurant with only one other waitress. It is a first come first serve basis and only seats about 15 people. It is incredibly popular and very delicious I felt honored (really) to have enjoyed his food. 

411 on skydiving

SKYDIVING !!!

HERE is the *official video* i have many more coming.
ENJOY ...
http://www.lifepursuitvideo.net/asppublic/Video91935.aspx?VID=16476&VF=eriksanchez_052709-1344.flv

Whats to come ...

Ok so i have been here for a day ... all i can say is i have done a lot and will post videos and pictures very soon. Today we visited Matsudo a nearby town went to an ancient temple and cementary, we had lunch at an amazing yet very cheap donut place (nothing like back home) went to an arcade (3 stories big　very intense a lot of GNARLY gamers) went to ISETAN (11 stories of pure shopping) ito yokado another huge shopping center. Ended with dinner at Katsu Dine (authentic Chinese cuisine run by one chef and one waitress only seats 16 pple and is first come first serve we were first and it got full really fast.)

Final Days of School

May 12, 2009

8:02 pm

Stressful week not even 1/2 way there

FINALS SCHEDULE

Spanish 301 final Thursday 7 pm

Biology 101 final Friday 10 am

Stats & Calculus finals Saturday (back to back) whoo hoo !

HOME FREE PARTY TIME !!!

Scheduled 20 therapy appointments 

Left Shoulder is more fucked up than once thought

Lakers game just started started strong and i predict domination

should be studying instead of watching this game.

So this is my trial blog ... hoping to be able to upload videos