Drinking

People in Japan really like to drink...and I`m easily swayed by peer pressure. The past two nights have been pretty hectic but thankfully I`m drinking nothing but water tonight.

We arrived in Fukuoka City on Saturday night around 7 PM. Ken`s uncle is subsidizing a hotel for us because his son is studying for the Japanese version of the SATs and we can`t stay at his house. We checked in at the hotel then met Uncle Ichiro and his friends for dinner. We ate at a really nice place that had a lot of Korean influence. Our main dish was a lot like Sundubo(Soon-Doo-Boo) but was homemade by the lady of the house and much better than the Sundubo that I usually eat on North Aurora. Ichiro was drinking really fast and was drunker than Ken had ever seen him. Ken thinks he was trying to keep up with me but I think competition is silly, especially in something as juvenile as drinking.

We woke up in the morning with a slight hangover and caught a train to Ken`s mom`s hometown. Allen was stationed here and was able to woo the beautiful Tempura chef named Akiko thanks to 2 of his golfing buddies, Shimomini San and Sasaki San. We`re staying with Sasaki San and we had a great time last night. He broke out the good soju and he and I got smashed. Ken was worried for our safety so he stopped early but I wasn`t going to miss out on drinking with the coolest 70 year-old in the world.

We woke up at 5 AM this morning without a hangover due to the quality of the soju and went hiking all day. I got pretty sunburnt because it was an absolutely perfect day. We hiked right next to a dormant volcano that emitted lagre quantities of sulfuric smoke. After hiking we went to a hot springs place and soaked our muscles. It was really nice to do something active after all these weeks of overeating, starting in Jacksonville and never ending.

Like I said before, tonight we`re going to chill and get some rest. Tomorrow I head to my Cousin Shigetoshi`s place to see him for the second time in my life. He`s pretty much the only remaining Japanese relative that we keep in touch with and I`m excited to see him. Ken is staying with Mr. Sasaki and we`re meeting in Fukuoka City on Wednesday. I have a few pictures that I want to put up but I`m going to have to wait until I`m at a newer computer.

Go Seahwaks! Yankees Suck! Mariners aren`t going to lose 100!