HAKONE
December 29th 2008 06:04
I woke up not really knowing where I was. It was dark and a small blue beam peeked out of a part in some soft looking curtains. I rubbed my eyes. Everything was dark. I sat up, afraid.
Trevor laughed from the bed next to mine. I realised where we were. We were in Japan, in our hostel in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. For some reason I was wearing a set of traditional looking Japanese robes and I had an incredible headache. I had no idea how we got back.
We stumbled out of our beds, showered, forgot about breakfast and hopped on a train. I didn’t ask Trevor where he was taking us and just looked outside. The buildings and the endless people and the language revolved around me, spun around me, and I still couldn’t believe we were in a world that did not exist in Brisbane. The train operators put on a different tone of voice when announcing train stops: a nasal, calm sort of accent. I pulled out my notepad but didn’t know what to write; I just wanted to keep looking outside the window. Trevor told me about this night he had once, last week, before we left to Japan, where he and his friends went to a farm to pick mushrooms off cow shit. He said they were magic mushrooms. They all ate the mushrooms and made tea out of the remaining mushrooms the next day. He said when we return to Brisbane, he’s going to feed me mushrooms taken from cow shit. He said, It’s the culture, Dean, it’s the culture. I didn’t know what he meant.
We got off the train an hour later. It was cold. We were nowhere near the city: the buildings were a lot smaller and the endless gray was replaced by endless trees. Red hatted maple trees broke the pattern and sprung out like large loud red flowers and the cold weather and everyone’s warm clothing made everything strange and beautiful. We walked into an apparently famous hotel, the Fujiya hotel, and used the toilets. We left and headed towards a garden located near the Hakone Museum of art. Apparently that particular garden was only open two days a year: the autumn weather made the crisp thin trees, with their multi hued maple leaves spring forth and give the green scenery more blood. As I walked passed everything besides the trees and the slight fog faded and disappeared for good. I was in a trance. I suddenly found myself with Trevor in a building, kneeling with everyone else, watching an old woman play an old instrument, wailing and weeping and singing; I found myself participating in a tea ceremony, where I had to spin the bowl twice before drinking out of respect, out of humility, where I found myself bowing out of respect, out of humility, and the young girl in the kimono stirred something and served it to me, and the tea I drank changed a part of me for good.
I told Trevor that I just wanted to keep walking, so we did. We walked for an hour or so, anywhere, not talking, thinking and not thinking, taking it all in. We ended up by an old volcanic mountain that looked like an immense pile of peanut butter. Steam rose out of certain areas; people would cook eggs in the ultra hot springs and the egg shells would come out black. There was a lot of black bark and dead eerie trees and in the distance we could see Mount Fuji. I dropped my bag and stared at the mountain. I wondered how much people would be willing to pay to see the most beautiful parts of the world, if anyone would ever be willing to sell their soul. Trevor was saying something but I couldn't hear him, couldn't understand anything. I just stared at the mountain, and something inside of me stared back at me. In the end, after an eternity, I vaguely heard some of Trevor’s lyrics and he sang,
I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take,
When people run in circles it’s a very, very
Mad world, it’s a mad world.
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Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
I JUST got back from Japan. Hakone was mad. IF you have a chance, pay for an overpriced ticket in the toy museum cos theres some trippedo ut dolls there. Also get to the fish markets for the best sushi EVER.
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
I have a feeling our paths collided, Brenton!
Comment by Brenton
Dr Spin
Tales From The Other Side
Blip Blog
Gadget Museum
Comment by Lara M
Love Speaks
Food Slate
Live it!
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
*sigh* its like coming home ...
Hope the New Year unfolds its days with all the opportunity, abundance and bliss you seek.
Lilla ...
PS thsoe trees are something else!
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
I sent you a comment in Enviro. There's something about seeing a bit of the world that can't be fully described by words or photos, they can't even stay in the memory as well as the moment you actually see it. I guess that's what makes those moments so worthwhile. Stay tuned - plenty more to come!
Comment by Mountain Fog
I now live vicariously through your exploits...
sigh...
cheers..
fog