Hai from Hakodate!
Trip Start
Apr 30, 2009
1
5
17
Trip End
Jun 05, 2009
Hakodate, Japan
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Hakodate (pronounced Hack-o-dah-tay) is a lovely port on the island of Hokkaido in Japan. It is famous for seafood. Isn't it interesting though that this simple word 'seafood' can mean different things depending on your culture and upbringing.
For Brad and I, looking forward to 'seafood' kind of (naively) meant "we'll have some prawns, calamari and hot chips next to the sea. Ok, throw in some crab legs and a wedge of lemon". In Hakodate, seafood means 'catch heaps of weird shit from the ocean and steam it, wrap it in seaweed or put it in soup with a boiled egg'. C'mon. This place is known for its squid. There's a STATUE of a squid. Do you think we could get a little bag of calamari? The morning markets were pretty interesting though. It reminded us of the Queen Vic markets in Melbourne (you know, except with dried cuttlefish and sea urchin burgers...)
Today we really wanted to see some Cherry Blossoms and landscaped gardens. We decided to navigate the local bus system and go to Goryoukaku (Go-roo-kah-koo) Park. Brad's Japanese is really coming along too. He used it today asking a random local waiting with us if he had the right change for the bus:
Brad (points to sign): Goryoukaku?
Local man: Hai (yes)
Brad (holds out 230 Yen): Good yen for bus?
Local Man (checks the yen): Hai. (switches to English): You good. Australia?
Brad (switches to Spanish suddenly): Si (yes). (switches to Japanese): I mean Hai. (then switches to Homer Simpson): Doh!!!
Local man (also fluent in Homer Simpson): Doh!!
Good job.
Goryoukaku in spring is Cherry Blossom heaven! There were trees everywhere, with snow-capped hills and fabulous Japanese geometric touches everywhere. We were absolutely gobsmacked. And it was all free! We'll let the photos tell the story!
Comments
Hai
Love the verbalisation!
Brad good aussie speak