Sunday, February 9, 2014

We're Baaaaack!


We had choke good fun.  It was cold cold cold, but I actually loved it and am already missing the snow.  I'll be slowly posting pictures as I get to um.   In the meantime here's a story that I wrote on my sister's iPad while in Japan. I thought that maybe I could post it while there but  I ended up not being able to.  It involves slick ice.  You can see what's coming already, right?

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One funny thing happened today. We decided to break from the tour group and go out on our own.  We had a busy day planned for ourselves.  Right after breakfast we walked to the Sapporo Snow Festival which is a few blocks south of our hotel. After catching all the haps at the Festival, we walked a few more blocks further south to Tokyu Hands store to do some shopping. Then we went to Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade which is about 8 blocks long. After more shopping we took a break and had a HUGE lunch there. Our final destination was Nijo Fish Market, an open market with about 60 venders.  We walked the whole way and when we were finally ready to go home about seven hours later we were really tired and loaded with plenty packages. 

We hailed a cab. He stopped for us but we were on the wrong side of the street. When the light turned for us we rushed to cross the street. That's when it happened. 

Geri slipped and fell right in front of the cab. She managed to hold on to all of her packages but her $30 can of uni came flying out of one of her bags and slid across the street ala hockey puck style.  Didi bent to help Geri up while I went to retrieve the uni. I slipped a little, but managed to stay upright.  Then I heard a gasp.  I turned in time to see Sweetie fall too.  Geri said that she glanced up at the taxi driver and saw that he was stretching his neck waaaay over the steering wheel trying to see what had happened to his four passengers. She said that his eyes and mouth were opened really wide. I'm sure that the many onlookers held similar expressions.

It took us awhile, but after dusting off all the snow from our coats, we squeezed ourselves and all of our packages into the taxi.  The ride back to the hotel took around 15 minutes. We laughed and laughed the whole drive back, recounting what had just happened. We couldn't stop talking about it. We went on and on until we were practically crying.  Sweetie sat in the front seat. I don't know if the driver could understand what we were saying, but she said that he was desperately struggling not to laugh himself. She said that she could hear his muffled chuckles. Poor guy. It musta been torture for him to remain properly behaved. 

When we got to our destination, we gave him a good tip and some chocolate-covered macadamia nuts but I think that the entertainment that we provided probably would've sufficed. 

24 comments:

:) josefina :) said...

oh boy! Glad no one got hurt! What a funny story to remember your trip to Japan!

Anonymous said...

OMG, Thanks! This put a big smile on my face. Glad no one was hurt. Looking forward to seeing the pictures and hearing more about it.

Winnie

jalna said...

I know, Jos . . . good thing nobody got hurt. People in our tour group were falling all over the place . . . and we all had ice cleats on our shoes too!

Thanks Winnie!

K and S said...

OMG, I'm glad you guys didn't get hurt!

Anonymous said...

How scary!!!!! So glad no one got hurt! But what a save!!! Welcome home to the heat and muggy honolulu a! ;)

Mark Shelby said...

Hey! I have an idea! Next time you go, take golf shoes!.....lol

Glad you made it home safe, Jalna!

Kalin's Mommy said...

Glad you had fun, good memories!

jalna said...

That woulda been baaaaad, Kat.

Thanks, Anon!

Good idea, Mark!

Thanks Mich. See you soon.

Honolulu Aunty said...

Welcome back!! Too bad no video, lol!

Leslie's pics said...

AHAHAHAHAHAAAA!! I wish I was there, I prolly woulda been on my butt with you guys :-) I was cracking up when the can of uni went hockey puck style across the street...I could just picture you chasing after it

Leslie's pics said...

oh yah, welcome home!!! missed you!!

Susan said...

Glad you all ended up laughing at the end and no one got hurt because I could not keep from laughing out loud as I read the story, I guess I was having a really good mind movie of the whole thing, lol!

jalna said...

OMG Aunty, really too bad no more video.

Hey Les . . . I know my priorities . . . food first.

It is still sooooo funny remembering what happened, Susan.

KitTKat said...

OMG dat is too funny. tears.

jalna said...

HAHAHAHAHA!! Your comment has me laughing again too, Kathy.

Erick said...

Ha, ha, that must have been so funny. Where the pictures? LOL

jalna said...

I shoulda got video yah, Erick.

Randism said...

i'm sure the taxi driver is telling his friends about the funny gaijin!

SW said...

so you were able to retrieve your can of uni? good thing it didn't get run over or cause traffic to stop...yaa! The story remind of those old Lucille Ball episodes..:-)

jalna said...

I hope he did, Rand . . . it's a funny story!

The can of uni got saved, Shun Wah. It was a very I Love Lucy moment.

Nippon Nin said...

Ha ha ha! It must be scary experience but so funny! I'm glad you had a fun trip! I can't wait to read next post.

jalna said...

Sooooo fun, Akemi!

Anonymous said...

If you could go back again what 5 things would you like to see beside the 'Snow Festival'? Also what are 5 places would you like to eat at? It could be places that you have been to or previously ate at.

jalna said...

Hi Anon. It seems that the places I would like to return to had good food and that's why I wanna go back there. Foremost on my list is a ramen restaurant at Lake Shikotsu, only because one of my sisters says the seafood ramen was the best EVER that she's eaten. Unfortunately, I don't even know the name of the restaurant. I'd also like to go back to LeTao in Otaru for the delicious cakes and sandwiches. Tanukikoji Shopping Arcade was fun. I had wanted to check out Curb Market but we didn't get to go there. Instead we went to smaller Nijo Market because it was in our area. We went to the basement food level at the department store near our hotel several times. If you're planning to go to the Snow Festival next month, have fun!!!! Do eat the food at the booths there. They were oishiii!!