Are They Sure? ― 2021/12/02
Image retrieved from 福岡国際マラソン｜トップページ (fukuoka-marathon.com)
Although Japanese government intends to stop all inbound flights to Japan due to the newly found CORONA-19 variant, there has been no public announcement regarding an international marathon race on coming Sunday while a major figure skate competition has been canceled.
It only two days to the event, and running people may have a special emotion toward this historical race as this time is its last event.
We just have to wait and see whether the race will be held and what would happen if nearly a hundred of non-masked men run across the city and at least thousands of people gather along the course to "cheer" the runners. Actually, there is a rumor (or a conspiracy theory) that because of the major gymnastic competition in October, only Kitakyushu City, which hosted the event, still has newly found infection cases and micro clusters while there have bee no or near zero newly confirmed cases in other cities and towns in Fukuoka Prefecture.
Fukuoka City government also still seems to intend to hold an international swimming competition in the summer next year. The officials are inviting people to volunteer and restaurants and shops to offer "Gaijin-friendly" services, such as religiously acceptable meals, free Wi-Fi, English websites, multi-language menus and so on. Which, I wonder, means that they do not take the "bubble" system--the visitors could freely wander around the city taking public transportations and mixing with the locals...I don't think at the moment it is good for the both parties. The visitors might bring back unknown Japan-original virus to their homeland, and we might be infected with unfamiliar viruses.
Again, I know it was not easy to be the host town of such a big event and lot of people and jobs are at stake. But how about the "Omotenashi"? Why they try to expose us the taxpayer to show a good face to people who might never come here again, spending our own tax? I am sorry for being such narrow-minded.
Christmas Comes Again ― 2021/12/03
We seem to have decided to allow ourselves to feel a bit of festive cheer.
Damages Have Been Done, but... ― 2021/12/03
I saw so many shops and eateries closed probably due to the pandemic. Good bye Otowa Zushi in Tenjin.
Good bye Caffee Veloce where I used to treat myself with a cup of coffee and a couple of cigarettes when I was a smoker.
However, there seems some signs that indicates businesses are slowly getting back to how they used to be...hopefully.
This notice reads: we are currently recruiting our staff members. As soon as we hire enough number of people to serve you, we will resume the business.
Sounds hopeful!
In department stores, chairs have back in the basement food floors. They have been missed for a long time. Department stores may regain their former glory some day.
Marukyo Goes Upmarket ― 2021/12/04
Since it received a major makeover, I guess my local Marukyo has gradually tilted toward upmarket products.
Along with locally grown, straight-from-the-field vegetables and slightly more expensive seasonings, such as Ninben's noodle source and Sendai Miso, it has even started stocking Dove Pasteuriser 77, a disinfectant containing 77% of alcohol and Okay to be directly sprayed onto food.
This is a big step for a local grocery store that used to provide its customers with used cardboard boxes instead of plastic bags and sell something looking like meat labelled as "犬（dog）". I believe the label meant to say "for your dogs" for over thirty years.
Today's Cat ― 2021/12/06
Tsushima san!
Where Is My Promised Land? ― 2021/12/06
I began to read a bit about local governance to know why they look so ineffective and unproductive and make me annoyed.
From what I have read so far, the heads of local government can be more powerful than I had imagined, and its virtually entirely up to them whether they listen to our small voices or not. Their focus is on running the city without producing deficits, rather than looking after the people. Which looks like, to me, running a company without taking care of the shareholders.
If my understanding so far is right, there might be better managed (or managed in ways with which I can be happy with) cities...Further study is needed.
Forced Through ― 2021/12/06
Despite concerns of some worried residents, including me, the international marathon race took place yesterday with a cheering crowd along the course.
A runner said that he could hear encouraging voices from the roadside ...which means people shouted at the runners...splashing their saliva...although most of the spectators worn masks.
If nothing happens in two weeks time, I will believe how mighty masks are and start going everywhere I want to go regardless how crowded the places are. Because the mask almighty will protect me!
A Half Day Excursion on Bus ― 2021/12/08
For the first time in a nearly couple of years, today I launched a half-day excursion with our equivalent of MegaRider bus ticket.
Image retrieved from 福岡市内1日フリー乗車券｜お得なきっぷ｜バス情報｜西鉄グループ (nishitetsu.jp)
As you may well know, we have very well established bus route here in Fukuoka. I thought just popping on and off the bus should save me a fortune while seeing around almost tourist-free city. And I wanted a new pair of geriatric shoes for winter.
Started at the bottom of Fukuoka tower, I headed southbound, passing Fukuoka Dome and Mark Is shopping mall where a random assault case took place last year. The bus run smoothly.
Change the buss at Yakuin to Hirao, I arrived at my first destination, a fancy donuts shop selling "good-for-you" (is it possible?) donuts made from "healthy" ingredients (again, do such things really exist?) Anyway, the shop was a very lovely and nice place and I received very warm welcome.
But, life is not always perfect. Could you share my surprise? A donut cost 270 yen...No wonder why the servers were so friendly...The donuts itself was nice and delicious.
But damage has been done at the very beginning.
Knowing I'd better walk, I got on the bus to go to the third stop to see a newly opened (I mean, "new" for me. In fact the shop was opened last year, but I was not brave enough to go out when unnecessary) shoes shop run by a local shoes manufacturer.
The shop looked aloof,
but once I spoke to the shop assistant she was quite informative and gave me a right amount and degree of advice without being bossy. I got my second-generation geriatric shoes (6050 yen) after a lot of trying-on.
With my new shoes, I then headed northbound on foot. After dropping in at some shops without just for browsing (for the first time since the CORONA-19 panic started!), I had my second break for the day at Mos Burger with Yakiniku Rice Burger with hot tea (670 yen altogether),
and started walking again.
From Akasaka, I took bus again to Tojinmachi ... only to find and get disappointed that the bakery I was going to was closed..
Instead, I got some deadstocked tableware at a hardware store paying almost the same amount of money I would have spent on buns.
Small bowl 300yen
Plate 500yen and 800yen
After shopping some veggies for dinner, I returned to Fukuoka Dome on foot and finished my excursion.
So, how much I could save with the bus?
If I pay for every single ride, I would have spent as following:
My nearest bus stop ￥210,
Fukuoka Tower to Yakuin ￥240,
Yakuin to Hirao ￥150,
Hirao to Shinkawacho ￥150,
Akasaka to Tojinmachi ￥190,
Fukuoka Dome to Fukuoka Tower￥190 and
Fukuoka Tower to My nearest bus stop ￥210
that makes ￥1340 in total.
How should I interpret this amount...better than less than 1000 yen but not as much as I imagined.
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