22nd Birthday

Now I know I said before that my next post was gonna be about festivals here in Sapporo. But seeing as I don't have any photos with me at the moment I figure I'd save that for the next post and go on a bit about what happened on my 22nd b'day last week.

Well what can I say besides the fact that it was a memorable night. It started off innocent enough. Meet in the city at 6pm. It was basically just me, Chris, Brian, Cody and Heath. So thats most of the exchange students there...first place they take me...a maid cafe. Now for those not familiar with the fetishes of the Japanese, let me enlighten you what a maid cafe is...it`s a cafe where all the waitresses are dressed up in French maid uniforms...lovely...so we all end up drinking coffee there. And pretty expensive coffee at that - ￥500 for a regular type glass. I guess you pay for the staff in the uniforms. In any case, before we left, Chris and Brian request that they get a photo of me and the waitresses...I tell you this now because if I ever show you guys the photos of my 22nd b'day, you'll be able to put it all in context and not think I'm some weirdo with a maid fetish...ahem...anyway...

Next was dinner...nothing flash...just curry and rice at the Little Spoon. Next...on to an 居酒屋 (izakaya - Japanese type bar/restaurant) for 飲み放題 (all you can drink...but I'm sure you all knew that already). This place we visit quite often. The staff are pretty cool...a few of them are 札大 (Sapporo University) students. Anyway it just so happens that tonight it was all you can drink...all night...for about ￥1080. We got there at about 8.30pm or so...which meant that it was 4hrs...all you can drink...usually these 飲み放題s are pretty cheap but tonight was like extra cheap. So how does the night start off...first drink...whiskey shots. Please note that we asked for SHOTS...but what they bring out is this huge glass thats filled with whiskey!! There was probably about 3-4 shots worth in one of those. And naturally what do we do? We down the whole thing in one go...good way to start the night...and whilst we were waiting for our next drinks to come (i ordered a screwdriver - vodka and orange juice) i notice that there was an actual shot glass of whiskey that someone didn't drink...and so what do I do? I down that shot of course. So as the night continues we drink more...at least 2 more screwdrivers...another huge glass of whiskey...a whiskey and coke as well...or was it 2 of those??...cant remember...

At this point, I was pretty toasted...that was when my b'day surprise came...we it wasn't so much a surprise since I was expecting it...but it was a shock nonetheless. Now at this place that we're drinking...when it's somebody's b'day the bar staff do something special for the b'day person...they come running out in nothing but underwear...and do a little dance for you. And at times...they get a little too close to you. So imagine my shock when I see 4 guys...in nothing but underwear run out and start doing a little dance behind me. One of the guys...まさ...who is a fellow 札大 student wasn't working that day...but decided to join in the dance wearing the hard gay costume. If you guys don't know who hard gay is...google it...you'll find out...

Right well...the night's getting interesting. So it's around midnight now and Brian and Cody decide to catch the last train back home. Me, Chris and Heath on the other hand...weren't quite ready to go yet. And while Chris was picking up these two Japanese girls sitting behind us, I ordered my last drink...another huge glass of whiskey...good way to finish off the drinking session really...And so upon leaving the 居酒屋, we (me,Chris,Heath,the two Japanese girls and ひがし - this Japanese dude I met at a club a while back) decided to go to karaoke - for 6hrs - all you can drink. However, being quite drunk already I didn't really drink that much at karaoke.

In any case...by the time we finished it was about 6am. The first trains are running. Happy joy. We catch the train back to ふくずみ (Fukuzumi) station then walk the 20mins it takes to get from the station back to our apartments. The time now is about 7am. Did I mention that I had class at 9am??..Well I did...and being the good student that I am...I decided to turn up. I hadn't had a shower yet and my head was still spinning. Luckily, the class is a bludge and you don't really have to pay attention in it...hehe...but at least now I know what it's like to turn up to class still buzzed and with a killer hang over...

GO AUSSIES!!!

I was gonna post something about the Yosakoi Dance Festival that took place last week...but i think I`ll save that for my next post and go on a bit about the World Cup...Japan vs. Australia...

Deciding where to watch the game was difficult...especially when most of your friends don`t know where a decent sports bar is...and so me and Cody (one of my American friends) hit Susukino with the hopes of finding a decent bar to watch the game in...a place where there are plenty of Japanese people and alcohol...and well...lets just say...mission accomplished.

We asked a dude on the street where would be a good place to watch the game and he told us that everyone was going to "King Xhumu" to watch it...now...this place is known as being one of the better trance clubs in Susukino so I was kinda surprised...but he was right...imagine a club like Sublime/Home in Sydney...completely PACKED...with Japanese people...most of them wearing the Samurai Blue colours and are big soccer fans...and me being one of the only Australians in the club...all watching the game on this massive screen...this was gonna be interesting.

The entry fee was expensive though...￥1500...including one free drink...expensive but well worth it considering the atmosphere. Now I said that I was one of the only Australians there...I wasn`t the only one...inside I met this guy from the Gold Coast...his name was Rhett and he had just moved to Hokkaido not too long ago...so we had two Aussies in the club now...and with Cody going for Australia as well...that was a total of three people cheering for Australia...against the hundreds of Japanese supporters in the club...Chris (dude from NZ) was there as well but he was going for Japan...and getting free drinks because of it...traitor.

The game started and everythings going fine...there`s this Japanese dude next us smack talking the Australian team but we ignored him...tis all in good fun. Japan scores a goal...the place goes nuts. And I mean really nuts. We were copping it a bit from the Japanese people we were hanging with. But I kept the faith and in the last 10mins of the game...the mood of the club went from extreme joy...to extreme depression...it was funny. When Australia scored their first goal...the crowd was still in high spirits; so you couldn`t really hear our attempts at an Aussie chant. The score was 1-1 and Japan still had a chance. Then along came the second goal. Things got a little more quiet but the Japanese fans still had hopes of a comeback. The three of us going for Australia though...we were going absolutely nuts...and getting quite a few dirty looks from a few of the Japanese who were around us. Then that final moment during injury time when Australia scored that 3rd goal...the look of horror on the Japanese`s faces...the whole club was virtually silent...broken only by the sound of 3 foreigners shouting "AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!!"...it was a kodak moment really...if only I had my camera there...

After that pretty much everyone left the club in virtual slience. Although there were the occasional few that were still chanting the Japanese chant on the streets, it was quiet. The mood wasn`t great but inside I was jumping for joy. In a way it would`ve been good if Japan had won...because Susukino would`ve been just one massive all night party if they had...and I wouldn`t be here posting on my blog if that were the case. So regardless of how the match went, it would`ve been a win win situation for me.