ndirienzo
New member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2011
- Location
- Davis, CA
- Moto(s)
- 2011 Triumph Tiger 800 XC, 2009 Triumph Speed Triple. 2007 Triumph Speed Triple (RIP)
Here's another round of photos for you all. I've been swamped with my research and writing a couple manuscripts, but I've still managed to get out and have some fun
Round 1 is here: http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405076
Round 2 is here: http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406035
Might as well throw up a few more pictures for you all
All prepped to prepare brain and take hemolyph (insect blood, basically) samples for HPLC analysis.
I tend to wake up early, so I just walk in to campus and start work rather than waste time in my small apartment. I always enjoy how quite it is at 6:30am.
Ivy on one of the dorms
Stopped at this neat little fishing marina on the way to a whiskey distillery. Here's a 180 degree pano of it. Excuse the crappy light
http://www.nicholasdirienzo.com/Other/Japan/i-BhpWc59/0/XL/marina-XL.jpg[img]
The fishermen use these lights to catch squid, as they (the squid, not the fishermen) are attracted to bright lights at night.
[img]http://www.nicholasdirienzo.com/Other/Japan/i-cRcN679/0/XL/IMG7400-XL.jpg
They have some pretty large beetles out here. This is the closest I've come to seeing one.
Got a chance to go to one of the oldest whiskey distilleries in Japan. Beer is taxed very heavily, but whiskey not as much. So, a 6-pack of crappy beer costs about $12usd, while a 500ml bottle of nice local single malt cost about $14. You can guess which one I buy!
It's almost always Japanese people touring the distillery, which is reflected in that you can have as many free whiskeys as you want in the tasting room... Most Japanese people would only have one or two. Me, being a big American had 4. You can't pass up free 17 year old single malt scotch!
Tastings of this were definitely not free!
Just a view from a short hike I went on after the distillery. Here's a google map if you feel like exploring: http://goo.gl/maps/KKA5
a view in the other direction
Went to the Sapporo brewery for dinner... amazing
Dinner at the brewery was an all you can eat Genghis Khan BBQ... endless lamb, cabbage, sprouts, and onion. This is the husband of one of the other JSPS fellows
Oh, and did I mention that it's all you can drink, too!
So, this is a picture of one of the other fellows with two random teenagers. Before this they both followed me into the bathroom and wouldn't let me leave until I took a picture with each of them hanging from one of my arms while flexing. I'm the typical strongfat weightlifter, so I'm much larger than the average Japanese person. Apparently, they really were intrigued by me. They asked in rough English where I was from, and I replied "California." They immediately responded with a "oooooohh?! Arnold Schwarzenegger, yes?"
that's me on the left... my size also results in a lot of people wanting to arm wrestle me. This picture was taken by a friend with her camera that got splatter in grilled lamb grease, so please excuse the quality. Oh, and I managed to get through all those beers
The long walk home with a slight drizzle was rather refreshing after a night of drinking!
Seems like a good point to end it for the night. Thanks for looking!
Round 1 is here: http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=405076
Round 2 is here: http://bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=406035
Might as well throw up a few more pictures for you all
All prepped to prepare brain and take hemolyph (insect blood, basically) samples for HPLC analysis.
I tend to wake up early, so I just walk in to campus and start work rather than waste time in my small apartment. I always enjoy how quite it is at 6:30am.
Ivy on one of the dorms
Stopped at this neat little fishing marina on the way to a whiskey distillery. Here's a 180 degree pano of it. Excuse the crappy light
http://www.nicholasdirienzo.com/Other/Japan/i-BhpWc59/0/XL/marina-XL.jpg[img]
The fishermen use these lights to catch squid, as they (the squid, not the fishermen) are attracted to bright lights at night.
[img]http://www.nicholasdirienzo.com/Other/Japan/i-cRcN679/0/XL/IMG7400-XL.jpg
They have some pretty large beetles out here. This is the closest I've come to seeing one.
Got a chance to go to one of the oldest whiskey distilleries in Japan. Beer is taxed very heavily, but whiskey not as much. So, a 6-pack of crappy beer costs about $12usd, while a 500ml bottle of nice local single malt cost about $14. You can guess which one I buy!
It's almost always Japanese people touring the distillery, which is reflected in that you can have as many free whiskeys as you want in the tasting room... Most Japanese people would only have one or two. Me, being a big American had 4. You can't pass up free 17 year old single malt scotch!
Tastings of this were definitely not free!
Just a view from a short hike I went on after the distillery. Here's a google map if you feel like exploring: http://goo.gl/maps/KKA5
a view in the other direction
Went to the Sapporo brewery for dinner... amazing
Dinner at the brewery was an all you can eat Genghis Khan BBQ... endless lamb, cabbage, sprouts, and onion. This is the husband of one of the other JSPS fellows
Oh, and did I mention that it's all you can drink, too!
So, this is a picture of one of the other fellows with two random teenagers. Before this they both followed me into the bathroom and wouldn't let me leave until I took a picture with each of them hanging from one of my arms while flexing. I'm the typical strongfat weightlifter, so I'm much larger than the average Japanese person. Apparently, they really were intrigued by me. They asked in rough English where I was from, and I replied "California." They immediately responded with a "oooooohh?! Arnold Schwarzenegger, yes?"
that's me on the left... my size also results in a lot of people wanting to arm wrestle me. This picture was taken by a friend with her camera that got splatter in grilled lamb grease, so please excuse the quality. Oh, and I managed to get through all those beers
The long walk home with a slight drizzle was rather refreshing after a night of drinking!
Seems like a good point to end it for the night. Thanks for looking!
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