Valentines Day is quite a big deal in Japan. Girls spend hours on the day before melting chocolate down and re-casting it in little silver foil patty pans, or making chocolate cakes, or chocolate chip cookies, putting them in little plastic bags and tying them up with ribbons, and giving them all to boys or whatever on the day.
Handmade stuff (meaning bought chocolate melted down and re cast) is supposed to mean that there is some genuine affection or whatever between the giver and the reciever, but pre-packaged stuff is more often than not 'giri-choco', chocolate given out of a sense of duty, or not wanting to be seen as not giving any.
The first time I was in Japan over Valentines Day, for some reason I recieved a chocolate or two from a few different sources, this time though... not a sausage. Yuka K did let me sample the biscuits she was making yesterday, and these ones count as real 'handmade' (I've yet to see anyone melt down and re-form a biscuit and the result be successful). Choc-chip too, so, very yummy.
I guess its a cultural thing, but over here its strictly a girls-give-to-boys situation. The confectioners cash in on this by having a repeat performance on the 14th of MARCH, where anyone who recieved chocolates on Valentines Day is supposed to give chocolate back (hopefully not the same ones, though if its Nana's after dinner mints, I guess thats OK). They call that one White Day. No idea why.
Still havent quite got used to the idea of Valentines Day being anything important - its to me just always been a 'Hallmark Holiday'. If you need a special day to be with the one you love, something isnt quite right. But.. I guess, its as good an excuse as any to have some fun, and that fun is always much better had when there isnt ten thousand kilometres and the worlds largest puddle in the way. In about an hour or so Sarah should be awake, so I'l give her a call then.
This time difference thing wouldnt be that much of a problem if I got up really early, ive decided, but that happening regularly is about as likely as a camel weaving a tapestry. Who knows.
Seems that I cant actually post photos on this website without paying for the privelidge, so I guess setting up a seperate photo page is the way to go for now. You can get there by clicking on the wombat to your right, and should be able to get back to here from there as well. I'll make sure to take good care of that page too, once I get a way of connecting my camera up... Ive gone and left the USB cable with my computer in Sendai, instead of bringing it, so I cant do anything yet...
Have a good weekend everyone!
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