kEEp on kEEpin' on

konnichiwa! no major news to report today. i purchased a brand new japanese-style bike yesterday though. its marroon and rides like a caddilac. for roughly 80 US dollars, i totally got my money's worth! so i've been tooling around on it and have found it really is a great way to cover some major ground in this small town. it does provide quite the workout on some of the hills, as it does not have gears! Check out some pics from my town!
so the bicycle phenonmenon that pervades most of Japan is nonexistent in Taneichi. the town is spread out just enough that driving is a wee bit more efficient. i do have a work vehicle, but have yet to see it. in fact, i have yet to PRACTICE driving. wow, that is an entire blog site of its own! uhm, RIDING a car in japan is grounds for a nervous breakdown. the idea of DRIVING in japan is ridiculous. but i can't get out of it...in the winter months, the teeny bit of snow we do get, makes for impassable roads by bike. i did hear that i have a Toyota Hatchback. nothing new, in fact NO ONE here drives anything remotely NEW by american standards. i will snap some shots of the local "dealership" for those of you not catching my drift...I have seen a couple Subarus, tons of Toyotas (in makes and models NEVER found in the States)and ONE VW Golf! HA! The actual make of car is unusual, but efficient and appropriate for the climate and conditions. The Japanese culture seems much more economical that what I am accustomed to back home. Living within their means, conserving and maximizing everything from energy to water to fuel to food to electricity. I mean the way you live your life is completly switched when the focus is on the good for OTHERS or for the ENVIRONMENT...I mean I don't especially like taking baths all the time and then washing my clothes in old bath water, BUT with 150 million people in the space of California....you do what you gotta do yknow?