Oops, I didn't finish yesterday's game. So after the 4th inning, I left my real seat, and went wandering around.
The Carp were pretty much getting owned due to a 6-run inning by the Buffalo. The fans just kept cheering, though. They had this funny up-and-down move that I took a video of.
Anyway, I got up to where the smoking areas are, and discovered udon bowls! You get a ticket from a vending machine, then give it to the ladies behind the counter, who make your bowl. I spent 15 minutes trying to figure out the characters on the machine, eventually narrowing it down to 2 (because the others, I deduced, said "meat"), then gave up and guessed. But I guessed tofu! So it was all good. And when I was eating my excellent udon, it occured to me that I needed a picture of it, so I asked the couple next to me if they could take one. They did, and right afterwards this guy came up to me and asked if he could take a picture of me and my udon (with my camera). Oookay. He then started practicing his English on me (he was at the game with his "subordinates"), and got my e-mail before leaving. It was a bit strange. Meanwhile, during all of this, I got more balloon release pictures. Yeah!
After the game, I made my back to Hiroshima Station, and called Laura to tell her the change in plans before getting on the shinkansen.
Laura met me at her subway stop in Osaka- she's REALLY friendly, and easy to get along with. I'm very glad Lisa had this connection for me. We ate conveyer belt sushi (!!!!) for dinner, which was excellent. I am sleeping on Laura's counch, in her tiny tiny apartment. My feet hang off the armrest of said couch, but hey, it's a free place to stay, so I'm not complaining at all. I should buy Laura a scarf or something while I'm here.
Today...KOSHIEN! You hear all about this stadium, and how nice it is...all true. It's a lot like Fenway. The strangest things here make me happy- like seeing grass mowed in an actual pattern-grid thing (not to mention seeing the grass itself). There's still dirt in the infield, which I still don't get, however.
The tiger mascots look like mice.
This is such a beautiful stadium. The concourse is old and not that impressive, but it's way better than Hiroshima and it's noncoucourse (noncourse). I love the ivy-covered walls all around the outside. I still can't find a stadium teamstore, but there are a bunch of stalls outside, and I'll hit those up. It's my last game! So sad...
It's interesting that this stadium is in a suburb, not Osaka proper. It's about a 15-20 minute train ride out of the city. I was trying to think of an equivalent in the States, but could't. Shea? Oakland? Don't know.
The team anthems are all majestic!
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