i left sendai for the 3rd and final time on a highway bus to morioka. i had waited and waited, but the still wasn't a single blossom in iwate park. i wasn't the only ohanami enthusiest there, though. there were serveral big company parties going on as (badly) planned. it was cold. i couldn't even busk up a buck before abandoning the whole scean for that of the smoky, familiar interior of Mr. Donut. i sat there listening to music and waiting for the salary men in the park to get smashed. when the time was ripe (it doesn't take that long), i headed back in. as i approached i could hear a guitar playing! excellent! instant friends to be made!
the guitar was in the hats of a cowboy hat wearing couple singing with a battery powered amp and passing a menue of their repertoire. i watched them work. mediocre at best, but with a few of the drunk employees being pressured into singing karaoke they were quite a hit! the woman asked for compensation (this dosen't even sound that rude in japanese) and passed a hat - man, they made a small killing - more than i would make all night. i introduced myself. they felt bad for stealing all the business, they being loud and only a few parties going on that night. i told them i was on break - i would watch. i sat down with the loose ties and red faces, drinking their beer and watching the couple work. another score.
by this time all the people were clearing out of the cold. i got invited to join the buyskers for dinner in the car - the party left-overs they had just rounded up. of course, i jumped on it. i sat in the passenger seat next to the man and his wife sat on the bed in the back. they spoke pretty good english, "we've raised 4 kids with this guitar." they were christians - even did a lot of missionary work. i got the whole wild story, really glad i met them.
i rocked back up to my capsule hotel around 1:00 am that night. i was ready to turn in, but the 5 guys in the entrance way were so clearly in a band that had just played a show that i couldn't turn down their invite. i got to talk to some really cool guys making new music and getting somewhere with it - some of the groups had toured with a few bands i know and love, both american and japanese. really nice guys too.
the next day was a long 4 rides to akita - took all day. but i had finally found some cherries! i rocked up there and made freinds in no time. i met a cool irish chick, lorraine, and her japanese friends who play music together. we jamed, it was good - that girl can sing. later their friend rocked up and whisked us all off to a night in smoky, dimly-lit art galleries and speak-easies. we all crashed on lorraine's floor that night.
i ran to a market in the morning and we whipped up a hell-of-a breakfast! the weather was unreal perfect! we all rolled back to the park and just crashed out under those white puffs and chilled. that was yesterday- i'm still not recovered.
beautiful mountains
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