Sendai

Total distance travelled so far = 2014km

Heidi let me crash at her cool pad in Sendai. Nice apartment, right in the same building as her school! I had to ride the bicycle 15 minutes, through a blizzard, uphill to my school each day. Heidi has to take an elevator.



Sendai is kinda like if Tokyo had a money shot that went a little wild and ended way up north. They have the same silly shit like gothic lolitas, big 400cc scooters, girls in high heels and stunner shades, and Louis Vuitton bag stores on every corner. But a short train ride in either direction gets you to some amazing spots. East is Matsushima, and west is Yamadera.



First day I went east. Heidi's coworker Kerin and I took the bike to one of the 3 most scenic spots in Japan. Yes, they have a top 3 scenic spots. Matsushima is a bay speckled with pine covered islands.



It's pretty stunning. But the ride out was pretty much a pain. Go - Stop - Go - Stop. I would have paid for the expressway, if there had been one.



Mmmmm... ox tounge steamed buns. No Flavor. And yes, you can get ox tongue omiyage. It's a nice shiny box with a massive smoked tongue inside.



You buy your steamed buns from a friendly character in blackface. Oh Japan... your cluelessness towards political correctness is so cute!

After a night drinking with the persian community of Sendai (don't ask), we set off to Yamadera the next day. Yamadera is a shrine with 1000 steps to get to the top. Awesome... I guess.



Hooray, this is gonna be fun!



Wow, there's some more.



Fuck this, how much further.



Yosha!!!

There was a blocked off nature trail along a river with some massive waterfalls along the way. We jumped the gate, which for all I know could have said "Tresspassers will be shot" and took the hike.





Good stuff. Didn't see one other person this whole time.



Just a toad.



OMG, I don't know what this is, but it was so fucking good. Got it at a senba shop, which are those rice crackers you see everywhere. I thought this was meat, but it was some sort of rice cracker derivative, seasoned and cooked somehow into the most awesome explosion of flavor ever. Holy fuck... I want one now. On the train home at one point, me and Kerin looked at each other, maybe 1 hour after eating these, and were just like, "delicious..." I don't think you understand. It tasted like meat, and was kind of sticky, and had this perfect texture. Let me check the train... it will only take me 7 and a half hours from where I am now to get there.