So this set of pictures is from last week. I've been rather busy, and as such haven't had time to update the blog. These pictures are from our semi-final game against Tama; who like to gouge eyeballs and generally play below the law. Such is the way with Japanese teams who aren't physically strong enough to compete legally. Bastards.
Anyway, I'm going to put some more pictures up tonight, and I'll annotate those tomorrow.
This first picture is our winger. He thinks he's a fly half, but he really isn't. There's always a cheeky smile going on around him though, which makes super closeup perfect for this guys face.
Yamagen is the club manager. He's helped me a ton since I started playing for the Gaijin, and he even recommended me for the national 7's trials. A nice guy, even if we can't talk because I'm terrible at Japanese, and he's terrible at English. His written language is pretty good though, for some reason. Maybe he reads forms all day.
Neither French nor Spanish, this basque ambassador always starts fights, and subsequently gets sent off. I think his record is 1 minute on the field before being yellow carded.
I took this picture because the taxi doors close themselves in Japan. Look, no hands ma!
The ground we played at was on top of a department store, undergoing repairs by the looks of things. The scale of development is quite incredible - the number of different organisations that must come together in order to build something of this size on such prime real estate is mind boggling. Or it might all be owned by one of the mega corporations that own Japan; a more likely scenario now that I think about it.
This was in one of the flower beds, I don't know what it means, what it stands for or why it's there, but it's 'cute,' (if that's your kind of thing) so it sums up Japan quite conveniently.
Our actual fly-half, getting on in years and only three feet tall, weighing as much as a newborn; still does a job and tackles everything.
The guy who forgot our kit in the previous game (match report link here) who plays centre, and enables a number of options with decent distribution (even if he's stopped giving me the ball, preferring the other centre!).
We lost to Tama by 1 point, so this kind of sums up the long walk home mood of the team. We should have gone through, and I personally had three opportunities to ensure we made it to the final. I am bitterly disappointed in my own performance, it simply wasn't good enough.
The long walk home.
Just a random couple riding past on a bicycle. I don't know why I took this picture.
There was a giant ferris wheel at the place. I don't know why.
The same ferris wheel. It really was rather large.
The ubiquitous bicycle picture.
This random guy turned up when we were ruing the loss, only to turn on an mp3 player and start blasting music to no one but himself. Bizarre.
Mao had shoulder surgery the week before this game, and the great big Samoan was sorely missed.
It's traditional (insofar as paper was invented) for Japanese people to give each other business cards at every opportunity. I managed to take a picture of this guy as he handed one to me.
I like taking pictures when something is in the foreground, so the subject is actually only a small part of the overall picture. I don't know why.
Another Fijian, big Joe and I have a bet to see who will score the most tries this season. As the season is over, I don't know who has the highest tally. Considering I haven't scored in a while, and he always scores one or two a game, I'm guessing he beat me out.
Jesse, whose shorts I lost (and someone else found) talking to someone.
I couldn't decide what was more interesting to photograph, Jesse or the water. I took both, to make sure I had the right one.
I took a couple of pictures of these two, but I don't know which one is better. Answers on a postcard.
And the second of the two.
Do not feed pigeons. Ever.
When you're least expecting it, I'm there with the camera.
Natsu is the other guy who helped me go to the national trials. He translated my form for me, and helped me work out where the station was, and what time it began. Thanks Natsu!
Not the most flattering photo, but he's been an enormous help to me and the team, so he deserves two pictures.
The Fijian contingent is quite strong in the gaijin, and they love showing up for the photographs.
Part one of the series entitled: 'Why I don't have pictures taken of me.'
Part two, sporting a fetching burger.
Joe trying to steal the burger.
It's rare to see a Fijian not laughing or smiling.
But here is one such picture.
I wonder if he's doing a supermodel face?
Or a stroke? Then again, I don't come off any better in any of these photographs.
Something funny on that phone.
Not looking.
He's got that bloody camera again.
He's just been told that he owes me a thousand yen.
Nik, looking how I felt.
Jesse, walking into an out of focus ferris wheel.
Everyone seems to have kids, and they go around attaching themselves to pretty much whoever wants to give them attention.
Liam has a stock photo face. This is it.
Poor Sean, full after being made to drink too much.
Peekaboo.
Another one where someone isn't looking; it gets some nice pictures on occasion.
A picture of a person with a camera taking a picture of a person.
Let's go home.
The same deal as before, whoever has the patience for kids will put up with them. It's a really friendly bunch.
Teaching the kids how to use technology at a really early age.
I would say he wasn't expecting the picture, but every time I turned around he was pulling a face, expecting me. A difficult subject to capture.
Some guy looking for money under a vending machine.
The natural disposition of a Fijian; laughter.
Bored of having pictures taken of him.
And finally, a woman in a kimono that I met on the way home. They normally have interesting patterns of flowers and whatnot, but this one was more abstract which made it interesting in itself.
And that's it. Check back later for some more pictures.