Cockroach Cojones

I’ve developed a new routine over here that I like to partake in about every two weeks. I’ve also got new friends to share the routine with. Frequently my dinner consists of raw fish (sashimi or Nigirizushi), soba noodles or beer (very nourishing). But every week to two weeks I need to break out of these habits. If I can get out of work early enough and get to the grocery store before the main rush, I like to pick up some bell peppers ($2.00 for one small), oversized green onions (these things are 2-3 feet long!), and some nice Kobe beef steaks. A quick seasoning of the steaks and a light sauté of the beef and vegetables in some good quality soy sauce and that is one easy and fantastic meal especially when topped off with a Sapporo bomber. I’m really going to miss Kobe beef when I get back to the U.S.

After the meal, I make my way down to my apartment’s outside patio area along the river and enjoy a Cuban cigar, usually a Montecristo #4 which is one of my favorites.
I’ve included a night shot of the outside patio area.

Not the best since it was taken with my blackberry.

The first time I enjoyed this routine and was sitting at one of the tables, I happened to glance down and thought I saw a lot of leaves moving in the wind. Except it wasn’t windy and there’s no leafy trees in the immediate area. When I used my blackberry camera flash on the ground, I realized it wasn’t leaves but cockroaches moving around.

These things are pretty robust. About 1-2 inches in length but they have wide bodies and really hard shells (discovered when I applied my foot to one of them). The amazing thing is that they don’t run when you come at them. If anything, they’ll come running at you. The one I crunched was really done in self defense. I swear that thing was eyeing me up like a Kobe beef steak. Now I’m sort of used to them. We’ve reached a mutual truce. When I come outside for a smoke, they leave me alone and when they swarm a small passing Japanese citizen, I leave them to their meal.