www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvg6Wf5GtQk

This uploader of this video went to Antigua, Guatemala and made a video of magma BBQ. Yes, he used a volcano to cook some meat. The real action starts at 2:21.

The verdict? The meat was pretty good, but had a grainy texture from magma getting on it. The vegetables didn’t cook very well and were still sort of raw. Seemed like it was too hot to stick around to wait for them to cook. However, it was so hot, that some of the other meat in his bag got cooked right there in the bag as he was hiking around on the volcano.

I think this could be the start of a whole new tradition of BBQ.

Technorati Tags: @BGM, Antigua, barbeque, BBQ, Guatemala, mario world, volcano, yakiniku

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJOPfP0iOIU

We interrupt our regular scheduled programming to bring you a cat in a suitcase. That is all.

Technorati Tags: AV (Animal Video), ねこ, boxing, Cat, cats, suitcases

Then boy are you in luck! Did you know Balboa park has 1,000 cherry trees donated by an anonymous Japanese benefactor? I am hosting a 花見 (hanami) this weekend at Lake Balboa (Anthony C. Beilenson Park) this weekend. Saturday, March 7th’s event, starting at 11am, is a private party that my friends and I throw every year. But I love my readers like family, so if you are interested, I want you there. Leave a comment below so I can give you more details!

If you can’t make it on Saturday, the 広島県民会 (aka HIROKEN) is having 花見 as the same place on Sunday, March 8th, 2009 at 10am. Contact hirokensocalgmail.com for more info! You can even request a 弁当 (bento) if you contact them by March 4th!

Anyway, hope to see you there!

Technorati Tags: Anthony C. Beilenson Park, さくら, はなみ, Balboa, Balboa Lake, cherry blossoms, cherry trees, 花見, hanami, Lake Balboa, sakura, spring, 春, 桜

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSv4LPlCodE

There is a crazy old suspension bridge in the deep Southern Japanese Alps that is known as 夢想吊橋 (Musou Tsuribashi). This bridge is known as “Japan’s Scariest Suspension Bridge” for good reason. First, it is very narrow. Second, it was built sometime in the 50′s, so it seems to be Japanese oldest remaining suspension bridge. Third, it is really in the middle of nowhere, which means to me that it is very far from help if something were to happen. This clip was found on ニコニコ動画 the other day. There is are also videos of him coming back from crossing it (YouTube, ニコニコ動画) and trying it on a windy day (YouTube, ニコニコ動画).

Now that I know about it, the adventurer in me wants to conquer it. Mt. Myogi, featured in yesterday’s post, is dangerous and scary because you climb up the side of it with chains because it is too steep to climb otherwise. However, I did it! Now, I want to do this. It is a metaphor for life!

The TV show (I don’t have a clip from that episode, sorry!) that it was featured on originally did not disclose the location, saying “since there is real danger of people dying here, we cannot tell you where it is.”

Fuck that. Here’s a web site telling you where it is. Hell, here’s a Google Map of its location. Remember though, if you die or get seriously injured going here, it is not my fault. I am merely providing information! This blog has a nice account of one man’s attempt to get there, with pictures!

Just to give a reference to how scary this thing is, the 2nd scariest bridge was decommissioned in 2007. This one will probably be decommissioned at some point… or it will just fall down.

Anyway, since I’m not in Japan, I can’t go, but if you do and live to tell the tale, please leave a comment! I’d love to hear about it.

Technorati Tags: bridge, danger, hiking, nature, nicovideo, outdoors, scary, Southern Japanese Alps, suspension bridge, thrill seekers

As a way to change the impression of garbage, the Garbage Bag Art Work project has designed a number of bags to help change people’s minds about garbage.

ラビット君 (Love-it! kun) is a trash bag with a little face on it. When tied up full of trash, it looks like a little rabbit! They are available here and here (probably Japan only). The idea is to be proud to be holding a bag of trash. I mean, it looks so cute, wouldn’t you want to be seen with it?

They also have color coded (for burnables, non-burnables, and recyclables) bags that look nice sitting in a big smelly heap on the side of the road.

Learn more at GBA.

[From Exciteニュース]

Technorati Tags: art, ゴミ, bag, cool, garbage, garbage bag art, product, trash, trash bag art

If you are planning to visit Japan, I highly recommend autumn, especially if you are a nature person. The weather is no longer blistering hot and the rainy season is over, so you can go outside and do some excellent hiking.

Go check out goo for the 紅葉 guide and you can check how far along the leaves are near you. And, if you don’t live in Japan, we can always live vicariously through flickr.

[Image of Akagi-yama's Kouyou, CC-by 田中十洋]

Technorati Tags: aki, autumn, 秋, 紅葉, fall, hiking, kouyou, leaves, nature, sightseeing