Japan is relatively safe. But when you talk with the Japanese people, most of them would say that crime rate here in Osaka is the highest in all of Japan. Surely, I’ve read news report on cases of theft. Strangely, I have heard rumors on stolen undies. There were also cases of stalking and rapes. I thank God that I haven’t been a victim of these (I fervently pray I won’t!). Perhaps I owe some of it to the apartment building’s security system. We have a common lobby and for someone to enter, he should have that black “digital” key. The apartment is also equipped with a number of surveillance camera. Aside from these threats, the security system spare us from dealers who go from house to house, among other things.
Lowest temperature here in Osaka today is 9C. I’m supposed to hold off using my heater until last week of November but I guess it’s already too much for me. So I’ve unpacked my small heater and now at least I’m comfortable. I can’t help but think of those homeless people roaming around Osaka. Some of them live in the banks of the Yodo River, some under the bridges. My Japanese friends told me that many homeless people die due to hypothermia. This lead me to thinking that being homeless in the Philippines might be more bearable than being homeless here in Japan. At least in the Philippines, you don’t have to battle with temperature.
A Japanese friend invited me and one of her close friends to her place. Too bad I forgot to bring my cellphone so I couldn’t share some photos. Indeed, cold weather is the best time to eat nabe and it becomes more delicious if you eat it together with people dear to you. There are lots of nabe “flavors”. One of them is Kimchi, but we got the “Bijin Nabe”. Bijin (??? is a Japanese term for “beautiful woman”. Really interesting flavor, isn’t it?
