DAY 15 - San Jose, Ice Hockey and Ice Skating - 15th Dec

My aunt took me around Fremont this morning, showed me the park etc, my cousin's high schools, then I got dropped off at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, for the San Jose Sharks ice hockey match.


Fans walking to the HP Pavilion, the Pavilion itself and the pregame show

OMFG was it fantastic. I've been waiting to see a live hockey match for YEARS, ever since I first saw the Mighty Ducks and became absolutely obsessed with ice hockey. It was San Jose Sharks vs Dallas Stars, the first 2 periods were fantastic with some great goals and great fights, but San Jose totally lost all momentum and energy in the last period and ultimately lost which sucked.





Megan, Tracey and their 2 cousins Michelle and Frankie (Hey, ho) came as well. Frankie is only 13 but can pass for at least 16, and is the only 13 year old I've seen who's taller than my brother. We ate expensive subs made by Viets after the game. I've since discovered that San Jose is very much Viettown and much of North California is Asianfied, more so than Southern California.


frankie, me and michelle outside the Pavillion, frankie is 13, michelle is 12, go figure the height difference. Sights of San Jose

We were meant to go skate at the downtown outside ice rink afterwards. However there was a 25min wait to get on the slushy small piece of crap they called a rink for an overpriced $14. So instead Frankie called his dad to pick us up and go to the local rink. Got to the local rink, and after picking up my jaw off the floor (cause I realised they had 3 rinks in the one complex, with one dedicated solely to hockey) we found out that the public session didn't start until 7:30pm. It was a saturday and no public session till then? stupid. Anyhoo, I resisted the urge to by skates and Sharks merchandise, but it was still only 5:30 so we decided to crash back at Frankie's (hey ho) house till it was time.

At Frankie's house, the one Megan and family are staying at, we got fed, like in any Asian family and killed time on Guitar Hero, which was boring yet strangely addictive.

Time to skate? yeeehaawww

Coolest thing about US rinks? They actually hire out proper hockey skates...like OMFG...HEAVEN. I carved up the rink but I was disappointed with the amount of people (there were heaps) and the actual lack of awesome skaters. I think I might have actually encountered better skaters at Macquarie. But then again this is California.

It was Michelle's first time on the ice and by the end of the session she was doing awesome.



And what more is there to love? The last 30min the direction was changed so your skates got less of a wear and tear on one side and you can develop your weaker leg. I had no idea exactly how weak my right leg was until I was forced to do right crossovers. But omfg, I can almost stop in the other direction now. I wish Aussie skate rinks did this, my skates would be balanced and I can turn right and not only left like an anti-zoolander.

Overall, awesome, awesome day.