Tokyo

Friends, foes,

We have just finished our first 4-night stint in Tokyo staying @ Chandheeb's girlfriend's mom's good friend's place (Lawrence - hilarious) with his Japanese girlfriend Satoko. Essentially they make us delicious delicious breakfasts and then Lawrence takes us around town to wherever we so desire. they also bicker in half english/half japanese so I have learned some good phrases through that. Satoko was quite cold @ first but since I've been attempting to speak Japanese to her she is quite warm now and calls me "Cow-kun" ie. Cal-friend

Tokyo is way way busier than it was during New Year's so we were able to do significantly more than @ Christmas. Also since Lawrence/Satoko wake up @ 7am everyday and we're all sleeping in the same room, we are up then and out of the house by 9ish, usually not home til past 930 or 10pm. So compared to classic Shapiro vacations of a)leave @ 1030, b) have 1.5 hr lunch, c) nap @ 4-7, d) dinner, e) 10pm bedtime, this is much more packed but I'm exhausted by the end of the day.

Things we've done:
a) Shinjuku sky scrapers + views (were closed @ Christmas)
b) best sushi of my life in Tokyo Harbor
c) full day in Akihabara (aka comics+electronics land) - also went to hilarious Japanese "adult entertainment shop" with some truly outrageous sexual costumes/gadgets etc, many of which have been duly photographed.
d) half day in Kappabashi aka land of amazing cookware aka Dan Shapiro central. I bought a sake jug for some reason
e) half day in Harajuku (but in superior spots to where we were @ Christmas)
f) lots of time in Ueno/Yoyogi parks respectively.. though I'm sure no one really knows what they are. They do have lots of hobos in them though...
g) Full day of biking for 2$. Much much better to see Tokyo than subway

Weather is hot and extremely humid. I mostly wear my African pants w/ tassles on them - Japanese people look @ me with disgust and are probably spitting on me in their heads. I can only assume they are going home to commit Seppuku afterwards.

Things I've noticed about Japanese:
a) 75% of their jobs are actually superfluous. Eg. construction workers stand in the same spot for hours waving a flashing light when a robot could do the same job
b) Police #1 priority is giving lost people directions. I don't think they do anything else because there is simply no violent crime
c) People's work status is related to the number of degrees they have, but one's job may not have anything to do with their university degree
d) They are scared of me and move out of my way on the sidewalk ( i am a Gaijin Daro (foreign devil))
e) they are essentially aimless sheep

well. that's enough for now. I'm going to bed as I have a flight to Hokkaido early tomorrow morning, will post again in a week!

Lots of love!

ps. Sylvie I miss you lots and therefore will eat a pastry in your honour