Christmas Time in Ginza, Tokyo

Bling Cars in Shirokanedai

2 inconspicious outdoor lots house 3 sweet rides below.

Mercedes SL __

Bentley Continental GT Coupe

Hummer

Flight problems

A bit discomforting when I took my flight to Taiwan, and the emergency breathing supplies kept popping down from above a passenger's seat. Japan was impressive in gettin 4-5 technicians on the plane in about 10 minutes, but it took about 15 for them to fix it...

Taiwan Taxis

Taiwan taxis are cheap and nice. Here's a few examples of a Nissan Maxima (always with leather inside)

No Smoking Sign in Japan

Although Japan sadly has one of the highest smoking rates in the world (2nd tier, about a high smoking rate (50-59%, based on WHO report), they pride themselves on being very courteous about their smoking. Here is a sign which reminds people not to smoke while walking in public. How I wish they would have had this behavior in Hong Kong when I was there. I often found myself dodging clouds of smoke there.

That said, while most people don't smoke while walking, they do stand in designated smoking areas outside buildings and in public places. The number of smokers in these areas can vary from just a few, to 5-10, to 30+ (like the one outside Shibya station). You can just imagine the potency of walking anywhere near those areas.

Expensive Mushrooms

Here are yet some more expensive mushrooms, from Tokyo, Japan. JPY 25,000, or about USD 250... but you do get 5 large ones.

Bad Etiquette in Japan

I guess it has ceased to surprise me that I see the same disturbing things in Japan, that I'd view as normal in other countries.
Shown here: A man filing his nails on the subway platform, allowing the nail dust to float into the air and into all's lungs.

Krispy Kreme @ Shibuya, Tokyo

I finally had an opportune moment to get some Krispy Kreme donuts in Japan, after having been here for almost a year. While buying some movie tickets at Toho Cinemas on a Sunday afternoon, I noticed the line was quite reasonable at the Shibuya Krispy Kreme (about 10 deep, vs. the usual ~40+). It was definitely worth it. They do it right in Japan, keeping the fresh, warm donuts coming off the production line. Plus, they give you free glazed donuts (warm ones) while waiting in line! Here's a video from someone random online.

The photos above say it all. Check out the glaze pouring down... mmmm, donuts.
FYI - in Hong Kong, Krispy Kreme pulled out last year after just 2 years there. I can say, from first-hand experience, that they did not know how to do it. The donuts there were always cold, room temperature, never warm. I once asked, "do you have any warm ones?". The clerk responded, "what is that?". 'Nuff said.

Pathetically poor word choice on a food menu

Hire somebody to check the English...need I say more? It actually refers to (what Westerners usually refer to as) "chicken" skin. Specifying it's the cock's and not the hen's is not adding much value to any english speakers viewing the menu.

Late Night Food

The great thing about Tokyo is that everything stays open late - which helps when you are starving at 2 AM. This was at a bar in Ebisu. In the back you see 4 cheeseballs (deep fried hard like Falafel, with cheese and bits of meat inside). The rest are just two plates of aburi-toro - flame seared toro (Probably the kind that's endangered - bluefin).

Here you have your Wサウザン野菜バーガー, "Thousand Vegetable", (I think the thousand refers to the Thousand Island sauce, as opposed to the thousand types of veggies) Mos Burger:

Can somebody get Child Services on the phone?

Saturday night at Midas, a hiphop club in Roppongi (a party area in Tokyo). Besides the regular crowd of suspicious looking individuals, who do we see on the dance floor? A kid, probably 8 years old, dancing with his (I'm guessing) father! Kid's dressed up just like Daddy, with an over-size jersey and a sideways hat. Sure, just bring the kid for show-and-tell, or as cute bait for women...

Anyways, he's showing Daddy his dance moves 1-on-1, but after awhile gets tired and sits on the stage. Does Daddy take him home? No, of course not. He instead coaxes him off of the stage back into some more sets of Who Wants to be an Elementary Drop Out by going to Midas until 2AM on a Saturday night.

"This is Tokyo"

Annoying Travelers

Location: Limousine Bus, on way from Narita Airport into Tokyo.
Situation: Guy talking on cellphone in the bus, although no cell phones are allowed (clearly noted on the walls and announced with a multilingual recording.)

This was a bilingual Chinese guy who was apparently bringing a few friends or clients from the airport. They were laughing it up in (no offense) typical mainland Chinese levels of loudness in the bus, while everyone else is trying to sleep. This guy obviously knows the local culture (even if he doesn't "abide" by it), with respect to the general consideration given in public places to surrounding people, as far as noise goes. However, he talks on the cellphone while in the bus! One phone call's OK, if you keep it down... but multiple? I don't think so.

He did start to get up and go to the back of the bus for his last few calls and attempt to be quiet, but it's still audible, and quite annoying. Respect the rules! Embarassing to be Chinese...

Chinese restaurant without Chinese...

Japan is quite annoying in the way that no one speaks English. That might be...expected, but if you go to a well-known Chinese restaurant, based in Hong Kong, you would also expect that they would have somebody who actually spoke Cantonese or Mandarin.

Sweet Dynasty in Aoyama is such an example. It's been so long since I've had decent Cantonese food that I thought I'd try to ask them what else they served besides dessert. Unfortunately, they were so frightened when asked if they spoke English or Chinese. The reply was, "No, sorry we don't speak English or Chinese". What?...

Wake by Quake (Tokyo)

Another quake just hit, this one more mild than the previous two. I actually predicted this one, albeit using a very elementary method. Sunday, then Tuesday, now Thursday.

Tuesday's was the worst (for me), where the strength of it shook the water right out of my fishtank onto the ground. This was around 5:07AM Japan time

Today's was weak but enough to wake me up - 7:53AM Japan time.

No more, please...

Beer Girl - Suntory Brand

At the 2009 Notre Dame Football Legends Tokyo where Team Japan got beat 19-3.

Cool building in Nishiazabu

Stephen Chow - 007

Recently I reminisced in Stephen Chow's skillfully hilarious acting by way of "007" (Officially, "Gwok chaan Ling Ling Chat" or Product of the Country, 007"). IMDB has it here. This scene is when he returns from 10 years of being a pork butcher to take on a special mission from the Chinese government - his ex-employer, as a 007 agent.

Top of the World

While the tank lights were out, I noticed small snail attached to big snail, with big snail's foot fully extended, on the highest rock in the tank. I guess they like the current up there at night.

Summary video of the (over) ambitious goals of Obama

Indecision	An Indecision Exclusive!
JibJab - Obama to the Rescue
http://www.indecisionforever.com/
Funny Political Video Political Games Joe Biden Jokes

"Pleasure Map"

A regular Pool Hall & Darts Bar, with an interesting name on the directory map.

Japanese Beer Branding

Got to love the Beer Brand names in Japan

Unidentified volcano-looking sponge

This thing moves around the Live Rock, with no apparent mouth or eyes... but it's survived for months...

Clown at home

Survey says....he likes it!