Christmas Time in Ginza, Tokyo

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...

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...

"Pleasure Map"

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

Tokyo Ramen Show 2009

We decided to check out the Tokyo Ramen Show 2009...West of Shibuya on the Hanzomon Line, about 4 stops. First, you wait in line for about 25 minutes to buy your tickets (pic with the guy in the purple shirt) from machines, like the ones outside Ramen shops. Each ticket is 750 and gets you a bowl of ramen. You can buy multiple.

Next, you have to wait in line again for each different vendor, so you need to wait another 20-few hours, depending on the popularity of the vendor.

I chose R-14, which had Tonkatsu ramen, and a moderate line.

• Soup base was tasty. It was probably pork fat, judging from the foaming layer of grease on top, and the amount of burnage my face experienced when collaterally caught by flying drops of it while slurping noodles
• 2-3 slices of fatty pork was of good quality, good balance of pork and fat
• Noodles had good bounce
• The egg was the most disappointing ingredient. In fact, it was the most disappointing egg I've had in Japan to date. Mainly due to it being hard boiled - I've gotten used to eating soft boiled eggs here...
  

Dubai Signage

Here we have two non-PC signs in Dubai:


All I have to say is that this was taken in Dubai...

HK - the land of construction

Originally drafted in July 08, but not tended to until now. Here is a photo of how nonstop Hong Kong construction is. They dig up the concrete of the Tram (electric train which costs 25 cents to ride), WHILE the tram is live. When the Tram approaches, they gather their equipment and move the earth-mover to the side. Upon moving forward, (which is where I took the pic from), they resume digging!

Japan in Taiwan

Taiwanese have an affection for all things Japan, probably due to their close "history" (Japan occupying Taiwan). Here you see a Baskin Robbins inside a Matsusei supermarket (large enough to have its own parking lot) - note the Japanese writing below "Baskin Robbins".

Beer Girl in Japan

I attended this year's Japanese pro basketball league finals (termed the "BJ Finals"). Below are some shots of a girl selling draft beer to fans. You can see that she's actually carrying the keg on her back!

Deepawali

Nov 11 was Deepawali (or Diwali), an Indian holiday also known as the Festival of Lights. Part of this holiday involves detailed sand-based drawings, put on the ground. I saw it in KL Malaysia all over the place, and below are a few samples.

More Malaysia...

Just happend to get a glimpse of a Blue Mosque (I don't think it's THE blue mosque) on the way to the Airport: We stopped at a "Petrol Station" shortly after - the fumes were so overwhelming that I had to exit the car. It wasn't the normal gas smell, rather a paint thinner smell.

My best meal in Malaysia was at Le Bouchon - a French restaurant in KL.

Started off with a cold foie gras salad, with grapes. Quite rich and tasty (no pic). The main was a 3-meat grill of Lamb, Rib Eye, and Chicken:
Dessert - Cheese plate.

Look: America's Auntie Anne's pretzels:

In the far distance, you can see 2 (3 actually, but the 1st one moved to quickly) military helicopters with supplies hanging below:

Memories of an unpleasant hotel stay at the Renaissance:

(L) Smoking in the lobby; (R) a used ashtray on the non-smoking floor (why is there an ashtray on the non-smoking floor?)