Yada Yada Ya...

Well its been a bit long since I wrote and I feel its time to write properly. Life here continues to be as exciting and baffling as ever. I went on a boat trip through the city last weekend and was decidedly underwhelmed by the whole experience. The best bits of Tokyo can definitely not be seen along the banks of its rivers! It was one dull concrete constuction after another not helped of course by the fact that I wasnt able to understand much of the accompanying guide talk. However, it is as good a way as any to get through the city and we were at least able to giggle at the English in the toilets: 'passengers who use should always pour water'. There have been a number of amusing such displays: on a sandwich: 'please make your best choice of our delicious and tasty sandwiches' (what pressure I think on the consumer of these sandwiches who has to make their very best choice). And my personal favourite so far: 'Parking Rot'. (The Japanese dont pronounce 'l' or 'r' but a sound somewhere in the middle). It always reminds me of that chain email that you've probably all seen about English round the world and my favourite being in Russia: 'The manager has personally passed all the water in this restaurant'. (It still makes me giggle.)
I am reading a book my mum sent out to me called 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox - its quite an amusing read and if anyone was interested in discovering our national character then I'd definitely recommend it. She also talks about how similar we are to the Japanese - and I have certainly felt it here. If you thought we were good at queueing for example - you could revise that opinion here - The Japanese, it seems, form orderly queues wherever it is humanly possible and any flouting of the rules is severly frowned upon! They are also very shy and will go to great lengths to avoid speaking to foreiners even if their English is quite good. I have been told that many people would like to talk to me more but are too embarrassed at their level of English and will therefore shy away. Means that I will have to start being a bit un-English and strike up conversations!
One of the local ex-pat bars is having a Halloween party soon and apparently the costumes were very impressive last year and I feel it necessary to go one better than that. Im thinking Goblins at the moment...! Check out the photos on www.hippydippydoo.com I'm on the second page!
I was also supposed to be Debbie McGee for one of the other teachers I came out with. He is an escapologist and needed someone to distract the crowds a little and check his handcuffs!! He wants to go into central Tokyo on a Sunday (the busiest day of the week) dressed up as Batman and perform wonderful feats of magic... He asked me if I would be up for joining him pointing out that we may well get arrested!! I was saved last Sunday by the rain but feel that if called upon again I would find it hard to refuse. He a very funny character and I reckon its something I could definitely tell the grandchildren about, so to speak!
On a more normal note, Im off to Ginza now which is The place for tremendously expensive shopping, chic bars and resturants - or in my case window shopping and gallery visiting. How ultra cool darling...