From the Archives of 2005 - Tokyo Day 4

....Afterwards I took a guide tour of Tokyo. We started out at the Tokyo Tower. It is modeled after the Eiffel Tower, but red and white and more modern. After that we toured the entrance to the Emperor's palace. People are only allowed behind the gates twice a year in the winter. The tour finished up at Shinto Temple in Shibuya. A festival was going on so I ditched the tour to hang out there all day. The festival is called Sanja Matsuri. Here is a link to the festival:

http://www.ajinomoto.com/traditions/spring_06.html

The crowds where huge. Millions show up for the festival. I got to several Japanese festival foods. One was some kinda cup o chicken. It was boneless chicken cut up into pieces and deep fried. It was similar in taste to Chick-fil-a but spicier. The vendor gave me a large cup and instructed me to fill it up. He had me pack it until it was about to spill on the ground. It was a huge amount for about $5. I had Ramen Soda with it. It is a citrus bubble gum taste. There is a glass marble at the top of the glass. You have to poke down the marble in order to drink it. I also had a freshly made rice cracker. It was the size of a hamburger bun. After it came off the skillet they dipped it in soy sauce and server it wrapped in a small, old, piece of paper. I looked around the shops and stands, but like most festivals it was cheap stuff made in China. :)

While at the festival a man came up to me and started hammering me with a series of questions in english. When I told him I was from Atlanta he rambled something about Gone with the Wind, Atlanta Braves, "Georgia on My Mind", Ray Charles, and series of other questions. He wanted to know about my religion, ancestors, and other things. He was perplexed to find out I was Lebanese but didn't speak any Arabic. He asked if I was a Lebanese American and I politely corrected him that I was only American. He smiled and said he understood. He thanked me many times for allowing him to speak english to me. So far this has been the only person to come up to speak to me. Most just move aside and smile. The Japanese are extremely polite even when they are trying to avoid you. It is interesting to see other Gaijin (foreigners). Americans look at it other with strange curiosity as if to say "What are you doing here in Japan?" I have yet to see another American talk to another American here.

I got back to my hotel late and took a nap. I walked to a 7 Eleven to pick up some snacks and chill out in my room. I bought what appears to be a Japanese Men's magazine. It is tame compared to what we have back home. The snacks are interesting. I saw a can of Pringles in French Consomméé flavor. Kit Kats come in many flavors. I had one that was green tea. It was awesome. My new favorite drink is C.C. Lemon. They claim it has the vitamin C of 70 lemon. It is a lightly sweetened, carbonated lemonade. It is Sumo season here and I have been watching that, some game shows, and some DVDs I brought. I am going to pop in one of my favorite movies... "Almost Famous" and relax.

It is Sunday here and your Saturday is just starting. Have a great day and watch out for 3:15 PM. Trust me. BTW... "Lost in Translation" is a very accurate portrait of Tokyo.