I sifted through my vacation photo’s just now and have taken the most of the unclear shots out. I’ve used Picasa to create an online public gallery you can visit here once it’s done synchronising.

It contains about 1100 photo’s so there’s lots you have not seen.

I’m still planning to tag them and order them by date, but for now it’ll do. I noticed my camera date was completely off, hmm.

Things I notice now that I’m home:
~ The trees lined up on the country road look twice as pretty.
~ I loooooooooooooove driving.
~ I miss a bidet, but they can keep the heated toilet seat.
~ I miss wet napkins. I feel utterly disgusted having a meal someplace without wet napkins. Iew.
~ I forgot what an ASS-HUGE computer monitor I have and how friggin great my stereo system is :D

It was truly an aweful ride back home I can tell you that much. I escaped by a hair’s width EFYALOFYOU’s flaming ash wrath. If I understood correctly, Schiphol airport was closed this morning from around 06:00 until 13:00 hours, with a definite effect on international flights. Meanwhile while I was at the gate, they placed a sign there that said “Due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland, the following flights might return to Narita or divert to Dusseldorf, Paris, etc…. “ I asked a Dutch gentlemen who spoke to the JAL staff earlier. They said “they didn’t know”. And here’s a Dutch article run through google translate.

We boarded 20 minutes late which is unusual for JAL anyways, priding to be the most punctual airline. I guess they were still flipping a coin on whether to go or not. I saw one of the staff head over to the sign to write down what appears to have been the exact same English message to be called over the gate intercom a while later. This is how that went:

“Due to the…. volcanic-u… erup … eruption in Iceland, the following-u …. flights might-oh return to Narita ….. or *($&*#$&#$ LUKE I AM YOUR FATHER &#*($&# ….
Staff now looks really confused at the other staff member that wrote down the message from the sign. Engrish man, what can you do! I’ve never understood one full sentence on one of these flights so… if we had actually diverted I’d probably only have known once we’ve landed.

Through the eye of the needle, once again. It seems to be my middle name.

I checked out the way til Shinagawa station where I’m supposed to take the N’EX train to Narita terminal 2. From door to platform that was 25-30 minutes.

All in all, I had a good time here. Wasn’t bored at all, even though the stay in one place was pretty long. But!

The grass is always greener…
Zoals het klokje thuis tikt…

Well, it is true. The grass truly is greener back home because of the lack of concrete.

As for Japan, it’s still as friggin _nuts_ as it was three years ago. To grasp the insanity of it, close your eyes and think of home – then open your eyes. Shoxx!

I think, if you combine the “coldness” of the British, the sync tv of the Germans and a small bit of arrogance from the French and you put it on MAJOR CUTESY HAPPY DRUGS, that is Japan. I also don’t know any other place that’s so obsessed with health and and (weird) beauty tips. At some point, you start thinking there is something extremely sick about that. It’s good to watch out for your health and stuff, but it sort of borders ‘brainwashing’ at times. Specifically Tokyo has a tendency to “shut down reality”. Truth be said, that’s what Japanese do themselves. If you see them in a train: always working on them phone buttons or headphones on. They “block” it and others themselves. It’s different in the countryside of course, but as a white person in their countryside you really have no clue what’s what anymore. You are a freak show that might cause car accidents.

The place has nothing in common with the Netherlands. Absolutely zero. I always come back to the answer that the truth just simply is: Dutch have no culture. They have no traditions of their own, they have no foods of their own (or very little). It’s always been about “Hi, how are you doing? Import/ Export Yah?. I bring big ship, just toss it in.” And what did we bring them in return? “Delfs blue”. Ok, a bit exaggerated, but you get the point.

And now for my 12 hour ride in that cigar. Wish me luck~

It appears I’ve completely missed “the other side” of Ueno park, while there certainly were some interesting things to see.

Meanwhile I took the opportunity to go into the National Museum of Western Art. They also had a special exhibition of Frank Brangwyn, which seems to have been a Belgian. Never heard of em. Didn’t see much I liked in that collection. The colors were “too dark”. Considering the time period most of the paintings were made, I’m not surprised.

When I went to the museum’s permanent collection I found an awesome painting. It’s by Evert Collier, Vanitas.

I know, MABUSHI~. The detail is just incredible and the glass is painted so realistically. I had to look it up when I returned. Dutch painter :D

I’m not much a fan of the religious artwork, see one, you’ve seen them all. That kind of goes for paintings featuring Roman gods, but less so.

Today I went to the Sanja Matsuri as previously planned. I was suprised that it wasn’t as busy as the last time I went to Asakusa. Struck me as odd, especially when there was something to do today.

Sanja Matsuri

Sanja Matsuri

Where people are, the ambulance is not far away

That ambulance there, had to go through a pretty huge crowd to my left which I had just come out of. Insanity. *__* But it worked… somehow.

The tourist industry here must really be suffering… I mean, I see white people here and there but not as much as 3 years ago. Now you’re somewhat alone out there *echo echo*.

Being tall in this country, really pays off!!

Tomorrow I’ll probably think of one small thing to do before going back to the hotel room and taking a nap. Planning to be awake from at least 3 am, so I can buzz myself up with coffee and watch some drama before leaving at… the ungodly hour of around 5 am. Soz! I’ll announce this to the hotel staff tomorrow morning.

Went shopping this morning (again). This time returned to Harajuku and Shibuya. Ok so I was a fangirl, une petit peut. Dug up the Break the Records DVD at Tower Records as well. Not cheaper to buy something like that here on this exchange rate, but it beats importing – and horny customs office workers. I swear they have a liking for Johnnys.

Even got my dad a pressie. It’s not much but … they don’t have much gardening stuff here dad. Unless you want to make a rice field. Ahaha, this will not work since he hates rice.

Then I ate curry rice for lunch. As suspected, I am not a fan. KARAI (SPICEY). *gulps water*. It only said “one pepper” for strength and I already had trouble. Funny enough, it truly is a bit like “Curry Gewurz” what we put on the frikandel back home. The only difference is: it’s not sweet.

As for the Tower, I could indeed walk there. One big long straight road. About a ten-fifteen minute walk.

Taken from a nearby park

If I can see the tower, the tower can see me

If you’re in the tower and go to the sign where it says South, where I placed the arrow is my Hotel. I LOL’D.

Went to Tsukiji in the morning, but I didn’t attempt to be one of the lucky 140 that get to see the tuna auction. It’s worth checking the place out anyways even if it’s a little later.

Honganji temple

I reckon a collection of types of Bonito flakes?

Tunahead, anyone?

Sushizanmai score!

I was so full after I ate all that sushi I think I could have rolled out of that store. Super noms! <33

Picked up some stuff at Aqua city for my friends and my mom. Where I bought the thing for my mom, she said “This is only made here, custom made. Can’t find anywhere else”. All I thought was “for that price you better not be lying”. lol. They wrapped it really nice. It’s this Japanese thing again, they also put a small piece of tape on the bag so you won’t lose what’s in it. Small things, stuff we don’t think about at home. Mostly it’s “here’s your shit, good luck”. There’s one thing I forgot to mention about Yokohama yesterday. If you thought Tokyo is clean, you can eat from the floor in Yokohama.

I bought me a shirt at the fuji tv building. Nope it’s not the JC Arcs one. Myself and flaming Pink, I don’t think so. At the cash register the girl said in Jap “Is size M really ok?”. Gimme a break! Just cuz I’m almost two heads taller than you, doesn’t mean I need an L. ^_^ Wearing it right now, it was the correct size. Bout two years ago I would have needed L. My L’Arc in Paris shirt is now so huge I’m drowning in it.

When I went for coffee I saw other Dutch people. Two tall guys with fluffly blond hair. I felt tiny, it’s when they opened their mouth I knew for sure why that was. Is it something about polders that makes people back home grow like trees? lol. Had a small chat. Godzilla is definitely from the Netherlands haha.

Odaiba is swarming with junior high kids in the afternoon. Was going up the escalator and I hear a “WOW” coming from the other side. Group of young boys that had spotted the white person. Congratulations boys! “Hello”.

Ya ya hahaha.

I’m beginning to get some new understanding of why most Japanese still refuse to speak some English even if they know some English. In the Yamanote train there is a small commercial of something I didn’t understand fully, but it provides English sample sentences:

1. Close your mouth.
2. Shut your mouth.

Pick the wrong one and you’re in a bunch of trouble, ne.

Glad I went back now that my health is better. I took the Minatomirai line to Chinatown. You can certainly amuse yourself there for an hour or two. I’ve even found that DASKA store + food theme park. I ate some real good pork there.

Entry gate of Chinatown

... thing in Chinatown

I hope you like panda’s though. They’re friggin everywhere. Other than that I really like the atmosphere of the place and if there’s one thing you’re never going to forget it’s the smell. The place is completely full with Chinese restaurants. It doesn’t smell anything like the Chinese takeout restaurant back home.

I bought something for Bochan in Chinatown. While in the store, the lady went completely crazy over me. “YOU LIKE JACK?” *pointing to my bag*. “OH I LIKE JACK TOO!” Giggle giggle, spazz spazz. HURRAY. XD.

After that I took the subway blue line from Yokohama station to Shin Yokohama to see if I could find the Raumen Museum. I did! I ate a huge bowl of miso ramen as you can see. *burp* For the first time I didn’t go to the family mart to get some snacks for the evening. Think my tummy is goin to burst as is.

Raumen museum Shin Yokohama

Miso ramen

During my meal they were taping something on the right side of that ramen-ya. At some point they were done and some guy came out and I recognized him. I’m sure I’ve seen another Japanese tv celeb I’m not interested in seeing. When I’m back home I’ll probably point at my computer screen at some point and yell “that’s the guy!”.

Also there was a conversation about me where I was not part of it again. lol. I think, since the cook was sizing me up, I caught something like “Do you think she likes it?” to a waitress. It was oishii~ but if you see that light brown stick thing on the left of the bowl? That wasn’t something I’m eating again. Next time I’m tossing that haha. I have no idea what it is.

While I was going back on the subway blue line to catch another train to Shibuya I noticed this real handsome pocket size Japanese sitting across from me on the subway. Oooo such a dollface this one. Certainly an eyecatcher, though I believe slightly too young for me. lol. “Hop into my suitcase young man, there you  go”.  I think he knew I was eyeballing him. In any case, he whopped out this huge huge manga book. I’ve seen those before. People actually carry those with them… they’re the size of phone books! He was smiling while he read, I was wiping my drool.

Neh~ not homesick anymore. I’m still doing good, against all odds. I really like to try myself, don’t I? Can’t beat the rebel out of a dare-devil, can you? That’s what you get when you were shy in kindergarten;)

Presuming I don’t get a quick and painless death on that plane may 17th (cynical is my middle name by now), I’m already back to work May 19th. Or rather: this time it’s a first day at a new job. It’s all the same though. Still IT. Hurray for the house of suffrage! So for some pre-fun, have a ball reading this:

- Mean sense of humour -CHECK-
- Wolf’s fangs -CHECK-
- Quick wits -CHECK-
- “The evil eye” -CHECK-
- Balls made of steel -CHECK-
- “Fuck off attitude” – CHECK-
- “Really I trust you” look on my face -CHECK-
- Endless patience beyond human proportion -CHECK-
- Paranoid modus to prevent FOF -CHECK-
- FOS identifier (an alarm sounds when I see someone that fits criteria) -CHECK-

Nao! Will the dumbasses that can’t find the menu “Tools” line up to my left. This we call the endless patience line. Any of them that feel ashamed about not finding tools and want to go “customer” on me please line up to my right. It’s likely you’ll also find managers and other general failure in the line to my right so you’ll have to take a number at the ticket machine. The queue is longer.

Socially inapt persons that have some sort of business with me have but one chance to run like hell and never return. There is a third queue for the absolutely incompetent but slimey pricks that do nothing else but disturb the peace and mess everything up. That one isn’t in front of my desk, but my bosses’ desk. I shall call them “butt puppets”.

PIA (Pain In the Ass) (l)users and (l)user groups will receive “nicknames” in due time. You know, like reception ladies are the “bridge and canasta club”. If you want some laffs, go into any office building and find the IT crew and then ask: “Who are your PIA (l)users?”. Betcha no matter whom you ask they always come up with the same set of names. I personally think the people that end up on that list should be fired. F-I-R-E-D. You’re outta here! Resource hogging fail.

As for anything in between I have a coin with me all the times: heads = human, tails = h00min. Humour me and I’ll let you choose heads or tails before tossing. There’s nothing like the smell of napalm in the morning. XDD.

And of course, if you really want to end up disliking everyone, you make sure to become real handy with computers and informaciuns. One way ticket, no end station. The IT engineer knows only two kinds of people: the dumbass and the asshole. I’ll let you know how many times the word “ass” appeared in my head in the named variations after a first day.

God help us all.

If it wasn’t for my sense of humour, (…) you’ll all be out of laffs pretty soon.

Today I wandered around Shinjuku for a second time since the first time I ended up in Shinjuku Park and simply didn’t leave for hours to bask in the sun, I was still that jet lagged. One thing I can tell you about Japan’s weather. When it rains, it rains the entire day (almost). It starts, and it just doesn’t stop. Back home it’s just hickups through the entire day. “A little bit here, a little bit there, hose here”.

First I got to Tochomae subway station, which exits near the Government building.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government building

Continued to the Southern Terrace, entering the west entrance. Shinjuku station truly is monstrously large.

Connecting bridge to Southern Terrace

I ate lunch somewhere uh… I’m confused if it was one of the top floors of the Odakyu or MYLORD. Waitress babbled too fast in Jap for me, after some sign language I asked her to “pick one” for me. So she went “this one is good, this one, this one”. But young lady, you’re just full of surprises!

Then I found my way to the East exit of Shinjuku station, which is a task on its own. Walked until I found Yasukuni dori, the entry point for both Hanazono shrine and the Kabukicho area. 

Hanazono shrine

Kabukicho

Sometimes I think Tokyo is not a city, but a theme park. lol.

I entered some subway station, then found out I went to Daimon “the long way”. Smarty pants that I am thought to transfer to the Asakusa line at Kuramae. *head desk*. First off, you’re guided outside and then there’s two entry points. None of which end up on the right platform, but as it turns out you need to go way to the end of the platform and then go underneath for the Haneda direction.

Oh yea! Even though they might do gymnastics 8am sharp, construction workers will be construction workers. No shame in trying to flirt with me. Cool it, old man. XD. You see, that’s what I get. Thought it was funny anyways.

When I came back the cleaning lady was still in my room. Damn that’s late. Politely announced myself so I wouldn’t scare the crap out of her. So she was done and came to tell me that and bowed so hard I think she’ll have a back problem for that reason only, forget scrubbing the tub. And I’m like *bow bow bow* – it’s an automatic thing. Once these people start you can’t stop, you can’t stop!

As for Tsukiji which is still on my list, I will check out the area, but I’m not really going to wake up on an ungodly hour when the chances are slim anyways. Tomorrow I’m off to see Chinatown in Yokohama and… when I manage to get there Shin Yokohama for the Ramen museum. Stupid movies make you want to go see it as well.

Healthwise I’m doing good right now. I was having adverse reactions to grapefruit again. Took some searching, but at least it wasn’t the Japanese chow.

I would like to congratulate the people on the 14th floor of the office building across from my room to finally _get a hint_ that it’s past 5 pm. It’s now 9pm and most of them are ditching the place.

~Congratulations!~ Another 12 hour day in your useless existence. No wonder they harakiri a lot. I hope they do as the French do. Like take about 2 hours off for lunch. Or a bit of Spanish, siesta. If I were Japanese, I’d probably stand on the ledge right now trying to finish it. As I seem to have taken a sniff on what it’s like to be a working Japanese woman, I would have probably picked a few floors higher. Just to make sure. Most times, ignorance is truly bliss. Keep them bordars closed if you don’t want us to infect you with our lazy c00ties.

What the f*ck are these people doing at that hour. You can’t be possibly working. Come on, I’ve seen someone practise their GOLF STROKE. Speaking of which, I heard once that if the boss is around you don’t leave, you don’t leave. Even if you have to eat out your nose.

A “lolcat colony” it is. For gods sakes, “don’t be yourself”. It gives me a cramped feeling just looking over to that building.

I’m no longer having stomach bloats and abdominal pains for hours after a meal, though I’m still not “regular”. As much as I could say it’s pretty normal on a holiday. I know these foods, I ate them in 2007. I eat it at home as much as I can permit. So what was different? Then it hit me.

In 2008 I ate grapefruit a lot because I just liked them at the time. That was until I was knocked out for 4 days sitting on a toilet. Just when you got off to sit on the couch, the cramps started again. It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever had.

Then some time later I also had an adverse reaction to a large dose of fresh pineapple. Pineapple, which I really like.

In 2009 I had a completely unexplainable rash that appeared for 3-4 days. Attacks of the rash were severe and seemed to concentrate around my hip area and legs. I have no recollection what I ate then, I was telling myself it was “stress”. A word I’m not fond of using anyways;)

So now here on holiday I’ve been doing a couple of things differently from home… I drank orange juice every morning and later on that day I’d consume a can of drink here in Japan which is based on grapefruit. The result: bloating, abdominal pains, diarrea, general malaise. Also, a couple of days ago I drank a gintonic – which the internets says is also full of citric acid. Explains why I felt so sick in the evening.

I stopped drinking that grapefruit drink and switched to milk at breakfast. Then, when I opened a can of that grapefruit stuff yesterday: immediate response. So I put it down and have not touched it.

I have not felt sick since, and all this is leading me to believe I have a citric acid intolerance. I can consume oranges, grapefruit etc. without problems usually – but when I go over a certain quantity it becomes problematic.

Well, as a Virgoan I’ve always had “tender bowels”. I really live up to my astrology sign. When I was really young, I was prescribed antispasmodics because I was growing so fast my bowels couldn’t “keep up”. Neither could the rest of me, because I still have the stretch marks on my legs. Endless pain in my lower belly as well.

Other things I can’t really deal with are overcooked spaghetti and very greasy foods. My dad, who is a Virgo himself, couldn’t believe I got the cramps from overcooked spaghetti. Didn’t take very long until he got the exact same thing (heh, I lol’d).

They should rename this place “little Belgium”, where Dutch folk get lost a lot too. They surely attempted to make it tourist friendly with some signs. Uh. Unfortunately I came to a dead end at some point, and I could go either left or right but there were no signs anymore. Looked furiously for tourist infos, ran around some where I still felt comfortable I could find the station but I threw in the towel on this one. Perhaps Kawagoe-shi station surroundings would have been more accommodating even though the distances shouldn’t have been far. XDD. Fail!

Signs, only when you don't need them

It wasn’t a total loss. Tonkatsu~ I missed youuuuuuu (and cheese of course, so wants the cheese).

Nom nom nom!

Speaking of Tonkatsu, it’s a bit similar to “Cordon Bleu” (this one, with the cheese filling). Only it’s 1000 times better! Mwaha! It’s one of my favorite foods here in Japan. I’ve tried making this at home, but we don’t have these white bread crumbs anywhere, cept perhaps an Asian toko might carry it. So you’re stuck with kind of mushing about yourself. Then there’s another problem: you can’t just toss it in the frying pan. I’m still not sure what oil is used, all I can see is “vegetable oil” on the internets. It’s not it! XD. It has European roots some say… but then why don’t we have this?

I spoke with the waitress some. Tried out my Jap. XD. She said that I’m good with chopsticks. What can I say, throw a makizushi or two across a restaurant and the embarrassment alone will have you learn to eat with chopsticks. But! If that actually did it for the Japanese, they’d learn English (mean, mean, mean). I will continue to study *seufz*. They do have the Belgian street signs and street image down to a tee. They only got half the pun though. At the end is a sign that says “All Directions” –>.

I’m following a program on tv here in English about “how cool Japan is”. Topic: fashion. lol. I never laughed so hard in my life! Bunch of foreigners going <3 <3 <3 at every fugly piece of clothing ever seen in Japan. Alright, I’m not one to ask – since I have no fashion sense at all. Nor have I _ever_ tried obtaining one that goes beyond “hey, this makes my butt look smaller”. They talked about “Forest Girl” fashion some, socks and some more stuff. I’m telling you this, put one of these laquerware Tokyo ladies in a real forest, and let the fun begin! XDD.

Honestly, some of the stuff worn here wouldn’t be worn back home ever. The foreigners on that show said that’s because “Japan is so tolerant with styles”. And I’m like *chokes*… there is not a single woman back home that I see or know that _wants_ to look “cute” like a five year old kid. Quite frankly, you will hardly find anyone wearing a skirt at all. Gaijin women kind of avoid looking “cutesy” anytime. Sophisticated, sexy, sporty, anything but cutesy. I’ve never heard of anyone between the age of 15 and 30 going “hey, let’s go look like I’m 13″. Same for young girls with old lady handbags worn in the inner arm. My friend and I were amazed about this last time we were here. It still remains. The handbag, is something you can only carry when you’re over 35. And even then, it’s not worn on the inside of the arm. It is kind of shocking if I go to buy my first handbag. I’ll be officially old.

I looked outside today and on the construction site nearby, it was morning gymnastics.

Construction workers doing gymnastics 8am sharp

Stuff I’m sure you’ll never see back home. I think they’d rather be dead than do that in the morning. “All together now”, “let’s hold hands”. It’s both endearing and mildly creepy.

I have 6 days left here in Tokyo before going back to the homelands. Land, instead of concrete is the correct terminology, yep. Now that I’ve been here for more than 4-5 days, it’s become quite clear that Tokyo is indeed a well oiled, very large machine. If something ain’t working right, there’s a small Japanese person brushing it up or fixing it. From the infrastructure, the endless shopping, the vending machines and endless restaurants. If people back home would like to know how it’s done, go to Tokyo.

Where the cleaning crew doesn’t strike when the giro Italia is coming or strikes when a volcano blows and thousands are stuck at Schiphol. YOU SHOULD SEE THE PUBLIC TOILETS MAN, INDESCRIBABLE. I’ve said it before: back home, you learn to either go home or hold it really well. Public toilets are suicide. You’re better off bare-bottoming behind the public toilets in the grass, behind a tree. They got toilets here that know when you’re done, it flushes itself. LOL. And good luck finding a vending machine that works in my country, usually involves a fit of anger and kicking against it.

However, on the downside – despite that Japan is also culturally very different for me – it is also a completely artificial and unnatural environment (Tokyo). I’d move the heck away if I had to raise children here. There’s not a park or two that can match the countryside. I don’t even think it’s healthy for an adult person to see so much concrete every single day. What I’m seeing outside my hotel room now, has an insanity level that is hard to reach unless you really try. lol. That’s on top of the fact that Japan is *#($&^*#*$^WUT? to Westerners to begin with.

Night scene from my hotel room

Night scene from my hotel room

If I had as much knowledge about Japan and Japanese customs as most people I know back home, I’d be so confused. Despite that I do know a lot, even I end up confused here sometimes. I think it must be absolutely horrible for people that don’t know a thing about this country and end up here. Shell shock is what they’d probably get haha. It’s true what they say, even after seeing caucasians that live here and speak the language fully… you can never quite escape the feeling “that you’re not welcome”, despite all the ‘facade great manners’. The message is generally not evil, but I don’t know what it is about this country, this city or it’s people that makes you feel so incredibly side-tracked. If you’re Asian you’d probably not feel it too much in my country or in this country, though I think Turkish / Suriname immigrants will have it too. All that can happen if you’re Japanese in my country is getting asked where your Chinese restaurant is… rofl. Painful.

As a visitor, I can only say adjusting to this is fine for a temporary stay, but if you grew up in the West some of these well-behaved Japanese customs and mannerisms are interpreted completely the other way by your Western brain. Anything that is not “to the point”, “direct”, “eye contact” or “standing firm” is generally interpreted as insulting to us depending on the situation. Even the face they put on for certain things can start to annoy you as “god, why are you trying so hard. Get real goddamnit, you’ll like it. Group therapy”.

That is a major redefinition of how you’re functioning if you want to live here. People back home actually ‘probe’ other people for their true intentions and they won’t stop until they get it; an honest flat out no diversion direct answer. No bullshit please, or the interrogations will continue. (hehe). It’s what I like about back home the most. Also why I hated working in a “lolcat hospital”. If I must choose between evils, I’d rather work in “lolcat factories”. Where people get more “Amerika-jin” on each other, more fired up and direct. I always liked the truth even if the truth is ugly.

But what truly is Japanese working culture? It’s not a “lolcat hospital”, because where I come from it becomes extremely disfunctional and territorial; hence the name ‘islanders’. “Lolcat hospitals” in my country can become really hostile with small honest and sentimental moments. I don’t see disfunctional when I look out my window. Maybe it’s hidden!

It also seems impossible to have a real ‘lolcat factory’ here. You know, where you end up yelling at each other in the hallway and the next day laugh your butt off with the same person. The general inversion Japanese do upon themselves already must make working life here as an OL or Sarari-man downright aweful. lol. Maybe it’s the lolcat morgue! I still wish to speak more with Japanese people, but yarrr, language problem. Mikoshiba-kun from the reception here did a “WTF” when I rolled some Dutch from my tongue just for laffs.

As for Japanese women in my profession? I don’t know, they must exist. I’m sure they do. But if you’re here that becomes harder and harder to imagine. I can deal with this travelling alone bit quite easily so far, because I’m used to the isolation you still feel if you work solely with men. Oh yeah, and the constant rejection you’re exposed to from having an oversized brain. Neener neener.

My new boss is a woman! People say I should be afraid haha. I say, if she only backstabs half of what male bosses I had the chick is alright. I’ve personally seen more pussy roaming the office than Don Juan. One thing I do know, “lolcat hospitals”, “lolcat factories” or “lolcat morgues” and the amount of hair on your teeth you’d have to grow to be female engineer in my country… How the hell are they managing it in this country? Unless I’m boss of a couple of Japanese men otaku’s that can’t “say no” (I lol’d) there’s no way I’d even want to imagine what it is like to be female and in my profession here in Japan.

Maa~ you know I’m in the wrong profession anyways. Don’t quite fit the criteria of “roll over, play dead and do nerd”. *shows teeth*. I don’t do this “suffer bastard” thing really well. Which is why I’m here in the first place. Crazy things:)

Since I was _still_ not feeling very well I decided to stay within the city today. But! There is hope now, after lunch I only felt a brick in my stomach for half an hour. Don’t feel any pain now, and I’m not bloated. Praise the Lord!

I also figured it was rather good I stayed in the city because my previously thought up destination would be Kawagoe. In the Yamanote train the screen said “Resuming operation, Delay, Kawagoe”. Ok then.

I went to the Tokyo National Museum! The place is huge. You can easily walk around for 2 hours and still haven’t seen everything.

Tokyo National Museum

The best piece I saw is number 102 on this list of the special exhibition.

Sign for special exhibition

It’s a huge scroll that’s been painted on and it’s really beautiful and eye catching. Everyone knows these scroll type paintings that are distinctly Japanese, but the average one strikes me as a little flat and pale. Very light colors usually. This scroll however had some really good dark colors, gold cladding. <3 So if you’re still going there, watch for it. ^o^ I want to paint like that!

Sucks there were no pictures allowed ;_;

I guess all my tummy needed was some grease XD Tempura it is!

Tempura noms... and pickled stuff (yuk)

After that went to the other side of the Ueno station to find what is known as Ameyoko.

Ameyoko

More undigestables for white people there yo!~ Interesting experience walking around there.

16 degrees in the Netherlands this afternoon. Well, it was 30 degrees here!

Today I walked around Ginza some. Spent most of my time walking around, going in and out of stores. lol. At those prices I got nothing to spend.

Wako

Street after shutdown of traffic

Kabukiza theater

Again there was an immediate response from my stomach and bowels after eating. Around half an hour later my belly began to swell and it hurts like hell to stand upright. What I’m flushing every day still is not normal. I never go every day normally. At home it’s more like once every two days. Luckily today it didn’t bother me that much as I was already tired and had seen everything. It’s becoming a seriously annoying thing if this keeps up ;_;

I ventured outside the city today and went to Yokohama! Actually I was supposed to get my arse out of bed really early to go to Tsukiji, but there’s a tourist ban a.t.m. at the tuna sale. Apparently too many are venturing there and it’s upsetting the sales process. I’ll only get out of bed that early if I can see the tuna. I’ll be amazed if I manage to get up that early anyways.

So Yokohama it is!

When you arrive at Minatomirai station it actually is underneath Queen’s Square. Another huge huge shopping mall which transfers into another one: Landmark Plaza. Landmark Plaza enables you to go into the Landmark Tower.

Landmark tower

Holy sh$t that thing is high. It’s worth the money to go check out the observatory. Elevator is apparently the fastest… 740 meters a second at top speed.

View from landmark tower

What a view *___*. The pictures just don’t do it any justice at all.

Inside observatory Landmark Tower

Ah, and here is the Nippon Maru.

Nippon Maru

I walked around Yokohama Cosmo World some too, but you’d have to be there in the evening I guess.

Cosmo World

Omurice I missed youuuuuuuuuuu~! My lunch. It was super delicious.

Omurice katta!

Unfortunately I had to cut my trip short because after having lunch my stomach began to hurt so incredibly bad that I couldn’t even walk straight anymore. Had the same thing yesterday, thought it was just a muscle ache. I was wrong. Didn’t dare to stay longer, in case it got even worse. I’m not taking any chances on my own here. It’s okay anyways, I’m returning to Yokohama for Chinatown somewhere this week. I’ll make sure to go later and that I’m genki!

Seaweed in, seaweed out.
I don’t know why I didn’t have this last time, but this time the seaweed is coming out of me exactly the same way it went in. I mean, my bowels are completely refusing to process it. “What’s this? I don’t know this!! Let it pass as is!“. It isn’t that unusual since Japanese are apparently born with these germs in their stomach and bowels that help to process it. On the other hand, I can process bread, hard stuff and gouda a lot better (milk and milk based products). Pretty useless over here. XD. I can only _again_ start to watch what I eat so I won’t get sick. So… no more seaweed for me.

But I likes the noms!

Took the boat again this morning to Odaiba. Walked around Aqua City and Decks some and headed into the Fuji tv building. They have a tourist shop up there, can get Tokyo DOGS, JC Arcs shirts XD. I’m saving the shopping for a later time. Just before I leave I go across town and pick up stuff.

I decided to just go around the building to find those darn stairs! Not hard to find, just go up the stairs to the right.

Oh yes, I prayed at the temporary church of Tomohisa Yamashita. It’s the next Lourdes for fangirls for a limited amount of time. Read my sarcasm. XD. It’s actually smaller than I expected it to be and I felt sorry for the guy on the megaphone endlessly repeating the same words. That guy is going to hate his guts by the end of the day. lol. They should have fangirls do that. Boundless enthusiasm, I’m sure.

Pi Namacha

Pi Namacha

Pi Namacha

I loved the way this older lady had her picture taken in front of it. Cheeks completely red, smiling her head off. XDDD.

Anyway!

In the name of the father, the son and the holy spirit. AMEN.

After that I had a hefty lunch and visited the Miraikan museum. It was okay, but not that great. That museum is sort of creepy though. As soon as I walk by this sign, it says “Love” – “00000000000000000″. Oh hi, ya thanks for reminding me.

Sign of my fortunes

Pritty globe