Last Post From Japan

I am in the Narita Airport waiting for my flight. I was lucky enough to be able to travel to the airport with Melinda. We had some great times together while we were in Yokohama. Yes that is an understatement. A big understatement.

My thoughts on the last day in Japan as I make my way to yet another new country, the USA:

Japan is a great country, but has some issues that I do not agree with, like any other country. For instance this is the first country I have been too where some bars, restrants, and other establishments where white men are not allowed to enter. Japanese only. Racism in all of it's forms is bad and it really hit home when the short man in a tuxedo would not let me push the elevator button to go upstairs to the club. There is more to this story, and it sticks with me, maybe I'll tell you later.

Also the little trucks. I love the little trucks here. They look like the kind of car you hold down on the floor and then pull it back. They are very kakooi (kah-koo-ee) or cool.

I love how they have big mopeds and drive them like they are big motorcycles. Which they are, really, but they still look like mopeds... with 500cc engines. They even sound like big bikes.

I also love the food here and I have lost weight here. Not because I am not eating, it is because I am eating good, healthy, Japanese style food.

I love the shear, incredible, variety of everything here. What color of shoe do you want? What kind of TV? What size? How about eyeglasses? What color? What style? Hats? Baseball style? Fedora? Floppy summer hat? What color? What size? With or without a flower on it? Shopping is a dream here.

Customer service is impeccable. I went to go buy a CD, but they didn't have it in stock, the counter guy said, after doing an exhaustive search for the music, that if I wait 30 minutes they would have one sent via currier to this store from another store... "HMV" the competition!!! at no extra charge, and I would only pay their price. Impressive to say the least. I waited for the music.

Other things are that I sometimes feel invisible in this country even though I am the most obvious thing in 3 blocks. Because few people look directly at you. The glance is very powerful here, and I stare down all of these people who do stare. If you glance away it means that you are of lower stature than they person staring. And we all know that just aint happening with me.

I really, really like it here. I have never felt so safe in a country and I like the people here. They are a bit shy, especially the men, but the women are more open and always willing to learn more English. ah, hum.

I will arrive in Seattle today and stay with Coho for a few days, I think. I will keep you updated on the strange new country known as America. I am nervous to go to a country currently at war. I look forward to eating a hamburger.