Wow, I was doing pretty well at posting on a regular basis and then BLAMMO (!) ... nothing at all.
I'm exhausted. The past couple of months have been a complete whirlwind and, yes, everything is still EPIC. =)
Just got back from a two week stint in Japan and I have to say that it was absolutely amazing. I can't believe I waited so long to go. The only thing that wasn't all that great about it was the lack of (cheap) data connection. I did have the on-demand mobile wi-fi access but it would haven't been rather fun to be connected all the time without burning a hole in my wallet.
So much to do. So much to eat. I can't even elaborate on it all. For the pictorial version, check my FB (if you know it). The short version?
Crowded. Busy. Beer. Snowboarding. Sake. Beer. Dammit, we should have brought shorts. Train stations have lots of steps. Yakitori and beer. The Peace. Funky toilets. Wa-gyu. I seriously should have paid more attention in Japanese class/school. All you can eat. All you can drink. Drinking and smoking at the same time. Shabu shabu. Sakura. Nama dai. 280 yen restaurants. A lot of temples = a lot of praying. Saying hi to Dad. Doing laundry at 2:30am. Piano bar and Glenlivet. Takomasa's Takoyaki. Yoshinoya gyu-don. Eating in and around Tsukiji. Tokyo, Niigata, Yokohama, and Osaka. Beer. Kappabashi, Harajuku, Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, Ikebukuro, and Tsukishima. Beer. Yakiniku. Osaka Jou. Sennsoji. Hikkake bashi. Meiji Jingu. Mizujizo. "I do not speak Japanese". Tokyu Hands. Fugu course. Best kaki-furai ever. Marketplace shiba-inu. Ei hire. Akagai. Basashi. Kujirakatsu. Unagi sticks. Fresh oysters. "Is that Sadako?". Hikarie. Tokyo Skytree. Asahi corporate. "Doesn't that look like sperm?" Fish balls. "Do fish have balls?" Sazae. Beer. Catching our dinner at Zauo. Uojin. Muteki-ya. Kani Doraku. Live king crab. Uni/otoro/tarabegani-don. Beer. Are you America-jin?! Stupid Kit Kats *grumble*. Onsen. 4-5 meals per day. Beer. Personal ash tray. Hachiko. "Where's my rail pass?" Beer on the train at 9:30 in the morning. Ekiben. Hadouken! First snow. First snowball fight. First fugu. First Japan!
Whew!
Aaaaaand next week I'm off to the City of Sin for a conference! On the way back, I'll be returning through SFO after spending the weekend in San Francisco. =) My business travel didn't get approved until I was in Japan (lame) so I wasn't able to start arranging for accommodations until recently. It's not looking good since this weekend is apparently really busy. I wonder if any of my friends will be available? None of them have gotten back to me so far ...
Whew!
Even so, in a bit I'll be out at Brians for beers, pool, and darts with my girl and the coworkers ... woot!
I'm exhausted. The past couple of months have been a complete whirlwind and, yes, everything is still EPIC. =)
Just got back from a two week stint in Japan and I have to say that it was absolutely amazing. I can't believe I waited so long to go. The only thing that wasn't all that great about it was the lack of (cheap) data connection. I did have the on-demand mobile wi-fi access but it would haven't been rather fun to be connected all the time without burning a hole in my wallet.
So much to do. So much to eat. I can't even elaborate on it all. For the pictorial version, check my FB (if you know it). The short version?
Crowded. Busy. Beer. Snowboarding. Sake. Beer. Dammit, we should have brought shorts. Train stations have lots of steps. Yakitori and beer. The Peace. Funky toilets. Wa-gyu. I seriously should have paid more attention in Japanese class/school. All you can eat. All you can drink. Drinking and smoking at the same time. Shabu shabu. Sakura. Nama dai. 280 yen restaurants. A lot of temples = a lot of praying. Saying hi to Dad. Doing laundry at 2:30am. Piano bar and Glenlivet. Takomasa's Takoyaki. Yoshinoya gyu-don. Eating in and around Tsukiji. Tokyo, Niigata, Yokohama, and Osaka. Beer. Kappabashi, Harajuku, Ginza, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Asakusa, Ikebukuro, and Tsukishima. Beer. Yakiniku. Osaka Jou. Sennsoji. Hikkake bashi. Meiji Jingu. Mizujizo. "I do not speak Japanese". Tokyu Hands. Fugu course. Best kaki-furai ever. Marketplace shiba-inu. Ei hire. Akagai. Basashi. Kujirakatsu. Unagi sticks. Fresh oysters. "Is that Sadako?". Hikarie. Tokyo Skytree. Asahi corporate. "Doesn't that look like sperm?" Fish balls. "Do fish have balls?" Sazae. Beer. Catching our dinner at Zauo. Uojin. Muteki-ya. Kani Doraku. Live king crab. Uni/otoro/tarabegani-don. Beer. Are you America-jin?! Stupid Kit Kats *grumble*. Onsen. 4-5 meals per day. Beer. Personal ash tray. Hachiko. "Where's my rail pass?" Beer on the train at 9:30 in the morning. Ekiben. Hadouken! First snow. First snowball fight. First fugu. First Japan!
Whew!
Aaaaaand next week I'm off to the City of Sin for a conference! On the way back, I'll be returning through SFO after spending the weekend in San Francisco. =) My business travel didn't get approved until I was in Japan (lame) so I wasn't able to start arranging for accommodations until recently. It's not looking good since this weekend is apparently really busy. I wonder if any of my friends will be available? None of them have gotten back to me so far ...
Whew!
Even so, in a bit I'll be out at Brians for beers, pool, and darts with my girl and the coworkers ... woot!
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