musings whilst stuck in my hotel

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Hi,

I have just re read some of my entries and the spelling has/is terrible, in my defence I am not using a standard english keyboard at any of the places i have had internet access. You wont guess the amount of times that I have written an entry then to see it disappear, so in some part, it has been frustration. So while i have this machine I th ought I would rattle on for a bit on thoughts and facts I have had and learned

1) Comb overs. The international sign of bad taste, the same here as England.
2) The Japanese love their food, every other stall sells some sort of food. The variations of the Bento box is king
3) Rules. The Japanese like order through rules and tradition but they like to bend them sometimes. Ie The center of Hiroshima is no smoking at all outside! But you can smoke in bars and Cafe's and designated areas like outside of a shrine! Go figure that one
4) To really try to understand the japanese. Get out your bus or Tour group.
5) If you learn a little of the language they will really appreciate it
6) Size zero started here! Most of the working women in Tokyo and other cities are so thin, but it seems to suit their body type, where as western women look Ill
7) Tokyo has 10% of the total population at 12 million people living in Tokyo
8) 70% of Japan is mountainous leaving just 30% for people.　No wonder all the cities merge into one another
9) with the above fact where do they grow the rice
10) The only food that Japan is Self suffuicent is Rice everything else is subsidised with imports
11) Most Japanese are a mix of Shinto and budhism
12) As Shintoism has no teachings it is often not regarded as a religion. It deals with man and nature.
13) Never use your napkin to wipe your face!
14) dont walk on swollen cracking knees it hurts even more!
15) If you wear just a T shirt when out walking and the locals are wearing mittens, big coats and wolly hats. You are going to be stared at no matter where you come from!
16) Most major crime in Japan is comitted by foreigners
17) I have seen the almost eastern twin of everyone I know, funny and scary!
18) Buisness cards, if you get them printed dont leave them at home, even in a social situation the Japanese like their buisness cards
19) It is perfectly ok for a man to urinate in the street. But if you blow your nose in public you have commited the ulitmate sin
20) A smile goes a long waying
21) If you go to the Gatton Bar in Takayama, decide to use the loo, the sign on the door which says 'please mind the step', and the one on the back of the door going out which says 'warning sloping floor' are forever mine! so I guess I will leave a part of me in Japan

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Comments

[Alan B]

Feeling a bit hacked off
Stuck in my hotel! Want to be out there! All in all its been soo good this far, I have enjoyed doing this blog depsite some people saying I was wasting my holiday, I have fitted in the blog as and when and that was always my intention! it just seems to co-incide with a cofee or lunch or in this case hiring a laptop for 4 pounds a night. Well off to bed could do with an onsen right now Al

[wendy]

think it is great you can share your experiences with us. looks amazing. hope your leg is ok.

[Alan B]

better
Well the knee seems better today, it doesn`t hurt half as much, luckily i have a two hour train trip to do.

[anonymous]

I've just noticed on the BBC News site that Tokyo has overtaken Paris as the worlds top city for eating. Very apt after reading all of your comments on food! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/also_in_the_news/7103255.stm Really enjoying the updates, it won't be the same when you get back, I'll have nothing to do for the first 15 mins of the day ;-)