Bowing and Apologizing in Japan

Am I still in Asia? Have I stepped into the Bizarroworld of Asia? Cause I seem to remember a continent where they serve dog as food and children are encouraged by their parents to pee on the sidewalks, like, well, dogs. I guess that I have officially left the continent now. I met up with my mom and Judy, in Tokyo, and promptly bought a Japanese grammar book and dictionary to trudge up distant memories of the three years of Japanese I took in college. Luckily, the majority of Japanese conversations consist of niceties, including whole strings of apologies and thank yous, with almost giddy, contagious bowing. Also, the Japanese actually speak English, which is a relief after struggling through six weeks in China.

The cities are impeccably clean, and the people are more terrified of getting sick than those pill-popping Americans, you know the ones. I had a nasty cough when I arrived into Narita airport a few weeks ago, and it didn`t take me long to notice that people were avoiding me like the plague, and the unlucky few that were stuck sitting next to me on the shuttle bus into town shuddered every time I took a raspy breath and cowered in fear, handkerchiefs clutched to faces, each time I cleared my throat. I refused, refused, however to buy a face mask the doctors, and apparently, the Japanese wear.

Everything here costs your first born male, to boot. We tried to go to the movies. 18 dollars a head. We tried to go to the park. 10 dollars. We did decide, however, to splurge on a Kobe beef dinner. The cows are rumored to get nightly massages and fed beer, which would explain the butter-soft texture. The restaurant, overlooking a stream running with soft cherry blossom petals, offered Kobe beef and Kobe beef exclusively, paired with really good red wine. The beef is grilled simply with garlic and olive oil, is served in small pieces with chopsticks, and you can cut the meat easily with your teeth. It was superb.

The cherry blossoms came, and I suspect, have gone, judging by the rain currently falling outside. They bloom for about two weeks, and we hit the best time here in Kyoto. We found every pretty stroll located around the city, the lanes crawling with tourists cooing over the baby ducks and the light breezes that pull the blossoms off of the trees, showering down into hair and eyelashes. Its all pretty spectacular, especially considering the fleetingness of it all.

More pics on Flickr.com

Got into Japan, am now travelling with Mom and Judy. We got into Kyoto last night, where we will be staying for about three weeks. Weve got a computer now, so write me and let me know whats happening on your sides of the world, wherever side you find yourself on. Kisses to all.