danieru in tokyo: Freitag Holiday

Monday, September 26, 2005

Freitag Holiday

Despite Monday being a public holiday, Friday had no shame in announcing itself a holiday too. I headed downtown for some shopping with Damo. This involved taking him to electronics stores and drooling over minaturized wonders that were never built for export. They always keep the best stuff for the homemarket. One black PSP, a few movies and a Canon F/2 lens later, we split for me to go home and meet Rheanna plus one.

Rheanna turns up plus two, and a little surprised, i pondered about how to place who and where. If I shove them all in my bedroom, they can enjoy each other's snoring, while i have the couch to myself. So when I did hear that faint snore later in the day, I felt a casual vindication in my choice.

Clean up, remove whiskers, wear striped trousers and drown in Acqua Di Gio. Leave with Nana and return to Ikebukuro to meet D&S, whilst Crew Rheanna managed to acrue yet another member somewhere near the station, and the 8 of us found a restaurant. The only name I recall for Crew Rheanna was Ben, who was a clued up early twenty something and if he wasn't snoring, was actually good company.

The dinner time experience was good - lots of stories exchanged, sashimi consumed, and Kampai! It was surprising to see Sandra, normally interested in new experiences so averse to the strange food, and Damo, fussiness defined, so keen on the culinary delights of Japan. So we finished our beers and headed East for Chiba, with sketchy instructions from Matt of how to get to the bar. An hour later, it was clear that "West Exit (i think)" was a poor thing to write down on a map, especially given that the West Exit did not exist. Amazingly, we tracked down the right place, stepped inside what was a house party with an entrance fee. Nothing so strange to me, but Nana, Damo and Sandra thought this was going to be dire. I am not sure why - Tribe Called Quest was blasting through the curtain as we stepped in, and people were sat on the floor shouting Kampai whilst dissolving their livers. My kind of place. Eventually, they warmed up to it, and all was good, apart from Crew Rheanna whose complaint was that the music was rubbish.

The last train back from Chiba to Tokyo leaves just before midnight, and so the only thing to do is drink until 4.30am and catch the first train back. Not so bad when the drink is free, methinks. And so i concentrated on getting value for money for my 4000 entrance fee. Damo concentrated on making Sandra jealous.

Damo battling to keep a delighted crowd of locals back

I found 50,000 Yen in the bathroom. A stupid place to leave it, at best. So when in Rome... I gave the money to Matt, who gave the money to someone else, who gave the money to some girl who was crying about losing all her money. What the hell was she doing with 5 ichi man yen in the bathroom?

Rheanna berated me for being mean and condescending towards Anthea. This irritated me, because despite not knowing Rheanna, and meeting her for the first time on Friday, her feelings on the subject were strong enough to warrant such terms. She must know something I do not.

We called it a day sometime around half four, and took the 2nd train back to Tokyo. It was a struggle staying awake, and everyone bar Sandra and Damian napped on the train. We got into Ikebukuro before 6am, to witness a queue forming by 7-11. Pachinko players were queuing up 4 hours in advance of the opening at daybreak on Saturday in the driving rain. Superb. Got back home and passed out on the couch. Woke up without any blood in my left arm. Tingling. 3pm.
And so Saturday was largely R&R with a late trip down to Ginza to eat at a fabulously decorated, very grown up restaurant. I ate somethings that I will want again, and somethings that I will beg to try again. And warm sake, of course.

- posted by Daniel @ Monday, September 26, 2005

Comments:

I wish for two things -
1/ The ability to eat anything with no ill effects
2/ The ability to drink anything with no ill effects

I currently have neither ability, which is wrong.

# posted by

Al : 9:38 PM

1/ i have eaten cockroach

2/ i have drunken plum stuff in the czech republic.

although i would not _want_ to repeat either, i am quite certain that enough rocket fuel (absinth) could change my mind.

you should try new things after a few drinks.

are you going to quit your job and come to tokyo, or was that all Big Man Talk?

# posted by

Daniel : 10:07 PM

I told you to get me the job and I'd be there.
You failed. Which makes me the Big Man, and you the muppet. Legally at least.

# posted by

Al : 10:04 PM

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