So, of course, my lazy ass didn't finish my story about my weekend out with my Japanese friend Chihiro. We went out for a stroll in Ueno Park on the way to the National museum and then I went shopping with her in Ginza. It was a great day, although I was so tired I had to bail out on other plans I'd made with other people for the rest of the weekend. First I met her at Korakuen Station, which is right next to the Tokyo Dome area and then we got a cab to Ueno Park (my first cab ride in Japan, made much easier by riding with a native speaker).
Once there we strolled around the park until reaching the Tokyo National Museum. It was a great museum that featured many Japanese scrolls, sculptures and old Japanese swords, but I noticed when we got to the sword section that familiar loud, American accent of annoying tourists that turned out to be (obviously) military guys with high and tight haircuts. One in particular kept eyeing me and when I looked over at him, he increased his voice as if trying to get my attention- he did, annoyingly enough. So I lingered a little longer around the katanas until he and his friends got way ahead of us. Sigh...
But to my glee the next section featured traditional wardrobes of the Japanese Ainu, which I assume are similar people to the Native American Alaskan peoples (do we still call them Eskimos?), but it wasn't the clothes that caught my attention as much as the sign revealing that the traditional performances "must have been fabulous." WHAT? Again it said "their performance must have been fabulous"- I'm sorry but when I read that my inner gay voice goes NUTS! Maybe the word fabulous has been forever sullied by me being the ultimate fag hag, but come ON! Okay, I guess you had to be there...
Then she took me to this famous Thai restaurant originally based in Singapore called the Coca restaurant:
http://www.wonderland.to/pc/english/coca_ueno.html
It was great food and I loved the decor.
Then we went shopping at this uppity mall called Printemps, so I could buy some gaijin-friendly dance clothes as I've started going to a Ballet class at the gym during the week. BUT, of course, their large was like America's petite and I had to squeeze my fat ass into everything- DAMMIT! I finally found something that didn't squeal in terror as I out my fleshy legs into it and bought some items fast and furiously.
Places I want to go next:
http://www.ninjaakasaka.com/
http://www.notquitenigella.com/2008/07/11/the-lock-up-prison-restaurant-at-shibuya/
http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+44300
Also, my friend Kimie is visiting this weekend with her mom from America, so hopefully I'll have some more pictures to post.
OH! PLEASE post comments- it gives the will to carry on...
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4 comments:
Suzanne, I love reading your blog. You write it so clear, I think I am there with you! Love and miss you! Your Momma
Sometimes I speak loudly in English to get other ex-pats attention. I also like to wear t-shirts with large American flags on them. When all else fails I casually fan myself with my passport.
and I thought I was the only one with that inner gay man's voice!!
Don't worry, the more you go to museums the more you'll realize that, military personnel taken out of the equation, the average Japanese person might actually have worse museum manners than the average foreigner. More on this later...
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