3-31-07

Last day in Japan but unfortunately all my plans seemed to fall through. It`s not that I didn`t try to go see the Craft Village but when I got to the subway station there was no map and no taxis to ask to take me there. I wandered around for an hour or so before deciding that I could better find things to buy at the shopping district which is on the opposite side of Osaka. Unfortunately to get there I had to go through Umeda Station, a convergence point for a number of subway lines and rail stations. As I stepped out of the subway car and tried to find the next stop I was surrounded by what seemed like hundreds of people all going different directions. I thought I was ready for this but I clearly wasn`t. I don`t know exactly what it was but I was hit by the compounded daily interest of travel fatigue: the tired legs from walking everywhere, not being able to communicate, the austere living conditions, the lack of sleep, the utter foreignness of everything landed on me at the same time. I didn`t suffer a break down and start screaming or anything, just took a deep breath and tried to stay calm, which I managed to do but I wasn`t ready to go to a crowded shopping area. Something similar happened to me at the end of my trip to Vietnam, the population density of the area just got to me. Japan has been much better as people generally give you space but not today. It was just too many people, simple as that.

I took my time walking around Umeda Station, bought an SD card reader to upload pictures more quickly but it was still way over crowded. I knew I was through with the computer store when I saw this, I still don`t know what it is. Apparently you plug it into your USB port in your computer and something happens, maybe it lights up or something. All I know is you can`t eat it cause it`s plastic. But for 24,800 yen it had better wash my clothes for me.


I really thought I had my reverse culture shock under control but I obviously do not. I have it about as much under control as this pig-wearing guy has it under control. He and his friend were handing out flyers for something, after taking his picture I didn`t have the heart not to take one. I put it on a sign later on down the street.

So that`s about it, anticlimactic I know but I`ve been going at it for weeks now with little break. Tomorrow I`m out for Amsterdam and will probably hibernate after spending time with Marije who I hope will meet me at the gate, now that she has her flying wings. Amsterdam should be a blast, not just because they have canals and a Red Light District but because it will be a gateway into the other countries of Europe, some of which I`ve been to and other`s I haven`t been to. Oh yeah, and because Marije`s there too, haha.


And just because, here`s the giant Gundam covering in front of a fanboy`s dream building, nothing but Gundams and Gundam related toys. The walk up to the second floor even has a gigantic robot fist crashing through the wall.

They really don`t like you to take photos inside this building, as is the case with all of the toy or anime stores in Osaka. At first I was like `Why don`t they want photos?` until I went inside and realized `Oh yeah, cause the people who buy these things are wired a little differently`. I`ll be honest, most people are probably not going to understand what they see in these places anyway. The things people spend money on astounds me. Not that I haven`t had my fanboy moments, I saw Episode 1 the first day it came out and was excited as the next Frank Miller fan to hear that Sin City was getting the feature film treatment. But draw the line at dressing up in costumes to a movie theater or spending money on assembling the dream collection of`action figures`. I have better things to do, like going to the gym or going outside.


Anyway, back inside I managed to take a couple photos anyway. When have I ever listened to people telling me where and when I can take photos? And come on, everyone loves giant robots, especially ones that cost over $3,000.

WTF, $3,000? And it just stands there looking cool? For $3,000 it should do my taxes and tell me great I am. Once again, completely astounded at what some people will buy with hard earned money, money that could be uh, invested? Maybe, say, given to charity? Or maybe even used to (dare I say it) travel? Then again how can you resist a giant robot? If I ever, ever spend $3,000 on a giant robot I give anyone , I being of sound mind and body, the permission to beat me around the head and neck area umfercifully.