Here we are in Ikebukuro, one of the sleaziest parts of Tokyo, killing time before we catch the train to the airport and head off for Vietnam on the second part of our Truly Asia tour, in search of Yam Yam and his/her Pangs.
Tokyo is very exhausting, but if you can figure out the train system all is well. Last night we went to the house of Phillip and Bei, who were attendees at the WHA conference. Phillip is English, Bei Chinese. They live in a very swellegant part of Tokyo. It was good to be away from the neon blur of Shinjuku, though we only just made it back to the ryokan before curfew!! Yowsers.
Yesterday we had a bizarre experience in a coffee shop here. This guy walked in off the street, I think he ordered something, then he just started throwing things at the attendant, like sugar cannisters, coffee cups, glasses, anything he could find. Then he just walked out. Theories as to his motives range from simple idiocy, to pachinko rage, to drunkenness. The whole episode was quite surreal. No one in the coffee shop moved or batted an eyelid.
Then this morning as we were walking down the street, we saw the guy again. He looks like a Japanese version of one of the Bee Gees, you know, the one who`s really skinny now and wears bad glasses? I have been trying to think of a suitable name for this gentleman, as he could be quite an interesting character in a story – does anyone have any suggestions?
