Number one sign that we are back in Japan: A band was playing loudly at 7 AM this frigid (by Tokyo standards anyway, 34 degrees) morning at the Imperial Palace. The accompanying singing was more like organized yelling by my estimation but their enthusiasm is a testament to the importance placed on the new year. I can only imagine a similar celebration in the U.S. starting at a much later hour. I only witnessed it because I was out running.
Of course we had a great time on our Christmas vacation. Spending time with family, going on our cruise, etc. Makes me wistful to move back to the U.S.
Speaking of the cruise, you blog reading veterans might remember that after our cruise in 2005 I had "Leavin' on a jet plane" stuck in my head for what seemed like ages afterward. This is because a parody of it is sung by the wait staff at the last dinner. Well once again it is firmly planted in my head, however somewhat less irritatingly so this time.
Also for a second time after our Christmas trip home we had to obtain another bag to bring all our stuff back to Japan. Does it really expand that much? No, but all those Christmas presents, as small as they are, really add up. So we ended up checking three bags that were all within a pound of the 50 pound weight limit. That part, not so much of a problem. Lugging them around airports and subways, large pain in the derriere.
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2 comments:
So glad you are home, but can't wait for you to move back to the US so we can see you more often without either of us having to take a 90 minute pukey bus trip from the airport.
For some reason, I thought your John Denver ditty would have been Country Roads, from our little sing-along. Truly memorable singing. Almost as memorable as your dancing the "Congo Line".
Happy 2008!
Yes, our little sing-along was an epic, never to be duplicated event. Too bad for everybody that missed out. For some reason, Leaving on a Jet Plane seems to stick in my head a little better (or worse).
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