Vending Machines

Japan is known for convenience.  There are convenience stores on almost every street corner (7-11, Family Mart, and Lawson- just to name a few).  Grocery stores, fast food chains, and family restaurants are open 24 hours a day.  The subway stations even have little marks along the platform so you know exactly where to stand for each door of every car on the train.  But the most famous piece of convenience is probably vending machines.

While you can find some vending machines selling everything from cigarettes, to umbrellas, to eggs, mostly they just sell drinks.  I've been taking it upon myself to try as many different drinks as possible.  This is no small task!  The possibilities are endless.  Hot or cold?  Can or bottle?  Soda or juice?

A typical row of vending machines along the sidewalk

Pirates

Last night we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean in 3D.  Back home, I would never have agreed to go and spend the money to see the fourth movie in a series that I don't particularly care about.  But, we hadn't been to the theater (or cinema as they say here) since November, so I thought it would be fun.

Lost Again

Here we go again.  When I first started this blog, it was all about feeling lost in a new place.  You know what really helps to rekindle that feeling?  Spending a blissful week at home.  All that time with familiar family, friends, and food makes Tokyo feel even stranger.  It probably doesn't help that I still don't really know my way around the new neighborhood.

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, so I ventured out to get some essentials (toilet paper and fresh produce).  The lady at the drugstore handed me a handful of change that I proceeded to dump into my wallet.  Then, she apologized and indicated that she must have given me the wrong amount.  Of course I had no idea what she was saying and all the change was now mixed in with the other money in my wallet.  So we struggled for a minute and then we let it go.  Whether I took too much money from that store, or walked away with not enough- I'm not sure.  Then I went to the little produce store to get some fruit and veggies.  The guy was joking with me at the register and laughing about something he did that he thought was hilarious.  He kept apologizing to me, but I had no idea what was happening.  So I just smiled and bowed/nodded.  A sad feeling swept through me as I walked back, expensive apples in tow.  It may seem silly to you, but man did I feel good when I was here last week:

There's something comforting about familiarity when you've been away from it for so long.  Obviously, this comes in the form of food as well.  I was lucky enough to enjoy practically everything on my list and some other old favorites I had forgotten about:

Everything bagel with whitefish salad, tomato, capers, and red onion

Italian sandwich from Potbelly (a last minute Dulles Airport Snack)

But more important than familiar stores and food is of course, family and friends.  I've missed all of you so much over these last six months!  It was really hard to leave again, knowing it will be a year until I see a lot of you again.  Please try and visit if you can.

In the meantime, it's back to the unfamiliar.  I was sad the first few days back, but I had a really great birthday the other day in this amazing city.  While I miss all of you terribly, I'm still feeling lucky to be on this grand adventure.  See you soon.