Tokyo heat...

Check out the temperature gauge in the car! An ambient air temperature of 39 degrees. That was Saturday and it was brutally hot.

Honestly...

One never fails to be amazed by the Japanese. In many ways they are strange and incomprehensible, but one infallible trait they all share is honour.

Every morning I head to the pantry to get my morning cup of joe, well a couple of weeks ago, somebody left a 100 yen coin on the counter. For over a week, I saw that same 100 yen piece lying on the counter, in a place everybody frequents. Pretty much everyone on the 14th floor stops by the pantry, including the cleaning staff and vending machine re-fillers. Aside from the restrooms, it's got to be the most visited part of the office.

Nobody has taken that darn 100 yen piece...

Suspecting it may be too little money to be tempting, last week, I put a couple more 100 yen pieces next to the lone 100 yen coin. Hey, now it's US$3.00, now we're talking, now it's worth taking! You could buy a whole pack of cigarettes, or 3 cokes from the vending machine, a pack of chips, a free trip to the 100 yen shop!

Nobody has taken the darn 300 yen...

So based on the results of my little anthropological experiment, I conclude that Japanese people are either extremely wealthy, or extremely honourable.

Random pics

How about a massage featuring My Aroma?

Phew!!

Well, it was a close call, there was almost a ballot for the kiddos living 1km or less from MGS, but as it turned out, with only 37 spots available.

37 girls applied!

So no balloting and Nicole managed to get a spot in MGS. I knew spending all that money on an apartment in King Albert Park was worth it!

Now please excuse me, I need to change my underwear.

Singapore Primary School Registration...

...is a pain in the ass.

Phase 2A1 to Phase 2C supplementary... what the heck does it all mean? It means your chances of getting your pride-n-joy, into the school of your choice, are as slim as a Japanese metrosexual man's waist.

As of today, Nicole is in Phase 2C, where there are 37 spots available for MGS and I believe there are 33 applicants who live within 1km of the school (Good thing we bought King Albert Park!). So, fingers crossed that no more then 4 more girls of school registration age, living 1km from MGS, sign up by 430pm today, otherwise it goes into a ballot.

It's like a lottery, only thing is if you lose, so does your kid.

Stay tuned to see if Nicole gets into MGS... fingers crossed people.

Random pics

You know what... It does taste like a restaurant.



Now you know why Japanese people are so slim...

Our monthly trip to Costco

Once a month, we head down to Costco, which is in Kawasaki, a 30 minute drive from home in Shinagawa. Why? Well basically to reload on home supplies. Costco sells in bulk at wholesale prices so it's a great place to head for bulk deals of meat and sundries.

Mega sized pack of potato chips...

Costco is huge, you can find almost anything here, from cd players to hamburgers, bicycles to camping tents, bagels to onions, lawn mowers to fuzzy dice... anything you want or desire, just in bulk.

For some, to much choice, can be a little overwhelming...

The wall of Spam at Costco...

You can never have too much ketchup in my book...

As you can see, we've gotten into quite a routine here in Tokyo, while it's sure fun and dandy going to Costco, I do think we need to find more exciting things to do in Japan... next week, Carrefour!!

It's hot in Tokyo

Well, summer is here in full bloom. Traditionally June and July are the rainy months here in Japan. In truth, it hasn't rained all that much but the weather is extremely humid and warm... still I'm well prepared with my mobile air conditioning.

One squirt of this stuff and I'm cool as a cucumber. Trust the Japanese to come up with something like this. The only problem is... it lasts for 5 seconds and then you're hot again.

Don't mess with the Colonel...

Because in Japan, Samurai Sanders will kick, chop and fricassee your ass...

An ode to Sizzler...

Where can you get veggies nice and fresh?
Why right next to the corn beef hash.

Where can you get the best onion soup?
It makes other restaurants' taste like goop.

Where can you eat until you drop?
Then eat somemore 'cos you just can't stop.

Where can you eat weird Japanese curry?
Served hot and gooey and in a hurry.

Where can you drink from a chocolate fountain?
And pile your plate as high as a mountain.

Where can you mix your sprouts with ham?
Where the bolognese taste just like spam.

Where do the Chung's pigout on sunday?
They head to an island on the bay.

So where's the best spot on Odaiba?
No, no, guys not the girlie spa...
It's Sizzler man! The best by far!!

'good stuff, cannot bluff'