Man, I really need to find a PC to upload some pics. This Sony Viao is decent once it’s up for typing and the like, but man… Opening a new browser takes about a full minute.

Yesterday we wandered around Isesaki and Maebashi. Picked up some books, watched some TV, ate at Orie’s favorite Indian restaurant in Maebashi. One thing that we noticed about bathrooms in Indian restaurants: They’re always festive somehow. Like, it could be a hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurant in some corner somewhere, but the toilet will be gorgeous and clean, with all sorts of Hindu folklore treasures scattered all over the walls, sink, etc. One I went into had an almost 2-meter tall gold-looking Siva on the way to the bathroom. I don’t know if this is a “Japanese-Indian thing” or an “Indian family thing” that just didn’t come over to US restaurants…

Last night on TV I watched a man in Village-People style sharp black leather SM gear (complete with police hat) cross a narrow lit beam covered in banana peels that was suspended 10m above Tokyo Bay. Now there’s a CM on about a monkey in a suit who visits a drugstore (Matsumoto Kiyoshi). Oddly enough, this must be the third CM I saw in 3 days that featured a chimpanzee in a suit.

Yesterday I went past a game center, which these days are not in good shape: it’s simply easier to play PS2 these days, and aside from UFO Catchers and the like it’s hard to find innovation in game center games, save for the latest fighter, the latest driving game, etc. However, they put together this bizarre game about the Chinese Three Kingdoms era that’s like a strategy game where, in front of you on this board, you move around various cards and use a roller-ball to control your armies, and above you see your armies fight others, either locally or online. If you do really well and rac up a lot of points, when the game is over it may spit out an extra card or two: These cards can be like “Guan Yu” or “Zhuge Liang” or other famous generals in that army. You can use these the next time you play. So, it’s like a cross between a video game and a collectible card game. Pretty cool idea- Maybe more of this kind of thing will revitalize game centers…

Today I’m heading to Tokyo very briefly to pick up a huge wad of books and other assorted presents for friends so that I can get it over with now- And spend the rest of my time here just relaxing and all.