Well, I think that picture below turned out a bit too well. I was hoping it would be smaller. Have to look into how to adjust sizes. I think about a third that size would have been ideal.

Anyway, I am beginning my three day work week here at the Kencho. It is Xmas Eve. Funny how for two months I've been seeing Christmas decorations go up and been hearing the Christmas songs when walking into stores but now that the two days are actually here, it is business as usual. Nothing is happening at all regarding Xmas. Not that I expected it to be like it is in the U.S. Just that if you are going to have the build up, then let's all at least drink eggnog and brandy on the job. Hell, man, either that or forget about the whole thing altogether. Oh well, just another difference (albeit this one is really just strange) about this culture.

We did have a Bon Enkai on Friday night last week. It was fun and I wasn't "forced" to drink as much as I was at the Yuda party. Just had a few beers and a couple small cups of Sake. We ate and talked and played bingo, which brings me to the best part of the night.
For some reason the Japanese seem to be big on bingo at these Bon Enkais. I have now played at the two I've been to, and I know Amy also played at hers. They just play one round that keeps going until everyone has gotten a bingo. Getting a bingo entitles you to a prize from a large table with many gifts on it, all wrapped. At Yuda's party I won a small umbrella, no big deal. At Amy's party she won a kitchen appliance that makes these small fried Octopus ball things; funny since she doesn't cook at all.
So anyway, we have this bingo game and people are getting bingos and going up to claim prizes. But rather than picking a wrapped box from the table, like we did at Yuda's, Ono-san has an envelope with small pieces of paper in it that have numbers on them. Each gift has a number and you get which ever one you pick. Make sense? Ok, so I finally get a bingo and go up to pick my number. I pick #12. So Ono hands over a box that is about the size of two large shoeboxes and is a little heavy. Now, I had been seeing everyone else getting and opening their prizes and most of them seemed quite useless: a stuffed animal, a large rubber horse mask, a small musical keyboard (this did seem a bit cool), and various other things that I'd probably not have any use for at all. So Ono motions to me to open my gift and I do so. And what do my eyes read on the white box? Get this............"Playstation 2 racing pack"!!! Those of you who know how much I love video race games will know how I must have felt. Turns out I won a Japanese playstation 2 game console that came with a "prologue" version of Gran Tourismo 4. Needless to say, I was ready to go home right then and there to hook this thing up and get to driving.
But I controlled my excitement and stuck around and after everyone won something, Ono came over to me and asked me what I was going to do for the holidays (he already knew I was doing nothing) and after I said, "Not much," he said, "You can play racing for winter break." Yes, Ono, that's exactly what I probably will end up doing.
So after the Bon Enkai some of us headed over to a whiskey bar, and I mean just that, and drank some more, sang kareoke (that's right...Yesterday yet again), and laughed a lot. It was great fun and these people (as do I) really loosen up with a few drinks. They were loud and laughing and wanted to talk to me. It was great as we are all usually fairly quiet at the Kencho and I am usually left alone by everyone (in fact today it is back to normal). But that just seems to be the Japanese way of doing things.

So Amy and I spent Saturday night at her place so that I could haul her suitcase into Tokyo for her on Sunday. Thing was heavy but it has rollers so only the stairs at all the stations were troublesome. We left on Sunday morning, rode into Kofu via the Minobu line, then rode the Chuo line to Shinjuku and then hopped a subway to the stop near the hotel. I think that this time I really learned how to work the whole traveling thing in Tokyo and could probably get myself and you all anywhere we'd want to go so long I was armed with a map and some yen. I love mass transit when it is convenient and not too hard to figure out.
We went all over place: to the Sensoji temple, Roppongi, Akehabara, Shibuya, Shinjuku, the Tokyo Tower and one or two other places. We also managed to stop by the Sumo place to get tickets for Gaylyn's visit and made hotel reservations, so that trip is all set up. Also, and this might be the highlight of the trip, we found, in Shibuya, an El Torito. It had been five months since I'd had Mexican food and although it was rather pricey, it was well worth it. I had fajitas (what else?) and a large margarita. Funny thing was that I wasn't really all that hungry when we went in but I ended up eating chips and salsa plus my entire meal. I sure as hell wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste. So it was good and I know that when need be I can find that place again.
Aside from that there is just too much to tell. We went all over the place, ate well, drank well, and had a great time. I really like Tokyo. It is a great city with many places to go, lots to do, and a great system of transportation.
And then the fun ended yesterday when Amy and I grabbed our stuff, checked out of the hotel, and took the subway to Shinjuku where she was to catch the Narita Express to the airport and I was to catch a train back to Kofu. So we parted after she was all set up on the correct platform for her train and now I have two weeks of loneliness or freedom (however you choose to look at it).

Ok, I might write more later. I have a full day here and it is still early. Happy Xmas to all if I didn't send you an email saying so.