snagabag

I finally found an Indian restaurant in Japan. Ok, I hadn’t been looking very hard, but I was still curious to dine at one. Well, while walking around the Shinjuku district, I looked down a small road I was passing, and lo and behold, Taz Mahal.

From what I can tell, “Taz Mahal” is named so that locals would pronounce it correctly. Ok, I made that up. Somewhat surprisingly, the food was quite good! Granted, my expectations were low, but it was really good. It might have helped the food cause that the owner was Indian, but then again, I’ve been to some Indian-run, Indian-food restaurants that were just awful!Oh yeah, I loved the over the top decor!

I also spotted another clear sign of India later that evening. I didn’t take the time to figure out what the flag was attached to (had to make the subway before it closed for the night!), but it was still cool to see the Indian flag flying in downtown Tokyo.

Clearly, Japan is just a little bit more smoking friendly than the US.

Walking around Tokyo is always an interesting and entertaining experience.

Well, I’m back in Japan. I’m happy to say this second time around is much smoother than my first trip. I feel better for one, but being familiar with the lay of the land helps a lot. I’ve also managed to avoid American fast food so far this trip, which is a good thing. I’m sure that stuff contributed to me not feeling well on my last trip. I’m also trying to explore more of everyday Japanese life here in Aizu. I’ve been to a grocery store, book store, toy store, and even a Pachinko parlor (which, incidentally, qualifies as the loudest establishment I’ve ever set foot in.) For the most part, life here isn’t too different from life back home. Aizu is a bit of a sleepy town, so everyone isn’t in a rush like they are in America, which is nice.oh yeah, that is indeed the 7th plate of sushi I’m serving myself. yummy! :smile:By the way, one of my many “clueless gaijin” moments came at this restaurant when I attempted to mix my soy sauce with the green wasabi powder the restaurant used…only to discover the “wasabi powder” was actually green tea! :surprise: Suffice to say, the combo was not tasty.

I just read that Sony is coming out with a new MMOG (that’s Massively Multiplayer Online Game for those who don’t know) that is based on…the Ramayana. Actually, it’s based on Ramayana 3392 A.D., which is a comic book based on the Ramayana but set in the future (which you might have guessed by the “3392 A.D.”).

A few thoughts… First, the idea of an online game based, even if only indirectly, on a Hindu epic is pretty cool. At the very least, it’s a new idea to a space that seems to always be about science fiction or fantasy. Also, I was not aware this comic even existed, so I’m interested in picking up the already released issues and giving them a read as the series appears to be getting positive reviews. Finally, if only this had existed 20 years ago! I would’ve paid much more attention at the monthly puja’s my mom and dad took me to if I could’ve played a computer game!

I have lots of things I want to write about, but it’s been too long since I’ve put up photos of Liah! She’s turning into a little girl from a baby. At least, her manner of speaking is definitely that of a little girl. Interestingly enough (well, interesting to me) spending time with her keeps giving me flashbacks to Aparna’s sister Anila when she was this age. The photo above captures Liah to a ‘t’. Cute, happy, full of energy… and always moving. The photos below just show you all how crazy cute Liah is.

Pearls Before Breakfast

He emerged from the metro at the L’Enfant Plaza station and positioned himself against a wall beside a trash basket. By most measures, he was nondescript: a youngish white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt and a Washington Nationals baseball cap. From a small case, he removed a violin. Placing the open case at his feet, he shrewdly threw in a few dollars and pocket change as seed money, swiveled it to face pedestrian traffic, and began to play.

I read the article above a couple of months ago, and it is one of the most fascinating stories I’ve read in a long while. In short, the Washington Post sent one of the top violinists in the world set up in a subway and start performing for change during a morning rush hour. The test was to see who, if anyone, stopped to listen. Would anyone be able to recognize the true beauty around them and then take a moment to appreciate it?

Of course, I found myself wondering what I would do in that situation. If I was by myself, I’d like to think that I would have noticed the performance, but I’m not certain I would have stopped to listen. Like many, I always feel that I’m in a rush, even if I have no reason to feel so. However, as a relatively new parent, the part that most intrigued me was reading how almost every child was interested in the music and wanted to listen, and how almost every parent overruled their child because they “didn’t have time.” I very much do not want to do that to Liah. I’m hoping that confronted with that same situation, I’d at least take a minute or two to let my child enjoy the music. interesting stuff…

Anyways, if you’ve got 20 minutes or so, and you’ve clearly got some time to kill if you’re reading this, then click the link at the top and read the article.