Siliconchef by Brian Richardson

Sunday, April 21, 2002. 5:34PM.
Gate 22, Terminal 1, Tokyo/Narita International Airport.

In six minutes I board my plane for Taipei. My time in Japan is almost at an end. Of course, I’ll probably be back here in a few months, so it’s not a permanent farewell. This is the same terminal I flew out of last month.
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Saturday, April 20, 2002. 2:35PM.
Hatchobori Market, Tokyo, Japan.

Hey! Why you videotape me!

I had seen the man in the corner of my camcorder viewfinder. I was using the last of my camcorder’s battery life to videotape the Hatchobori street market. I lowered my camera as the man approached. He stood out in my mind for two main reasons.

(1) He approached me at a quick pace
(2) He was black

Point #2 doesn’t normally attract my attention, but Africans tend to stand out in a Japanese street market. This gentleman was definitely African, not African-American. His accent and general manner didn’t fit that of an American tourist. His manner did fit that of somebody who was not in a good mood.
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Friday, April 19, 2002. 11:52AM
Odawara Station, JR Line.

I look up from my laptop as the train makes a sudden shift to the left. I wasn’t expecting our train to move, considering we’re stopped at a station taking on passengers. The bullet train passing us on the right doesn’t have to stop. The sleek white train sails through the station, riding on the center track away from the platform.
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Wednesday, April 17, 2002. 10:05PM.
Planet Hollywood at Ikspiari, Tokyo Disney Resort.

This isn’t where I was expecting to eat dinner. I’ve spent too many trips to the orient in western style restaurants. I promised myself that I would spend more time eating in local establishments on this trip. However, there is no such thing as a local establishment at a resort hotel.
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Tuesday, April 16, 2002. 6:06PM.
Intel Developer Forum, Hilton Tokyo Bay.

Imagine talking in front of a room filled with engineers and foreign businessmen eagerly watching your presentation and hanging on your every translated word …

That’s what I’m doing right now … imagining it. It sure as hell didn’t happen.
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For anybody that cares … Brian has returned to his native timezone. Postings & more videos of my exploits in Asia to follow.

Nothing of real content to deliver yet. I hit a small bit of writers block due to actually working. Well, I am doing just a *tiny* bit sightseeing … but that’s not the point.

Today’s not-really-an-entry comes from a small Internet cafe in Beijing. It’s not worth my effort trying to post the longer entries from here. I guess you’ll just have to wait till Monday. I do get back late Saturday night, but Suzan has made other plans for me (assuming I’m awake).

Cheers.