teamEggers

Noge, Yokohama

As in any big city, there are neighborhoods in Yokohama. Neighborhoods yet undiscovered. Huge Neighborhoods.

One of the remaining gray spots on the map was Noge.  I have no idea how the Japanese would pronounce this, but I’ve been calling it “The Najsh” (soft “g” sound). I set out on my sunshine-filled Saturday morning with a vague idea of where I was going and very little plans for the afternoon.  When I say I’ve been at my computer too much lately, I hope you understand what a statement that is.  I am nearly always attached to Google. I’m generally happiest when the soft glow of my MacBook  is reflecting off of my glasses. But lately?  Lately it’s just been too much. My eyes/brain were fried.

But before I get there, I run across this unattended group of 7-year olds. Now, perhaps it’s because we’re overcautious, or perhaps it’s because our society genuinely demands the full supervision of our children… but you would be astonished by how many unattended children I see here.  This group in particular looks like a miniature group of adults with their shopping bags and pensive looks.

The Japanese use English words differently than we do. Here’s another good example. I think they just like the phrase “Merry X’mas”.

What do you think this means? “Taste | Incense | Source”

This next picture is either a testament to how quickly American culture is adopted OR how globally accepted our new president is. I can’t decide. Either way, I think it’s awesome. (for the record, a “shot bar” is somewhere that you go to drink … shots. not somewhere that you shoot things.)

I left the house at 9am which means that I probably got to The Najsh around 9:30. Nothing was open so I parked myself in a cafe and read a bit. It was about 11:00 when I set out again and still nothing was open. This is 11:00am on a Saturday that is definitely not a holiday. The stores here open up very late and they seem to close up early. (with the exception of bars, I would assume) Considering that nothing is cheap here, and with so many shopkeepers there’s got to be a lot of competition-I can’t imagine that owning a business is easy. WHY aren’t they ever open? I’m serious. It’s driving me nuts.

Anyways. Here’s a picture of the river that cuts through Yokohama. It’s lovely to live in a place where there’s water everywhere.

You know, when nothing’s open a city isn’t that exciting. It’s rather like living in the country after they’ve killed all the trees and animals and poured concrete all over. So… I left Noge.

Motomachi, Yokohama

After leaving Noge I walked and walked and walked. Eventually I ended up in an unexplored area of a familiar neighborhood, Motomachi.

This is weird, right?

Before I moved here, Isaiah told me that I’d fit in really well. He was talking about the Japanese tendency to use adorable little guys as icons/logos/spokesmen for products and companies. On a related note, they also use little guys to denote what you’re eating. At a beef restaurant? There will probably be stuffed bovines or cartoon cows all over. Bet you can’t guess what this place serves:

So. I’m in Motomachi. I’m wandering and feeling a little beside myself, as can happen when you spend a whole day alone. I start to go stir crazy and need to communicate. One thing I’m learning about myself is that I’m not the introvert I once thought I was. I miss human interaction. I’m tired of being deaf to what’s going on around me. I really miss eavesdropping!

Anyways, I end up in this cafe. It’s a really nice little place (called HB Cafe, or the Happy Birthday Cafe – another time where I’m not sure that the words mean what they think!) with a florist attached. Great environment.

The barista speaks a little bit of English and for some reason she brings me my coffee without my paying for it first. This … like never happens. You go to a coffee shop, you order, pay, get your coffee. That’s how coffee shops work.

I’m sitting here for a while, enjoying the view, the atmosphere, my thoughts, etc. and eventually I realize that the scratching in the back of my throat, the suddenly itchy eyes and heavy-chested feeling I’m having is because I’ve been hanging out in a flower shop!! Now Mom, I mean no disrespect, but a day in your profession would be the death of me. I would have to be so drugged up on antihistamines just to get through the day without sneezing myself off my chair. I realize it’s time to go. For my health. Because you see, I’m now not in my right mind.

And this is when I walked out. Of the cafe. Without paying.

And this is when the very nice, kind-of-English-Speaking barista had to RUN down the street to catch me, bring me back in and take my $4.00. I can’t even describe the amount of embarrassed I was.

On the brightside, I’ll *never* run into this barista again.  (Not like the bakery truck guy who noticed when I fell over in the street and now sells me bread once a week.) I continue on.  Because there are good things in my future.

A few nights ago Jon and I saw a doughnut cafe that was closed.  It looked pretty cute and I thought I would check it out again.

I saw the line before I saw the cafe.

As it turns out, hara donuts had only opened a few days before. And to quite the fanfare! My review? While it was certainly worth $1.60, it was not really worth the 20 minute line! Never mind that, the logo was *adorable*! Another example of cute little guys.

Smokers

This city is a ball of contradictions. I love that smoking is outlawed on city streets, except in designated areas. I have actually seen grown men in suits run towards the “smoking area” of a street in order to light up.

But while it’s clear that the smoking in the city is off limits, you can light up in just about any restaurant you’d like to. Sitting at a non-smoking table? Ah, that’s probably alright-just ask the waitress for an ashtray!

I really am not trying to be “high-and-mighty” about this. My majour objection to being out with smokers is that I absolutely hate smoke while I’m eating. I find it utterly appalling. From a culinary perspective, it absolutely ruins the food.

That’s all. Just had to vent.