Flags and Fireworks and Fangirls of a random Latin singer

After a catch-up on sleep morning, I was invited to go with Audrya, a lady staying at Yuji's, to a "park" (patch of grass) nearby where she taught me to twirl "fairy flags". It's kind of like poi for those of you who are familiar with people swinging around balls on chains.

I then travelled to R's for the Tokyo Bay fireworks display. I was pretty confused as to why setting off at 3.30pm was necessary for a 7pm start. Until I saw the thousands of people crowding the streets and stations. The majority were dressed in yukatas (cheaper, lighter versions of kimonos) with a type of flip-flops. These bizarre shoes have a wooden base and two heels, one at the back and one in the middle and so the wearer can rock back and forth as he or she so desires. Personally, I look at those shoes and envisioning myself falling to my death. I'm still not over the Sony Building incident.

We arrived at R's apartment, apparently her second-home. Not only did it have a breath-taking view of the river and the city but the table was pretty soon filled with a delicious Japanese meal. Rice, sushi, seaweed, eggs radishes, salad, okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) as well at delicious fruit to finish. Top that off with fantastic hospitality and another interview, and to be honest, I thought the evening couldn't get any better...

But erm, the fireworks.....well, I'm kind of lost for words. The Japanese love cute. They give everything smiley faces. Including their fireworks, which grinned and swirled and flowered their way across the sky. The display went on bombarding my senses for over an hour. I watched fireworks shimmer and sizzle above the river and the illuminated bridge, the most awe-inspiring backdrop one could imagine. The entire sky to the right of the display glowed an orangey-purple, thick with the smoke from the sheer quantity of fireworks. And watching was only part of the fun; the explosions made the ground shake with the eachos that reverberated of the high-rise buildings. Amazing.

I then had to rush off to meet my host for the evening who wanted to go to party to celebrate the birthday of Juanes, a Latin singer from Colombia. The conversation wavered crazily between Japanese and Spanish, with topics such as "Which haircut suits Juanes best?" Just as I was leaving, I was obliged to paint my hand and print it on a flag and write Juanes a very special message so that they could give him the handprinted flag at his next concert. Dedication, devotion or derangement?

My host then took me to a very swanky bar where I got into an involved discussion with the barman (through her translations) about why Japanese people have covers on their books on the train. Apparently, books show what kind of person you are. And they show what is in your mind and what is in your mind is private and strangers should not be allowed to know this. I could go on but I want to end on the note of...what does their choice of title cover show about them?!