Tomatito
Last night, I was fortunate to buy the last available ticket for a Tomatito show. When the show started, he came out alone, and brought me to the point of tears with his musical finesse. After the first song, his musical companions joined him – 2 singers, another guitarist, a percussionist, and a dancer. These guys really knew how to put on a fantastic presentation, and they managed to do it without uttering one word (save lyrics) to the audience. It was certainly awesome to see one of my (many) guitar heroes performing live.
Here is a video clip of the encore, which was interrupted by an usher telling me I couldn’t film. Oops.
Indian Wedding
Due to a delayed flight, day one of my trip found me stranded at the Newark airport, with no alternative but to find a hotel.
Ahh, sleep is priceless after days of erratic rest.
This morning, I woke to the deep bass of a giant heartbeat. I thought I was in a giant womb. The heartbeats gradually morphed into a beat, and then I heard an announcer say “How are we doing tonight? Are we going to have a party?!” Mind you, this was morning, not night, or so I thought. I rushed to the window and saw an Indian wedding party taking place in the cold parking lot. Enjoy the videos of this surreal spectacle.
The Bible Banger
This morning I woke to the unmistakable sound of a midwestern American voice. At first, I was excited to hear the sound, and eager to talk to it’s owner, until I discovered that he was preaching, and getting downright biblical on some Malaysian guy staying at the hostel. All of this happened outside my window, so I couldn’t ignore it, and the American’s voice was too loud for me to go back to sleep. Why does it always have to be a Bible-thumping American who sticks out like a sore thumb, who feels it’s important to convert the world to his world view? Ugh.
Tokyo
Tokyo is an endless, sprawling megalopolis, a bustling sea of humanity, neon eternity.
Upon my arrival, I was blown away by the sheer volume of people in the station, and when I made my way via subway to Shinjuku to find a hotel, I was even more blown away. Shinjuku station’s daily traffic is one of the highest in the world, and one has to almost fight one’s way through it. Better yet, simply go with the flow. This place makes NYC seem like a farming community.
Geisha
I was wandering aimlessly around Gion today, when I nearly blundered into a Geisha. It happened when I was crossing a busy street (Shijo-dori), and she sort of appeared out of nowhere. She could have been a Maiko, or apprentice Geisha, but I really don’t know how to tell them apart. As the next hour unfolded, I managed to spot a few more scurrying around, and even snapped up a blurry pic of one being escorted to Pontocho by her matron. This place is so surreal. It’s almost like living in a story. Almost, but not quite. The illusion got ruined when I walked a few more blocks and found myself in the red light district, surrounded by Japanese business men in their starched suits. Eyed warily by seedy sentinels posted outside various establishments, I quickly made my way back to the hostel.