What’s the Best thing

that can happen to you

when you arrive in a foreign country, which language you don’t speak,

where you have never been before,

to celebrate (all by yourself)

your 50th birthday?

Consider that it’s the most expensive place in the world

(and you don’t have much money),

people use ideograms instead of letters (which means you are a total illiterate) and you haven’t had time enough to prepare your trip (all you have is a guidebook, not read yet).

A total disaster seems to be about to happen, uh?

Well, it can be one of the best experiences of your life

if you are lucky enough to have FRIENDS there.  

Is there anything better

 than meeting a lovely girl at the airport, with tickets for the train, a phrasebook and a captivating smile?

Home is where you feel comfortable, so Japan became home for me at the very instant I saw Jane.

We had been virtual friends for years, first on Phlog, then on Tabblo and Multiply. I have always admired her talent, her intelligence, her sensibility. And the more I knew her the more my admiration increased.

She took me to my hotel

(ok, to the wrong hotel

 – nobody is perfect…)

and then to a cozy typical Japanese restaurant – and prepared my food!

it is the best antidote for any jetlag...

WHO ELSE WOULD WAKE UP

AT 4:00 A.M. ,

IN A RAINY DAY,

TO TAKE ME TO THE FISH MARKET?

AND TO THE PHOTO MUSEUM?

AND TO SEE THIS AMAZING SPIDER

(BY louise bourgeois)?

Then, a delicious

(yet traumatic…) lunch with Danielle & Simon.

Danielle & I became friends on Phlog, too (along with Jigs, another dear & talented pinoy).

Everything I said about Jane applies to Danielle as well. She is funny, smart, with a great sense of humor.

Both girls are from the Philippines, and live in Japan NOW.  Simon is Danielle’s fiancé, a very nice guy from Switzerland who plays the violin and with whom one could spend hours talking about everything without ever getting bored.

the only problem with these great people is their taste for exotic food. they can eat balut (boiled ducklings!) and fish served alive...

tHIS POOR FISH WAS EATEN WHILE IT WAS STILL BREATHING, TREMBLING AND, OBVIOUSLY, SUFFERING TERRIBLE PAIN. 

i COULDN'T EVEN LOOK AT IT (THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN WHEN IT FINALLY DIED).

i don't care if i have to be reincarnated as a female in a muslim country, as a tibetan monk in china or even once again as architect in brazil  -

anything, but fish in japan!

Probably to redeem themselves (from the fish torture) jane & danielle took me to a filipino restaurant, where I finally tasted the famous san miguel beer (good!), lechón, kaldereta and some other delicious dishes.

the philippines are back to the top of my list of "places I can't miss!".

tHEN I LEFT TO KYOTO, NARA, HIROSHIMA, HIMEJI, MIYAJIMA - AND WHEN i GOT BACK TO TOKYO JANE & DANIELLE WERE ALREADY ENJOYING THE "GOLDEN WEEK" WITH THEIR FAMILIES IN MANILA.

TIME TO FINALLY MEET CHARLES.

IMAGINE THE MOST FRIENDLY GUY YOU EVER MET: THAT'S HIM. THE ONE WHO WILL TAKE YOU TO THE MOST UNUSUAL PLACES, TO PLACES YOU'D NEVER FIND BY YOURSELF.

CHARLES & HIS charming wife hitomi introduced me to the crowdiest crowds on this PLANET...

THEY INVITED me to weddings they weren't invited to themselves...

... TO CLASSICAL

&

NOT SO CLASSICAL

CONCERTS...

... TO AN IRRESISTIBLE SUSHI

CONVEYOR BELT

(WITH SOME OF THE STRANGEST SUSHIS I EVER TASTED)...

CHARLES GOT ME "FREE HUGS" (THE "FREE KISSES" i HAD TO FIND MYSELF...).

WHO ELSE WOULD TAKE ME TO A CEMETERY AROUND MIDNIGHT, AND TELL ME GHOSTLY STORIES ABOUT THE NAME YOU GET WHEN YOU DIE?

WHO ELSE WOULD TAKE ME TO THE

RED LIGHT DISTRICT??

from the "black market" (ameyoko)

to a classy archery competition

 - charles showed me

so many faces of tokyo.

no tourist would know

so much in so little time,

with such intensity - and joy.

this is my

500th tabblo,

and there's no better way to celebrate it than making this tribute

to the friends i got. 

some are still virtual, and others already became real friends.

thanks to all - specially to

CHARLES

JANE

DANIELLE

ANNELIES

DEE & AGNES

WHOM I HAD THE PLEASURE TO MEET IN PERSON.