What I give a crap about in Japan ... and it's not Sushi ...

Japan 2 Responses »
Apr 062010

The Japanese are a remarkable people – they have crazy cartoons and game shows … an actual term for death by overwork (Karōshi) - as if Trinidadians could EVER have a word like that – although we have a word for “the sleep that follows eating a two parathas and 1/2 pound of curry duck”  … see food coma or “itis”

They have Aluminium Coke bottles

They have kids who dress up like Anime Characters … seriously. Every day is Halloween for these kids.

They have awesome transportation and great food everywhere and you can get sushi at Tsukiji at 6.30am, cut fresh from the living fish

But what I miss most about Japan is the damn toilets. I would move to Japan just for the utter luxury of the hands free, automatic wash, rinse and blow drying of your crevasse from these super toilets.

I mean seriously… after reading the product description below, it feels like that the toilet came from Star Trek, Back to the Future and the Jetsons all combined.

Feel Fresh Bidet N’Wash Hygiene System is a State-of-the-art technology now in your bathroom! Feel Fresh bidets are designed to introduce you to a new world of personal comfort and family hygiene. Using the very latest in technology … go see the AD!!

I mean good god almighty … the toilet will come some of these features

  • A pre-warmed seat,
  • Massage options for your ass
  • The lid will open on its own, because of a proximity sensor – no more pissing on the floor in the dark
  • A blow dryer for your pubes
  • A germ-resistant seat for anyone who dares to not wipe your seat
  • Air conditioning for extremely hot days when your crotch sweats
  • Glow-in-the-dark surface – so you wont every fire into the dark
  • Dual water jets with soap mixture – because why should you have to wipe your own ass
  • Music to help you relax – especially after a huge pot of curry duck with plenty pepper sauce
  • The O-Zone deodorant system that eliminates bad smells – so if you ever have to follow someone who took that massive dump … you won’t need a gas mask.

I think if I had one of these at home, I would build my living room around it with a built in rotating magazine rack!  I have ZERO ideas about why these toilets have not taken over our lives. The Japanese have good reason to look down on us … although a country where you can buy a used panty from a vending machine has much to reflect upon.

Want more toilet reading :

Posted by Rishi at 5:16 pm Tagged with: ,

Sunsets on the Boardwalk

Israel 2007, Tel Aviv No Responses »
Jan 252010

When travelling , one is often surprised at the disparity between what you see on the news and TV and what actually exists in reality. Growing up in Trinidad, when Israel was mentioned (typically on the TV or Newspapers, because Trinis don’t really think about the Middle East in the grand scheme of things, we have our own drama with Manning and Panday and Ramesh), the only thoughts that came to mind were those of war, terror, fighting and death. It’s all you saw on CNN. One becomes a little densensitized to the whole affair, to the death and pain. You hear the stories in the news, “ XXX die in city center bombing”, “Suicide bomber kills XXX number of people in the main market”, and other similar stories.

As much as traveling can help expand the horizons of your perception, it is always difficult to overcome childhood biases and stereotypes. Walking down the boardwalk in Tel Aviv was as much an exercise in breaking that terrible thought association as much as it was to enjoy the sights of beautiful sunset on a lovely warm evening, with the waves crashing on the shore, the smell of hummus, wine and sea salt wafting through the air and the sound of Arabic music all around.

As the evening wore on, the joggers and evening enthusiasts came out, for a swim, walk or just enjoying the company of a friend . You can also catch enjoy people playing matkot. Matkot, according to Wikipedia, “or beach paddleball, is a popular traditionally non-competitive game in Israel, sometimes called Israel’s unofficial national sport.” It is played with two players who attempt to hit the ball back and forth as many times as humanly possible, creating a high-risk environment where beachgoers can enjoy the possibility of being hit in the head by a ball flying at Mach-2. I’ve seen Israelis playing the game on Ipanema and Copacabana … they do seem to love the game.

Walking along the Boardwalk, you realize the small pleasure of enjoying that sunset on the coast of Tel Aviv. The history, the sand and just the vibrant energy of the people. I asked many people I met, about the threat of war and fighting to the North and the responses were consistent. People are accustomed the fighting and the war and all have their own politcal views, but they all agree that life has to go on and they can allow the events in the region to dictate how they live their lives. In Trinidad, we just have to worry about Manning and Panday, people in Tel Aviv have to worry about fighting, bombing, gas attacks, and this is after they spend their mandatory time in the army.

Everyone seems to just enjoy the heat and the restaurants along the Boardwalk.

But for now, it’s easier to forget all the world’s problems and just look at sunsets

Posted by Rishi at 6:40 am Tagged with: , ,

Phi Phi Islands and Phang Nha Photolog

2007, Phang Nha, Thailand No Responses »
Jul 302007

Phang Nha and Phi Phi Islands

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View photos at SmugMug

Posted by Rishi at 6:02 am Tagged with: , , , , , ,
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