Akihabara ahoy.

Akihabara.

This place...

It's like someone created my version of heaven, then just changed the language so that I can't understand any of it. Look! A seven storey building of video games, model kits, naked anime girls and questionable pornography!

And it's all in Japanese.

Before you say "Congratulations, dickhead. You're in Japan.", I know this. I just didn't think it'd be this awesome, but out of my reach at the same time.

I've been walking around for about 4 hours, drinking cans of coffee out of vending machines, until I've come and sat here, in 'Excelsior Coffee', the first place that actually sells a traditional latte. Granted, it's made by a machine and has a resting temperature of about 94 degrees centigrade, but at least it's coffee. Sweet, though. Everything here from a vending machine is sweet, so far.

And vending machines themselves are everywhere. You won't go ten feet without seeing one.

I'm loving Japanese TV. I just make up the stories, or the news, as I go along. "Good evening, my name is Bubbles, and here is the news. Today, a volcano did absolutely nothing, and we filmed it from a helicopter. Here's a shot of the volcano again, just to reiterate that it is, indeed, doing nothing. Here is a picture of a monkey. NOW BUY SOME FUCKING SUNTORY WHISKEY. Arigato gozaimasu!"

And the booze is everywhere. Marcel warned me, but holy shit. Even children's TV show characters are hocking it. I'd be lying if I said the temptation isn't there, but it's far, far outweighed by the platinum-clad guarantee of waking up naked on a train somewhere, likely covered in blood.

Anyway, there's a Gundam cafe over the road calling my name. I'd better go.

9:00pm

Otsuka City Hotel

After wandering through Akihabara for a few more hours, I came across a lovely lake in a park. Didn't catch the name, but it was man made, apparently. Approximately 4000 square feet of it was covered completely with these large lillies, making it impossible to see the actual water. A bridge that spanned part of the lake afforded me a view of extremely large black koi, and small turtles, all vying for a snack dropped by the willing tourists.

Stray cats made their home in the bushes and flowerbeds that circled the lake, and a large black one allowed me to pat it for a while, before the rain made us both make a dash for cover.

Dinner was at 'Becker's', an apparent burger chain. Kudos to them for making the burger look like it does in the menu, but it was a tad on the greasy side. I now retire to my reasonably priced room with its reasonably comfortable bed, and prepare myself to get Crunky.