thoughts at a cafe

Today I visited the official Tokyo driver’s license centre again (see photo!) I always find these kinds of public areas quite degrading and rundown. Similar to the old immigration centre that was in Otemachi. Cannot blame it for being rundown due to the foreigners either, since there is only a small section that we are allotted in order to acquire our right to drive Japan. It used to be, simple, and that we didn’t have to go through all the rigamarole of proving that we obtained our license in our own country and stayed there for over 90 days. Once your International license of 1 year expires, we must go through certain procedures and spend a couple of hours sitting, waiting in the fluorescent lit dull metal beige rooms in order for our license to be approved. Unfortunately, the first time I visited Samezu (the area of the license centre) I didn’t bring the information that proved that I had been living in NZ for 3 months after I gained my drivers license. There always seems to be some catch when it comes to Japanese public systems and involves at least two trips to the same public institution that you end up waiting for a long time at. Apparently, according to an Italian guy that I met at the centre, he mentioned that the Italian buracracy is about ten times worse and that you would end up going back and forths to the same place at least a dozen times. Seems Italy and Japan have more in common than I thought! Those two countries could well do with some Kiwi commonsense that is for sure. Anyway, I am completely legal to drive a car in Japan! Now just have to get a car - or rent one...

Apparently it was meant to snow today, so winter is not quite over yet. As tired as I am, I'm off to a comedy show tonight in Harajuku, featuring, Irish, Australian and British comedians. Went a few months ago and had everyone in stitches. A rather good night's entertainment.

Just sitting in a coffee shop called Afternoon Tea and looking around the room (full of women), there are a couple of women that have caught my attention, ande perhaps because of the fact that they are sitting right next to me. Would be in their late 40’s and are chatting intensively about their friends. What surprises me (or doesn't) is that they are hardly beautiful yet they are dressed exquisitely, with one of them wearing a huge Cartier watch which would have the value of around 10-15,000 NZ dollars. These two women aren't the type that would be sporting around fake watches either. No doubt they are married to elite business men or doctors. They both have plenty of stones that would add up to a small fortune in anyone's bank, judging by the number of rings and gold that they have decorated themselves in. Are they dressing up for what they lack in? What strikes me though is that they both don’t seem that happy. Both dressed in black from head to toe and their conversation isn't one of happy conversation but chatting about others and derogative statements. Their voices aren't soft or gentle like some women you hear chatting. Is it the money that has shaped them like this or is it their marriage and their outlook on life? Being concerned about keeping up with "the jones' " and not really living the way they really should be. I don't think this is just Japan though, I think that this kind of situation exists throughout the world. Money can be just a compensation for happiness in loveless marriages. Where those kind of marriages exist especially in Japan. Marriages based on “what would be good for me”, rather than, “I truly love this man and want to marry him”. I don’t know what it is like overseas, since I have spent so much of my time in Japan, but there seems to be an emphasis on the difference between love relationships and marriage. Is this the true in the West or is it just what is considered for Japanese? I find myself contemplating this and wonder if it is the Japanese influence having an effect over me or is it me just getting older and more skeptical about life in general. Any thoughts anyone?.....

Smile and embrace life,
And you might find that life will embrace your smile.
Unknown