Japan

OSAKA:
Decided to try my hand at the Japanese subway system. I was ensured by Jonathan that the one in Tokyo was very comprehensive, so if he can handle that - I could handle Osaka. There I was... dumbfounded. Their subway system is not based on a flat fare; if you are traveling to midtown in might be $2 but to get to harlem it might be $2.75. Now what about Nagatacho-mitsuke? I pressed "Call Attendant" and looked around furtively wondering where the attendant was and how this person would know I was in distress. All of a sudden, the poster to my left swings open and a face pops through the secret window "SHIMASEN!?" "Holy God!" I exclaimed as I jumped out of my skin and backwards three feet. Who knew? Be warned - there are people behind the ticket booths!

KYOTO:
Noriko is a friend of Cindy and David's and she lives in Kyoto teaching at Art Literacy at the university there. On her suggestion, we went to a huge outdoor flea market in the middle of one of Kyoto's many temples. We got there at 8:30am to beat the crowds, and thank God we did because only a few hours later, any way you wanted to walk, you were swimming upstream. You could find everything there - from plastic hello kitty masks, to swords, to ancient porno jewelry boxes. And the FOOD! I tried what I like to call Octopus Balls - they look like donut holes but have octopus stuffed inside, red bean pancakes, and bbq mochi on a stick. After that, Steven, his brother Aaron, and I went to two more temples before we were templed-out.

TOKYO:
Our two shows were at the Shibuya Ox, a wonderful club venue with a small balcony and a deep ground level. The audiences were fantastic - excited and attentive. What I found most odd about the Asian audiences across the board was how controlled their enthusiasm is. When they clap, they clap strongly and systematically. After a song they hoot and holler and then IMMEDIATELY fall silent. Its really quiet bizarre how a room of hundreds of people collectively create an uproar one minute and then the next, you could hear a pin drop. For the first time in the past four or five months, no one has yelled for Free Bird in between songs.

SYDNEY:
We just arrived safe and sound. It was a long 10 hour flight, but well worth it. The sun is shining, the Sydney Opera House is to my right and the Sydney Harbor bridge is just north of that. In a few hours, the whole lot of us will be taking the ferry over to Manly Beach for some sun and some sea.

Singapore

We arrived in Singapore in the late afternoon. Just enough time to grab some grub. The proprietor, Alistar, gave us a brief history of the country, explaining that it was comprised of Indians, Chinese, Japanese, and Brits. The distinct ethic neighborhoods have now all become gentrified except for Little India... where we went for dinner. The banana leaf placemats also serve as plates which I only learned when the server came around with a huge pot of cinnamon rice and dumped a big pile right in front of me. The big hit of the night was Fish Head Soup. It is just as it sounds. A big bowl with a cut off fish head swimming in a "gravy." While I was a bit trepidatious at the beginning, nothing could come between me and it after the first bite. Until Alistar popped the eye in his mouth and after sucking it clean, spit the ball of the eye out. Aaaaand... check please.

At around midnight, Steven and I stayed up to watch the Inaguration. It was most certainly THE talk of the town the next day. I got into a cab and the driver asked where I was from. "America." "OH! America? OBAMA!!!! He is STRONG. GOOD. and POWER." Or when I was on a walking tour the Singaporian girl next to me said "You American? I taped Obama, I will watch it tonight."

Speaking of that cab driver, Robin, he gave me some great life advice (which I then video taped... that posting to come). "Try your best FOREVER - be happy FOREVER!" These words are in caps because he was yelling them.

I was up and out early the next day. I read about a walking tour in Time Out that unfortunately only happens every fourth wednesday. So I decided to try and do the tour myself. I set off to explore Tiong Bahru - I took photos of the sting rays being sold in the Wet Market along side cod and crab, read about a corner where "uncles" bring their birds in bird cages and hold bird song competitions, and made my way to where the best macaroons in Singapore are made. While sampling a salted caramel treat, in walks the tour group from the article! The group comprised of British ex-pat wives whose husbands are out working, allowed me to tag along for the last half. Thank God I found them. The Singaporian tour guide told us all about the architecture of the neighborhood and how its design helped the men conceal their affairs, the WWII stories that ripped through these streets, and even pointed out a few specialty stores like the man who only sells different kinds of hard boiled eggs.

Next I met up with Steven and Mauro for lunch at Newton Circle. It looks like a theme park for food. Each kiosk has a bright neon sign and are extremely specialized. This stand for pig snout soup. This stand for fresh juice. This stand for grass jelly. We opted for the Singaporian favorite: chili crab. We pointed to the picture of it on the menu and next thing we know, she has brought over a live crab tied up in rope on a platter. "this size?" I was just beginning to understand the Omnivores Dilemma when a few minutes later, out came a steaming hot plate with the crab dripping in a spicy chili sauce... the consistency of curry. Like any good carnivore, I quickly left my conscience at the door and dug in. I tasted something reminiscent of sweet potato and found out that we were eating a female crab and that was one of her eggs. Aaaaand... check please.

Last on the list of adventures before sound check was a trip to Tiger Balm Gardens, known in Singapore as Haw Par Villa. Again the image of a theme park comes up but this time, its a park for Chinese Mythology. The 10 Courts of Hell were so gruesomely depicted that I actually thought twice about cursing that day, remembering that the punishment was having your heart pulled out. It got better. Disrespecting your elders? Thrown on a bed of knives.

Theres a bit more to tell about Singapore and all its glory but I see the crew gathering for dinner. More later!

Day Off in Hong Kong

The first night, we straggled out of the hotel in desperate search to stay awake and feed our bellies. David led the pack with map in hand until we found some seemingly authentic Chinese restaurant. Equip with a big round table and a lazy-Susan, we parked ourselves for a delicious meal of abalogne, duck (with the option to eat the head - only Ray went for it), two different kinds of dumplings, and black bean pancake for dessert. One might think that after all that flying we'd all turn in. But then in walked Paul's friends who live in Hong Kong. Naturally, a few of us opted to stay out and see the HK Saturday Nightlife. First of all - you can drink on the streets. Off to one of the MANY 7 Elevens to take care of that. The streets were bustling with the very well dressed Chinese groups of girlfriends to the falling off their arses British expats. We settled on a bar several stories above the streets for a bit - long enough for me to order a Spicy Mule - the spiciest drink I've ever attempted to consume in my life.

Yesterday was our full day off. Breakfast... compliments of the hotel. Incredible! Dim Sum station, omlette bar, fresh fruit, different yogurts, salads, cereals of all kinds, what a spread. I'm about to enjoy another morning of it. Full enough to get through the day until dinner. I somehow took the lead of the day's social events which, I learned, I shall never do again. I was ready to go after breakfast, stir crazy, looking longingly at the buildings outside the lobby windows. But not all were so eager. A long two hours later, we finally left the hotel and took the Ferry over to Kowloon. We spent a good two hours exploring Kowloon Park which is supposed to be their Central Park. While fun, not impressed - I'm spoiled by New York. We ended up at Jade Market. WOW! Dozens of little stations selling all kinds of jewelry and knick knacks. My favorite being the Mao Tse-Tung pocket watch. You can bargain anything by just saying "No thank you." Following that, we walked down a busy outdoor market. Everything was out on the street, in the open air, ready for you to buy... dragon fruit, snake skin, lizard on a stick, bags of dried fish, all kinds of freshly cut meats hanging from big hooks - including a WHOLE pig.

The men went back to the hotel because they were "tired." But Lily and I forged on. We went to Man Mo Temple where the tourists were far outnumbered by the locals who were paying homage to several deities. They did so with bundles of lit incense and colorful papers with sayings of gratitude on them that would then be ceremoniously thrown on the pyre. I asked many of the people who worked there to explain what everyone was doing. They told me that it was the last Sunday before the new year and everyone is there to give thanks for all that they have been given. I said "why all the incense?" (my eyes were BURNING as I walked through the scented haze). To which a man replied "Why? Its Chinese Tradition!" in the tone of "silly girl." Then I decided to get my fortune read. oops. "2009 - Not so good for you. Troublesome year. 2010 - very good. You wait."

On that note - back to the hotel. Drinks with more local friends of the band and on to dinner. They took us all out for a Chinese meal in a part of town I'll never be able to pronounce. SO MUCH FOOD. It just kept coming. But truthfully, the best part of the night was after the delicious meal. Daveena took us to all get reflexology massages. All 12 of us filed into a large room, changed into scrub-like shorts, and promptly fell asleep as soon as the lights were dimmed and the massages started. David and Paul were even caught snoring. The obvious joke: "strange overtones." After that, I was like a horse with blinders on - must. find. bed.

We have a big day ahead of us. A several hour rehearsal, please God, let me remember everything! A short break, sound check, dinner, SHOW! First show of the second leg. Wish me luck!

Hong Kong

We finally arrived in Hong Kong after a 15 hour flight and a 45 minute car ride. David, Cindy, and the rest of the gang were in particularly high spirits at JFK. It could have been because there was a free self service bar at the British Airways First Class Lounge. Kaissa greeted me with what has now become known as "The Dad Hug." A small bend in the knees, the hug, the shaking. Many folks asked me if we would be flying Coach - the answer is yes and it really was no big deal. One book, one movie, and one episode of the Ali G Show and we were touching down. We're settling into our hotel now, getting ready for a bite before we crash for the evening. My hotel room has a killer view of downtown hong kong. I'm on the 33rd floor and yet am surrounded by buildings that tower over me. We've got a day off tomorrow, woo hoo! I've got a date with the funicular and Bird Street.