Gomen'nasai

Gomen'nasai = I'm sorry in Japanese. That's the first word I learned when I came to Japan last week.  Tokyo is an expensive place to live. Since we are traveling on a limited budget, we seek out the most reasonably priced food and lodging. Lucretia is a guru when it comes to seeking out these bargains. It's not just the lowest priced item, it's the item e.g. room, meal, transportation... that fits all of our criteria once our "filters" are applied. For instance, our hotel room isn't the cheapest on on the internet because that one has a "small double" bed (read twin bed) that sleeps two (child size) people, is a smoking room, and is slightly bigger than the interior of a two door Honda Civic.

So when we found a small pizza and wine bar where we both could eat pizza and have a glass of wine  for about $20 US we were stoked. The service was great. There was even a menu printed in English. (It seems like a small thing, but the day before we were abruptly turned away from another restaurant with a very broken form of the English language, "No English menu!!") The pizza was a little different from what we were used to, but it was really good! It was prepared in a wood fired oven, and the crust was the thin, crisp, flavorful, masterpiece just like what you'd get in a Neapolitan restaurant. Delicious. The $5 glass of red wine was less than delicious, but it wasn't the worst we've ever had.

Pizza with chopsticks. Now that's talent!

So a pizza was ¥500 or $4.95 US (1 each), glass of wine ¥500 or $4.95 (1each), and we had a great salad which we shared ¥620 or about $6 US. So a grand total of ¥2620 or about $26 US give or take. The waiter brought us our check. It was a scribbled amount on a scrap of paper.  It was 42620!!! It was in yen, of course so my mind saw a bill of  ¥4262 or about $42.60 US!!?!!  So I sternly asked our waiter who, I assume was the manager, WTH? "Why is my bill $42.60? That's crazy!!?!" He said, "Tax." I was astounded. "A 60% tax rate??!! NO WAY!" So he left Lu and I to grumble to ourselves and try to figure out why and exactly how this guy was trying to screw us out of $16.42.

So whole time we were trying to figure out what happened, he's chating with a family that looked affluent, bringing out the special, crystal wine glasses reserved for wine that was much better than the swill we were drinking, and opening very expensive bottles of wine for them. I glared at him, but he paid me no attention. I summoned him to our table and started over. I was speaking slowly, clearly, and using lots of charades. "2 pizzas, 500 each, 2 wine, 500 each, that's 2000 plus salad 620. That's 2620. Why 4260?" At that point Lu interjected, "It's not 4260, it's 2620! The "4" of the "42620" is a scribbled yen sign!!" We all had this ah-ha moment together. The waiter, Lu, and myself. "I'm wrong. I'm so sorry. Thank you" we all said it in unison over and over all while he bowed lower and lower at the waist to us and we nodded our heads back at him while Lu and I felt like complete American idiot tourists. When we left he escorted us to the door, walked us out, all while bowing to us! We still felt pretty inadequate in the communication department and it was then that we realized that we were a long way from home.

As soon as we got back to our hotel and wifi I used google translator. "I'm sorry" "Gomen'nasai". My first Japanese word.

Tokyo is an expensive place, but not THAT expensive. Our pizza bargain dinner was so good and such a good bargain that we returned the next night for dinner not knowing what to expect, but we thought we'd give it a go. "What's the worst that could happen? He turns us away?" I asked. "We may get some "extra ingredients" in our pizza, if you know what I mean," Lu sarcastically answered. "I agree, that IS the worst thing!"  We walked in and the same guy was there from the night before. He graciously welcomed us in for another great pizza dinner minus any "extra ingredients", I hope. When he brought us our check it was hand written in large block numbers in the neatest possible script and no yen in front of the total amount on our bill. We all 3 had another moment again only this time we were laughing hysterically.

"It's the little differences"

From Pulp Fiction:

Jules: But you know what the funniest thing about Europe is?
Jules: What?
Vincent: It's the little differences. I mean, they got the same shit over there that they got here, but it's just it's just there it's a little different.
Jules: Example?
Vincent: All right. Well, you can walk into a movie theater in Amsterdam and buy a beer. And I don't mean just like in no paper cup, I'm talking about a glass of beer. And in Paris, you can buy a beer at McDonald's. And you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with Cheese?
Vincent: Nah, man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the fuck a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules: What do they call it?
Vincent: They call it a "Royale with Cheese."
Jules: "Royale with Cheese."
Vincent: That's right.
Jules: What do they call a Big Mac?
Vincent: A Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it "Le Big Mac".

It's not that things in a westernized foreign country are all that different, but the little things are, and that's what makes things interesting and new. 

For instance on my first trip to Europe in Oct 2013 we took a Mediterranean cruise with Lu's family. Our flight had a layover in Amsterdam. I had to use the restroom and the toilets were only the "stand up" type. I had been flying all night and it was more than l could handle, so I just waited for the next plane ride to take care of business. 

Also in the bathroom department at a restaurant/bar there are 2 bathrooms, men's and women's as usual, but the respective rooms only house the toilet itself. You have to exit the toilet room and just outside of the toilet is a common wash area for both sexes. It's a simple and logical thing, but it's just a bit different. 

Since I bring up restaurant/bar settings, I really like that in Europe you can go down the block to have breakfast and coffee, and also that afternoon/evening you can go to the same establishement and have a sandwich and a beer, and you'll probably be served by the same wait staff. The first time I did this was on the Mediterranean cruise. The first city we stayed in was Venice. We stayed inland to conserve funds (hotels on the Grand Canal are very expensive). We took the train to the mainland and stayed in a non touristy, working class neighborhood. Although we didn't speak the language we got familiar with the locals by exchanging smiles and head nods at mealtimes. The places the locals go are usually the least expensive, have best quality food, and have good wifi. 

Also when we were taking the train we noticed many commonalities in European countries. 

1.  Everyone drives a small car or motor scooter.  

         a.  No huge SUVs here. Small, efficient, diesel engines with stick shifts. No need to keep 

              up with the Joneses. It's a refreshing concept when compared to the consumerism of 

              the USA. 

2.  Every European house has:

   

        a. Window unit air conditioner. No huge central air units are in homes and apartments. 

             Usually only a portion of the house is cooled, and the American idea blasting cold air at 70

             degrees doesn't exist. Most places you go are hot and stuffy by our standards. We were in 

             Venice in early October, and it was still warm outside. We had inquired if the hotel had AC 

             prior to booking and they told us they did, but when we got there our room was hot. They 

             said the AC was "off for the season", but they did send us up a crank handle to open the    

             window. The window tilted open about 6". Needless to say it was uncomfortably warm that  

             night. 

        b. A small yard mostly taken up by a very healthy looking vegetable garden.  Not only a            

             vegetable garden, but a very nice looking grape vine. Everyone makes their own vino.

        c. A clothesline that most of the time has clean laundry drying in the sunshine.  Clothes 

            dryers are too expensive to run and not necessary. 

3. Every town has:

         a.  A very well used town square populated every evening by locals getting out of their tiny       

              homes, socializing, and trying to wear the kids out so that they will be calm. 

       

          b.  A beautiful, old, amazing Cathedral at the town square. I love to marvel at them and 

               wonder how the small community afforded to build them back in the day. 

          

          c.  Many great little restaurant/bars around the cathedral square where all the locals gather   

               many times a day. 

These little differences are basic, but that's why I love to travel. Every town or city is a bit different from each other, but they also have many similarities. I love the variety. Tomorrow we board our cruise ship in Vancouver, BC and take a 16 day crossing where we will stop one day in Dutch Harbor, AK and then continue on until we reach Japan. After Japan we will explore SE Asia. I am really excited to explore the new cultures. Neither one of us has set foot in the Far East, so I know I'll have lots more blog material about the differences, similarities, and uniqueness of their culture. I can't wait!!