Editables

For the first time in my life, I have a heated toilet seat. Apparently this seat can also "shower" me if I press the appropriate button, but I haven't pressed it yet.

This will be a shorter entry than I'd have liked, because I'm hovering on the edge of dropping into the very low, very white bed and falling straightaway to sleep. I'll be sure to write more either tomorrow morning or in the evening, from Taiwan proper. But first, some assorted thoughts and observations:

"Restaurant-style" service on Japan Airlines simply means that instead of pushing a drinks cart down the aisle, flight attendants walk back and forth with specific beverages to distribute. One man carries a black tea pot, another man a green tea pot; others are in charge of coffee, orange juice, Coke, etc. The meals themselves are nothing remarkable, though they do come with actual silverware.

There was, alas, no miso soup.

I left my hotel not sure where to wander in Osaka at night, so I let my feet choose their own path. They guided me down a neon-lit sidewalk, around a bustling corner--and straight to the local Starbucks.

I bypassed it, of course, in favor of munching on midnight noodles at a small udon bar tucked down a side alley. The chef had distinguished white hair and a short, neat beard; he looked like someone who could be Secretary of State, or maybe call me Daniel-san.

I was mistaken for a hotel employee and asked to sign in when I entered through the wrong door. (I thought I'd found a very sketchy lobby.)

The room service menu is titled "Editables." It's also bright pink.

Everywhere, vending machines and slot machines. Also scattered American franchises, like Wendy's and Seattle's Best Coffee (which I believe is covertly owned by Starbucks, too.) But overall the American stores are swamped by a dizzying bevy of Japanese restaurants with plastic food on display.

So I've chugged down a whole bottle of "SWEAT" that I picked up at a Lawson's convenience store, and I suspect that while it isn't the purified water it appears to be (it's too citrusy for that) it's also not caffeinated. Off to bed... or maybe I'll try pressing that button first.