You have discovered Tokyo: Gain 9,000 XP.

Why would I have a bit of writer's block now, of all times, when I have sooo many posts to write? I ask you.


So the night bus rolled into Tokyo an hour and a half earlier than scheduled, at 5 am Saturday morning. Tokyo was completely empty. It was empty even until 8 o'clock--long past when I'm used to seeing cities wake up. At home, the gears are already turning at 6 in the morning. While we were waiting for Margot and Sabrina (of France), the last two members of our party, the rest of us (representing France, Germany, Korea, and America) wandered down the street towards the Imperial Palace grounds. But only just across the bridge a little ways, then through a small, mostly concrete park, back towards the station.

A man was riding his bike through the park in the above photo (which you're not supposed to do), and I suppose he either didn't see the small gap/waterway in the concrete, or he thought the bike could go over it. Unfortunately, he and his bike fell into the water. He laughed it off a bit and got back up on the concrete, legs completely soaked, and rode off. It was kind of funny but also kind of sad; it was one of those laughs that was meant to hide his embarrassment.
Very Japanese. Not the kind of laugh where you're actually laughing at yourself...

Finally around 7 am, Starbucks opened, and we scrambled in for tea, coffee, and breakfast. Our group was pretty evenly split over the issue of whether tea or coffee was more delicious.

(Maxim, Momo-chan, So Rim, Thomas, Sun Young, and Elliot)

Not sure who looks more excited, Maxim or Elliot...