China to Africa in 1 day

Today I went to Chinatown in Yokohama for lunch with one of my co-workers. There is a new subway line that connects on to a line from Tokyo, so it is really convenient to get there now! You used to have to walk a kilometer or so to get there. Now the subway drops you off right beside it.

She wanted to go to a certain buffet restaurant but when we got there, there was this huge line up across the front, down one side of the building and around the back! We were going to wait but then they came and told us that it would be over by the time we were seated. So we settled on another restaurant instead. It was a bit weird.

First off it only had tables for 8 so we had to eat with strangers. Second there was a couple beside us who we ended up talking to. That'd be the yakuza gangster and Filipino hostess. How do I know he was yakuza? Well, I don't really, but he had the three dot tattoo on his hand which is the sign of being in an Asian gang. The guy gave us his name card too (we didn't give him one back!) and he is Japanese, so he wouldn't be in, say, a Chinese gang. The woman told us she was a hostess. Very odd. The food was only so-so. The Peking duck was good, but the rest only so-so.

After lunch we ended up walking all over Chinatown. It was nice. Even though it was raining and crappy out. We went to the temple and I took some pictures of the detailing on the support poles (I'm behind in my pics - I know I need to update my photoblog). Then we just went shopping. I got some jasmine tea and some weight loss miracle tea LOL I actually bought some of this tea at the Chinese medicine shop when I was in Singapore - but it was significantly more expensive than the buck I paid for 20 bags. I'm sure there is a big difference in quality though! Anyway I figure if I am going to drink tea, why not drink tea that is supposed to help me lose weight too?! And does it work like a diet cola and cancel out the calories of the bad things you eat with it ;)

I also got some yummy things for Hiroshi - coconut mochi (rice dough), coconut tarts and egg tarts - and picked up some omiyage (souvenirs) for my class of older women. They are always bringing in stuff for me so it is my turn to return the 'favour' (how can you call it a favour when it just makes my butt bigger??). I got some almond cookies for them. And I got some jasmine tea cuz that stuff just smells so good! Hiroshi usually drinks that instead of black tea too.

So after a long day of walking around and looking at food and clothes and other things we ended up at the office (grrr) because I needed to print something out for a class tomorrow. Then I came back home and met Hiroshi at the station and we went to the African restaurant. It was soooo good! I was pleasantly surprised. We got the "safari set". It had a chicken kebob, a curry (goat or lamb?), a samosa and a salad. The salad had three plump shrimp on it and a delicious vinaigrette with dill - and fresh dill at that! The chicken kebob was just a kebob. The curry was delicious. It was clean spicy - maybe some kind of pepper. I don't know. Different from Thai pungent spicy though. Very,very good. And I liked the samosa too which was really good... and called a 'brick' (samosa would be the South American name I believe). It had meat and a whole egg in it.

After we stuffed ourselves on an absolutely delicious meal, then came the Ethiopian coffee. Now I usually put a lot of milk and sugar in my coffee - or get a latte. I took a sip of this stuff black and was in heaven! After 5 years in Japan, I have finally found good coffee! This stuff is absolutely wonderful! All of this scrumptious food only cost 1500 yen too - about US$15! We're definitely going back there! It was a really nice way to end my holidays.

Speaking of which, I definitely do not want to go back to work tomorrow. I am however being responsible and going to bed right now. Can't remember when I was last in bed at 11. I have to get up at some ungodly early hour tomorrow (I hate Thursdays) so I need to get my beauty rest. Back to the grind, back to the diet - no more fun new restaurants every day, and back to the gym! Since the banks are open again, I can pay my membership and they will let me go again. I had to beg and plead for them to let me in the one day I went over the past few days. It will be nice to get into swimming again.