Intrude: The Fifth Element

Ginza by night. This is where the former panda likes to drink Hoppy! It's a malt product that you add to shochu to make a tasty, healthier beer substitute, with vitamin B!

It goes well with Okonomiyaki, which we've gotten reasonably good at cooking!

In Japan, we've learnt to expect the unexpected.

Like the lesser-known, terrifying fifth element: Intrude!

I hear you, girlfriend.

You can hang your wishes at the temple. A surprising number of them featured wild boars.

In our hotel, the gym told Barry what he was allowed to eat for dinner.

Mission accomplished!

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Young Drivers and Parasites

We went to the Megaweb Toyota City Showcase to see the future.

We learnt why the Japanese are such good drivers - they learn really really young!

We only saw minor fender-benders, and all the children survived.

We also went to the Parasitological Museum.

I'm not going to lie, it was a bit freaky.

I hate it when this happens!

And afterwards, we totally worried that we were suffering the same fate as this fish.

We started seeing parasites everywhere!

I worried about these Bendy Ladies too.

There was an unrelated Mosquito Festival, somehow. Let's itch together?

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How to Quit being a Panda

In Tokyo, it's wasn't quite time for Sakura blossoms during our short visit. But it was the season for large white strawberries!

We like visiting Japanese grocery stores.

Barry for the beef.

Laura for the pretty things.

Upon further review, I still don't know what these cookie pockets are, but I imagine you add hot water and a meal shows up.

We also like the stationary. Here, it shows how to rebel against being a panda.

Doing your Will can be challenging. Better to buy the notepad template.

We always find new things. Got bad breath? They've got solutions.

My colleagues taught me about kushikatsu, which is delicious if not healthy.

To compensate, we went to a restaurant whose specialty is turnip. This, I don't get.

On the way home, we passed the Christ-y bar.

But chose a less religious option. They had Ninja ice, known for hiding.

Barry had ice envy.

Bobbles, Dinosaurs, DNA, and Mushrooms!

What do Lady Gaga-style Bobble heads, Mr. Creepy Fox, and Orange Plumefabulous have in common?

Well, they're all part of the Chingay Parade!

Now, if you've landed here for photographic excellence, please turn away. However, if you're interested in T-Rex unicycles, here you go!

First, what is the Chingay parade? 

According to Wiki, Chingay is a parade to celebrate the birthdays of Chinese deities/the procession of the Goddess of Mercy as part of Chinese New Year. Which seems a bit heavier than Santa giving out candy, in comparison. But Chingay's fancy like that.

So in essence, various community, national, dance and sport associations perform.

Here are children dressed as fairies, butterflies, flowers and mushrooms! Mushrooming seems uncomfortably hot.

These outfits came with matching umbrellas. I call this: Umbrellas by Twilight.

I can't say I understood everything that went on.

Here, the people of India are representing, with a moving elephloat.

You know when you lay down and you feel people dancing in your legs?

More traditional Chinese New Year dances.

This act involved dancers all sewn together. I resisted the urge to panic on their behalf, but won't be joining this troupe.

This one is an ode to anti-freeze proteins in honour of Barry's dad's research, I think.

There was also a float in honour of the spacecar.

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