Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto

Hello,

We just got back from a wonderful vacation in Japan. Rene and Ben were the cream of the crop hosts, showing us the sites they knew we would love (primarily food and drinks). The Japanese diet was jaw dropping. We both came home and had to take showers. We didn't know those animals were legal to eat, let alone to eat raw. But they were all fairly delicious.

Tokyo was amazingly fun (again a huge thanks to Rene and Ben). We karaoked, watched the freaks and the Japanese rockabilly gang in the park, and ate at a Christian themed restaurant. We saw amazing temples, beautiful parks, insane "Blade Runner"-esque lights, had a milkshake drinking contest (which led to many frozen brains) and enjoyed the future of toilet technology. We took extra, unnecessary trips to the bathroom for pleasure.

Our flight left at 10 A.M., so we woke up at 4 A.M. to visit the famous fish market. Ben promised tuna as big as Danny Devito and we were not disappointed. We then ate what was probably the greatest sushi we will ever have in our life. Until, of course, we return to Tokyo.

We are now back in Taipei. Yesterday, we went to the night maket and ate fried food so today we climbed a mountain and ate at a vegan restaurant. Still a lot to do in this great city.

Oh No!

We can't turn our back on you Americans for a second! We leave the country for 2 months and you let the economy slide to the point where you are bartering chickens on the street. This must be George Bush's final slap to America's face before leaving office. "Take that", says he. John McCain appears to have visited the crossroads in his evil campaign tactics, but it looks like Palin is such a national joke to the intelligent 60% of you that Obama seems safe from her new diatribe.

Enough of this jibber jabber! We are fine. Working way too much, but I guess that is life. We were down to our last 40 cents yesterday (literally), but we just got paid and are rollin' in it! We are going to Japan on Friday to study the advancement of toilet technology. (No kidding, they are years ahead of everyone, it should be investigated). We wanted to sleep in one of those hotel capsules where you just have enough room to lay down but luckily we are staying with our good friends Rene and Ben. We will definately post many pictures on our return.

Nothing much to report on food-wise, but we did go to a wonderful Taiwanese pot luck where we enjoyed shark. It was really good, quite gelatinous. Chicken feet were offered, but I had gone down that road before and respectfully declined.

I have been trying to over come my fear of heights by going to the largest ferris wheel in Asia (pictured here for reference), taking a gondola up to the mountains, and running across a small bridge at 40 stories up between buildings, but it seems to intensify the higher up I get. Maybe I need more delicious Taiwan Beer......