It was amazing how patiently everyone was waiting. Most people played with their cellphones or were sleeping. No one seemed angry or upset. They waited as if the train would arrive any minute... for hours. Only at one point one man (while waiting to get his ticket refunded) said something in a angry and loud way... but then the police (for some reason there were lots of police officers there) walked a few steps closer to him and he disappeared back into the waiting line. It seems that the Japanese can put themselves into a state of mind where nothing can bother them. I wonder if there have ever been any riots in this country.
Before I experienced the delayed train, I participated in a capoeira show. This time we did one at a small summer festival of a town somewhere in Ibaraki (I can't remember the name...). We only did a 10 minute show but we were treated as if he had performed a great rock concert. We got lots of free drinks and food, and everyone was really friendly :-)
At first I actually even felt they were being too friendly. Lucien (an African American) and me arrived almost an hour before the others from our group. The first reaction was that everyone (except the children) was staring at us... it was the first time I felt uncomfortable. But I guess in a small town community it is not unusual to stare at strangers and Lucien and me probably fitted into the festival like giraffen in a erdbeerfeld...
Anyway, the festival was great. Lots of little children playing, colorful kimonos, interesting music and decorations, and food specialties everywhere... there was a (very odd) performance where a small orchestra (all Japanese) played Hawaiian music, and then one very interesting one with big drums and old ladies dressed in kimonos dancing in a circle waving their hands above their heads. (It looked as though they had consumed something illegal.) There were lots of elderly people, some parents, and lots of little children running around. But not one teenager. I guess going to a small town's festival is a very uncool thing to do. I really regret that I forgot my camera. There were so many things I would have liked to take a picture of...
Last week my sister and some of her friends visited me. We had a great time in Tokyo. One thing we did is called "PreKra" (derived from "Print Club"). It's a fun thing, I definitely recommend it! Here are two of the many pictures we "created":
