It doesn't remind me of anything

This chapter is over... another begins...

2008-04-26T03:09:21Z

Yes, after four plus years, I turned in my notice over two weeks ago and left my job with Astaro; it was an odd feeling saying goodbye to the place and realizing I would be the "new guy" once again. However, this is balanced out by the company I was headed to... Turbine, Inc., makers of Lord of the Rings Online. The dream has come true; I've landed a job with a gaming company, a successful one at that. I'll be working as a web developer and have made it through my first week. While it is a game company, I've already seen the typical office shenanigans, politics, etc. After all, this is a company trying to make business, and business is always going on as usual. Still, there is a fundamental difference in the vibe of the office -- plenty of toys, lots of monitors, and very little overhead light. Getting to Turbine was a long, strange ride; I had been considering a new job for a long time but never worked up the energy to find one. Last October, fate seemed to be nudging my immovable arse when a recruiter from Google rang me. Went through a few months of phone screens with different departments, but nothing more ever came from them. Then in January, I was thrown for a loop when YouTube wanted to fly me out for an on-site interview. Score! Who wouldn't want to work for them; flew out and was treated to an interesting day. They had just moved into their new digs, which were quite impressive. The interviews went as expected; many obtuse logic/programming questions that really had little bearing on what I would actually be doing if I got the position. When I was having lunch with the hiring manager, he asked me what sort of questions his team was asking. After he heard my answer, he paused briefly and said "Yeah... I don't think I could get hired here anymore." That sums up my feelings on most programming interviews these days; most of these questions are designed to show you just how small your intellectual dick is compared to the interviewer's. Flew back home and found out shortly after that they didn't want to pursue things further; I'll never know if it was because they felt my skills weren't up to snuff or if the fact they would have to relocate me tipped the scales against me. Was quite crushed after that; would have loved to moved to California and worked in that building. Couldn't be down for too long though; a fire was burning in me, making me want to find something new to do. Threw my resume on Monster, hooked up with a recruiter, and started more phone screens. I applied to Turbine directly via Monster and had a phone screen with them soon after. Had two phone screens with Amazon also; that was an even odder process than what I had experienced with Google and YouTube. Seemed very disorganized. Was brought in for an interview with Turbine and faced the most straightforward session I've had since... hell, I can't remember when. The questions were directly related to the position requirements; no cock and bull about ransom notes, big O notation, elaborate sorting schemes with no practical use. Came out feeling good, a feeling that was confirmed when they offered me the job. The rest is now on-going history...

Figure: PansonWorks Lupin the Third Green VS Red

2008-04-16T19:50:10Z

8 photos inside

Packed in with the limited edition DVD of the recent Green VS Red OVA was a special figure sculpted by PansonWorks. Dressed in a black jacket, the preview photos for the figure had fans drooling over the possibilities it might hold for the OVA itself. Sadly, the black jacket did not play into the OVA's story; you can check out my thoughts on the OVA for more details.

But, let's talk about the figure itself; clad in a black jacket and pants, this figure completes its wardrobe with an orange dress shirt and purple tie. The black gives Lupin that signature cat burglar look, but the orange and purple accents allows Lupin's devil-may-care attitude slip out a bit. What really drew my eye was the sculpt of the face; it's sharp, clean, and with all the right details that makes the figure look like it stepped out of the television.

I'm not a big fan of the logos they slapped onto the jacket though; the front bears a small bullet and circular Lupin logo on the left lapel. They are small, but I would have preferred a clean black jacket or a small dab of color in the lapel like a handkerchief or carnation. The back of the jacket is emblazoned with two smoking Walthers, the circular logo, and a few other details. Would have preferred this to appear on the figure's base, but you'll likely be displaying this head-on leaving this image hidden.

As for the base, Lupin's feet each bear two pegs that slot in easily but firmly into the solid black, circular base. The figure itself comes in two pieces; just push fit Lupin's torso at the waist and stand him up. Close-up, the arms have noticeable join lines; you can't remove the arms or pose them differently though. Stepping back, the lines look more like the folds of Lupin's jacket, so this shouldn't be a great distraction.

Overall, this is a nice, sizable PVC figure for one's Lupin collection. It towers over my other figures, but it remains in the box for now until I can rearrange things and give him a decent spot. Didn't spend much time snapping pics; the meat of this figure is the face sculpt. Tried to capture that as best I could. Enjoy!

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Review: Lupin the Third: Green VS Red

2008-04-03T22:36:18Z

Thought I would try something a bit different for this review. Let me know what you think of this experiment!

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Final Plus

2008-04-02T13:22:17Z

The TV series ending just wasn't enough for the world of Seed Destiny; Final Plus polishes up the final battle and adds a proper prologue for the series. There is barely any new material in the forty plus minute OVA. You can read my review if you wish, but I don't say much more about this title. You can sound off in the AoD forum, but I expect the discussion to be dominated by the usual detractors of the series.

Buy it at RightStuf.com

Anime Boston 2008

2008-04-01T02:50:18Z

Haven't rushed to get this written, as there isn't much to write about this year's Anime Boston. Picked up my badge Thursday and spent most of Friday killing time in the dealer's room or catching some shows. There were no anime industry guests from Japan this year leaving only three Japanese bands as seasoning from the East. Only one of them had a panel, Luv and Response. Billed as a fashion oriented dance troupe, I knew they wouldn't be my cup o' tea but checked them out anyway. The highlight of the panel was "D" admitting he was an otaku; the rest of the troupe chimed in and said he would routinely slip in fashion from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. eLu admitted to visiting Tokyo Disneyland at least once a month. It was an amusing panel with some genuinely funny moments. Caught some Beck, dubbed even, some Hell Girl, and Kaleido Star. Bought the Mon-sieur Bome sculpt of Takaya Noriko along with the remaining Japanese volumes of Emma. Basically, I was killing time until the tokyo pinsalocks concert. Listened to some of their stuff on their MySpace but didn't know what to expect from their live show. They were setup in the ballroom, a small intimate setting. They went on close to 11PM and rocked my world; they put on an amazing live show and had a lot of fun with the crowd. They said they would be touring the US in October, and I'll definitely try to catch their show if they hit a local venue. Best I can describe them is to take Republica and Erasure, stick them in a blender, and then pitch their voices a few octaves higher. Saturday was a first, as Jm joined me for her first anime convention. She's not really into it much, but she digs Emma and thought it was time to see what the hell I do one weekend every year. Since she wasn't pre-registered, she had to stand in line for two hours or so to get a badge. Stood in line with her most of the time; again, nothing on the schedule really piqued my interest. Bailed only at the last to head up to the AnimeOnDVD.com panel. She caught up with me there, and we went to lunch afterwards. Watched some Mushishi and killed some time in the dealer's room before trying to find the line for the Luv and Response and the pillows concert. Line was huge and poorly managed; despite the line cock ups, we managed to get seated in the balcony area and settled in. L&R didn't impress me much; they had good choreography but too many distracting elements. Most notably, they had their videos playing on the jumbo screens while they were performing. This wouldn't be terrible except for the fact that they were doing the exact same routine as seen in the video. Maybe this is a cultural difference in how concerts work here and in Japan, but if you are live, I want to see something fresh, something I can't see on a screen. I've heard the pillows before and knew they would put on a good show. Couldn't understand them half the time due to the acoustics, but they rocked hard and long even making Jm think about picking up some of their tunes. After the concert, we got some ice cream and made our way to the ADV panel. Nothing major announced there except what I was already expecting. All the titles they pulled from their site a month or so ago was due to licensing renegotiations. Titles are slowly finding their way back into production. Overall, would have liked to have introduced Jm to the kind of con I really enjoy, one with actual anime industry guests from Japan. But, it was cool to spend the time with her and show her just how much costumed flesh there is milling about at one of these. As for the long registration lines on Friday, let's just say they cocked things up royally. Hopefully, they'll have learned their lesson and regroup in '09. Can't say the rhetoric from the officials in the AB forums have been encouraging though... Prove me wrong, guys!

Review: Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny Volume 12

2008-03-28T13:10:59Z

Seed Destiny finally closes on the same notes its predecessor hits. Read my review of the final volume for my final thoughts and add yours in the AoD forum.

Buy it at RightStuf.com
Buy it at Amazon.com

Review: Juno

2008-03-10T13:10:29Z

Thanks to a pair of passes acquired at the company Yankee swap, Jm and I caught this two weekends ago (busy life = untimely blogging). I was interested in seeing if the film warranted the Oscar it won for best original screenplay. I haven't seen the other films that were in contention, but I can say that this is one of the more original stories Hollywood has produced recently. Though, this doesn't say much about the level of quality Hollywood strives to achieve.

Juno is a typical high school student, not popular or an outcast, just another face in the crowd with her own quirks. One restless night, she decides to sleep with her friend Paulie Bleeker and ends up pregnant. The rest of the film deals with her decision to carry the baby to term and have another couple adopt it. What could have been a trite teen comedy or drama ended being a surprisingly cute, insightful story driven by well crafted characters.

What stood out the most was the portrayal of Juno's parents; you can see the weight of their years in their eyes and actions. They have spent the better part of their lives as pragmatists, doing the tasks that would keep their lives going. When Juno announces her pregnancy to them, there is no forced drama, no shouting or contrived confrontations. Her father, played by the brilliant and underrated J.K. Simmons, simply says he thought she was a better person than this. You can see in his eyes that she has broken his heart, but he knows angry reproaches won't change the reality of the situation. His little girl is pregnant, and he has to make sure things end as best as possible.

Ellen Page skillfully plays the part of the wise cracking Juno, a girl remarkably mature for her age but just as naive and self-absorbed as her peers. She routinely misses the emotional clues her friend Paulie and adoptive father-to-be Mark send leading to some painful lessons about relationships. Paulie, played by Michael Cera, is also remarkably insightful as the shy boy who can't seem to find the way to express his love for Juno and the pain her indifference to his feelings hurts him.

The writing is charming, funny, and does manage to avoid most of the stereotypes seen in teen comedies and dramas. However, it still suffers from a common flaw; at times, the writer, Diablo Cody, tries too hard to express that despite her age, she "gets teens" and has unlocked the great mysteries of their lives and thoughts. These truths are slightly humorous but remarkably trite and shoved in the audience's face. Compared to the subtle and truly insightful moments of the script, one has to wonder if one last editing session might have excised these scenes.

While this was a refreshing story, I don't know if I would have paid to see this film; I would like to see more films like this made; however, it spoke to me more as a testament to the depths of mediocrity Hollywood story telling has sunk to rather than being a brilliant masterpiece of writing. Would I recommend this films to others? Yes, it has enough warmth and charm to merit a viewing, but is it something you can wait to catch on cable.

Lupin the Show: Episode 6

2008-02-26T15:15:16Z

Reed Nelson's podcast soldiers on with much better audio in the sixth episode. Yours truly was invited back to discuss Geneon's handling of the third episode of Shin Lupin, Lupin's time periods, and more. Give it a listen and tell Reed what you thought in the forum thread. You can now also catch up on the other episodes via the dedicated page Reed has setup.

Listen to me ramble on the Lupin the Show podcast

2008-02-17T20:47:03Z

Reed Nelson of LupinTheThird.net invited me to be a guest for the fourth episode of his Lupin the Show podcast (he hates that term though... don't ask). Download the fourth episode to hear us discuss the upcoming Green VS Red OVA and more. Like what your heard or want to beg Reed never to have such guests again? Let him know your thoughts in the official discussion thread for the show.

Review: Cyber Familator Lite

2008-01-15T23:57:09Z

When I first saw this cross the wires, I knew I had to have one; it didn't matter I only own one Famicom cartridge, the Lupin game, of course. I had to have the Cyber Familator Lite and contacted NCSX to see if they would be getting any in stock. Mine arrived yesterday after the nice folks at NCSX took my $68US via a pre-pre-order. I doubt these will sell out though; prove me wrong gaming masses! Won't post any pictures here as NCSX already has better pics up than I could snap right now.

Packaging & Design

Love the packaging for the unit; the box colors are a throwback to the original Famicom console colors, but it also evokes memories of the old Game & Watch units. The box is small, no wasted air or packaging to clutter things up. The unit and AV cable slide out on a plastic tray; small instruction manual and warranty card are behind the tray. Nice to see they included an AV cable; they are cheap, but they could have skimped and left it out.

Sans batteries, the unit is light and matches the old Famicom color scheme. Without a DS Lite attached, it feels comfortable to grip even with my stubby fingers. Four AA batteries are required and are held two apiece in the rounded side grips. There is a noticeable difference in weight once the batteries are in, but it did not prove to be uncomfortable holding it for 30 minutes of gameplay. I'm not surprised by the weight or form factor; pretty much knew the bulk of the unit would come from the batteries and the cartridge.

One odd bit was trying to close the battery covers; it seems the rechargeable batteries I use are a smidge larger than what the housing expects. I only managed to get one cover fully closed; switching to an ordinary AA for the top battery allowed it to close with ease.

Firing up a game

You plug your DS Lite into the Familator via its GBA slot, and your Famicom cartridge goes into the top slot of the Familator. Plugging the cart in for the first time took a bit of gentle pressure; it will likely loosen up over time. Before you can fire up your DS, you must plug a Game Boy Advance cartridge into the bottom of the Familator. Once all the bits are snapped together, you can turn your DS on and select "Play GBA game". The Familator allows the DS to pick up the initial GBA boot and then inserts itself between the two to send the game data to the screen.

How's it look and sound?

The game plays on the top screen and looks fairly decent. Without a large library to try, I cannot say if the picture quality varies from game to game. For my game, it is slightly small but not to the point of eye strain. Text is difficult to make out at times, and the overall picture has a bit of grain to it. Played for about twenty minutes without feeling any soreness or tiredness in my eyes.

The built-in speaker is good and can provide loud volumes without becoming tinny. A volume dial allows you to adjust the level of 8-bit goodness blaring out. Haven't tried the headphone jack yet, but I would be surprised if sound quality diminished.

How do you play?

Gameplay works like the DS was a Famicom controller (control pad, A, B, Start, Select); the X and Y buttons have no discernible function. The shoulder buttons act as secondary versions of A and B with Left allowing a rapid fire feature. During twenty minutes of play, you could feel the bulk and weight of the complete unit slightly, but it felt like I was back playing an original brick Game Boy.

Make it big!

Spent ten minutes checking out the TV hookup; underneath the Famicom slot is the plug for the AV cable and a switch. Just plug in the AV cable to the Familator, then into your TV or receiver, flip the switch on the Familator, and play. You have a complete, one player Famicom in the palms of your hands.

If you plan on staying attached to the TV for any length of time, you might consider picking up an AC adapter for the Familator. The rub here is the connection is non-standard; it looks like a mini-USB port meaning you can't run down and pick up a generic adapter. I'm sure the good Cyber folks will release their own at some point.

Anything else?

NCSX mentioned that there is some way to control the brightness and contrast on the games you play; have yet to find out how that works. There are no buttons or dials for this on the unit, and my limited Japanese reading ability has yet to pick out anything in the directions. Maybe the X and Y buttons achieve this function, but I've pressed them repeatedly without any noticeable change in picture quality.

The reset button comes in handy and is out of the way to prevent accidental pressing. No worries about wiping out your progress mid-game.

You can leave the Familator plugged into your DS and still play a DS game. However, you cannot play the GBA game plugged into its slot. The Familator steps in between the GBA game and the DS; would have been great to have a kill switch that allowed you to play the GBA game. Pulling a battery out to cut power to the Familator unit doesn't work either. No power, no GBA game recognition.

Bottom Line

Want to bust out that original copy of Final Fantasy 2 and play it while you commute? Own a DS Lite and one GBA game? Then, this is the perfect gadget to pick up and satisfy your 8-bit wanderlust. Don't own a GBA game? Find a $5 one on eBay; you've already shelled out $68US for the unit. What's a few more to pick up a crappy game you can leave tucked into the Familator.

Let's face it; this is a novelty device aimed at wacky collectors willing to pay for hand-held, old school portability. It is a nearly complete Famicom clone lacking only the ability to have a friend jump in for two player action. It is light enough even with the batteries and cartridge to play for a significant period of time; you'll feel the heft, but it is never taxing. Loses a few points for its non-standard AC adapter plug. Overall, I'm pleased that I have a small package that opens up a large catalog of games. Hmm... my eBay usage may be on the rise...

Finally, I can't recommend NCSX enough if you are looking to pick up this or any import item. I don't buy many import games, but they are one of the first places I look. They have always been quick to respond to emails and have made me a satisfied customer repeatedly. When I asked them if they would carry the Familator Lite, they said they might and would contact me if they were going to get a shipment. They did and even set one aside for me if I still wanted to pick it up. They are a pleasure to deal with.

Review: Sweeny Todd

2008-01-02T19:50:57Z

Went to see Sweeny Todd yesterday fully expecting the usual Tim Burton storytelling and aesthetic. He did not disappoint; the scenery was classic Burton -- dark, moody, and appropriately bleak. I had no qualms about the film being a musical; The Nightmare Before Christmas showed Burton can weave together a musical narrative. The acting was solid all around even from the newcomers; Johnny Depp conveys a myriad emotions through a simple gesture or facial expression. I would not be surprised if he got an Oscar nomination for this role. I enjoyed the story as I was sitting through it; it is not a terribly elaborate plot. To steal a barber's beautiful wife, a judge has the barber falsely imprisoned. The barber comes back to London fifteen years later for revenge. The two hours flew by quickly though after the film I felt it was a bit too quick. Had this growing feeling that the film lacked substance. Not sure I would want it to run longer, but thinking back on it, there just isn't much there that would get me to watch it again. Still, was a fun, macabre film to watch once, but it is not something I'll pick up to own when the DVD hits.

Review: Nadia, the Secret of Blue Water Perfect Collection

2007-12-31T15:52:41Z

I take a second look at the Gainax classic Nadia, the Secret of Blue Water. It is still enjoyable but showing its age; let the AoD forums know if you agree.

Buy it at Amazon.com

I'm big in Japan: Top 10 Tips for Visiting Japan (parting thoughts)

2007-12-27T18:32:16Z

It took me over two years, but I finally finished my travelogue of our trip to Japan. Figured I would wrap things up with a list of helpful tips for anyone visiting Japan.

1. Take pictures, lots of pictures.: As I uploaded photos for each post, I realized that I managed to capture a decent slice of our trip, but there was so much more I wish I captured. Should have taken photos of every dish we ate. Should have taken more photos of the streets, the people, everything. I finally understand why I would see Japanese tourists with multiple cameras at Disney World. You've spent so much money getting there that you want to record as much of it as possible. The reality is you just don't have the money to visit that often; those photos will have to tide you over until you scrape up the cash to visit again.
2. Don't take too many pictures.: While you should capture as much as you can on film, don't do it at the expense of missing out on actually being in Japan (or anywhere else you travel).
3. Bring a good guidebook, phrasebook, but don't be afraid to get lost or experiment.: While we did some guided tours, our best experiences came from picking a place out of the guidebook. Tokyo is setup for English speakers to visit the main sites, but some of the more unique corners and restaurants are tucked away and require a spirit of adventure. You may not know exactly where you are going or what you may be ordering, but the result will always be memorable.
4. Make sure you know when the stores and attractions you want to visit are open.: Our guidebooks warned us about this; every store in Japan operates on its own schedule. You can't rely on one store being open on the same day simply because a similar one is open. Do as much research and preparation as you can before you leave. This may save you some of the backtracking we had to do.
5. Take at least one bullet train ride.: It may seem like a banal item, but it truly is a unique experience. You ride in quiet comfort while the landscape whizzes by in a colorful blur.
6. Do not eat breakfast at a hotel or restaurant.: Don't make the same mistake we did; you can stretch your yen out if you find a local bakery near your hotel. They serve fantastic breads, morning pastries, and such for cheap prices. If we found a place like Sazuya in Tokyo, we probably would have come back with a few more souvenirs.
7. Bring a good pair of walking shoes.: It is common sense but bears repeating. I tried walking one day in sneaks and paid for it with killer blisters the next day. You lose your sense of time and how long you've been on your feet; your feet will thank you for making sure they survive.
8. Bring plenty of cash.: By cash, I mean hard, cold yen notes. Most major shops and restaurants will take plastic, but cash is still emperor in Japan. Not sure if we would have been able to see, do, and buy as much if we didn't have a thick roll of it on hand. Never felt uneasy pulling a wad of it out in public. Yes, there is crime in Japan, but it is still the only place where I felt safe enough to carry large cash sums on me.
Also, make sure you know and understand what the going yen to dollar conversion rate is. Japan can be an expensive place to visit, especially if you lose sight on just how much you are actually spending in your native currency.
9. If you take the trains, find out what exit you will need before you board.: I had read many stories about the Japanese train system; most of the advice I read said to not worry about paying for the correct fare amount. You could always make up the difference once you arrived. However, I didn't find buying fares to be a problem; the ticketing system is easy enough to understand. What will trip you up is trying to figure out what exit you want once you arrive.
Most major stations will likely have at least five, if not many more, different exits. There are usually signs pointing you to the various roads or attractions they lead to, but actually trying to read them while avoiding the crushing sea of humanity piling out behind you is a daunting task. The largest bit of text on the yellow signs is the exit number; try to figure out what number you need. You'll be able to scan for it faster than trying to find the text that says "Ueno Park".
10. Take notes as you go: Aside from not taking more photos, my only other regret about the trip was not taking better notes along the way. Bring a small notebook and a pencil. Jot down phrases, pictures, whatever will help you remember what happened that day. There are likely tons of stories locked up in my head about Kyoto, but they will have to wait for random chance to unlock them. Having a write-up, no matter how small, about what happened can breathe new life into your photos and memories.

That's about wraps things up; if you ever visit Japan and find these tips useful, send me back a bottle of Aquarius as thanks.

I'm big in Japan: Ja! Mata ne! (May 19)

2007-12-27T02:20:43Z

It was with heavy hearts that we woke up and picked up our last taste of yummy Japanese breads at Sazuya (693¥). Our flight home to the frigid north would be leaving late afternoon. We scarfed down our final breakfast and beat feet back to Asobe, the lacquerware store that was closed the previous day. Why was karma conspiring to have stores we really wanted to see be closed on the day we scheduled to visit them? Why?! Well, karma was about to come full circle and surprise us again. We arrived a bit earlier than the 9:30AM time the guidebook said it would open. We probably were there around 9AM if not a bit earlier. The lights were off, but Jm could see the items on display in the shop window. Shortly after 9AM, the lights snapped on, and two ladies began to sweep the floors and prepare the shop for the upcoming business day. They went on for roughly five minutes before spotting us and inviting us in to shop. We were, to borrow a phrase from Gordon Ramsey, gobsmacked; Jm was overjoyed but a bit nervous to disturb them while they worked. However, they were very gracious and kept cleaning while she browsed. She picked out a lovely box but was balking at buying it. So, I made it her (belated) birthday present; it wasn't a hard sell, no protestations at all. The lady wrapped it up in some exquisite gift paper; we thanked her profusely in Japanese and English for their hospitality. Honestly, I don't know of too many shopkeeps in major cities that would do something like that. We had to rush back to the hotel though to make sure we packed up her latest goodie, checked out, and make the airport shuttle on time. We checked out and sat in the lobby waiting for the shuttle to arrive. Naturally, my bowels picked that exact moment to begin moving. I rushed to the loo and tried to squeeze things out quickly, but my timing in these matters quite frankly sucks. Jm was yelling into the door that the shuttle had arrived, and the lady wanted us moving now. I had managed to finish enough of my business to get out in a minute and off we went to Kansai International Airport. We road in a van with a Japanese mother and her two kids; my stomach was still a bit unsettled and was grateful that the driver pulled into a truck stop. Irony... sweet irony... I had managed to go the entire trip without encountering one, but here it was staring at me, the dreaded squat toilet. Faced with trying to figure out how to do my business without soiling my garments or worse losing items out of pockets into its drains, I did the only sensible thing available; I walked away and held my mud until we made it to the airport. As with any flight, we had to be there early leading to much sitting around being bored. There were supposed to be restaurants and shops in the airport, but we must have missed them on the way inside. Once we got past the security gates, our only option for food was fried rice and drinks from the conbi (506¥, 300¥). Don't remember much about the flight home; I think they showed King Kong twice on the way back. There is only one thing that really stood out; once we were back in Logan, my nostrils were assaulted by an ungodly stench. Having gotten used to the cleanliness of most of Japan we saw, it took me a few ticks to realize it was the stench of urine. I was home.

I'm big in Japan: Kyoto Imperial Palace... the last full day (May 18)

2007-12-27T01:50:46Z

59 photos in full post

Another breakfast at Sazuya (902¥) prepared us for our last full day in Japan and our tour of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. They have a guided tour in English; all tours require you make a reservation though. Reservations are made in an office building located within the ground of the Palace gardens. We had stopped by the office building the day after the festival; however, we weren't sure it was actually open. Some places were still closed for the festival holiday, and the building looked a bit desolate. We sat down for a bit in the garden mulling over what to do and watched a few other groups trudge to the building and turn around.

Fortunately, I decided it wouldn't hurt to just try the door in case it was open; if you guessed that the office was actually open, pass go and collect 200 virtual yen. They require you to fill out a small form providing your name, address, passport number, etc. Given the numerous privacy leaks from Japanese government agencies, I wasn't thrilled to have to fill this out, but I wanted to see the palace. Never thought two years later would see Japan fingerprinting and photographing everyone who entered the country.

With our reservation in hand, we headed for the main gate and met up with our tour guide and the rest of the group. Impressive... that is the only way to summarize the compound. There was plenty of amazing artwork, architecture, and gardens. Our group was rather large, so it was difficult to hear our guide unless you were close to the front of the pack. You get a sense of how large the compound is when you walk around the outside park, but it isn't until you are inside that you truly get a sense for its scale.

We didn't do too much after that; we mainly hit some shops and walked around doing some final sightseeing. We stopped back at Ippodo to pick up a few more teas (1260¥). Postcards and postage (336¥, 280¥) were acquired for mailing before we left. Strolled the shops on Teramachidōri one last time; Jm picked up some washi paper (4320¥) for herself while I picked up a small Gojira gachapon (200¥) for a friend at work. Hit a Sega arcade just to see what games they had. The big game was some card based RTS franchise; didn't recognize it but could smell the merchandising in the air. Vending machines would dispense card packs, booster sets, etc.

Jm wanted to stop at a lacquerware store near Teramachidōri, but our luck meant it was closed that day. We couldn't see any shop hours posted, but the guidebook said it should open at 9:30AM. I promised Jm we would get up early and stake out the entrance to hopefully get a quick glance in before we had to leave the next day. It would be tight to get there and back to the hotel for our airport shuttle, but I was determined she would get a chance to shop there.

Tempura was on the menu for dinner, and Takasebune was recommended by the Lonely Planet guide. It was located behind the Hankyū department store in a classic Japanese house. Walking to it was an interesting experience; it was the first area I would call "sketchy" other than some of the paths of Shinjuku. Didn't really see or experience anything discomforting, but it definitely wasn't an area the board of tourism would put on their maps. However, the restaurant was fantastic though I don't really recall what our tempura sets contained. All that is left is the memory of the walk there, sitting in the tatami room, and the cost jotted down in Jm's journal (7008¥). We walked off dinner for a bit and found Lipton Tea Shop, a nice tea and sweets shop. Two pieces of cake and some tea (1650¥) topped off dinner nicely. Somewhere along our wanderings during the day we also picked up some CC Lemon from a machine (150¥).

After dessert, we walked a bit more and finally strolled back to the hotel. While the last taste of bizarre Kyoto late night TV kept us awake, we sadly packed our bags for our departure the next day. Neither of us wanted to leave; we had fallen in love with Japan and wished we could stay much, much longer. Wasn't easy getting to sleep that night.

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