Magic Sunglasses

I've made a strange observation. It might just be my sunglasses, but whenever I wear them random people on the street will hand me things the same way they do that in the UK, but they won't if I'm not wearing them. Also, people just generally stare a bit less and seem more normal when I'm around if I have them on. Given what happened with the Americans the other day I'm starting to think of these glasses as a kind of instant Japanese makeover kit.

Speaking of not blendingin, I was in Starbucks this morning, and some other random foreigner (British accent) waltzed up to the counter and says "I'd like two medium latte's please" just as if he was in the UK. I don't really know what it was but it really annoyed me that he wasn't in the least bit embarrassed that he hadn't made a shred of effort to learn even a word of Japanese, and then just decided it was the Starbuck's girl's responsibility to work things out. It was even more annoying that he seemed to get his order :-( And I was having such a lovely holiday from British insularity up until then...

Anyway, I went shopping today! I bought a bag (I had to leave all mine in the UK) and a top. These will do absolutely nothing to make me look more like a local given they were from British makes but never mind... (also, I think there is a rather intrinsic fatal flaw in that plan anyway). Anyway, as I mentioned before, Japanese service is absolutely amazing, but I was in Marui (a department store here. It's name is written OIOI, because "maru" is Japanese for circle. Unfortunately nobody explained this to me for ages so I kept calling it "oy-oy"), anyway this one sales assistant just sort of looked at me when I wandered into his area. No "Irasshaimase" or anything, and then just sort of hangs around following me as if to help, but still not saying anything. I've given up bothering about the fact that everybody assumes I can't understand them but it just annoyed me that he was being like that. If I had been a Japanese customer he would never have dreamed of not bothering with "Irasshaimase".

Anyway, apart from that guy everyone else was amazing, although there are a few things i didn't know about the little rituals about buying clothes and stuff (this doesn't apply to food etc), for example, once you've paid, the assistant walks out of the shop with you and then gives you your bag at the door. Also, I don't know how quickly Japanese people can get dressed, but it changing rooms I was given about 5 seconds before the assistant asked me if I wanted the item. In one case I hadn't even got my own jumper off before she asked "Ikagadesuka?". She was really nice though, we had a little chat about stuff, and incomprehensible-English-syndrome only made a brief appearance :-)

Oh, and I've been meaning to mention this for ages but keep forgetting, I've got photos on Photobucket at http://s913.photobucket.com/albums/ac337/thomasarnot/