Last Week

Well, it is officially the beginning of my last week in Japan. I am certainly excited to be coming home, but i would be lying if I said that i wouldn't miss Kyoto. I will definitely miss my bike rides to and from work everyday. I will also miss my favorite bar here, called simply Tom's. It's the perfect kind of bar for me, very small and cozy with ample opportunity for both low and high brow discussion over a pint of Heineken. The bar's owned by and Irishman and frequented by an international customer base, so it's been a great place for a foreigner to hang out.
Last weekend i went to Tokyo on a day trip. I took the bullet train again, so the 300 odd mile trip didn't take too long. Makes me really wish he had bullet trains in the US. I didn't see too much of the city because i was on foot and it was insanely hot, but i did manage to walk over to the Imperial Palace. It is closed to the public with a wide, raised perimeter, so there wasn't much to see. It was still quite impressive though, and helped convey the mystique and majesty of the imperial office.
Like I said, i'm looking forward to getting home. Thankfully, my brother is going to be able to pick me up from the airport so i don't have to face a ride on MARTA after a 20 hour trip. First order of business will be to get some greasy, disgusting American food eaten with a fork and knife(which i know is going to be strange transitioning back to). Then I have to see all the films that came out during the summer that i missed because i was in Japan.