Sayonara Hokkaido

I'll still be in Japan for another 12 hours or so but I thought I would post one more time while I'm still in Hokkaido. I've spent the last two days producing liveshots from the workspace and pretty much haven't left the building. We're kind of stuck here. If we left, we'd have to go through 15 steps of security to get back in. And besides, that even if we left, we have no car and it doesn't seem like there's much to actually see around here.

But I'd like to prepare to say Sayonara with some random nuggets in no particular order:

*Our hotel is a strange, strange place. Remember that we are in Japan. There are several things here that are definitely Japanese. Like the hotdog vending machine. I'm not sure why you buy a hotdog from a machine but it's an option here. There are English things here too like "Daniel's Bay Jambouree". If you've ever been to Disney World's Bear Jambouree, it's eerily similar. I think when these bears break, they send them to Chuck E. Cheeses all over the US. Then in the middle of this place, there is this huge German/European look to it, including a restaurant named Oktoberfest. That's one of the restaurants we can eat at for free this week. It's just a strange feeling to eat at a German restaurant run by Japanese people. There's also a two story carousel in the middle of that area.

*Another thing that makes this place a place that I don't necessarily ever need to come back to is because on the premises, there is a miniature horse farm!! I'm not kidding you! PTL that the only time I went by there it was dark and I couldn't see them and even more so, PTL that my room doesn't overlook them! A friend of mine took pictures for me because I couldn't do it. Maybe I'll post them but probably not! :)

*I have become quite proficient using chopsticks. I learned that different countries use different length chopsticks and apparently Japan's are a perfect fit for me!

*Two different Japanese journalists came up to me at different times asking if I spoke Japanese. We are in a complex with literally thousands of people who speak Japanese and they ask me? It was weird.

*In addition to being a shower toilet, the toilet seat here are heated. This might be TMI but at first I was a bit freaked out but then I realized that they were heated and I decided that was a good thing. Especially in the cold hotel room.

*I think my bird flu or SARS has subsided but I have a cough and some blockage in my ears. So if you think about it, say a prayer for my ears especially since they weren't 100% healed from the last flight I took six weeks ago.

*This summit has had an obvious green theme... all kinds of technology have been debuted here including robots, hydrogen cars, zero emission house, etc. They even built the international media center to be super green but they are tearing down the center after the summit. I'm not sure how that is a good use of resources! Also, I have gone through approximately 374 bottles of water in the past four days (or at least it seems like it) in order to stay hydrated and speed the cold along and even though I have recycled, it can't be that great for the environment for the quantity of plastic bottles I've used.

*I really don't understand Pokemon. It's EVERYWHERE around here and there's even a store. I went to buy things for my coworker's son and since I have no idea exactly what Pokemon is, picking out things was very difficult. I literally have no idea what I purchased!

*Every world summit gives out a schwag bag so you can go home with fond memories of the trip. Usually it includes some kind of computer bag but thankfully this time they went a different route. I got a Pokemon stuffed animal and a Pokemon wind chime (both of which will be donated to the aforementioned co-worker's son). I also have a solar powered watch, a computer light, a flash drive, rechargeable batteries, several sets of chopsticks, a couple of fans and a book. I had to expand my suitcase to bring it all home.

*I finally slept past the sun coming up this morning! The first thing I thought when I saw the clock is "Yeah, me!!" But I'm definitely ready to come home!

*I am leaving Japan at 11:50 Wednesday night in Japan and arriving at 10:45 Wednesday night in DC. How's that possible? :)