What a massive pikachu! Part #1

I've been to Japan twice in the last 3 weeks. The land where Pokemon were conceived, where those cheesy Godzilla movies I used to watch on late night channel 4 many years ago were made. The land of Battle of the Planets and Mazinger Z and Jeeg robot and of course Goldrake! Although they have different names out there. Gatchaman and UFO robot Grendizer...neither of which I managed to find in the manga museum in Kyoto. But then there was a lot of manga...

The Japan team xmas party was much more sedate than I expected. I suspect that's because the colleague there are so well trained in dealing with alcohol that it simply doesn't have an effect. Free flowing prosecco, wine and beer and all they did was get loud, more talkative, friendly. But they held it all together. I just love the seat swapping too. Every meal in Japan with large numbers of people when they have a visitor involves them swapping seats, to all spend time talking to each other and the visitors. Arancini and mozzarella di bufala to start. Wagyu grade A5 beef with salad....the most delicious beef in the world, for main. Then the pasta dishes, then the dessert and coffee....a wonderful night with new friends. The previous night was one of those "didn't expect to drink so much" evenings. Japanese food with sake and beer and wine, and then Miyoshi insisting that we should have one more in a "traditional pub". The little place under the railway bridge, fried food on sticks - think it's an izakaya bar, warm sake with chicken kebabs. I walked him....held him upright, to get at cab home at the dai-ichi hotel. At the party he was certain he had caught the train home. On the basis of the resistance that he has developed over 30 years of hard drinking, that must have been some serious alcohol consumption even by his standards. Morning of the party I was rough. He looked it too during our goals review. But he perked up by noon and was ready for round #2. Meanwhile I needed to go back to the hotel and have 3 hour lie-down. It was only the prosecco at the party that saw me through the night! God bless prosecco and its medicinal powers.

More shortly - and is that a massive pikachu I see....??