Today was a great first day in Tokyo! Harumi had organized a fixed gear bike for me to use. So I was able to ride around. I cycled through the city to the location for the dinner without any problems. It was really nice to cycle in Tokyo. The drivers actually wait for you to ride before they turn, nobody cuts you off, (except for one van) they all blink before they change lanes or turn. There are no cars driving on the wrong side of the road nor any electric tricycles driving at high speed in the opposite direction on the bike lane. And the pedestrians stop on the side walk when the light turns red, nobody jumps onto the cycling lane or suddenly runs across the street without looking. Really amazing experience compared to China.
So I went to the dinner buffet for the sponsors, helpers and volunteers of the Tokyo bicycle film festival. Brendt Barbur, the founder of the festival did a speech thanking everybody, especially the BFF Tokyo organizing team. Here a typical pose:
And him in the „Bikes Rock!“ pose:
Also Tatsuya and Satoshi from the local organizing team said some words to all participants. They are both cycling messengers at Courier Tokyo, the ones that started the bicycle film festival in Tokyo 5 years ago.
It was great to meet some old friends that I had last seen over 2 years ago. Benny Zenga and Brian Vernor are the directors of the beautiful movie „Where are you go“ about the 4 month long Tour d’Afrique bicycle race from Kairo to Kapetown.
There was a surprise performer doing electrifying tricks that he was claiming were not magic nor tricks. Everybody was amazed.
When almost everybody was gone we took some pictures of the remaining guests. More of my pictures are in a webalbum.
And then I went with some of the bicycle messengers to the courier office to get some of my clothes out of my trick bike bag.
Then the courier Papas showed me a better road to cycle to Roppongi from which I cycled home via the Tokyo Tower. The road was slightly longer but more flat than the road I took to get there and this road had a better bike lane.
At Harumi’s home I enjoyed the internet access to facebook and youtube and vimeo. So much fun! I liked the reflection of the apartment in the huge window with the street lamps and street shimering through. Do you see superman standing almost in the center?
