Five O'Clock Chimes

     London relies on Big Ben, Tokyo on its 5 o'clock chimes. To insure that the public announcement system is operating (in the event of earthquake), every afternoon at five a melody wafts through the ku (borough). In Minato-ku ("Harbor" borough) the tune begins with a tinkling sound. If information has to be broadcast, we locals are tuned in to how the system works. "What a charming touch for the government to alert the public that it's cocktail hour," a Brit once remarked. How Pavlovian I am: The first little ringy-dingy reminds me to lift a glass of wine. Campai!

     All day the nation has been riveted by the rivalry between Olympic skaters Yuna Kim (Korea) and the hometown girl, Mao-chan. Extra forces across the street have been guarding the Korean Embassy, which is normally under assault by the right-wing faction. Demonstrations are not the unruly affairs typical of the West but organized and contained. Protesters drive "sound trucks" to the Embassy and, from the privacy of the van, use loudspeakers to vent their spleen, to use Baudelaire's term. Since the police are always informed to expect the protest, they are out in force with batons and riot gear. Meanwhile, the "sound truck" parks at the appointed site and shouts away. A decibel measuring machine insures that the protesters do not exceed the maximum allowable. The demonstration lasts no more than five minutes, and as the truck drives away, it blasts militaristic tunes.

      On the other side of the Manor stands the quiet, unloved Australian Embassy. Surrounded by a tall gate, it has the look of a high security prison. One lone guard sits at the front office below a frieze of a kangaroo. Down the hill lies the overgrown Italian Embassy, into which I was once invited by the Ambassador's wife. The interior is a bit worn and the large garden is home to a family of feral cats. "We shop at Costco when we have state dinners," Signora Ambassador confided. Supermarkets sell tiny portions, just a single stalk of celery or three spears of asparagus. What a contrast to Roma!

     Tonight's email includes a link from Nikoli Puzzles of the Sudoku Fun Day. I read that a pianist took top honors at the crossword contest in Brooklyn last weekend. John Wood will be coming to town for the marathon on Sunday and for a fundraising marathon. But the expat community is not as hearty as it was even one year ago. The Manor is half empty and continuing to empty out.