We built this city on rock and roll

Went to check out the fireworks at Yokota Air Force Base. So weird -- the surrounding town is like a little America. I hadn't seen an apartment with a proper balcony, or proper English t-shirts until this day. The American soldiers IDed everyone who wasn't Japanese as they came through the gate. We got a laugh out of our German friend Alex being IDed then having his bag searched, while we breezed through. I guess an American passport has its advantages.

When we got on the base, they were selling steak, hamburgers, burritos, margaritas...and American beer! We were so excited at the prospect of drinking an American beer, thinking we might be able to buy a Sierra Nevada or Anchor Steam. But no, we had to go with MGD. It was hard to explain to our Japanese friends why we were so excited about a possible American beer when what we ended up drinking tasted just like Kirin.

It was strange because Trevor and I agreed that we felt like we were at some big American barbecue -- it didn't at all feel like Japan (except for all the Nihonjin). There were American military families, hugely muscled 'roid boys (a phenomenon that I nearly forgot about because you just don't see it in Japan), and English everywhere. The only things that made it feel Japanese were: 1) the fact that, let's face it -- if you got that many Americans together with that much beer, there would be fighting. Japanese just don't do that and 2) the Japanese hoochie-mamas in hot pants and stilettos out to bag a military boy. Creepy.

Actually, there was one more thing that made it distinctly Japanese. There was an American military band for entertainment, and they played some golden oldies. I don't know if there was drunken karaoke going on or what, but some Japanese chick was singing "We built this city on rock and roll" in the most off-key, horrendous voice I had ever heard. I also think she may have been just singing what she thought was being said, because it didn't make any sense. Horrified at first, I was gradually lured in by the sheer charm of Starship.

We left around 9 p.m., and while we waited to cross the street we watched a bunch of Japanese kids take pictures with some of the biggest American soldiers I had ever seen. We smiled when we saw them all make the ubiquitious "peace" sign while they posed with "our boys." Ah, the irony, I thought, but then these guys were happy and being really gracious, so I immediately discarded my pessimism in favor of "cultural exchange." Never let it be said that I am anything but generous.