Ok, so for those of you who dont know, the 2005 World Expo was held here in Aichi, a bit aways from Nagoya. It is quite impossible to go anywhere near Nagoya and NOT be inundated with ads and signs touting the Expo. Being that it shuts down on the 25th and I may never get another chance to see an Expo I went there on Monday with my good buddy Zach. I had heard it was a holiday, but even that did not prepare me for the sea of humanity that inhabited the Expo grounds. Think Disneyland, times ten. I dont know about yesterday, but I have heard the lines for the Toyota pavilion (complete with dancing robot) streaching over 7 hours. I know the lowest I saw that line was 2 and a half hours, and that was later in the day. It looked less like a line and more like people camping out for Star Wars or something! They were all spread out, blankets, food, some were sleeping, it was insanity! Needless to say, we steared well clear of that mess! We did see some cool stuff though. A 3D movie on water, a security robot demonstration, The Irish and Tunisian pavilions (no line!) the wildnerness experience (nature in the middle of thousands of people) and the recreated house from Miyazakis film My Neighbor Totoro. We couldnt actually go in, as you had to reserve a spot a day in advance, but it was still cool seeing it there in the flesh.
It was strange though, for the WORLD expo, the crowd was 99.9999% Japanese. There were sooooo few international visitors. I mean heck, the Irish Pavilion didnt even have any Irish people running it! At least there were some authentic Tunisians in that one, and some Germans hanging around outside their pavilion.
Well, we had a lot of fun, but next time Im not going on a holiday. Meet me in 2010 China World Expo!
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