Not America Safe: Ventilation

I'm pretty sure these uncovered fan directly above a store entrance wouldn't pass a few safety standards in American. Especially since the doorways are only about 6 feet tall. Anyone could stick their hand up there. Well, any one stupid could.

Not America Safe: Propane Pipe

I'm sure my father would tell you that this wouldn't pass code in America. Plastic gas tubing? Next to a hot burning stove? I don't think that's America safe.

Not America Safe: Thailand needs an Electrician

Not America Safe: This Entire Day

• I rented the scooter for about $7 and they never checked my insurance, there was no medical waiver, they didn't even care that I didn't have a valid license! (international license)
• We got gasoline from previously used liquor bottles.
• When my helmet strap didn't buckle, they said, "That's ok, just tuck it under." Please note, I made the guy trade with me and give me one that in fact would stay on my head in case of an accident.
• There is no hospital (real hospital) on the entire island of Lombok.

Not America safe!

Not America Safe: Fuji Fire Festival

I think I'm going to start a new series titled "Not America Safe". I don't know if it is the lawsuit-happy country that I am from or what, but Japan doesn't seem to care when things are not up to to the safety standards that a modern country expects. Or maybe just that Americans expect.

Example number one, the Fuji Fire Festival. This was an amazing festival with torch lined streets full of fire. Very cool, but what happens when the ashes from the top float down and light the bottom on fire? Well then you have a torch that topples over and fills the street with fire. It's cool, just walk your small child on the other side of the street, please. At least they did put the center of the festival next to the fire station. According to the bus guide, there has never been an incident or death at this festival in it's long history. That's impressive.

A little background from our tour guide:
"The Yoshida Fire Festival (Yoshida no Himatsuri) is held every year on Auguest 26th to appease the goddes of Mt. Fuji and to keep the volcano from erupting for another year. It also serves as the closing ceremony of the Fujisan summer climbing season. For this lively two day festival, named one of Japan's three most unique festival and celebrated for over 500 years, the entire community comes out to watch the burning of large "taimatsu" torches and the parade of two large Omikoshi (portable shrines) through the streets...

The festival starts at 2 pm on August 26th at the Fuji Sengen Shrine in Fujiyoshida city with the carrying of two large omikoshi portable shrines. The festival continues with the lighting of the torches starting at Kamiyoshida Community Center at 6 pm...the festival continues until 11 pm or midnight when the torches burn out. At 2 pm on the 27th the shrines are taken back to Sengen Shrine where the finale of the two day festival, a running of the shrines 7 times around a sacred rock, happens at 5 pm.

The origin of the festival is based on the story of the Goddess of Mt. Fuji...who becomes pregnant and is accused of having an affair by her deity husband. To prove her innocence, she locks herself in a room of the shrine and sets it afire. If the child lives, it will show her dubious husband that is is indeed his child because it could supernaturally endure the heat. According to the story, the goddess' child was born in the middle of the flames, which proved to her doubtful husband that he was indeed the father. The flames made by the taimatsu torches at the fire festival represent the fire started by the Goddess of Mt. Fuji to prove her innocence."

What's a festival without cotton candy, octopus and ice cream? Sounds like Japan to me.