Though for the most part these came about from the frustration I was suffering in one particular Japanese class in the intensive language school at Waseda in late spring of 2002.  An added bonus of these drawings is that they show off my bad handwriting.  In some cases I guess I will have to translate my scribbles.

This first one isn't so much a real "fake tourist attraction" sketch.  But it is the inspiration for the ones that follow.  After drawing the Empire State Building and a fish and a car and a blimp, I tried to sketch the Hong Kong skyline to see if I could.  Then I added a caption like it was a post card.  Also, the addition of the "Fookin' Gopher" adds class and rounds it all out.  I showed this to two classmates from Hong Kong, and they were able to identify the two main buildings I sketched.  So I wasn't completely off the mark.

New Zealand

I created this lovely piece of surreal doodling on a Wednesday morning when I should have been paying attention in class.  I think I spent my time well.  I don't know why I picked New Zealand, but it seemed a nice enough place to make fun of.

Denmark

I chose Denmark because a classmate in the same Wednesday class is Danish.  He seemed to enjoy the doodle when I showed it to him.  The interesting thing about this one is that three out of the five tourist attractions are actually real.

Lyon, France

Lyon is the home of a lovely classmate of mine at the intensive language school, and so I chose it next.  She told me her favorite restaurant is a place, translated in English, called "Water Bucket", and I ran from there.  Though for the whole school year I managed to be an idiot and confuse Lyon, France with Lourdes, France.  The later being the place with the religious pilgrims and whatnot.  That explains the silliness of calling Lyon, "Home of Jesus' mother".  And apparently, "Le Curio de Jesus" does not make any sense in French.