Made it to Japan and survived the first week!
spent the first day in tokyo, having forced my various belongings (now including my Morroccan tam-tams wrapped in plastic and packed in a dodgy Walkers Chip box found in the loading bay of Heathrow Terminal 1) into a few coin lockers.
Was rather tired by the time I met up with my friend Fumi at 8.30pm having been up since 11.30am the previous day. nevertheless i soldiered on and had a nice dinner in Shibuya.
Fumi's house is south of Central Tokyo which is in a quieter area, although no less built up.
Ive managed to get the full range of experiences in a short period of time - 6 million vending machines, incredible shopping and entertainment districts like Shinjuku and Shibuya (the department stores are unbelievably large and overstaffed with over-friendly.. ahem.. staff). i was even very excited to be squashed onto a train and i mean squashed more than La Tomatina (although with considerably less water, Roma tomatoes, amd nudity).
It brought to mind one of many contradictions about Japan.
Everyone is so damned polite and friendly all the time (a nice change from service in Italy, Spain etc.) but have apparently have no issue with pushing into people with all their weight like a rugby scrum to get onto a train.
This was one of the last trains on that particular line at 12.45am!
Fumi has also taken me to some nice restaurants soive had a few local specialties such as okonomi-yaki, the DIY pancake-like dish from Osaka, and Awamori, the grain liquor from Okinawa.
And weve been to a rather large Karaoke bar with his friend Yukari.
I now find myself in Kyoto, after the 2.5 hr Shinkansen (another japanese experience of course) ride down from Tokyo. The Japan rail pass i bought in London gives me free unlimited travel for 2 weeks on JR trains and buses and most of the Shinkansen.
So ill be getting the shinkansen down to Osaka in a few days (15 mins) and then a few days later down further to Hirosima and Miyajima and back via Himeji.
By the end (which is steadily approaching both depressingly and thankfully),
I shall never wish to see another Church, castle, palace, shrine, temple, gallery, or museum ever again! ever.
Mind you, i dont think theres many more important ones that i havent seen anywhere in the world!
spent the first day in tokyo, having forced my various belongings (now including my Morroccan tam-tams wrapped in plastic and packed in a dodgy Walkers Chip box found in the loading bay of Heathrow Terminal 1) into a few coin lockers.
Was rather tired by the time I met up with my friend Fumi at 8.30pm having been up since 11.30am the previous day. nevertheless i soldiered on and had a nice dinner in Shibuya.
Fumi's house is south of Central Tokyo which is in a quieter area, although no less built up.
Ive managed to get the full range of experiences in a short period of time - 6 million vending machines, incredible shopping and entertainment districts like Shinjuku and Shibuya (the department stores are unbelievably large and overstaffed with over-friendly.. ahem.. staff). i was even very excited to be squashed onto a train and i mean squashed more than La Tomatina (although with considerably less water, Roma tomatoes, amd nudity).
It brought to mind one of many contradictions about Japan.
Everyone is so damned polite and friendly all the time (a nice change from service in Italy, Spain etc.) but have apparently have no issue with pushing into people with all their weight like a rugby scrum to get onto a train.
This was one of the last trains on that particular line at 12.45am!
Fumi has also taken me to some nice restaurants soive had a few local specialties such as okonomi-yaki, the DIY pancake-like dish from Osaka, and Awamori, the grain liquor from Okinawa.
And weve been to a rather large Karaoke bar with his friend Yukari.
I now find myself in Kyoto, after the 2.5 hr Shinkansen (another japanese experience of course) ride down from Tokyo. The Japan rail pass i bought in London gives me free unlimited travel for 2 weeks on JR trains and buses and most of the Shinkansen.
So ill be getting the shinkansen down to Osaka in a few days (15 mins) and then a few days later down further to Hirosima and Miyajima and back via Himeji.
By the end (which is steadily approaching both depressingly and thankfully),
I shall never wish to see another Church, castle, palace, shrine, temple, gallery, or museum ever again! ever.
Mind you, i dont think theres many more important ones that i havent seen anywhere in the world!
posted by Stephen Walsh | 11:29 am
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