I just blew in from Electric City

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Headed out to Electric City in the morning to sample the delights of the tecnological age. After a few moments of looking lost in the train station we worked out that the ticket system was actually pretty simple. The ticket machines all have an English button so that bit is easy peasy - at least it is until you end up at a station on the return trip that doesn't have the English version of the station map! Of course, I am travelling with Mark 'just call me Mr R Fiennes' Whiffin so his brilliant sense of direction kept us on the right track, quite literally!

Electric city is in a district just south of where we staying (Yushima) called Akihabara and has the loudest shops in the world. Each one plays their individual theme tune continuously both inside and out until you think your head will explode. Its this or hum along innanely - something my work colleagues claim I already do so you can imagine the problem when the tune turns out to be 'onward christain soldiers'! And on top of this, the latest bargains are heralded through the store on megaphones - the staff must all either be deaf or mad! Managed to only come away with anew case for my iTouch (fantastic invention) rather than the one hundred other things we fancied - teeny tiny iPod speakers the size of stock cubes - mainly because of the exorbitant prices unfortunately.

We then jumped back on the train to the infamous Harajuku district, home to Japan's weird and wonderful! If you haven't heard of this before, every Sunday the kids hang out in the park dressed as everything from futuristic space invaders to goth lolitas. Sadly as it wasn't Sunday we didn't get to see the big parade but there were definately a few alternatively dressed at the station and of course, the park was very nice by itself. Unsurprisingly, Mark managed to track down an endemic whilst we were there - Japanese Green Woodpecker - so it certainly wasn't a wasted trip. Also enjoyed the benefits of hot canned coffee from the vending machines to keep our handies warm - absolutely perfect temperature!

In case people are wondering, the weather here in Tokyo is pretty much like home, chilly but with blue sky and sun so great for strolling around in. Finally headed back to the station when the park's tannoy system 'quietly' informed us all to push off in the most polite Japanese way possible as it was closing for the day.

Must remember tomorrow to get a photo of the great poster we've found - no idea what it says but it just has a huge black Labrador on it! Oh and we came across what could only be described as a cat cafe today. I saw a very lifelike toy/stuffed cat sat in a cafe window (couldn't possibly be real with those staring eyes the size of saucers) and pointed it out to Mark. He went to have a closer look and of course the thing decided to blink at this point and scare the living daylights out of me - damn freaky thing! He looked through the window and there were at least 4 other cats sitting on the tables and counters - Murphy would have had a field day!

I feel I should point out at this point that I am writing this lying in bed at 5.30am unable to sleep - jetlag's not been too bad so I'm blaming it on Mark's snoring instead!
Have found a new TV programme to watch which again could only be in Japan. More 'You've been maimed' than framed, it shows footage from around the world of hideous accidents and shows the reactions of a live audience - totally bizarre! And we're not talking people falling off mere chairs here but full on falling off mountains on skidoos!

This evening's dining delight was mixed tempura and rice with what I think was miso broth. Both getting better with the chopsticks thank goodness so it's not taking 4 hours to eat anymore. However, Mrs Clumsy came to join us and I managed to knock my broth bowl flying across the counter - shame as it tasted quite nice and not at all like cigarette butts as Mark described it!

My iTouch earned it's airfare this evening by crossing the great language divide. I wanted to buy some antiseptic cream but the miriad tubes in the pharmacy were unidentifable - they did have some interesting injuries on though. So I typed 'antiseptic' into my translator and showed the resulting word to the bemused lady. With some additional hand movements we got it down to 'no cream but we have this liquid instead which should do' - success!

Purchased more chocolate on way home to feed the male Whiffin craving and had more success - the 'Melty Kisses' were indeed 'melty!

Right that's me done for now - husband gone birding to Ueno Park until 8.15am so I'm gonna try out this big bucket of a bath tub!
TTFN, Lisa xxx

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Comments

[BossLady]

Translator
Well done on the translation on the iTouch you said that it would come in handy! You need to get a nice bowl of Ramen inside you and some Sake, that would send you right to sleep! Enjoy the bath, and see you next year! S