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Published: August 4th 2008
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I can't write much because of lack of time but I'll start this now!
I made it to Tokyo & boy it sure was a long trip. BUT it was probably the most comfortable 20 hour ride compared to my rough rides in South America via bus stylee. I rode 1st class to Tokyo baby. 1st CLASS. It was everything I ever dreamed it to be and MORE. They gave me a warm facecloth as soon as I sat down. I sat there looking at the lady with a stupid face.. no idea what I was supposed to do with this face cloth. So I patted down my face and then my arms and butt. no just kidding. but i really didn't need a face cloth. anyways, i felt like i was on a space ship. the seats twirled around.. tv popped out of nowhere.. the seat legit folded into a bed.. i was served a 5 course meal with nuts, salad, raviolis, ice-cream sundaes, chocolate, champagne.. un freaking believable. i felt like julia roberts on pretty woman except while on a airplane. :D
When I stepped off the plane in Tokyo, I then realized that I was in
freaking TOKYO! When I think about Tokyo things like arcades, anime, harajuku clothes & girls, fans, kimonos, tea, SUSHI, little gadgets & toys, temples, super friendly & smiling japanese people, trains, and just PEOPLE.. LOTS of people. This is probably the first time where all my assumptions about a place is actually TRUE. I spent my first day wandering around for a few hours but my body clock was all whacked. I got a drink & sat outside the train station to people watch. I was a little overwhelmed by all the people. If you have social anxiety... listen to my right now.. DO NOT GO TO TOKYO. people are just every where walking to god knows where. And I'm not sure if this is wrong to say.. but just say if a Japanese man robbed me and I had to give a description about what the person looked like well I'd be screwed. They don't all look alike but it would just be very difficult to give a detailed description. 😉
Anyways, lets talk about Japanese toilets. I really wish the toilet came with a manuel. There isnt even a normal flusher for the toilet. nope. in fact,
in order to get the toilet seat cover to go up all you have to do is give it a little tap and it will go up electronically. there are so many different buttons. Half flush. Full flush. Then you have these options for it to spray you know where & you know what. Geesh, I haven't even gotten enough guts to get the little squirter to spray my butt yet. haha.. but you know I will. Oh I forgot, the toilet seat is even HEATED. Enough about the toilets...
Yesterday was grand! I had the whole day off to do whatever I wanted. I started the day off by spending probably a good solid hour trying to figure out the train system. Its probably as confusing as new york city's system. the whole time I was trying to find the Jtrain underground when in fact the Jtrain was ABOVE ground. thats really pointless but I ended up getting where I wanted to go, which was Asakusa. This is one of the oldest places in Tokyo with temples, vendors, entertainment area, and more. The first thing I noticed were the rickshaws!!! Now, I'm talking actual rickshaws. Ya know where
the men actually RUN. I even saw a few women doing it too. You go girls! There was a free city tour offered on Sundays at 2:00 & so I went on it. Its so important to take up on anything free while traveling if you want to save your cash.. especially free city tours! The guide group was small.. only 4 of us. The guide was great. She taught us some of their customs before entering the temple. We were taught how to cleanse ourself before entering the temple & the rituals before praying (clapping 2 times, bowing 2 times, etc.) I loved it. After, the four of us decided to go out for sushi. We went in this little hole in the wall place where you have to stand up to eat your food. I tried all kinds of sushi but eel literally almost made me barf. I went to spit it out but there were no napkins. When you go out to restaraunts in Tokyo, they typically only give you a warm washcloth. So obviously I wasn't going to spit out the eel. But wow.. i was so close to puking. hahah. never againnnnn. 😉 after sushi,
i took a RICKSHAW RIDE!!! i took a video so once I find an internet cafe i'll post up my pictures of the ride. He ran for about 10 minutes.. he said the rickshaw costs almost as much as a car! My time in Akasuka was perfect.
Harajuka is everything it is cracked up to be! I was lucky to be able to go there on a Sunday because the streets were swarmed with Harajuka girls. Harajuka is an area in Tokyo that is known for having tons of youth who are edgy & like to wear crazy colorful clothes. I did some shopping while there but shit. i could have blown hundreds and hundredss of dollars if I wanted to.
My last few days in Tokyo, I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market & the most popular shrine, the Meiji Jingu Shrine. I had to wake up at 4:45 AM.. let me repeat.. 4:45 AM to get the best feel of the largest fish market in the world!!!!!! It sells over 2,000 kinds of fish! It was probably the craziest & scariest market I've ever been to. usually there are tourists walking around but uhh.. i think i
saw maybe 1 tourist visiting? i seriously felt as if I should not have been there! It was busy busy busy... fast little scooters & trucks & dollies were zipping through the tiny lanes. I lost count of the times I was pressed up to piles of boxes because the trucks popped out of nowhere. It was seriously dangerous. I could have easily lost a toe or a whole foot. I did see the craziest fish though.. big ass tunas too. my favorite spot in Tokto was the Miji Jingu Shrine.. Its set into thick evergreen forest and you feel as if youre not in a buzzling city. Very peaceful & spiritual. I was lucky enough to witness a drum ceremony.
Hope you enjoy the pics!!!!
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TR
non-member comment
heh
bitch, you are so funny. cannot wait to see you! safe trip "home" love tr