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It time to get out again and Japan is the destination. First stop Tokyo! Staying in Ginza the 'silver town' (nearly a literal translation) topic for an interesting conversation. History states that this area of Tokyo was once a frontier town where silver and precious metals were mined from the earth, resulting in immense wealth, and investment in infrastucture, the buildings are real skyscrappers, possibly not on the scale of New York but I couldn't really compare as I have never been there. However this area of the city is sheer capitalism in motion, the streets are lined with high end shops selling everything from fur coats to diamond rings and all the inbetween. I find this concept strange, posters in shop windows with massive blown up pictures of western models sporting the latest jewellery and fashion, I wonder how this affects the mindset of the native peoples of this country .. Could you imagine walking down Bond or Regent street in the UK and being inundated with larger than life Japanese people sporting the latest in this years Samurai or Geisha fashion?
So .. I decided to attempt navigation by compass and maps .. Well my phone broke a day before my arrival, had no choice but I struggled and have now a little technology to ease my passage through this beautiful country. The snapping point being this morning, in attempting to find the nearest Ginza metro line I walked into several underground car parks thinking maybe just maybe there would be a train service, but that's a learning curve right, underground car parks which state Tokyo public are carparks. If you are traveling to Japan anytime soon just keep looking for the word metro.. Don't make car park visits a part of your experience I truly believe I am saving you hours in this information or maybe I just don't ride the tubes enough back home but hey this is why we are here right.. To experience .. So actually go, visit a few carparks you will be overwhelmed with excitement when you finally find a metro line to take you to your preferred destination.
The train system here is great, punctual easy to navigate and a truly pleasurable experience. Unless you arrived early morning and your first taste was navigating through a sort of holiday rush hour, the amount of people I made late for work would have probably cost the economy a pretty penny... Sorry Japan. Well worth it, there is a lot to be said about being thrown into the deep end.
This morning I awoke from my capsule bed early, simply because capsules are horrid places to sleep, plus i struggled to cope with the mental hole which i laid myself to rest, the previous drinking session the night before at bar Esportiu really was a highlight to the trip, I met the owner, a truly enigmatic chap call Tomokazu a real Barcelona Fc fan and his wife Miki, and their friend Daisuke who is teaching Miki about being a sommelier while making business in the importing industry. Relishing the taste of the famous Japanese whiskey Yamakazi and drinking a favourite of ginger and vodka with lime.. Real hangover material. This was probably the cause of my multiple trips to the underground carparks.. I truly endorse this kind of traveling. After spending my first two days in a state of complete question I am starting to find my way around this city.
This morning out early, visiting Akihabara to pick up this tablet I am writing from. This is an area where electronic stores are several floors deep selling everything from talking toilet seats to Iphones. There are Pachinco games everywhere, loud, like pinball but smaller, sat down and with lots of visual graphics to keep the user entertained.. Oh and cigarettes thankfully the smoking ban has not yet reached Japan and its great, you can sit in the bar smoke a stick and chillout without being subjugated to the stigma, attached to being made to stand out like a lepper in the wind and rain. Downside is you smell and you will probably contract a respiratory illness in time but hey who needs immortality, such would be a waste of the true experience of life.
That's it for now folks, have a lovely new year to who ever is reading, see you on the other side.
- comments
Sue Sooo good to hear from you Leon, looking forward to the next chapter. XXX
Ceej Looking forward to reading more :) have fun, be safe and a very happy new year