Tokyo Tour

While talking to the concierge yesterday, we decided to do the all day guided tour today. On one hand, we didn't really want to get up so early (but we REALLY slept in the day before and would again tomorrow), but the thought of being able to see so many things while traveling in an air conditioned tour bus from place to place was very appealing. This way we could see many things and decide what we wanted to bring the kids to see when we come back...and what we'd rather leave off the list.


(waiting for the bus to get to the rendezvous point)


This was our first stop...the Tokyo Tower.



(Not the best picture...I feel so old looking at it!)


This was pretty much the scene in any direction.


This is a graveyard straight down from the tower. It's common to see small graveyards throughout very urban areas...this one is pretty big, though.


This was a little scary...


We had to come out on this floor and switch elevators...this is a playground area staffed by these very professional looking nannies. And this pink cone-head guy...he's everywhere. Some sort of Tokyo Tower mascot. We were going to buy some souvenirs of him, but decided to wait till we bring the kids, because this stop made the list for the return trip.


Next stop...Meiji Shinto Shrine...


There is a cleansing procedure one must follow to enter the shrine. Grab a scoop...pour water over one hand, then the other, pour some water into your cupped hand and toss it in your mouth to rinse it...but never let the scoop touch your mouth.


Then, let the excess water spill out of the scoop and down the handle.


There it is. They don't allow photography inside.


You can buy these tablets for about $5, upon which you write your prayers and wishes. I found this all very interesting (enough to take lots more pics I won't make you endure here) but there was LOTS of walking and I don't think the kids will really appreciate it, so I don't think it makes the cut.


We stopped here at the Akasaka Guest House for a very brief photo op. Apparently it's a pretty big deal. Heads of State and such stay here. Next, we drove by the National Diet Building (the Japanese Capitol) which was not nearly as exciting.

Next stop...Imperial Palace Plaza...


Statue in the plaza...wish I could remember who this guy is...(the one on the horse, not the one with the flag...he's our tour guide).


This double bridge is pretty famous, although it was hard to hear why (this looks pretty serene, but there were LOTS of people here).


This is such a beautiful area...but not thinking it will impress the kids...I think we can safely cross it off the list.


We drove through the Ginza shopping district (been there, done that) and then had an authentic Japanese lunch. There was a little bit of everything (I, of course, forgot to take a picture). I enjoyed all of it, with one exception. I started to dive into a rice dish when I noticed a clear slime on it....then the little yellow orb. It had a raw quail egg cracked on top of it...which is very authentic. I am pretty adventurous with food...but I have my limits. I shared my discovery with our table companions (mostly English speakers from various countries) and was interested to see that I was not the only one with certain standards.

Next stop...tour of the Tasaki Pearl Gallery (where we didn't win the drawing for the pearl) and then on to the Sumida River Cruise!


Here's my favorite person as we begin our journey. I'm undecided whether this ride will make the cut on the family trip. I think it will depend on the cost. If we're talking taxi fare, OK, then. (Since it was part of the tour, we have no idea.)


Every bridge we passed under was different. This was my favorite.


I want to ride this one next time...especially if it goes under the water at some point!


OK...this deserves some explanation, don't you think? We came around the back of this thing, and as we passed it, I thought, "What in the world?" I thought maybe it was a big yam. What I really thought it was, was a giant golden poo...but who would make a poo sculpture? Trust me...if it would be found anywhere, it would be here. (I'm not kidding...read this which I found in my extensive research.)

Do you get the scale of this thing? See the semi-truck underneath it? Anyhoo, I decided to look it up online...but what keywords shall I use? I tried "Tokyo golden poo sculpture" and it turns out, I'm not the only one who thought this looked like dung. It's actually a common nickname for this...work of art.

It turns out, it's actually a flame. Still don't see it? It took me awhile. The black building below it is supposed to be shaped like a bowl, and the yam/poo on top is really a golden flame blowing in the wind. It's supposed to represent the spirit of the workers of the Asahi Super Dry Beer Company, which this building contains.

There are also accounts that the flame is supposed to be the head of the beer being blown off of the (black, shallow, bowl shaped?) mug below...but I'm sorry, this thing looks more like feces than foam...I'm throwing up the BS flag on this one.


(Do you see what I see? It's the Golden Poo. I'm thinking of maybe doing a children's book along the lines of "Where's Waldo". You can see this thing from lots of places.)

The next stop was the Nakamise shopping street and the Asakusa Kannon Buddhist temple...


(We don't actually know these people, but they were having a great time and I couldn't resist stealing their picture.)


Love this man! This should be his profile pic on Facebook.


We walked through two of these.


Isn't this gorgeous? (The buildings, too.)


Before going into the temple, people gather around what looks like a fire pit full of incense stuck in sand. They wave their hands into the smoke to get a better whiff of it. It's supposed to purify the body. I found it a little overpowering, although not all that bad smelling.


I love this shot of the modern and the traditional posing for a photo together (little did they know they were posing for me, too).


There were many food vendors, but the crowd was particularly thick in front of this one. Now I know why. These fried pumpkin things are heavenly!


I don't know that I'd ever tire of this area. I wanted to freeze it in my memory. This makes the cut FOR SURE!


This was the most bizarre stop on our tour. We drove through an area of town (Kappabashi) dedicated to the making and selling of wax food to the restaurant industry. I think it's a bigger thing over here (to have wax displays of the food you serve in your restaurant) but I do remember seeing it some places in the US as well. It's big business, apparently. We pulled over for a moment in front of this man's shop and he was waiting for us with a friendly wave, so he must know he's on the tour circuit.


While driving through our last attraction (The Ueno and Akihabara shopping districts) we spotted this. Not the best quality, but had to snap this photo for Patrick. She was handing out some sort of fliers. I convinced myself it was for some sort of wholesome, Anime or video game entertainment and not something more Las Vegas-ish.

So that was our tour. It rained off and on, and it was really pouring down by the time we got back to the hotel. We were pretty exhausted, but we weren't done yet...


And here's my Cliffie at dinner. The tour went a bit long, so it was a good thing we had a late reservation.


This was our awesome chef...


This was the crazy, drunk family we dined with. OK, so the young child was not drunk...but let me tell you, these were some crazy Americans! Seriously, though...we had fun talking to them. They were a dual service Air Force couple (we didn't hold that against them) and they had family visiting from out of town. Made me want to have family visit from out of town real bad. We'd have a great time, even sans alcohol. Any takers?

Homecomings and World's Busiest Intersection

When planning our Tokyo trip, we really had no agenda...other than a sweet, relaxed reunion. In the past, Cliff had always deployed with a unit...so the homecoming was always surrounded by much planning and fanfare. Whether we were waiting at the pier for the ship to pull in, or waiting behind that yellow rope on the flightline, watching bodies in camouflage make neat formations while waiting for the rope to drop after that magic word "dismissed!"; there was a formula too it...a wonderful, magical docket...with joy so thick it swaddles you like a blanket.

Since Cliff was an Individual Augmentee (IA) this time, our homecoming was our own, and we could arrange it however we wished. Since our kids are old enough to make it on their own (with some help from friends) we decided to have our own reunion before returning to the kids...which we felt would be more preferable to them than having dad come home, only to leave again with mom for a few days for a much needed getaway.

We decided on Tokyo, and decided to plan nothing, other than where we'd stay and that if we decided we wanted to do anything other than lounge around in the hotel...we'd just consult the concierge. The New Sanno concierge is awesome, by the way. Tell her how much time you have, answer a couple of questions about what you are interested it, and she will pull out of her magic bag of tricks, the perfect itinerary for you.

This is how we landed at the "World's Busiest Intersection" outside of Shibuya Station in Tokyo. I have to admit I'm kind of easily impressed (like riding on the subway) so this was absolutely exhilarating to me. We walked through it several times...

and then opted to get our favorite (well, my favorite...but I'm sure it will soon be Cliff's, too) Chocolate Cream Chip Frappuccino (like a blended fudgesicle...total YUM!) at the Starbucks overlooking the intersection...which I would dare say is also the world's busiest Starbucks.


We had to stand and wait for a spot by the window...but it was worth it for this view:



(too big...had to upload it to YouTube)

We looked for the famous dog statue (the legendary Hachi of the new Richard Gere movie)...



but couldn't find it. This mural was as close as we came:






(Lots of interesting sights to behold)



Finding our way to the correct bus to return to our hotel was another adventure...



There are so many ways to get lost in Tokyo...but we managed to make it back in time for dinner at the Bangkok Kitchen (remember...I went there with Melene and Amy and couldn't wait to take Cliff?).





Dinner did not disappoint...but we were so hungry, I forgot to take photos until dessert.



I was dreaming about this lychee sorbet...and it was so wonderful to watch Cliff enjoy some great food after knowing he was living on puke for 6 months (don't even get me started on that one). I love to feed my sweetie!

What a fun day! And on a side note...the typhoon is moving it's course and will miss Okinawa...they're just getting some strong winds and rain. Whew!

Reunited At Last (or...More Stuart Airport Adventures)

I woke up this morning with no plan in mind. My 9 AM breakfast was delivered on schedule, I watched a little TV and thought about what I wanted to do to pass the time. Cliff's flight was due to arrive at 9 PM, which meant if I left the hotel at 8 PM I'd make it to the airport in plenty of time. That's a lot of time to fill on my own. I called to book a massage, but the only time they had left was 6 to 7 PM. I figured it was better than nothing, so I took it.

I had some assorted shopping to do to make our room more...cozy. Luckily, all of it was available on the premises. The New Sanno is really awesome!

Shopping List:

• Dark Godiva Chocolates (Cliff's fave)
• Fresh baked Chocolate chip cookies from the general store (my fave)
• Milk to go with cookies (if you give a Carrie a cookie...)
• Candles (forgot mine from home)
• Cute Japanese dish from gift shop which can double as candleholder
• Lighter
• Sweet, silky dragon robe from gift shop for Cliff (Rahr!)
• Fresh flower arrangement
• New Dooney and Bourke mail pouch purse (OK...so this wasn't on the list...but it was SO cute!)

I guess that about does it! So, then I wandered around the compound, locating each of the 5 restaurants...ate lunch at the deli and went back to my room to take a nap. I just really wasn't in the mood for any sight-seeing or doing anything besides making the clock tick faster.

Spent some time chatting with Coree on Facebook and got a typhoon update...still TCOR 3. That's something I failed to mention. When I landed in Tokyo, I learned that there was a typhoon headed for Okinawa. Really? I get prepared as soon as typhoon season begins (June 1) with my flashlights, water and crank radio...my peanut M & M's (Hey! There's liable to be a run on the commissary when they announce TCOR 2...I'm not taking a chance!) and my board games...and NOTHING! Until I abandon my four children on this island, that is...THEN the typhoon rolls in! Anyway, my lovely friend Susan and her son Andrew came over and helped the kids to batten down the hatches.

I made my homecoming sign with the supplies I packed:

(mini-homecoming...mini fanfare)

Attended my massage...the fastest hour of my life. It was mostly non-painful (I specified non-painful...I don't get the whole pain thing...who likes that?) and very relaxing.

I was still full from lunch and too nervous to eat anyway...so I did some last minute preening and was on my way...



waiting for the elevator outside of my room

Everything went SO smoothly! Someone from the front desk went out and hailed me a cab in an instant. He took me right to the door of the monorail station, I got on the train right away (on the correct side) and I was off!


monorail in motion


my new, cute purse and fanfare riding the monorail with me.

Coming to the end of the 20 minute ride, I realized...the email Cliff sent me, while it contained his flight number and time, it did not list the airline. This is pretty important info, especially in such a huge airport where the boards are primarily displayed in Kanji. I was pretty sure he told me on the phone it was ANA...but I wasn't positive. I had flown JAL...which is terminal 1...a different stop on the monorail. I decided to just go with terminal 2...I'd probably figure it out, right?



I eagerly scanned the arrival boards. Nothing from Osaka at 9 PM. The signs only briefly switched from Kanji to English before switching back...so it took me several tries to read the whole thing. There was nothing from Osaka at all. I attempted to ask an employee. No English. I asked another..."Does the Osaka airport have a different name? Is it called something else?" No English.

The one counter that did have someone who spoke English had a line a mile long. The flight was due in 5 minutes. I decided I must have been wrong and followed the signs to terminal 1...about a 7 minute walk underground. I checked the board and JAL had a flight listed from Osaka...but it was coming in at 9:25. I was desperate and decided to call home from my cellphone to have someone double check the email. When I opened the cellphone, I saw that I had just missed a call. Guess who? Cliff had a phone card with one minute left on it...just enough time to leave me a message which said something like, "I'm here...I only have a minute left on this card. I'm waiting by a big, black wall with a forest mural on it near a sign that says "meeting area". I'll be waiting for you here. Love you. Bye." The whole time I'm listening to the message I'm pleading, "Please say a terminal number, please say a terminal number"...but in vain.

I started the trek back to terminal 2, laughing to myself at his "helpful" information. He had no way of knowing I must have past 4 "meeting areas" between the 2 terminals. The airport is SO enormous. I just retraced my steps and figured eventually we'd find each other.




And find each other we did! I had to stop in front of him and wave my fanfare, just so it wouldn't go to waste...even though things hadn't quite played out the way they were supposed to. (I knew things were going WAY too smoothly!) Turns out, Cliff arrived on some sort of phantom flight. They never did list it on the arrival board. Have you ever heard of that happening?

The important thing was...he arrived safely and I could wrap my arms around him, and kiss him...in as much as we felt the Japanese spectators could handle, anyway.

By now I was feeling like a seasoned commuter...and got us back to our hotel room, easy-peasy!

To be continued...

It's Tokyo Time!!!

Today is my date with destiny. Well, actually...destiny's flight doesn't arrive until tomorrow...but my part starts today!


Here I am in the back of the taxi on the way to the Naha Airport. I don't think any of the people who offered me a ride read this blog...but if they do...I'm sorry I told you I already had a ride. I didn't lie (a taxi is a ride, is it not?) but I just really had this whole romantic image in my mind...and for some reason, it involved taking a taxi ride alone...and I didn't want anyone to talk me out of it.

Anyway, the flight to Tokyo was uneventful (just the way I like it!) but once I got there I realized I didn't really know where I was going, which can be problematic, because to say Tokyo is huge is an understatement. I had been there earlier this year, but I was with two more seasoned travelers and just followed their lead. We had arrived late at night and took a taxi all the way to the New Sanno hotel...but it was around $80...not a big deal split 3 ways, but on my own?

Luckily, I came across a tourist information kiosk and ventured inside. I was relieved that the girl behind the counter spoke English and I presented her with a computer printout of my hotel info. First, she busted out a subway map...


and explained to me the 2 transfers I'd have to make from one color line to another to another...which would eventually only land me a little less than a mile from my hotel. My chest started to tighten and suddenly $80 was sounding cheap. I asked her about a taxi, and her eyes lit up. She told me to head downstairs to the airport monorail, take it to Hamamatsucho station and then take a taxi from there because it would be much cheaper (it was about $15!), then she reached into a folder and presented me with a flier that not only had a little computer generated map from the monorail station to my hotel...but also instructions written in Japanese specifically for me to give to the taxi driver. This was her plan B?! Is it just me, or does it sound like it should have been plan A? I'm just sayin!

I bowed and left her with a sincere "Domo arigatou gozaimasu" and headed down the escalator. Once I got to the monorail station, I froze, realizing it sounded a whole lot easier when she explained it, and had to go back upstairs to have her write down a few details.

I got on the correct train and the ride was really enjoyable. I was just stunned at how big the city was...it just went on and on...and this was just one part of it. My stop was the last one (totally convenient) but it let out in a huge building. I followed the crowd in front of me down two narrow escalators...only to discover that they were headed to the subway station below (one of those colored lines I was trying to avoid in the first place). The escalators only went in one direction, so I had no way to get back where I had come from. After making several wrong but unavoidable turns, I ended up back on the monorail platform...on the wrong side.

There seemed to be no way out of this building. I tried to ask the newsstand lady...who was visibly irritated that I was speaking English and "shooed" me. I turned back around and looked at the train that was just arriving. The doors opened, and in an instant it occurred to me that the only exit was going to be on the other side of that train...so I dashed (as much as you can dash with luggage) through the open doors and ran through to the other side...where I saw, to the right of me, a large crowd headed down the stairway leading to the street. Let that be a lesson...don't follow the wrong crowd.


Random picture from my taxi ride to the hotel...


I made it! Just me and all these fluffy pillows...what ever am I going to do?



Order room service...that's what!!


I have never come across anything like this in a hotel...have you? Call me a sap, but it made me tear up a little.



Then this one made me crack up a little...I think I'm going to have to threaten my kids with this one from time to time..."I urge you to clean your room and preclude me from having to make a very distasteful assessment."

I have to wait clear until tomorrow night to meet Cliff...which seems WAY too long. I mean, how much retail therapy can I really get between now and then? Shopping doesn't even sound appealing right now. It must be true love!

Stay Tuned...