Tokyu

Yesterday I also saw the Philip Starke sculpture of the golden turd... on the river in Asakusa, it is the rather large golden flame on its side which if you see it you will recognise it, but it has been lovingly dubbed the former. Last nite I met with most of my gang for dinner and then we hit the bowling alley for a game. I did pretty badly but it was great fun anyway, then to Shibuya for a drink and mingle with the crowds at that large pedestrian crossing.

Today went to studio Ghibli in Mitaka and it was really a wonderland, it is meant to be visual and tactile and suitable for children of all ages including me... there are things to touch, a zoetrope of Ghibli characters, flip books, working drawings, small animated sequences, short films, and a metal giant on the roof garden, it was truly amazing and the gift shop was wall to wall people buying souvenirs and I had to wait my turn, Totoros in hand, giving my visa card a heart attack again... oh well.

I met Mariko from Melbourne and we had a nice day out wandering around shops, eating green tea iced donuts, lunch, coffee, green tea macaroons, green tea chocolate etc. I am happy in the land of green tea everything. My hotel is good, free bottled water in the lobby, breakfast vouchers (no other hotel provided breakfast) and english speaking staff who are extremely helpful. Oh and a coin laundry to clean up my act which was wonderful. Such basic pleasures when one is away from home.

Tokyo is amazing as I said, and being out at nite is so very different to during the day. Did I mention that there are vending machines all over Japan that sell all sorts of booze, tea, canned coffee, hot and cold and soft drinks on the street corners, at stations, in hotels, everywhere, can u imagine that happening back home? Oh and the kids don't seem to abuse the system and buy beer or mixed drinks from the machine.

Bicycles are the go, on the footpath among pedestrians, on the roads, going either way, both ways, who cares? The drivers are patient and hardly use their horns and no one except me j-walks or crosses b4 the little man turns green even if there is no car in sight, except me! The people are mostly helpful even if they do not speak English and are very kind to tourists. The subway system is a maze of corridors and stairs, not may escallators so dragging around heavy luggage is a chore and not good for my back. Have been spending a lot this week as my last week here and collecting lots of paper: maps, tickets, interesting brochures and small books, so that adds to the weight of the luggage. Only 2 full days left and then head to Narita airport for my flight home. It will be a challenge on a Saturday getting to Shibuya and finding the airport express as it is a giant station and as usual, up and down and up again on foot,  along travellators, to the platform. The scale of things here is BIG and BIGGER!

Off to find some dinner now. Arregato!