I miss Tokyo!

Thinking I can get away for a week from work, but somehow work managed to find its way to hold off till I return to work. I am flat out by the end of the first work week after my break, and already very much in need of another holiday.

Damn!

My mom asked me if I miss Tokyo, or just miss slacking. Well, why not slacking in Tokyo?

Not that there was any time for slacking... JX dragged me throughout Tokyo and my legs were cramping each day before noon. I thought my knees were melting. Everywhere is so far from anywhere else. And Japan’s one normal subway station is like Singapore’s City Hall, Dhoby Ghaut, Outram and Raffles Place MRT stations, all combined together, with a shopping mall, in it.

So there was no slacking, and just a lot of window shopping – because the things there are crazily expensive. Street markets can actually place a bag priced at SGD130+, outside its shop. You think I dare step into the shop? I thought that pricey bag can be gotten in Singapore for a mere SGD30! No labels no nothing!

Made me shut up about the rising prices in Singapore. We’re nowhere near Japan’s, man.

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Day 1: 18 May 2008 (Sunday)
Arrived in Tokyo early morning. Realization of being finally in Japan. Bursting with excitement. Weather was already a reason to be excited about. 18 degrees Celsius. Japanese falling on deaf ears. Grinny.

Prince Shinagawa Hotel. Realized ramen lunch order @ ‘foodcourt’ is via a vending machine coupon. Japanese words with no English translation – with no pictures. Great. Whatever – just push any button - Bad choice. Clearing up our own dishes and trays.

Not a nice first meal in Tokyo.

Late check-in. Very impatient and irritated and sleepy. Hotel room comfortably small. JX’s smelly socks.

First train ride. Damn confusing. Managed to get to our destination somehow.

ASAKUSA - Lucky us. A carnival!

Japanese in jinbei.

Took a picture with this pretty girl, thinking she was Japanese. And then, she revealed that she’s Thai. Peng-san.

Guys without pants. Only thin white underwear.

Street market. Throngs of Japanese. Pretty girls (but not up to JX’s (supposedly) high standards). Pretty boys and shaved brows. Yummy snacks, ice-cream. Pasar malam. Smashing colours, bright and cheerful. Tako-pachi! Shrine. Pray and wish.

AKABANEBASHI – Tokyo Tower. That’s it. –yawn, snore-

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Day 2: 19 May 2008 (Monday)
Central Tokyo – Imperial Palace. Humongous place. Modern buildings existing with the elegantly old ones. Loads of greenery.

The river that separates the modern Tokyo and the Imperial Palace.

Ueno – Walked a distance which equates Singapore’s breadth to get to a shrine which was under renovation(!). Gah. Ameyayokocho. Market street. Shop shop shop. Sushi bar. Wow –Sakae Sushi and Sushi Tei, bye bye. You're nowhere near.

Wild flowers that don't look so wild.

I don't get to do this in Singapore, ok?

The one that I am holding up has a texture of foamy soapy bubbles.

The mysterious sushi chef.

Akihabara – Seemingly boring Electric Town. Only to realize it’s a pornography area. Rampant hardcore porn. Porn videos were played on tv screens! My innocent eyes have been tarnished. Can’t locate Maid Café, much to JX’s disappointment.

Buxomy figurines displaying all out to see. I do not want to know what do people who buy them, do to them.

JX and his Gundam desires. You probably think that he will get more excited in the previous picture.

"Hyah."

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Day 3: 20 May 2008 (Tuesday)

Mount Fuji – Woke up to a news report on a typhoon. Sat at the beds with mouths agape. Thought the day tour would be cancelled. But no, still went on. Lucky – rather see Mt Fuji through rain than losing SGD100 (half the tour’s price per pax). Long bus ride. Cute old tour guide and his Japanese-accented English. Woke up to mountains. Clear blue sky. Saw Mt. Fuji’s peak. Got excited for the first hour upon seeing Mt Fuji. Then realized that all my pictures look the same. Freezing cold. JX thought his ears were going to drop. Mt Fuji’s snow cap right in front of me but too cold to fish out my hands to touch it. Crappy lunch. Origami of Mt Fuji. Cute. Cruise through a lake. Frozen. Cable car.

Bleeding cold on Mount Fuji.

Doesn't JX look like he's juxtaposed on a postcard?

"Sayonara Fuji-san."

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Day 4: 21 May 2008 (Wednesday)

Tokyo Disneyland – Crowds of Japanese. Wonder why they aren’t working or in schools, on a weekday. Disney accessories on everyone everywhere. Except us. Queue and queue and queue. Cartoon world for a whole day.

Disneyland is celebrating its 25th birthday with me!

If Norbit is human-sized...

For some reason, Roger Rabbit wasn't very popular. That's why I manage to take a picture with him because there weren't any queues. And that's why he gave me such an enthusiastic grateful hug. Oops.

On a guided go-kart. "Look ma, no hands!"

Mock exhilaration at the finishing line.

Chilling at Tokyo, an American (sounds like one) with a Singaporean Ah-Beng.

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Day 5: 22 May 2008 (Thursday)

Ikebukuro – Sunshine City Shopping centre. Didn’t buy anything even in 2nd-hand clothes shops. Played tikum at this anime store. Toys’ section at the shopping centre – so great. Costumes, wigs, bodysuits. Hello Kitty everywhere.

Nothing to buy, no money to buy.

You can change your identity here in this children's department.

Overdosage.

Roppongi – Duty-free shop. Lazy already. What, samurai swords again? Because we were really contemplating buying them each time we step into a duty-free shop.

There are that many poses you can have with swords...

Akihabara (again) – Looked for Maid Café again. Saw a pretty lady in priestess costume – want to take picture with her. Cannot, don’t know why. Tried to locate the Priestess Café but can’t find the stupid building. Saw a ‘Maid Café’ but it was not a café but a souvenir shop. Can take polaroids with shop assistants in costume but need to pay. Can dress up too. Interesting. But we walked away. Still can’t find the stupid Maid Café. Settled for lousy Mac’s dinner, which is still damn expensive. Went back to Maid Café to take polaroids – but closed for the day. DAMN SUAY. So tired.

He almost managed to camouflage for a second. Almost.

Why can't take pictures? Huh? Soliciting? And look at the weird tiko-peks raping the girls with their eyes.

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Day 6: 23 May 2008 (Friday)

Shibuya – HY and hubby, who happened to be in Tokyo, in the same hotel, joined us for a while. Shibuya 109 – like Far East in Orchard. Japanese girls who looked like mannequins. Dark and blonde. Thick makeup. Some really gorgeous. But no picture-taking in the shopping centre. DAMN?! Bought a jacket – exorbitant – don’t know what I was thinking. Maybe in denial that it’s THAT expensive. But it is lo. Wore it straight away. But so bloody hot outside. Weather’s switch flicked to summer in an instant. Shibuya 109 (2). Neoprints!!! How can we not do it in Japan. So high-tech. The Suit Company. JX got 2 pants and a shirt. Looked so fine. For the price of my jacket. Sulk.

Hello Kitty bling-bling bike.

Japanese schoolgirls, your fantasy? You like?

Japanese lady who spoke English which we understood! Missed being able to communicate and being understood, other than JX.

Harajuku - Cosplay. Orchard’s Far East in a stretch of street. School kids. Weird-looking punks. Long hair that defied gravity on guys. Graffity. Increasingly warm and humid. Bought a t-shirt to change into.

You wonder why on a weekday, such a street is so crowded.

Shinjuku – Too tired and bored to walk. All streets started to look the same. But look, durians.

Japan's Geylang. Not smelly meh?

AKIHABARA (AGAIN!!!) – To take polaroids with the girls in costume, for real. You know, immerse myself in the Japan culture for a moment. Chose a reasonable maid costume (was looking for a kickass one, but they don’t have samurai or ninja ones). Changed into it and realized that the skirt was freaking short and flared. Wondered how the girls can wear it out to public. Loved the polaroids.

How can you not take neoprints in Japan?

They got my Chinese name wrong but the thought of explaining... Never mind.

Singaporean maids are darker than Japanese ones.

Returned to the hotel and had ice cream chat with HY and hubby, along with JX.

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Day 7: 24 May 2008 (Saturday)

Shibuya – Collected JX’s tailored pants. Another Neoprint – for JX’s keeps this time.

"Hmm..."

Ueno – Lunch at this grilling place. Beef and meat we couldn’t recognize. Rather yummy. Last minute snack shopping. Fruits – so sweet and nice, can cry. Or maybe the prices made me. With such expensive fruits, you think people living in Japan have to be constipated. Two peaches for SGD13+! Strawberries – heaven! Peaches – I’m in love. Bought JX’s shoes which he saw on the 2nd day of trip.

zzz...

Finally. Edible food.

And then (rush) back to dreary warmer Singapore.

"Bye Tokyo"

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We thought we bought a lot. Having to buy a bag for our extra stuffs that we bought. But after unpacking, we realized we didn’t buy that much? But we are definitely poorer because of Japan’s food and transport. Sucks.

P.S: Crap, the uploading of pictures take a hell long time!