Ummm

Went on a day-trip to Yokohama yesterday which is a port-city on the other side of Tokyo. It has a very different feel to it whilst still being very urban and busy. We went on what was until recently the biggest ferris wheel in the world and you are able to see Mount Fuji in the distance - Its a wonderful sight - its such an iconographic image of Japan - and it really lived up to this reputation - there was even the famous bit of mist just dusting the top of the peak. I am going to try and climb it in June or July (the only time you can).
We then went for the 'cultural' option and scared ourselves shitless on a giant (but very short) rollercoaster. Followed by an ascent of the highest skyscraper in Japan at about 400m tall and 69 floors. The lift is in the guiness book of records for being the fastest in the world - it takes you up in 40 seconds and our ears were popping faster than they have ever done - it was really painful!! Again at the top you get a wonderful view (it was a clear and sunny day - probably in the high 20 degrees!) and an even better view of Mount Fuji, Tokyo bay and the sprawling metropolis.
Had dinner in Chinatown - amazing food and really just a cool place to visit.
Oh and we took our photos in the very-Japanese booths (PuriCuri or something like that - shortened and distorted from Print Club) where the backgrounds change and it takes a picture every few seconds. After the shoot you go out and 'draw' on the photos - adding gawdy hearts and stars and 'magical' effects around the pictures. Its strangely addictive!
Today I went into Ginza (the chic exclusive part of Tokyo where shoppers go to buy European high fashion clothes) - not to blow my months wages on a pair of shoes but to visit the many free art galleries. Some interesting stuff although I have yet to find somewhere as impressive the galleries in London.
The level of respect people show you here is really high (if a bit hypocritical / hard to get past at times). You can't enter or leave a shop, cafe, restaurant, bar etc etc without big cries of 'Thank you' or 'welcome'. They also have neon-stick waving men in uniforms who guide pedestrians past any road / pavement works even if it is (as it mostly always is) perfectly easy to see the way to walk.
Cant think of owt more to say - am not in a particularly writerly mood at the moment but will try harder next time. or maybe I wont, ha ha.

Yada Yada Ya...

Well its been a bit long since I wrote and I feel its time to write properly. Life here continues to be as exciting and baffling as ever. I went on a boat trip through the city last weekend and was decidedly underwhelmed by the whole experience. The best bits of Tokyo can definitely not be seen along the banks of its rivers! It was one dull concrete constuction after another not helped of course by the fact that I wasnt able to understand much of the accompanying guide talk. However, it is as good a way as any to get through the city and we were at least able to giggle at the English in the toilets: 'passengers who use should always pour water'. There have been a number of amusing such displays: on a sandwich: 'please make your best choice of our delicious and tasty sandwiches' (what pressure I think on the consumer of these sandwiches who has to make their very best choice). And my personal favourite so far: 'Parking Rot'. (The Japanese dont pronounce 'l' or 'r' but a sound somewhere in the middle). It always reminds me of that chain email that you've probably all seen about English round the world and my favourite being in Russia: 'The manager has personally passed all the water in this restaurant'. (It still makes me giggle.)
I am reading a book my mum sent out to me called 'Watching the English' by Kate Fox - its quite an amusing read and if anyone was interested in discovering our national character then I'd definitely recommend it. She also talks about how similar we are to the Japanese - and I have certainly felt it here. If you thought we were good at queueing for example - you could revise that opinion here - The Japanese, it seems, form orderly queues wherever it is humanly possible and any flouting of the rules is severly frowned upon! They are also very shy and will go to great lengths to avoid speaking to foreiners even if their English is quite good. I have been told that many people would like to talk to me more but are too embarrassed at their level of English and will therefore shy away. Means that I will have to start being a bit un-English and strike up conversations!
One of the local ex-pat bars is having a Halloween party soon and apparently the costumes were very impressive last year and I feel it necessary to go one better than that. Im thinking Goblins at the moment...! Check out the photos on www.hippydippydoo.com I'm on the second page!
I was also supposed to be Debbie McGee for one of the other teachers I came out with. He is an escapologist and needed someone to distract the crowds a little and check his handcuffs!! He wants to go into central Tokyo on a Sunday (the busiest day of the week) dressed up as Batman and perform wonderful feats of magic... He asked me if I would be up for joining him pointing out that we may well get arrested!! I was saved last Sunday by the rain but feel that if called upon again I would find it hard to refuse. He a very funny character and I reckon its something I could definitely tell the grandchildren about, so to speak!
On a more normal note, Im off to Ginza now which is The place for tremendously expensive shopping, chic bars and resturants - or in my case window shopping and gallery visiting. How ultra cool darling...

Kampai!

Well I am back online and have saved my most important emails from cyber blackhole. It only took me 5 hours spread over 2 evenings and about 1000 yen for the pleasure! That and other things conspired against me last week to make me a little stressed out but now things are back to normal and life is fun again.
Was going to go away to Hakone this weekend which is where most Tokyoites go to escape the city (which is something I am beginning to understand!). The bad weather and bank holiday mass exodus from the city thwarted our attempts so we bumbled around Ueno park - which is no where near as green as Hyde park or owt like that, but it is a cool place to spend your sundays and there are some great art galleries there too.
I cant believe I have been here nearly 2 months now - life here moves so fast! I have re-started learning Japanese with a lovely lady who has also offered to take me snowboarding this winter. Should be great.
Have had a lull in the Karaoke / dancing madness and am starting to get itchy feet again!! tee hee. So im off to the Crazy Cactus bar now - full of expats but the beers cheap and the atmosphere is cool. Kampai!!