Before that I once looked over the top of this separator-thing while the taping was going on. Sat back down and thought “Woa, that one’s rough on the eyes”. Must have been his buddy. Been trying to google it but can’t find it. Eeeh? Am I imagening things after all? Usually I know what I saw and didn’t see you know.

I think I visited that in the first couple of days. It was so rainy that day!

BTW, Japanese women are amazing. They’re always prepared for rain. lol. I was sopping it up the entire day.

Where’s your favourite place in Tokyo?
Sakurada-doori. Because it’s the place where you can see Tokyo Tower the best.

This is a street in between Sakurada dori and if you turn 180 degrees towards the road called “409″ something something, there’s a business hotel. It was probably the only landmark I felt comfortable finding by foot. It’s still a pretty long walk to go down this street and follow to Sakurada-dori.

Grotere kaart weergeven

Guess the hotel I stayed in? XDD.

Also from my vacation in 2007 there is video, and lots of it. This particular one is from Hakone, which I dubbed with some X Japan (which happens to be the son’s favorite).

I wish you lots of fun in Japan next year!

It contains about 1100 photo’s so there’s lots you have not seen.

I’m still planning to tag them and order them by date, but for now it’ll do. I noticed my camera date was completely off, hmm.

Things I notice now that I’m home:
~ The trees lined up on the country road look twice as pretty.
~ I loooooooooooooove driving.
~ I miss a bidet, but they can keep the heated toilet seat.
~ I miss wet napkins. I feel utterly disgusted having a meal someplace without wet napkins. Iew.
~ I forgot what an ASS-HUGE computer monitor I have and how friggin great my stereo system is :D

We boarded 20 minutes late which is unusual for JAL anyways, priding to be the most punctual airline. I guess they were still flipping a coin on whether to go or not. I saw one of the staff head over to the sign to write down what appears to have been the exact same English message to be called over the gate intercom a while later. This is how that went:

“Due to the…. volcanic-u… erup … eruption in Iceland, the following-u …. flights might-oh return to Narita ….. or *($&*#$&#$ LUKE I AM YOUR FATHER &#*($&# ….
Staff now looks really confused at the other staff member that wrote down the message from the sign. Engrish man, what can you do! I’ve never understood one full sentence on one of these flights so… if we had actually diverted I’d probably only have known once we’ve landed.

Through the eye of the needle, once again. It seems to be my middle name.

All in all, I had a good time here. Wasn’t bored at all, even though the stay in one place was pretty long. But!

The grass is always greener…
Zoals het klokje thuis tikt…

Well, it is true. The grass truly is greener back home because of the lack of concrete.

As for Japan, it’s still as friggin _nuts_ as it was three years ago. To grasp the insanity of it, close your eyes and think of home – then open your eyes. Shoxx!

I think, if you combine the “coldness” of the British, the sync tv of the Germans and a small bit of arrogance from the French and you put it on MAJOR CUTESY HAPPY DRUGS, that is Japan. I also don’t know any other place that’s so obsessed with health and and (weird) beauty tips. At some point, you start thinking there is something extremely sick about that. It’s good to watch out for your health and stuff, but it sort of borders ‘brainwashing’ at times. Specifically Tokyo has a tendency to “shut down reality”. Truth be said, that’s what Japanese do themselves. If you see them in a train: always working on them phone buttons or headphones on. They “block” it and others themselves. It’s different in the countryside of course, but as a white person in their countryside you really have no clue what’s what anymore. You are a freak show that might cause car accidents.

The place has nothing in common with the Netherlands. Absolutely zero. I always come back to the answer that the truth just simply is: Dutch have no culture. They have no traditions of their own, they have no foods of their own (or very little). It’s always been about “Hi, how are you doing? Import/ Export Yah?. I bring big ship, just toss it in.” And what did we bring them in return? “Delfs blue”. Ok, a bit exaggerated, but you get the point.

And now for my 12 hour ride in that cigar. Wish me luck~

Meanwhile I took the opportunity to go into the National Museum of Western Art. They also had a special exhibition of Frank Brangwyn, which seems to have been a Belgian. Never heard of em. Didn’t see much I liked in that collection. The colors were “too dark”. Considering the time period most of the paintings were made, I’m not surprised.

When I went to the museum’s permanent collection I found an awesome painting. It’s by Evert Collier, Vanitas.

I know, MABUSHI~. The detail is just incredible and the glass is painted so realistically. I had to look it up when I returned. Dutch painter :D

I’m not much a fan of the religious artwork, see one, you’ve seen them all. That kind of goes for paintings featuring Roman gods, but less so.

Sanja Matsuri

Sanja Matsuri

Where people are, the ambulance is not far away

That ambulance there, had to go through a pretty huge crowd to my left which I had just come out of. Insanity. *__* But it worked… somehow.

The tourist industry here must really be suffering… I mean, I see white people here and there but not as much as 3 years ago. Now you’re somewhat alone out there *echo echo*.

Being tall in this country, really pays off!!

Tomorrow I’ll probably think of one small thing to do before going back to the hotel room and taking a nap. Planning to be awake from at least 3 am, so I can buzz myself up with coffee and watch some drama before leaving at… the ungodly hour of around 5 am. Soz! I’ll announce this to the hotel staff tomorrow morning.

Even got my dad a pressie. It’s not much but … they don’t have much gardening stuff here dad. Unless you want to make a rice field. Ahaha, this will not work since he hates rice.

Then I ate curry rice for lunch. As suspected, I am not a fan. KARAI (SPICEY). *gulps water*. It only said “one pepper” for strength and I already had trouble. Funny enough, it truly is a bit like “Curry Gewurz” what we put on the frikandel back home. The only difference is: it’s not sweet.

As for the Tower, I could indeed walk there. One big long straight road. About a ten-fifteen minute walk.

Taken from a nearby park

If I can see the tower, the tower can see me

If you’re in the tower and go to the sign where it says South, where I placed the arrow is my Hotel. I LOL’D.

Honganji temple

I reckon a collection of types of Bonito flakes?

Tunahead, anyone?

Sushizanmai score!

I was so full after I ate all that sushi I think I could have rolled out of that store. Super noms! <33

Picked up some stuff at Aqua city for my friends and my mom. Where I bought the thing for my mom, she said “This is only made here, custom made. Can’t find anywhere else”. All I thought was “for that price you better not be lying”. lol. They wrapped it really nice. It’s this Japanese thing again, they also put a small piece of tape on the bag so you won’t lose what’s in it. Small things, stuff we don’t think about at home. Mostly it’s “here’s your shit, good luck”. There’s one thing I forgot to mention about Yokohama yesterday. If you thought Tokyo is clean, you can eat from the floor in Yokohama.

I bought me a shirt at the fuji tv building. Nope it’s not the JC Arcs one. Myself and flaming Pink, I don’t think so. At the cash register the girl said in Jap “Is size M really ok?”. Gimme a break! Just cuz I’m almost two heads taller than you, doesn’t mean I need an L. ^_^ Wearing it right now, it was the correct size. Bout two years ago I would have needed L. My L’Arc in Paris shirt is now so huge I’m drowning in it.

When I went for coffee I saw other Dutch people. Two tall guys with fluffly blond hair. I felt tiny, it’s when they opened their mouth I knew for sure why that was. Is it something about polders that makes people back home grow like trees? lol. Had a small chat. Godzilla is definitely from the Netherlands haha.

Odaiba is swarming with junior high kids in the afternoon. Was going up the escalator and I hear a “WOW” coming from the other side. Group of young boys that had spotted the white person. Congratulations boys! “Hello”.

I’m beginning to get some new understanding of why most Japanese still refuse to speak some English even if they know some English. In the Yamanote train there is a small commercial of something I didn’t understand fully, but it provides English sample sentences:

1. Close your mouth.
2. Shut your mouth.

Pick the wrong one and you’re in a bunch of trouble, ne.

:smile:

Entry gate of Chinatown

... thing in Chinatown

I hope you like panda’s though. They’re friggin everywhere. Other than that I really like the atmosphere of the place and if there’s one thing you’re never going to forget it’s the smell. The place is completely full with Chinese restaurants. It doesn’t smell anything like the Chinese takeout restaurant back home.

I bought something for Bochan in Chinatown. While in the store, the lady went completely crazy over me. “YOU LIKE JACK?” *pointing to my bag*. “OH I LIKE JACK TOO!” Giggle giggle, spazz spazz. HURRAY. XD.

After that I took the subway blue line from Yokohama station to Shin Yokohama to see if I could find the Raumen Museum. I did! I ate a huge bowl of miso ramen as you can see. *burp* For the first time I didn’t go to the family mart to get some snacks for the evening. Think my tummy is goin to burst as is.

Raumen museum Shin Yokohama

Miso ramen

During my meal they were taping something on the right side of that ramen-ya. At some point they were done and some guy came out and I recognized him. I’m sure I’ve seen another Japanese tv celeb I’m not interested in seeing. When I’m back home I’ll probably point at my computer screen at some point and yell “that’s the guy!”.

Also there was a conversation about me where I was not part of it again. lol. I think, since the cook was sizing me up, I caught something like “Do you think she likes it?” to a waitress. It was oishii~ but if you see that light brown stick thing on the left of the bowl? That wasn’t something I’m eating again. Next time I’m tossing that haha. I have no idea what it is.

While I was going back on the subway blue line to catch another train to Shibuya I noticed this real handsome pocket size Japanese sitting across from me on the subway. Oooo such a dollface this one. Certainly an eyecatcher, though I believe slightly too young for me. lol. “Hop into my suitcase young man, there you  go”.  I think he knew I was eyeballing him. In any case, he whopped out this huge huge manga book. I’ve seen those before. People actually carry those with them… they’re the size of phone books! He was smiling while he read, I was wiping my drool.

First I got to Tochomae subway station, which exits near the Government building.

Tokyo Metropolitan Government building

Continued to the Southern Terrace, entering the west entrance. Shinjuku station truly is monstrously large.

Connecting bridge to Southern Terrace

I ate lunch somewhere uh… I’m confused if it was one of the top floors of the Odakyu or MYLORD. Waitress babbled too fast in Jap for me, after some sign language I asked her to “pick one” for me. So she went “this one is good, this one, this one”. But young lady, you’re just full of surprises!

Then I found my way to the East exit of Shinjuku station, which is a task on its own. Walked until I found Yasukuni dori, the entry point for both Hanazono shrine and the Kabukicho area. 

Hanazono shrine

Kabukicho

Sometimes I think Tokyo is not a city, but a theme park. lol.

I entered some subway station, then found out I went to Daimon “the long way”. Smarty pants that I am thought to transfer to the Asakusa line at Kuramae. *head desk*. First off, you’re guided outside and then there’s two entry points. None of which end up on the right platform, but as it turns out you need to go way to the end of the platform and then go underneath for the Haneda direction.

Oh yea! Even though they might do gymnastics 8am sharp, construction workers will be construction workers. No shame in trying to flirt with me. Cool it, old man. XD. You see, that’s what I get. Thought it was funny anyways.

When I came back the cleaning lady was still in my room. Damn that’s late. Politely announced myself so I wouldn’t scare the crap out of her. So she was done and came to tell me that and bowed so hard I think she’ll have a back problem for that reason only, forget scrubbing the tub. And I’m like *bow bow bow* – it’s an automatic thing. Once these people start you can’t stop, you can’t stop!

As for Tsukiji which is still on my list, I will check out the area, but I’m not really going to wake up on an ungodly hour when the chances are slim anyways. Tomorrow I’m off to see Chinatown in Yokohama and… when I manage to get there Shin Yokohama for the Ramen museum. Stupid movies make you want to go see it as well.

Healthwise I’m doing good right now. I was having adverse reactions to grapefruit again. Took some searching, but at least it wasn’t the Japanese chow.

~Congratulations!~ Another 12 hour day in your useless existence. No wonder they harakiri a lot. I hope they do as the French do. Like take about 2 hours off for lunch. Or a bit of Spanish, siesta. If I were Japanese, I’d probably stand on the ledge right now trying to finish it. As I seem to have taken a sniff on what it’s like to be a working Japanese woman, I would have probably picked a few floors higher. Just to make sure. Most times, ignorance is truly bliss. Keep them bordars closed if you don’t want us to infect you with our lazy c00ties.

What the f*ck are these people doing at that hour. You can’t be possibly working. Come on, I’ve seen someone practise their GOLF STROKE. Speaking of which, I heard once that if the boss is around you don’t leave, you don’t leave. Even if you have to eat out your nose.

A “lolcat colony” it is. For gods sakes, “don’t be yourself”. It gives me a cramped feeling just looking over to that building.