Jetsetting Japan

If there is the antithesis of India, then it's most likely Japan. It was a great time to visit, because I really noticed and appreciated all the modernity of Tokyo. And although I had always heard how crowded it is in Tokyo, it was a relief to me - no place seems crowded after Calcutta. I couldn't believe the wide streets and organized traffic. And my hostel could not have been any nicer - only a year old, beautiful blond wood floors, a common area that looks like a really nice living room, computers, free wi-fi and toilets with heated seats! In a hostel!!! What a switch...

When I arrived at the airport I immediately got cash from the Citibank ATM (yippee - no fees!) and headed down to find the subway. I had very clear directions from the hostel, but the ticket machine confounded me, sine it was all in Japanese. And since it was only 7am on a Sunday, the ticket counters were not open. After watching a few people buy there tickets, I finally attempted my purchase. I had been worried about the subway being too packed at that time of the morning, until I realized what day it was. I can't keep track! I thought for sure it was a Monday... After only one false start (I was actually doing all my transfers correctly but second guessed myself and got off at one station to check, then had to re-board the next train) I arrived at the hostel. A real sense of accomplishment!!

Besides the newness, cleanness and modern facilities of Tokyo, I also enjoyed the city because I was able to meet up with a few old friends. I spent my first day (after a quick nap) touring the city with Russell, a friend from graduate school. Like most residents, he hadn't done many of the tourist sights so we walked through Ginza and then went up to the observatory to see a view of the city. Luckily the weather was very clear and sunny, so we got a great view. It must be spectacular at night. We wandered through the Shibuya area, which is seen in a lot of movies such as Lost in Translation. The train station and corresponding intersection are huge, with masses of people milling in and out, but generally very orderly. This is where a lot of the bars and restaurants are. That night Russell and I selected our restaurant purely on the basis of it having an English menu and being very full (usually a good sign). We were the only westerners there. But the English menu didn't solve all our problems. You order and cook everything yourself on a hot plate in the middle of the table. The menu gave us directions, but unfortunately we still failed, since as soon as we started cooking a waiter flew over to our table, scooped everything up off the plate, put it back in the bowl and disappeared. Moments later he reappeared with a fresh bowl of ingredients and made it for us. It looked very similar to what we'd been doing, but clearly it wasn't. This caused much amusement at the tables around us. Eventually we were left to just flip the almost completed meat and vegetable pancake (that's the only way I can describe it) - apparently the waiter felt we would be able to handle that. I laughed though the entire meal. It was just such a fun and bizarre experience, and very much what I had expected for Japan. Luckily the second dish we ordered was one that is made in the kitchen and it was just as yummy.

I impressed myself again by figuring how to get home from Shibuya on the subway system, despite the fact that it required one transfer. Yippee!