It's 3 am in Tokyo and I am wide awake, trying to be quiet so not to disturb my roommate, Victoria, although I suspect she is awake too. The city is surprisingly quiet, compared to NYC in the middle of the night- no sirens, no cars going by. I think of Scarlett wandering her hotel, sleepless, but I will not be hanging out in the bar with Bill Murray... This city is huge, bigger than any I have ever seen, and the bus trip in from the airport revealed mile after mile of sprawling buildings as far as you can see. I don't have words to describe the vastness of it.
We are situated in a central location, near Tokyo station and the Ginza, which is like Madison Ave, Times Square and the Natick Mall all crushed together in many city blocks. Our hotel is a serious businessman's hotel, no frills, tiny room and a bathroom that reminds me of one on a cruise ship. Very little English is spoken at the front desk. Yesterday was incredibly long, but the 13 hour flight was comfortable thanks to business class and the kind attention of the elegant flight attendants who took care of us. I ordered the Japanese dinner, and played the "what am I putting in my mouth" game. Two rows of tiny dishes with completely unrecognizable food, but I tried everything!
Unfortunately Vicky's suitcase didn't make it over, and she has business meetings today and only jeans and a tee shirt on her back. Not to worry! Luckily I packed my little black dress, and all we needed was a belt to cinch it in (given that her waist size is about 6 inches smaller than mine) and a pair of shoes to make her look ultra Tokyo chic! So an excuse to go shopping in the Ginza was presented and we were up to the task. Within minutes many of my stereotypes of Japanese women were confirmed. Sleek, thin, stylish and moving determinedly ahead in groups of 3 and 4, they were seriously shopping at 7 pm last night. High heeled boots and mini skirts were in abundance. No evidence here of a recession in Japan. We passed through an electronics mega store, with acres of cell phones in every conceivable color and crowds of people browsing and buying all sorts of gadgets. At 9 pm the stores were still packed, restaurants were just getting going, and we were victorious (no pun intended, Vicky) with a pair of patent leather flats and a belt to match!
In three hours I am being picked up for a full day of sightseeing, including a boat ride, a tea ceremony and a visit to the Imperial Palace. I would really like to get some sleep...
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