Japan !!

So exciting to be here !

The clichés are all there... but a few things have been surprising.

First of all I expected Tokyo to be very America-oriented. It isn't ! Big surprise, hardly anyone speaks any English, hotel reception desks can often not really understand what you're saying, even business people and student types can't really communicate. Maybe we're not in the right part of town (?).

We're inconspicuous, which is very pleasant, but people are very helpful in spite of the total lack of understanding between us most of the time.

Second surprise: instead of the noisy, crowded city we expected we're struck by how quiet things are. No loud voices, no pushing and shoving (after 4 days of using the metro at all hours we're still not sure when the rush hour is...), and of course lots of bowing !

The metro is super clean and easy to use. Each platform has anti-suicide/accident barriers which open automatically when the train arrives.

And Tokyo itself is spic and span, full of trees and parks, with helpful maps... which is just as well as nowhere really has an address, just a block reference.

I didn't expect so many bicycles, zipping along on special paths or weaving about on shared pavements. They sometimes have baby seats in front, the only children we have seen apart from one or two inevitable sailor-suit, pleated navy-skirted girls giggling to each other on the metro. There's no one child policy in this country but with little (visible) immigration one wonders who will be running the place in 30  years' time.

We've all heard about Japanese loos, but the first few times are still a bit of a shock ! Automatic flushing noises to disguise any others, warmed seats, squirts and sprays of any temperature, from any angle, and best of all a foolproof nonstick lining doing away with  loo brushes altogether ! And just the same is on offer in the magnificent public loos to be found every few hundred yards. Now that's a country which has got it's priorities right.

Comments

[jp et f]

Toujours aussi époustouflants , on en redemamde. C'est vrai que vous etes tres beaux avec les kimonos. Bises JP et F

[zaza]

fiques

[zaza]

désolée pour les photes !! je ne traduis pas tout tant pis, ha voila e que c'est de taper trop vite, vous êtes magnifique en kimono!!!

[zaza]

je ne traduit pas tout mais tan pis, je suis heureuse d'avoir vu le Fuji m^me sans son sommet enneigé, bonne route zaza