The Big Update

Hello! If you're reading this, you've been very patient! I haven't updated in over a week.

Anyway, to start with, here's something that might surprise you. One day, I went to the men's toilets in Shinagawa Station (which is a large train junction in southern Tokyo), and there were short, older women, cleaning the room while it was in use! I had to blink a few times...

On Thursday, I went to a friend's birthday party in Shibuya, which is basically a massive party place for youth. (Apparently it's home to the world's biggest Starbucks...). We were in a 9th-floor restaurant overlooking that intersection that you often see on TV, where pedestrians walk all over the road, and there are massive TV screens all around. I should have taken photos of the view! However, there was a price to be paid. None of us knew, but everybody that eats at the restaurant must buy a drink. Well, let's just say I drank my 7-dollar glass of orange juice rather slowly!

Also, on Friday night, I went to Tsukiji, which is a place full of fish markets near Tokyo Bay. A friend took me to an incredible restaurant, where they use incredibly fresh fish. In fact, we were sitting at a counter, and there was a tank of fish a few metres a way. When somebody orders what is called 'sashimi', guess what happens; one of the cooks uses a net to catch one of the fish, grabs the fish by the tail, pops it on the table and starts chopping it! Oh dear. Then there was a little tray where they put the fish that have had their sides removed. They were still moving! They use those fish to put in sashimi platters (that have a several kinds of fish). This poor fish I was watching had it's head up to the ceiling, and every now and then it would 'cough'. What I didn't realise was, we were about to get one of these platters! Our one had the tail sticking up though. It was flickering for a few minutes! I put my finger on the tail to feel it move. That was strange!

Picture time:
This is on the way to university. That monster in the distance is Tokyo Tower. I'm told that even though it looks close, it takes over 20 minutes on foot from where I'm standing! Apparently, when they designed it, they made it a few metres taller than the Eiffel Tower in order to get the record...

On the far left, you can just make out Shinkawasaki Station (the name literally means 'New-Kawasaki'). You can catch a train from here that can take you all the way to the airport, which is about 110 minutes away apparently.


This is Tamachi Station, the station I use to travel to uni. Note the Irish Pub sign!

Bye for now.