Another country, more weird money

I arrived in Tokyo in the afternoon and took the bus to my hotel. I walked around the Ginzo district near my hotel. The Ginzo area looks like 5th avenue in New York. All the famous stores...Louis Vuitton, Mikimoto, Cartier, Rolex...you get the idea.

As I walked down the street, I felt like I was trapped in one huge Japanese tour group, then I realized that I was the tourist. Everyone is so nice when they see the hopelessly lost American who doesn't know what to eat, where to go , or how to count the darn money. I am the typical tourist who just holds out my hand with a bunch of coins in it, then the checker has pity on me and gets what is needed to pay the bill.

I was walking along the street and noticed bikes parked everywhere, and then it took a minute and I saw that none had locks. Evidently theft is virtually unheard of here, so you just leave the bike on the sidewalk and come back to get it later. There is also not a speck of trash or gum anywhere.
So, since I'm going down that road here's what else I've noticed the past two days...

*Japanese people are extremely polite and bow like crazy. I'm bobbing up and down all the time! You just can't help it, when they bow it is just automatic to do it right back.
*They stand on the escalator to the left and walk up the right, I almost got creamed by getting this wrong.
*They love crazy weird toys
*They buy stuff out of vending machines, but drink it right next to the machine and never walk around with food or drinks in their hands.
*Absolutely no one is fat and they walk very very quickly
* They are quick to help lost pitiful Americans

I went on an all day city tour today and enjoyed the new friends on the tour. I bought dinner at the local market after a late lunch and enjoyed it in my room looking at the lights twinkling in Tokyo.

My hotel room and the weird toilet. It took me a few minutes to figure out all the buttons. I do love the "hot" seat.

Many of the restaurants have plastic food displays in the windows. I actually like the point and eat method. This guy made me some sort of sushi omelet. It was good, until I ate a bite with a tentacle coming out of the side, yikes!

I loved the dumplings below. I was walking around the big food halls and got a sample of these morsels of goodness. They were delicious! Toys everywhere that all ages seem to always be buying.

Unlocked bikes....see I told you...it is true!

Weird money, I especially liked the coin with a hole in the middle of it .Would make a cute necklace.

Shogun temple, I've got to watch that Tom Cruise movie, "Samurai" when I get home.

This was so fortunate- a wedding passed by as were were visiting the temple. The bride and groom are under the unbrella. The bridesmaids are in front then the Priests. 

This was kind of neat, you made a donation then could write your wish on these tablets. I really loved looking at all the different languages and found several in English.

My first glimpse of a Japanese "squatty potty"

The oldest Buddhist temple in Japan founded in the 7th century.

Read that again...the year 650. 

Asakusa Kannon Temple

Pretty cool to be waiting in line for a snack behind a traditionally dressed woman. Made me feel slumpy in my cargo pants!

Cruise of Tokyo bay, we were fortunate to have really nice weather. One of the ladies on the trip said they had snow last week. 

I sure didn't know Tokyo had a statue of Liberty just the size of the one in France.

Everyone on the bus wanted a picture with the American in front of Lady Liberty, I only wish I had a hair brush and lipstick!