Shop til I drop!

Spent the morning packing as tomorrow will be an early start off to the airport. Then met Breige for lunch at the grand hyatt. After that I went to the Oriental Bizarre and Kiddyland to spend the money I had left on pressies for everyone at home. just got back, and we are going out for a birthday meal for Matt tonight at Bourbon Street hich should be a good laugh. Determined not to have alot to drink as I dont want to be travelling with a hangover tomorrow - God knows where I would end up!!!

Probably wont have time to blog tomorrow - but i leave Tokyo Harita airport at 12.55, and get into Heathrow at 16.20 - a bit weird that!! I get back to edinburgh tomorrow at about 9pm. I will do a final round up blog in the next few days.

Well - its been a blast!!

sayonara!

ax

Shibuya

Yesterday I went to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. This is a really cool museum that tells you all about Edo and Tokyo (Edo is what Tokyo was called before it was Tokyo). It uses amazingly detailed modles that you can use binoculars to get a better look, as well as real objects, and there is also a replica of an original Edo bridge. There are rickshaws and lots of hands on artifacts, and it is really well labelled in English.

In the afternoon - I went to Shibuya - home of many of the wacky shops where the Japanses get their more affordable weird fashions. I pottered around looking for somewhere to have a spot of lunch and found myself outside an Irish pub - The Dubliners. It seemed like it was meant to be!! I went in and plonked myself down, ordered fish and chips with extra vinegar and wrote my postcards out. I felt very guilty about avoiding the Japanese cuisine but soon got over it!

After that I wandered down Aoyama dori towards Breiges apartment, about a 15 min walk. Thought I was lost until i saw some familiar landmarks.

Cooked dinner as Breige was knackered having been up all night with Niamh. But then the amazing Yoko arrived and gave her a restorative massage - she emerged 70 mins later a new woman! I wonder if Yoko wsould fit in my suitcase?

ax

Modelling and Onsens

To start the day we took Niamh to register for a modelling agency. Western babies are the most popular and in very high demand which I still think is pretty peculiar, but the Japanese love it! Erin and Ciara, Niamh cousins having been doing it for a while now, and it is a good way to mix with other kids. So we popped into Sugar and Spice, the agency so Niamh could get photos taken, and measured up. while we were there they asked Breige if she would be interested in doing some mother modelling herself....gee is the pope a Catholic?? Niamh was immediately forgotten about and Breige stepped into the limelight...wellno, not really but it was really funny.

After we dropped Niamh back at home, we went out to and Onsen village. An onsen is a hot natural spring bath and the village is basically a mall-like complex built around the baths.

Now what I wasnt expecting, and what I definitly got, was a whole lot of nakedness, and not an ounce of shame....

Breige had said you coul wear a towel into the onsen. What she didnt say was that this towel was what i would call a face flannel, about 10cm sqaure with no room for modesty. I would like to say that I kept eye contact at all times but that would be a downright lie.

In all seriousness, after about ten minutes freaking out and feeling like a tit - excuse the pun - I kind of got desensitised to all the bits and bobs as it where. The baths were lovely - we had a sauna, jacuzzi, and indoor hotbath and an outdoor hot bath, all very invigourating. I would highly recommend it, just be prepared to bare your flesh along with everyone else.

We also had a spot of sushi while we were there which was lovely - I stayed on the safe side - salmon and prown, not quite ready for the puffer fish , especially after the naked trauma.

When we got home Breige made a lovely dinner, we watched Lost and then hit the hay. Not sure what to do tomorrow, but if there are any museums I havent yet been to, i might go to some wile Bregie is at work.

Sayonara for now!

ax