"domo arregato, mr. roboto"--styx

Oh Japan - how I miss you already!

Tokyo - was absolutely amazing. I recommend visiting there to ANYONE, in fact Chris and I already scheming ways to visit again, and even one day, maybe even moving there. That is how much I (we) fell in love with this city.

I decided I'll write about what we did during the days, etc, including the wedding but I'll save the wedding day (and night) for a different post because that is how crazy it was. Chris has posted his pictures on facebook but I have some more I will add and then create my own album. I'll post some on here as well.

I left Austin incredibly early on Wednesday morning, my flight was at 545 and I made it there with no problems. I had a 4 hour layover in Houston where I spent the time eating breakfast, watching CNN and napping by the gate. Finally I was able to board and found out flight time was about 12 hours, 45 mins. Not too shabby...but it got worse. The inflight entertainment system was down, but only in the back of the plane, which is where I was, and then somehow, we ran out of water. What a treat! Also the stewardesses, were awful. When my brain is off of jet-lag and I can coherently form sentences, I will write Continental a letter. I dont' normally do stuff like that, but it was really awful. Thank goodness I had magazines, the Twilight book and my ipod to keep me busy! I arrived in Narita (on Thursday afternoon), went through customs and met up with one of Chris' friends, Peyton in the airport. Note that I had never met him before, but it's pretty easy to spot a blond haired guy in a Japanese airport. We found the bus to the hotel and spent the next hour or so riding into Tokyo. Somehow, Chris and mine's room was upgraded! Yay! I was fully intent on arriving, showering, napping and then awaiting Chris' arrival (he wasn't supposed to get until a few hours after me and had to fly into a different airport), but another freind of his, Alex, called my room and insisted we go out and walk around. I figured it would help with jet lag, so I met the boys downstairs. We walked around and then hung out in a few pubs - in that few hours I realized how much I was attracted to the city and how I honestly could live there. It's clean, everyone is so polite, incredibly safe feeling, it's just so different. We finally headed back to the hotel so I could clean up and the guys went out again. I was able to shower and take a short nap when Chris finally got there! YAY! Of course it was wonderful to see him, as always, and it was getting late, so he just cleaned up and we went to have some drinks in the bar.

On Friday, we were all incredibly jet-lagged, so someone (I think Alex) called us at like 630am. We got ready and met Peyton, Alex and Val (his gf) downstairs and headed out to Shibuya. We walked around trying to find breakfast and eventually found this place where Val and I had these waffles but they had applesauce, whipped cream and ice cream? on top...that's the problem with foreign countries, pointing to a picture you may not get exactly what you're expecting, oh well. Then we made our way to the Meiji Shrine, there are about a hundred shrines and temples there. It was extremely peaceful.

Here we are on the walk -Alex, Val, me and Chris

Here is the entrance to the shrine

After that, we walked around, met up wtih their friend, Seif who was the one getting married and grabbed some lunch. We headed back to the hotel for a nap and then got up and got ready. Because all of these guys hadn't been together since they graduated from high school, they had planned a sort of bachelor party/guys night. Seif's clan of cousins were also in town, and he organized for all of the girls to go to this Kabuki show (this was actually really nice of him to make sure we were taken care of). So Val and I sent off the boys, grabbed some drinks and joined the cousins and aunties for the show. Unfortunately, we were in the wrong taxi, who of course got lost and we missed half of the show. It was really neat though, sort of like musical theater. Beautiful costumes and things like that. After that, a few of us went to karoake - obvs, we were in the land where it was created or something. Then Val and I went back to the hotel and the guys showed up shortly after.

Saturday was the wedding which I will save for another entry, but let's just say it was beautiful and I've never eaten so well. For the entire day - literally.

Sunday, apparently we were supposed to meet for breakfast, which Chris and I missed and it was our idea? oops! Then we met up, went to Shibuya again and then headed to this street which makes plastic food? Dont' ask - all of the restaurants have these windows with plastic food displays so I guess you can point to things and tell them what you want? There's apparently a huge market for this, they sell fake food keychains and things for your cell phone too, haha.

Yes, that's all plastic

After that, we wandered to this area called Asakusa to see another shrine, but on the way found the souveneir/touristy area, so we shopped around there for awhile. Everything is pretty expensive though but oh well. After that, we had to head back. We took a quick nap and then we had ANOTHER dinner, it was just for close friends and family, and it was held at the Park Hyatt. For those of you who have seen Lost in Translation - this is the hotel it was filmed in? (I haven't seen it, I'm renting it soon) We ate in the New York City Grille, which was on the 52nd floor, where the view was amazing and so was the food!

Me and Chris at dinner - note - the mini CHI doesn't really do amazing things, but I was glad to have a CHI that worked semi well, then none at all.

Dinner was at 10 and we were so exhausted by the time it was over, and we were both leaving the next day so we called it a night. Granted, 1.30am was the earliest we were in bed the entire time. No wonder I never got over jetlag.

Monday, we got up, did some quick walking around for the Electronic City - Akahabara?, and then got all my stuff together and Chris dropped me off for the airport. And now I'm here. Flight back was much better, shorter, except from Houston to Austin, the plane had mechanical problems and we had re-land in Houston and I didn't get in til almost 730, but I stayed up and feel ok today. Hopefully I'm not too jetlagged. I have a very busy weekend ahead of me!