I was a little scared about navigating successfully in Tokyo and finding fun things to do, given that neither Susan or I speak a word of Japanese. But last night went about as smoothly as I could have possibly hoped for. We found our hotel without problem, and went off in search of dinner.
Our guide book recommended a particular yakitori bar that was supposed to be English-friendly. Following the bell hop's careful instructions, we were able to navigate to the subway, and then to the general area of Ginza that should have contained it with no problem. But when we arrived, we were distracted by what I have since learned is called "yakitori alley". We spent the night sitting outside, drinking, eating grilled meats (Susan insisted on ordering intestines, cartilage, and gizzards -- I got chicken and pork :-)), laughing, and trying to talk with the couple that happened to be sitting next to us. Through broken english and body language, we were able to tell them how long we were staying, our itinerary, how long Susan and I have been together, that we are engaged ("promised" was the term they understood), and we even got some sightseeing tips. We bought a round of sake in thanks of the herculean effort they expended trying to remember English words and phrases it appeared they hadn't used in years.
On the way home, I realized I was still hungry so we shared a bowl of ramen in a random shop near our hotel. English appeared to be a non-starter, so we just pointed to what other people had, which turned out to be bamboo shoot ramen. The fact that were pretty drunk by that time can have nothing to do with the fact that I think that was one of the best noodle bowls I've ever had. The noodles were so fresh and chewy, they must have been made hours before.
So, a good start. Today, our only must-see is the fish market. After that, we'll just see where our feet take us.
1 comment:
so jealous right now...
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