Hello 2015!!!
It was a beautiful day and I witnessed my first sleeting in Tokyo. Felt like dancing under the ~rain.
Most establishments are closed on the frst day of the New Year in Japan, so I decided to follow where the Japanese go. To the shrines it was then. I picked Meiji shrine, because it looks really magnificent, you can enjoy a stroll through the nature before you get to it. Because it was the New Year's Day, it was insanely packed. Adam wanted to tag along to snap some photos, so we went together but I think the crowd intimidated him or maybe he has agoraphobia!
There were probably thousands of people but everyone was nice and polite. Nobody pushed or got frustrated. The crowd management was superb, very orderly and very clear signages even for people like me who couldn't understand Japanese. So we queued, got in, asked for blessings, threw coins, then gave thanks and left. On the way out, I paid a small token to draw a lot but it was in Japanese and I couldn't read. I took a picture for translation later (LOL) because I had to tie it into a ribbon right there. Right next to the shrine, there was a food market all set up. I almost went nuts at the variety of food... I wanted to eat everything!
I had to filter out so many and I settled for these. I really wished I had space for more. But fortunately I didn't stuff myself because when I headed out, there was another stretch of food market down Harajuku and I found BBQ mochi!
We headed back to the hotel after, I wanted to stay out but everywhere was swarming with people and Adam looked stressed out (LOL!). So we went back, this time we switched to Park Hyatt Tokyo. The hotel is magnificent, the lobby is on the 41st storey and has a view of Mount Fuji! Everyone was impeccably dressed, from the porter to the receptionist, Park Hyatt seems to hire the best. Model height, slim and very pleasant features!
We couldn't check in till 7pm as it was full, so we enjoyed our Happy Hours at the bar where the bartender promised me anything and everything! LOL. I am impressed indeed. There was a selection of tapas, though limited choices they were prepared on the spot! Read more on my stay on Tripadvisor.
Finally we got checked in before 8pm. I got so restless that I just ventured out to Shinjuku after I dropped my bags in the room. I wanted to breathe the cold air in Tokyo and not trapped inside the hotel no matter how posh it was! It was about 4 degrees outside. I managed to have a little stroll though many things reamined closed. At least the vending machines were always available, and a hot drink definitely warmed up my tummy!
When I got back, I realised I haven't had dinner, so did Adam. LOL. We looked up places to go for food before he suggested 24/7 Denny's which was a 15 mins walk away (but better than going back to hunt in Shinjuku). We walked in the cold, cold and hungry at around midnight... but the HOT food in Denny's made everything worthwhile. I had a very very delicious beef Sukiyaki! I bet I could sleep really good after that!
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