Tokyo

Went to Tokyo to see a giant Gundam statue.

Here are some picks!





It was like a concert, but instead of people listening to music they were all looking at a 70 foot tall statue of a robot.

The statue was located in Odaiba park. Odaiba is a man-made area of Tokyo that was built out into Tokyo bay in the 1970s (I think) and there is actually a lot of space on it surprisingly enough. The Odaiba park is huge and there are lots of places for people to go and just hang out or eat and kind of get away from the crowdedness of Tokyo. Except when half of Tokyo is going to see the Gundam statue.

And my god were the thousands of people at that place! The subway was so crowded that we couldn't get off at the stop for the statue. The platform at the subway station was jammed full of people and there was literally no room to exit the train. So, we headed to the next stop which was only about 500 meters away and got off no problem and walked to the park, and probably got there before the people waiting to exit the first station had even gotten downstairs.

One of my favorite things about the Gundam statue was that it had decals on it. It looks ultra-realistic. I saw those and immediately thought of all the warning decals on the outside of planes. Of course when they build giant war-bots they will have warning stickers.


It was so hot on Sunday. One of the hottest days of the summer so far. And there were people out there with their dogs which I thought was just cruel. And there were goths dressed in their all black and melting in the sun.


Beware the sun!

I didn't take these pictures of goths, but seriously, Japan has some crazy goths. And there are a ton of them that dress up like maids. I don't get it. Apparently there is even a place called the Maid Cafe where the waitresses dress like this. Freakin' Japan.



Anyway.

Because I decided to go to Tokyo last minute, I didn't have the proper two week notice to ask off for a day and therefore had to work on Saturday and therefore I had to get up at 7am to catch a train to make it to Tokyo at a reasonable hour on Sunday. So, as happy as I was to see the statue, and trust me, it was impressive, I wasn't really interested in standing in a 45 minute line to get a commemorative program. So we checked it out. Watched it move. And then rolled out to other parts of Odaiba.


There we saw a tiny Statue of Liberty



Myself and Ayumi, so at least there is one good looking person in this picture.

Ayumi and Kazu, the good looking people count is going up. Plus one if you count Lady Liberty!

There is an indoor arcade/amusement park that we were interested in checking out. Well, us and everyone else in Odaiba I guess because the shortest line for a ride was over half an hour and steadily growing. No thanks.

We headed back into downtown Tokyo and went to an art museum that Ayumi knew about. Well, the line for tickets to get into the museum was a 40 minute wait. ARGH! No thanks.

Next we (and by we I mean Kazu and Ayumi, I just nod and follow along. It is so nice to have Japanese speakers to guide you around) decided to go to Tokyo Tower. Well, since we are big rollers and there aren't any subway stops near Tokyo tower we decided to take a cab. Pretty cool. Felt like a real adult. And not too expensive when you split it three ways, like $5 each.


Tokyo Tower


Tall.

Views


A beautiful plaque, wonder what it says?


Oh, it's braille! Just in case you are a giant asshole and want to take your blind friend 200 meters up above the city so they can read about what a wonderful view it is for everyone but them. If I ever get a blind friend I am going to take them everywhere! Tokyo Tower, Kyoto, beautiful temples, wonderful scenic vistas, Osaka for the neon, everywhere! Well, as far as they know I will.

They had a glass floor part.

But it had lines across the glass so it kind of ruined the walking on air part.

Didn't stop Ayumi from freaking out though.

That is as far out as she would go. And notice the death grip on the shelf. Three seconds after this picture was taken she came to her senses and asked, "Why am I holding on to the shelf? If it breaks that shelf isn't going to save me."

Proof we were there!

And while it make look like I am looking at Ayumi I am really making a face at the ass behind us. This woman just walked between us as we were posing for the picture to get to the railing. Unbelievable!


Later that night we went to an Irish pub and had many drinks and much friend fish and chips and I saw a six and a half foot tall woman that turned out to be a man dressed like a woman.

Turns out we were staying right next to the gay district of Tokyo and apparently there was some crossover.

Good times! But I don't have any pictures because I was concentrating on drinking and forgot to bring my camera with me. D'oh!


And now it is 1:30 am so I am done.

I will leave you with a picture of me in a hotel bathrobe that actually fit me! Unbelievable!