Greetings from Tokyo!!!

Hi everyone!!!

After what seemed like an endless journey we finally we got here!!! Just returned to the hotel after spending an afternoon walking around Tokyo... as you can imagine we're completely exhausted and jet-lagged. Wanted to sleep when we got here at noon but we thought we'd better try to adapt to Japanese time so we tortured ourselves and dragged ourselves down to the city centre...

Anyway first things first... we have to tell you about our journey here which started with a bit of a scare at Brussels airport when the ground staff somehow couldnt manage to check-us in for our flight from Heathrow to Tokyo... then after a few unsuccessful attempts she calmly informed us (in typical ground-staff way - i.e. calm and composed) that the plane was over-booked and we were among the passengers that had been offloaded!!! As you can imagine we freaked out!!! I told her we were on our honeymoon and they had to put us on that flight no matter what!!! Then luckily some 15 minutes later we were told that we managed to obtain the last two seats!!! We couldnt believe it!!! The seats weren't excellent but not terrible... we were just sandwiched between two Japanese guys slurping on their noodles... But I guess better than being stranded at Heathrow. For the rest the flight was ok but so long, and endless. At least there were plenty of films to watch. Though BA wasnt quite as generous with the food... in an 11 hour flight they only gave us one hot meal at 3pm (1 hour after take-off) and then a breakfast at midnight!!! So you can just imagine how hungry Ivan was, but luckily I had a bag full of biscuits and chocolates so we could have a snack from time to time.

So finally we landed in Tokyo at 1am Brussels time, which was 9am here in Tokyo and we decided to go out straight away to fight the jet lag. Our hotel is really nice luckily!! We have a very funny loo though!!! Hahha I must tell you about it, I've never seen anything like it before! First of all the seat is constantly heated to keep you nice and warm!!! And then it has a remote control so if you like you just press a button and it sprays clean water onto your back side... and then it even dries it!!!!!!! Hilarious!!!! I haven't tried it - it's too weird!!!

Our first impressions of Tokyo are so far extremely positive!!! To start with everything and everywhere is impeccably clean, starting from the airport, the streets, the metros, buses and trains... the metros look like they've never been used!!! It's amazing!!! The floor is shiny everywhere you look and you never see paper or even one cigarette on the floor!!! As regards the people, they're extremely hospitable and friendly, everyone smiles at you, be it the bus driver, the receptionist, concierge, shopkeeper you name it... So far most of the people we've met spoke a bit of English but even if they don't they still try to help by speaking Japanese mixed with sign language!!! Really sweet. We're also quite amazed at the people in Tokyo, apparently they are obsessed with designer wear and although I had read about it I really had to see it to believe it. Wherever you look you see young people wearing really trendy clothes and clutching onto their Louis Vuitton bags, Gucci, Chanel, etc. But we soon discovered why... In the afternoon we went for a walk around Ginza which is a good area for shopping, we were too jet-lagged to do anything more cultural that required a minimum of mental strain, and while we were there we passed by the designed shops which were literally full of people resembling supermarkets rather than the ones you see on Boulevard de Waterloo in Brussels, and the prices are much cheaper!!! After a walk around Ginza we stopped at a sushi place with a train where you can choose different plates - really delicious. Tomorrow we should be visiting a Japanese garden and the imperial palace. Meanwhile, here are some pics taken today. There are many more on http://www.flickr.com/photos/brincs/

Check out the shiny floor at Narita airport!

Arriving from the airport - aaagh I just want to sleep!!!

Finally a bowl of noodles - obviously slurping is essential!!!

The first girl we saw wearing a kimono!!!

Ginza, Tokyo