Finally, a real post

The first round of photos are online. Click here for page with all of them along with brief captions.

Went to Shinjuku again today, because host Shiho and club sports committments and I planned to visit friend Mari later in the day in Shinjuku. On my own, thanks to a hand-drawn guide from Shiho (at right), I made it from way out in the suburbs to Shinjuku, and then back home again at about 11 p.m. In the city, I went to the Shinjuku Imperial Gardens, a nice break from the urban jungle and the never-ending mass of people. Then, I tried to find a shrine noted in a guidebook, and failed. So I moved to the next spot on the walking tour featured in the guidebook.

But I could not find it. Street signs are scarce here, if the the street is so lucky as to even get a name. But a woman who saw me looking sideways at my guidebook asked if I needed help, and she pointed me in the direction I had been comming. I went that way, but I did not, of course, immediately find the shrine. So I threw in the towel.

I found a coffee shop that looked like it would have room for me to open up The Daily Yomuri newspaper and just sit for a while. Which was fun. Then I walked around the corner and found that I could not get back to the street I thought I wanted. Good thing I did not want that one after all. I walked about 1o steps and found the shrine I had been looking for. Because it was dark, most of my photos did not turn out.

It was then time to call Mari to meet at Shinjuku, which I knew was somewhere over ... there. Right. I asked a parking-garage worker, who pointed vaguely in the direction I had been walking. Then, instinct had me follow the crowd, the lights, and the big buildings. At a huge crossing, waiting for the green signal, I asked a girl if Shijuku-eki (station) was indeed around here. She pointed straight ahead. Right. I totally knew that.

So I called Mari and told her I was near the big screen thingy. She asked if it was the ALTA building. Yep. She knew where I was, fortunately. We went to her apartment after a short train, and then, when her dad came home, we went out for Yakiniku, a sort of barbeque that can be done inside. They bring you raw meet, usually beef, and you chopstick it onto a grill on the table. Add beer, and you have a meal.

Then, at the apartment again, we talked for a few minutes and had a glass of Chivas Regal whiskey before I had to head back to catch the express train back to the suburbs.

A nice day.

Tomorrow -- I will be a guest in classe at Bunkyo University, where Shiho goes to school.