More photos on Flickr and Instagram
Hotel hopping again. This time it was a breeze, with a 20 minute direct line from the station adjoining our Conrad Hilton to our next hotel, which also has an adjacent subway station. However nice the new hotel is (not a contender), it’ll be impossible to beat the elegance and politeness of the Conrad.
Since I managed to pass my cold along to my wife, she was feeling miserable. We asked a member of staff at the Conrad where a pharmacy might be and they literally led us out of the hotel to the pharmacy, translated our needs to the pharmacy staff and accompanied us back to the hotel. Where do you find that type of courtesy and helpfulness now?
Google Maps subway transportation directions were spot on. I knew how many stops until we got off so I could watch Twitter and the Oscar results and insults.
You know when you change hotels a lot, it’s a good idea to make a note of your hotel room#.😉 Take a picture with your phone.
We decided to go to the Ginza during daytime hours.
Ever had a Matcha Latte? I hadn’t either until we had an unintended interpretation of a Latte order. I know, they sound exactly alike. A green tea latte. Looks like liquified seaweed, but doesn’t taste (quite as) bad. Experience! Antioxidants!
A few of the major stores are closed on Mondays because they are open Sunday, including the one we intended to visit, but there are plenty more on the Ginza. Not to the same extent you see in Paris, one of the large Japanese auto manufacturers, Nissan, has a showroom on this busy street.
Crossing the street at the intersection where the Ginza subway station is located is crazy. When the crosswalk sign changes, people are crisscrossing the intersection from all four corners at the same time. But one thing we noticed walking down the street is how relatively quiet it was, expecting the din of cars and people. The other thing I’ve noticed is almost no hybrid autos and no electric.
In an effort to find some respite from the cool weather, we stopped in at a Starbucks, which happens to be the first one in Tokyo (just off the main roads of the Ginza)
And of course, since Apple has a store there, I ducked in for a look. I’m sure it’s an expensive location, but was rather small, but multi-level.
TerraTraveler 