There and Back Again

Yesterday I had a big adventure....I went into Tokyo for the first time by myself.  It was not the smooth operation I had hoped for...I missed one train and wandered around lost under Shinjuku for about ten minutes.  I also screwed up my PASMO card somehow (still not sure how I did it) but fortunately those are easy to get fixed.  There are a couple of different ways to get into the city and I picked the harder of the two which I will never do again whilst alone.  By the time I got to Ginza (my final destination) my nerves were a little frazzled.  See normally when Chad and I go together he navigates while my job is to take photos and window shop.  Or worse yet I read and do the whole thing in a book haze while he pulls me on and off at the right stops.  So this solo trip was very educational for me.  Lesson #1: do not underestimate the complexity of Tokyo's public transportation.

But I made there (and even better, I made it back home again) and this time I had the camera along for the trip.  Ginza, if you recall, is the major shopping district of Tokyo.  I wanted to go check out Matsuya, which is a famous Japanese department store.  It turned out to be a pretty pricey establishment but good to know about if you are looking to splurge.  (Printemps was a little more my speed.)

One day I'll go again (not any time soon though and to somewhere other than Ginza--I want to go to the zoo!) and I think I'll do a better job.    When I've got it down I'll post some more detailed tips and tricks about the trains and subways.

Matsuya Ginza....check out how shiny
that building is!

McQueen in Matsuya

the main drag (check the lady with her parasol)...and you can
see the Apple store we went to on the right

Cartier (how about that gold building?) & Alfred
Dunhill in the other direction