Matt and I head into Chiyoda to finally have a look at the imperial palace. We find an exhausting walk and access only to the gardens. A few photos were taken here and there but as it is winter the normally vibrant gardens are yellow and brown. We've missed most of the Autumn colours but are pleased to still see pockets of yellow and orange.
For breakfast we found ourselves at a Xiao Long Bao joint. These delicious boiling hot pockets of soup and meat seem to have taken root in so many countries now and that is not a bad thing. Soup dumplings are a piping hot broth that demands a ritual to eat otherwise you will burn the absolute crap out of your mouth. Still, if you treat them right you are in for a treat. The ones we found were cooked upside down and had a slight tomato flavour to the soup. Delicious!
It wasn't until our curry addiction reared it head that we left the comfort of our room, and my nap, for more food. We wandered Bunkyo-ku looking to fill that need. A CoCo curry house appeared in the distance and we knew we would be in for a feast. CoCo curry not only delivers, literally delivers to your house, it also lets you build your own curry. How much rice do you want, what type of curry, what level of spice and what do you want on top? All of these questions lead to a custom curry that suits you, rather than choosing from their expansive set menu. It was crab cream croquette and scrambled egg curry for me.
After gorging ourselves we needed a drink, a beer to wash down the delicious curry. As always Japan delivered in the form of a 280 yen bar. These places are amazing, everything in the bar is 280yen. Every beer, every cocktail and every plate of food. The best thing about it is all is that it is freaking delicious. Edamame and spicy cucumber are a must with any drink. Did I mention it was only 280yen!!!
After filling ourselves to the literal brim we headed back. Whisky demanded to be drunk and Matt demanded to nap. Jono called it quits are 12:30am while the afternoon nap had kicked in. I left the hotel wandering the nearby streets, walking the bath I just had off. There is something beautiful about a city at night, even though the people seem to be missing the city is still lit up as if trying to attract the last stragglers into its artificial glow. As you walk past the tiny 10 person bars and restaurants with patrons still in revelry you catch small glimpses of their worlds. The scenes change but the message is the same, you are awake, you are alive and there are others to share that with. It is almost dreamlike to walk the streets in Tokyo at this time of the night. This is something I miss dearly at home. Tokyo does not sleep.
Boxing day was our shopping day and as such was very uneventful. We dodged the foot traffic in Akihabara, darting in and out of the ridiculously small and tall figurine and model shops hunting for some model kits to send home. Matt is hunting for the right Gundam model kits for the right price. we meander through the never ending alleyways and streets of Tokyo's anime district, seeing the maids drumming up business for their cafe's on every corner. I sit on the rails enclosing the sidewalk and watch people go by, wondering about their story and what they are doing here. It is a relaxing practice in a hectic town.
We wander until we find a restaurant whose menu entices us. Hamburg dishes on sizzling plates, how could you go wrong.
We finally find what we are looking for in Ikebukero. we leave with laden bags and sore feet. Head back to the hotel and drink the rest of the night away.
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