Tokyo, Part 3

Happy Wednesday! I'm officially on Christmas vacation!!!! --- because I did a pathetic job of taking vacation throughout the year--- because I was so busy traveling for work this year.... It's a vicious cycle, people. :)  

Speaking of traveling, we're on to Tokyo Part 3 today. I told you I took a lot of photos. Tell me, are my Tokyo posts becoming a little bit like the Rocky movies; 1 and 2 were pretty good, but then things just got a little out of hand???? Hopefully not, but  as it stands right now this blog is a dictatorship (a blog-tatorship, if you will), so I'm posting my photos from Tokyo regardless. 

Well, now that that's settled... 

Because Tokyo is a ridiculously large city, Nanette and I decided to take a tour one morning. On the tour we visited the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Tower, and Asakusa (a city known for the famous Senso-ji temple). 

When I said we visited the Imperial Palace, this is what I meant. The actual palace is only open two days a year for tours. They try to keep the riff raff (i.e. ME) out as much as possible. 

 

Unofficial Christmas card 2011. Merry Christmas from Tokyo Tower. 

Keep in mind this is the view from ONE part of Tokyo Tower. I told you it was a big city. Shanghai still beats Tokyo though by the way--- skyscrapers for MILES. 

View of the Tokyo Sky Tree from Asakusa. It's the "new Tokyo Tower", reaching over 2000 feet in height. It is the tallest tower in the world and second tallest structure in the world, so apparently our visit to the first Tokyo Tower is old news... 

I know I mentioned the other day that I quickly tired of eating raw fish and pickled vegetables, but I LOVED the "Japanese fair food" from the Asakusa tourist area (*I fully recognize that I am fulfilling the American stereotype right now when it comes to eating habits).  Yes, that is a hash brown on a stick with mayonnaise and BBQ sauce. :)  It wasn't my idea; I just ate it. 

Pork dumplings and "Japanese donuts" with bean jam. REALLY tasty! 

That's it for today. I'm off to do Christmas Vacation-y things, like blast Michael Buble and Mariah Carey Christmas music while I attempt to bathe a smelly Luca-Bear. It's going to be a good day.