Life in Japan is going well so far. Up until today we were focused on getting our stuff unpacked, filling the apartment with food and supplies (it was very sparse upon move-in) and adjusting to the new time zone. Today, Saturday, was the first time we got a chance to actually explore outside of the base and explore we did!!
Our next door neighbor happens to also be a co-worker of Tim's, so after knocking on his door for some help with Tim's cell phone, we found out our plans for the day were very similar. Lucky for us, he has been to Japan a few times with work and so we decided to all head out into the city together. It was kind of funny because we knew how to get to the train station from the apartment and he and his fiance knew where a good restaurant was in the city, so we got to "trade" our services.
N, Tim's coworker, gave us a great hint about getting around the trains: Take a picture of the signs, so you can find your way home again.
After lunch, we decided to walk around a bit more, including a trip to the mall and the "gas lamp" district.
Once we had done a bit of walking we all kind of looked at each other with a "what now?" expression. So, with absolutely no planning, we headed to the train station for a little jaunt into Yokohama, the second largest city in Japan! Tim's response to our impromptu plan: "That's quite a commitment!"
The train ride was about 45 minutes to an hour, but gave us an interesting view of Japanese life. About 3/4 of the way to Yokohama, we thought we were going to have to switch from the local train to the express, so we got off and then discovered that they had actually connected the two trains and turned them into one express. You live, you learn!
N decided it would be fun to show us all the Landmark Tower, which did mean switching trains...but that's a whole other kind of post. Once we got to our destinations, pictures were in order.
It was so funny, because right after we finished taking our pictures, a group of Japanese high school girls approached us with some questions. They were obviously practicing their english and were very nervous/excited that we were willing to let them record our answers and take pictures!
Right near the Landmark Tower was a carnival, which included this huge ferris wheel. Apparently, a ride is about a 1/2 hour.
So what do you think is in the Landmark Tower? Any guesses?
A mall. A huge, very Americanized mall, with shops ranging from Gap and H&M to Tiffany's and Salvatore Ferragamo! The old Dry Dock has been converted to this little walking area featuring many restaurants and bars.
For dinner, Tim & I went even farther out of our comfort zone and followed N's urging to try Okonomiyaki. Yeah, say that 10x fast! I was the only one not brave enough to try it and, quite frankly, I have no remorse about that!
The dish had three kinds of protein: shrimp, pork (bacon), and squid, and was covered with a egg/cabbage mixture. The white sauce on top was mayonnaise mixed with an Okonomiyaki sauce. Yeah, so not regretting getting my yakisoba! I also wanted to post a picture of the outside of the restaurant:
As you can see, they put a representation of their dishes in the front window so patrons will know what is available before deciding to eat there. I am actually finding this to be very beneficial. Tim also told me that sometimes customers will actually take their waitress outside to point at the dish they want...I think I'll stick to pointing at the menu!
For our first adventure in the country, we had a great time and were SO thankful that N & L took us along for the journey. We're slowly, but surely, getting acclimated with the culture and pushing ourselves to step outside our comfort zone!
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