Craven Asia 2023 TR

[craven morehead]

Dare I 'fess up @craven morehead , I am one of "those people" who avoid the glass floor section - I have gotten worse with heights as I age.
Had to retreat quickly from the slightly swaying Columbus Monument in Barcelona and Burj Kalifa had me glued to the back wall!
Loving your TR and great photos.

@Flyfrequently I continue to convince myself it won't break and then hope for the best!

 

[craven morehead]

Breakfast today: Mixing it up a little each day.



Miso Soup



No surprises, Rice everywhere.



I've forgotten already what the pickled stuff was bottom left, but I did enjoy it.



Just outside the restaurant. The Durry room



After a late breakfast we decided to go for a walk around Ginza.

I think it's fair to say this is the most expensive part of Tokyo.









Most shops in the Ginza district are open every day of the week. On weekend afternoons the central Chuo Dori Street is closed to automobile traffic and becomes a large pedestrian zone. At this time of year, the road closure takes place from noon to 18:00



The wife had a victory today. She found a Michael Kors store and purchased a handbag. I hadn't even heard of MK but anyway, she reckons she needed another handbag to add to an already ridiculous collection! The saving grace, this particular bag was on a 50% discount sale

 

[AIRwin]

I just got back from SIN last week... Let me know if you'd like any suggestions on lookouts there?

 

[craven morehead]

Ginza walkabout continued:



A few people out and about.





Makes two of us



At my wife's suggestion, possibly due to the euphoria of earlier handbag purchase, mentioned we should check out a Seiko Astron Solar GPS watch I'd been eyeing off for years. Hallelujah Where better than Seiko House Ginza! A portent maybe, note the sign on top of the building next door



Now, I currently wear a Casio G Shock GPW-1000 with GPS which was something that appealed to me when I was travelling interstate often for work and several international vacations per year. The fact you could land somewhere and press a button and the watch sorts out the time zone and also allowed for daylight savings. Lazy, I know It's a rugged, waterproof watch but quite chunky and impossible to button my cuffs up if I'm trying to dress up a little to improve my bogan image. So, a dress watch with GPS will come in handy indeed.



So, I started doing my homework and the price in Australia had dropped a few hundred bucks since I last checked.

The new model Seiko-



Price in store now ¥253,000

After discussions and mentioning I didn't want to pay tax, we agreed I would come back later with my passport and purchase. A saving of AUD$800 ... Winning

We stopped off for a late lunch on the way back to the hotel to fetch passport.

Tempura Tendon Tenya:

Placed order on tablet.





The tempura was ok and tasty enough and I did enjoy the Lotus Root, but a little overdone if I'm honest. Looking around the restaurant, other people's tempura looked that little bit lighter and fluffier than ours. In saying that, it wasn't bad. Lunch done, then back to hotel.

We returned to the Wako Department Store for watch purchase.

According to the internet: Wako is a department store chain famed for its high-quality jewellery and watches. This building was apparently built in 1932 and houses the iconic clock tower at the top.

Handed over the Amex and concluded the deal.

I had to fill out some Tax-Free purchase paperwork as a matter of course.



Happy Days

 

[RooFlyer]

Off we go to Tokyo Skytree:

Must admit, hadn't heard of this - now on the list for next year's visit. Great TR so far ... your type of experiences mirror my own wishes quite a bit (except for expensive watches)

After a late breakfast we decided to go for a walk around Ginza.

Hope you went into the department store food halls at basement levels!

 

[craven morehead]

Hope you went into the department store food halls at basement levels!

We certainly did

 

[NoName]

Enjoying the TR!

 

[craven morehead]

Enjoying the TR!

Thank you @NoName

 

[OZDUCK]

Another enjoying your TR. You picked the right time to visit in Taiwan. My son and his partner flew up there last Friday for her to show their 7 month old son off to her family. Yesterday they let us know that they have had to cancel some of their planned outings as a Typhoon is about to go through southern Taiwan - which is where she is from.

Typhoon and tropical storm could affect Taiwan mid-week | Taiwan News | 2023-08-27 12:25:00

Trio of meteorological events brewing as Taiwan approaches midway of typhoon season | 2023-08-27 12:25:00

www.taiwannews.com.tw

 

[Daver6]

Ginza walkabout continued:

View attachment 340551

A few people out and about.

View attachment 340553

View attachment 340554

Makes two of us

View attachment 340552

At my wife's suggestion, possibly due to the euphoria of earlier handbag purchase, mentioned we should check out a Seiko Astron Solar GPS watch I'd been eyeing off for years. Hallelujah Where better than Seiko House Ginza! A portent maybe, note the sign on top of the building next door

View attachment 340559

Now, I currently wear a Casio G Shock GPW-1000 with GPS which was something that appealed to me when I was travelling interstate often for work and several international vacations per year. The fact you could land somewhere and press a button and the watch sorts out the time zone and also allowed for daylight savings. Lazy, I know It's a rugged, waterproof watch but quite chunky and impossible to button my cuffs up if I'm trying to dress up a little to improve my bogan image. So, a dress watch with GPS will come in handy indeed.

View attachment 340568

So, I started doing my homework and the price in Australia had dropped a few hundred bucks since I last checked.

The new model Seiko-

View attachment 340555

Price in store now ¥253,000

After discussions and mentioning I didn't want to pay tax, we agreed I would come back later with my passport and purchase. A saving of AUD$800 ... Winning

We stopped off for a late lunch on the way back to the hotel to fetch passport.

Tempura Tendon Tenya:

Placed order on tablet.

View attachment 340558

View attachment 340560

The tempura was ok and tasty enough and I did enjoy the Lotus Root, but a little overdone if I'm honest. Looking around the restaurant, other people's tempura looked that little bit lighter and fluffier than ours. In saying that, it wasn't bad. Lunch done, then back to hotel.

We returned to the Wako Department Store for watch purchase.

According to the internet: Wako is a department store chain famed for its high-quality jewellery and watches. This building was apparently built in 1932 and houses the iconic clock tower at the top.

Handed over the Amex and concluded the deal.

I had to fill out some Tax-Free purchase paperwork as a matter of course.

View attachment 340557

Happy Days

Nice purhase on the Astron. I too purchased one about 5 years ago for work travel. They're brilliant! Most accurate watch ever. I went a dual time version.

 

[kookaburra75]

Enjoying your trip report - Japan is on our list of places to go.

And it's nice that with the money your wife saved on the handbag, and you on the watch has virtually paid for your trip (according to MrsK's logic)

 

[craven morehead]

We decided to head out tonight and celebrate our purchases (Like I need an excuse for a beer). I googled roof top bars or bars with a view. Realistically I did bugger all research and booked a taxi to the Imperial Hotel. Alarm bells should have gone off when we arrived to this I immediately sensed damage to my wallet and this was confirmed when I read the drinks menu and price list. I think I've picked the dearest joint in all of Tokyo. Ahh well let's have a crack!



Up the elevator to AQUA The Imperial Lounge.





We did get a great view



A massive lounge with very few patrons.







You know you're in strife when the piano player is wearing a suit I think this is going to cost





The scallops wrapped in bacon were out of this world.



We stayed for 3-4 hours, we relaxed and lapped up the opulence. I'm happy enough with the outcome considering we'll never be back here. Been there done that! Price wise think Raffles in Singapore. Caught a taxi back to the Mercure, had a nightcap and slept like babies.

 

[AIRwin]

So, tonight I gave Mrs. CM free rein on choosing dinner.

Well, basically her choice, gave me the cough$

Welcome to the Modern Toilet

I was taking one for the team and in the name of research, butt, this could end up being a very rough date!

Pull up in the taxi and spot a huge Loo protruding from the second floor.

View attachment 339384

About to enter the Cistern Chapel

View attachment 339385

They were obviously lacking confidence in their offering

View attachment 339386

They graciously showed us to our table. What a cough show! I was slightly concerned when they offered to push my stool in

View attachment 339387

If you're not flush, there's Y seating 3 abreast.

View attachment 339388

The hand basin in the actual toilet.

View attachment 339389

Ordered a beer and a coke and this arrived:

View attachment 339390

Surrounded by the stuff!

View attachment 339391

I'm struggling for a dollar by this stage and now drinking from the bowl. At least it was prime Gold Medal Taiwanese piss.

View attachment 339392

To top it all off, the food was coughpy. Note the toilet brush on the toothpick It's a gimmick no doubt, and that's about it. Don't do it to yourself people. Stay away and save piles of money!

View attachment 339393

The things you do in the name of a TR

I just came across this - any chance you can try?

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/23/1195387866/the-servers-all-have-dementia-at-the-restaurant-of-mistaken-orders-in-tokyo

 

[AIRwin]

I googled roof top bars or bars with a view.

Skyline sips: Tokyo’s best rooftop bars

Instead of relegating it to a cherry blossom-related niche, Tokyo is recognizing the allure of drinking outside.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[drron]

I just came across this - any chance you can try?

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/23/1195387866/the-servers-all-have-dementia-at-the-restaurant-of-mistaken-orders-in-tokyo

We have looked at booking in but it is not a single restaurant but various pop up restaurants and not just in Tokyo. They have a website and an official Facebook page which had a last comment in early 2020.
We will email them before we leave in 4 weeks time to see if there is going to be one when we are in Tokyo.

【公式】注文をまちがえる料理店

認知症の理解促進と「ま、いっか」の気持ちを世界中に広げるために生まれた少し変わった料理店です。

www.mistakenorders.com

 

[craven morehead]

I just came across this - any chance you can try?

https://www.npr.org/2023/08/23/1195387866/the-servers-all-have-dementia-at-the-restaurant-of-mistaken-orders-in-tokyo

I'm a week behind, so already left Japan. I see @drron is looking into it.

 

[Stewey]

Great TR @craven morehead and thoroughly enjoying your experiences on the trip

 

[Scash]

The wife had a victory today. She found a Michael Kors store and purchased a handbag. I hadn't even heard of MK but anyway, she reckons she needed another handbag to add to an already ridiculous collection! The saving grace, this particular bag was on a 50% discount sale

The wife also has a penchant for MK bags and accessories but luckily like yours gets them on good sales! She did find a lovely MK coat at TKMax of all places which was very cheap compared to their normal prices!

 

[RooFlyer]

Up the elevator to AQUA

The key was in the name - Aqua = a soaking!

 

[craven morehead]

The wife also has a penchant for MK bags and accessories but luckily like yours gets them on good sales! She did find a lovely MK coat at TKMax of all places which was very cheap compared to their normal prices!

Great result