Lazy Morning stroll around La Qua, Hair Cut booked at 4.00pm

Woke up feeling remarkably OK considering the evening before!  Need to do some more laundry - done more washing here than if we were at home!!!!!  Forget how smoky clothes get when people smoke in bars.  Once the driers were loaded (takes between 2-3 hours for about 6 items of clothing to dry), we took a stroll around La Qua in daylight - just taking in the atmosphere; lots of excited children queue-ing to see the Power Rangers show, and the bustle of teenagers waiting for the amusement rides to start up.

Made our way back to the hotel to finish up the washing, and booked me in at the hairdressers next door for a hair cut at 4.00pm!!  The hairdresser doesn't speak a word of English, and I've no Japanese - not a clue what sort of cut I'll be getting - nothing too extreme I hope as we're off out to the B-flat jazz club this evening! Will keep you posted as to how it goes....

Hibiya Park, the National Sword Museum, and back to the British Pub for a few too many!!

28th December:  Following on from yesterdays lack of museums, our plan for the day was laid out.

Off we went per the norm.... metro day ticket.....  stopped off for a nice leisurely walk around Hibiya Park.  A massive expanse of what, as a tourist, I would expect a Japanese park to look like.  An absolute delight.  Exquisitely shaped trees growing along the edge of rippling water sides, small wooden sheltering areas, fountains, amusing topiary, an area designated as a western park containing blooming lavenders, roses, pansies, and not forgetting the frilly cabbages?

Fountain at Hibiya Park entrance made of birds in flight

One of the many sun-bathing cats

Fish pond

An eery looking bear made of grasses and wire

We moved on from the park, having taken in the sunshine and watched the world rush by, and decided to head firstly for the Japan Sword shop (a famous antique shop selling both old and new swords) followed by a trip to the Sword Museum.  Needless to say, having found the block where the sword shop should be, we walked around several times - but it wasn't there..... seems to be a theme here!  However, we did find this slightly strange healthcare shop - definately my idea of health - Mmmmmmm Kit Kat!!  The cure all for everybody.

 

Once again giving up, we set out for the Sword Museum.  Just a metro ride and a two and half hour stroll to locate it (we did almost give up).  You can imagine our annoyance when, having actually found something successfully - the effin' thing was shut!!!!!  Who wants to see a sword anyway?  Slightly frustrated to say the least. 

Sword Museum - Closed Mondays, Public Holidays, and any day when a tourist fancies visiting!!!  What a disaster - all that leg work for no return:  what can take the edge off - a good drinking frenzy... off to the British Pub!

3 bottles of wine (actually 4 but took one home), four cocktails (first two off the menu above) plus a pint of kaluah with milk and some weird 3-colour concoction, fish n chips, a pizza (that well known flavour combination of salmon and mash potato), and some good company - met some Swedish people who were chatty; had a blast, made some noise, Col sang some Stray Cats strut (not too loudly though), and staggered home via the muchies corner of the local 7-11.  Hmmm, think we feel mega hangover coming on - hand us the Aspirin!  Bed by 9.30pm!  ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz