Yes, it was a wild and crazy night. I have a movie which ends quite abruptly as the chair I am in tosses me into the lap of the woman I am sitting next to. My TV stayed bolted in place, but about 10 of them (including the Executive Dean's) broke free. Dressers, tired of throwing their drawers open and closed, also broke the pieces of wood bolting them to the walls. The ship's maintenance people have their work cut out for them as we visit Japan these next few days.
We were greeted at the dock by a band, in full marching uniform, with flag team. There was also a reception area set up in the port, with very helpful people planning subway routes and making suggestions about things to see. Tokyo and Yokohama have many intersecting subway lines, and the signs are in English half the time, but not on the maps in the stations. It's very easy if you have a guide. It's moderately easy if you throw yourself on the mercy of a Japanese family. One very cute baby told me "bye bye" repeatedly from her stroller as we all waited for the train. With their generous help, I was able to navigate three different changes.
It took until 1:30 to clear the ship, and I was one of the last ones to leave. One of my jobs is to document where everyone is going from the overnight travel registrations that come in (always at the last minute), so we can chase people down if they don't turn up when we're about to leave. The internet had been down all night, so we had few entries, but an informal signup sheet that I just gave up on. We let all the people with field trips off first, so I settled in to wait. By the time I got off, the money exchange people were out of cash. I found an ATM easily, but it had no options for English, and I just hope I did not leave my account open for the next person to take out wads of cash! I had about $40 in yen, so I knew I could at least get to my room for the night.
I am staying with Yokoshiko and Kaji, a room I found on airbnb. I chose it because, who wouldn't? Cozy cute room with view of Mt. Fuji, looks like something out of a Sanrio commercial. All the reviews said Yoshiko was very helpful in planning an itinerary, so I turned myself over to her. Very good decision. Kaji booked me a seat on the overnight bus to Kobe and Yoshiko planned about 10 days' worth of trips for the 3 days I will stay here. We went out after dinner and she walked me through buying a day pass for the subway system, got cash at the ATM, and then helped me change the 10,000 yen bill it dispensed (about $91).
She did not, however, leave instructions for the toilet. By the time I got back from the used book store (Japanese books for my granddaughters!), my hosts were in bed. I tiptoed to the toire (they have another word for it as well, but this one is easiest to remember, as the r and l in Japanese meet somewhere in the middle) and found a hightech wonder. Uh, oh.
Knowing that these toilets can set jets a-swirling, I closed the lid before trying any of the buttons. Stubborn silence. Less conspicuous is the traditional handle on the right side, which does the job. It also, however, launches a fountain at the top, presumably for washing ones public parts, as the toire is exactly the size you see it here. Cozy room without view. The fountain continues for a long enough period that I started to panic about how to turn it off. Fiddling with the flusher sets off another cycle.
And here's the street view. Life is, as the store in the middle proclaims, Sweet.
[Honestly, how do people blog? I could spend the whole morning telling about the last day. With five days in Japan and only two of spotty internet on the ship before China, I am never going to catch up.]
The stream of water above the back of the "toire" is for washing your hands! Very efficient as it begins flowing when you flush.
ReplyDeleteYes, the "public" parts (cf the private ones). But you could wash a whole family's hands in that time. In an update, the fish market bathrooms have toilets labeled in English. They include a "flush" sound effect with volume control.
ReplyDeleteI dunno, I think the TV sounds more terrifying than the toilet. I'd rather be wet than socked in the stomach.
ReplyDeleteUpdate: I learned from someone else's Tokyo report that the faucet at the top of the toilet drains down into the tank. So it's not a waste of water, it's a clever reuse.
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