Ode to Odaiba: Sat 29 Jul 2006

We went to Odaiba in Tokyo Bay today. It used to be garbage land fill but now has been commercialised and changed to a little tourist island. Well Odaiba has its fair share of tourist gimmicks, like a giant ferris wheel and a mini statue of liberty. Anyway, I spent a full day there with Evan and Theresa, my classmates from school. There was a strip called 'little hong kong' and it was selling retro things in beautifully designed packages. From 1950's tin toys to Posters of actresses in the sliver screen days. It was a designer's wonderland!

For more pictures: Click on the link 'Odaiba' under links on the right column

The Ginza that Glitters: Fri 28 Jul 2006

Wow, I finally made my way to Ginza, one of the most expensive real estate on the planet. Ginza at night is spectacular, not to mention less crowded. As soon as I stepped out of the station and onto the streets, I could feel the place oozing money and class. The people here were well-dressed and so different compared to the pink haired teeny boppers in Shibuya. Ginza is also known as Tokyo's 5th avenue. There were so many boutique stores from Channel to Mikimoto Pearls, each with a unique shop front design. It was euphoria to the eyes, but definitely not for the wallet. The only free thing we could do was visit the Apple Mac store with 5 floors built into a sleek cube-shaped building. You can surf the net for free here or participate in the Mac workshops regularly screened in their own ampitheatre. After that, we spent most of the night hunting for a cheap place to eat, which was almost impossible. I saw a menu displayed at a french restaurant with a set meal costing ¥17,000 (RM542)!! Crazy huh? Whoever said that 'the best things in life are free' obviously never came to Ginza...

For more pictures: Click on the link 'Ginza' under links on the right column