neat plate

The flight: The flight departed at 12:15 pm, and landed at 3:35 pm the next day. The fact that the flight was westward made it one long day. Or alternately, two days with no night. This meant no dinner. We got two lunches with a snack in between. It was the worst airline food I’ve ever experienced. The good news was that the flight was not nearly full, and I got an exit row to myself. I took the window and lounged, reading a novel, browsing the Tokyo guidebook, and staring out the window.

The flight first went north, then carved left at the base of the Hudson, arced across norther Canada, and passed Fairbanks going southwest. While we were generally overland it was white and open. These were empty spaces where man it not the top of the food chain.

The Narita airport was quick and tidy. The bus to the hotel took about an hour. Darkness was descending, and I had only time for a meal before sleep would take over.

The meal was small, but expertly done. I chose the “fish of the day” option and relied on faith. I can see why they say the Japanese eat with their eyes. The wait staff was very particular about how my plate was arranged, and it appears the kitchen help set a high bar.

Tokyo is big. Really big. I’ve spent time in other large cities. Chicago. New York. They seem like cities, but Tokyo just seems big. Hopefully I can get a few pictures tomorrow to illustrate this.