Tokyo day fourteen

Today we went down to Roppongi, which has traditionally been the sleazy part of town where all the bars and strip joints are. A few years back a massive development was made which is several skyscrapers with offices, residential apartments, shops (very, very expensive ones), an art museum, a garden and loads of other stuff all in one place. This was designed by Jasper Conran. We went to the big tower (middle picture) and paid about £7 each to up to floor 52 in an express elevator. Here there is a 360 observatory that gives the most stunning views of Tokyo. I was gobsmacked. The sheer size and scale of Tokyo is hard to convey. It makes London look like nothing. As far as the eye can see in all directions. In the distance I saw some black clouds on the horizon. Nic then pointed out that they were mountains. Mt Fuji is HUGE. Even from 60 miles away it looms over all of Tokyo. I have some pictures of it on the horizon but they have a bit of haze and anyway we're travelling on the bullet train out to a place nearer to Fuji on Saturday so I'll have some better pictures by then.

For an extra £7 we got to go up onto this platform where a lady took a picture of us with a wide angle camera. The top picture shows this. The red and white thing is the Tokyo tower. We went over and paid another £7 to go up to the viewing deck here. The views aren't as stunning but a nice panoramic view of nightime Tokyo was to be had. The worst bit had a glass floor. Not good for my vertigo. We stopped off for an Italian meal. I had a large order of spag bog, cheesecake and beer. Nic asked for clams and tomato cream sauce pasta but she got octopus and chili sauce with some clams on! She also got earl grey tea with milk in! Poor Nic. The chocolate cake made up for it. Both meals combined cost £15. Tokyo is very good value for money and the food is amazing. Anyway, we're both shattered now.