Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Walking on the cloud

Thank you thank you my dear sisters for writing back to me. For someone who's away from home, your words are as warm as a down-filled blanket in a wintry night (or for princess bb, chinggu and sisters who are bathing in sweats now, like an air conditioner in sweltering heat, ok?) Well, eventhough I can't exactly complain that I feel lonely at all when you are surrounded by 12 million people (believe me, you Do feel it's like 12 million!) and I have been running around, meeting and talking non-stop to different people since I have arrived.


Well, I guess it's not really a secret anymore. Yes, I am on a mission here in Japan. Spying on national secrets? Hahaha no, not that kind of mission. My life is not that adventurous and exciting, my dear. My family will be moving to this beautiful country for a few years and I am on a mission here to check out the schools for my son. My hubby's company has assigned some people to escort my son and me around Tokyo and also act as my interpretor, haha, sort of like a 'Tokyo 101 for dummies like me'. For the past 2 days, this pretty, stylish young lady who speaks perfect English has been so patiently entertaining our curiosity.


For a start, I notice unless I have my chiropractor or massage therapist standing by every night when I get home, I'd better switch my high heels to orthopedic shoes. Tokyo is a city for 'walking', I mean hurried, long and endless walk. For an inactive Torontonian like me, walking usually means 10 steps from the car to any front door. Just yesterday, we flagged down a taxi because my 2 feet and 10 toes refused to co-operate anymore. I was about to relax in a long comfortable ride to my next destination. The traffic was moving slowly but it was not jammed, I noticed the taxi driver was talking to my guide and then she turned around and asked if I'd like to save time by taking the subway instead. Without even thinking for a single second, my feet took over my brain and I heard myself saying, "let's stay in the taxi". Are you kidding me, even 4 horses couldn't pull me away from my seat! But this taxi 'ajussi' was very persistent, he pointed to his GPS and gently explained to my guide again that it would be wise to take the direct subway. At thattime, my pain turned into laughter when I think how honest Japanese are. A cabbie in Manhatten would jump at this chance and happily let his taxi meter clicking away. I didn't want to insist anymore and put my guide in a difficult position, so I agreed to be let off at the nearest subway entrance despite my feet's protest that they will permanently detach from me.


There are so many interesting experience that I'd like to share with you. This afternoon I am so looking forward to meeting our ever-so considerate, kind and hospitable Japanese sister cloudnine again who's so caring and always try to see how she can help me. We had a nice, long chat over the telephone on (who else?) HRH a couple of nights ago. Ha, and then after that, I turned on the TV and voila, there was a Japanese special on TWSSG! The 2 male hosts were sitting with the background of Gosireh interior, showing charts of relationship between Damdeok, Kiha and Sujini. I guess there will be more and more promotional clips on TWSSG as it will be aired on NHK starting Dec 3 at 10 pm. Now I don't know if it will be daily, weekly or wonder if I can catch some of it when I return in January.


Sorry sister, have to go, no laptop for me during the day. Please take care, ok? Love you all.

12 comments:

vegasbyj said...

Konichiwa Jaime san!
Ogenki desu ka?

I'm so happy to read that you are making your way around the city. How exciting it must be, despite all the things you need to do, to be able to experience a new city, new country, new everything.

Please take good care of yourself and your family while there.
Please give my regards to Cloud Nine when you meet her. I hope she is keeping well.

Looking forward to your next report.

Kiotsukete kudasai!

bbmag said...

hehe, gotta say that's an unusual choice of pics for a blog with those contents :p

was expecting pics of tokyo, subway trains, cabs, tired feet, high heels... haha... think i know the feeling, any excuse to put up his pics huh? the thing is... you one-upped me on this one, you didn't even bother looking for an excuse... or were you just using his pics as sort of a paragraph marker or divider? :p

p.s. in my mind, tokyo is not half as bad as seoul when it comes to walking..... yea, both cities involve lots of walking, but seoul has lots more steps and staircase :(

but hey, unlike me, you're tall and you don't need the extra height la....

Anonymous said...

Hi Chinggu!

So happy that you've landed in Tokyo deliriously happy though your feet are killing you every night. Guess you better start getting used to this walking mode of transport coz that will be the best way for you to go wherever you want ON TIME. Though you are making all of us envy with the thought that you have a LIVE human jacket there(oh well, besides spying-later on stalking)while we here are basking in the tropical heat.

Still haven't lost that touch of Jaime humor despite all the hassles & dassles that you are going through everyday. Please relay my warmest regards & hugs to cloudnine , as well as, all the other sisters that you will see.

Take care & do not overshop! Save some for the new year & happy spying too!

Love yah,
judy

gosijo said...

Dear Jaime,

I hope all your missions are successful on this trip. If you still have a chance, please say hi from me to our mutually acquainted Japanese sisters.

Safe journey back!

Toujours_BYJ said...

Hi Jaime and bb

I couldn't stop laughing at bb's comment because I thing the same way, there isn't any link between your posting and our HRH's pics.
I wonder what does a person who doesn't know anything about our DD and just drops by chance on your blog may think when he/she read your posting and see the pics ha ha.
Like Gosijo, please say hi to cloud nine and our Japanese sis for me please my dear Jaime.
Love,
camille

jaime said...

Hajememashite vegasbyj-san,

thanks for your kind message. I am exhausted every day but very high in spirit. hehe, very much like you, right? I have met cloudnine yesterday but sorry haven't read this comment so I didn't say hi to cloudnine for you yet. I will talk to her again, will do that, ok? please take care of yourself, my pal!

love ... jaime

jaime said...

my princess bb,

you have such sharp eyes and quick mind. hehe, you have to excuse an old lady like me who is slow in posting. I always forget to take pictures and boy, do I miss HRH and his news! sorry, I promise more relevant pictures next time. hehe, but I don't think anybody will complain seeing more of HRH's pictures :)

love ... jaime

Anonymous said...

Take care babe
I did not saw anything weird about the pics
for me they where perfectly natural *yes do laugh *

a trick for injure abuse feet
soak them 10 minutes in warm water with salt
they will be better then
and you can walk like mad next day to.

Hope you enjoy this trip and be succesfull at evrything you want to do there.

Moontime

jaime said...

hi chinggu,

while most of the japanese ladies are wearing heels, I do feel like a slob wearing my very comfortable flats. hehe, but at this age, comfort over beauty, my dear.

please take care!

love ... jaime

jaime said...

my dear gosijo,

I will relate your message when I see/talk to our japanese sisters again, ok?

i heard it's snowing and icy in TO, please take care in this cold weather, ok?

love ..... jaime

jaime said...

hehe dear camille,

i am getting quite embarassed now for not being a responsible blogger. posting irrelevant pics, you think the blogger police will arrest me? hehe, i guess it's really a case of missing yonsama too much.

I hope your pain is less severe and please take it easy, ok?

love ..... .. jaime

jaime said...

hahaha moontime,

thank you for liking yonsama's pics, can you be my defense attorney?

thank you also for the sore feet remedy. I try to like a long hot shower to relieve my body pain. can't wait to go back home, can't stand living in a hotel for too long. please take care!

love ... jaime