TRAVEL DAY BACK HOME TO SAN DIEGO 

Sitting at a Starbucks in Tokyo listening to herb Alpert and the TJB.

 

The coffee and the sipping lid are smoother than at home and no grounds residue in the cup bottom. At all.

 

Best chocolate chip scone ever. Chocolate chunk scone, and they overload the chunks. Just the way I like it.

 

Last night Day 4? After our Tokyo bike ride we had the best skewer dinner. It was a little local spot across the block from our Smile hotel. It only served skewers and the menu was all in Japanese. They had our lemon 🍋 spritzer drink. We ordered and I loved quail egg wrapped in pork like bacon, tried natto, jalapeño peppers stuffed with a gooey cheese, mushrooms stems, and the shrine carriers with drum band paraded right by us. A few local families popped in for dinner and that was about it.

 

We sat talked sipping our lemon 🍋 sour drink and ate a wonderful meal.

 

 

Getting from the Nihombashi area where we stayed back to Haneda International Airport by bus, is easy. There are no transfers involved. Once you get the hang of the Tokyo Metro, it is really easy and organized! Not to mention efficient, and of course punctual!

 

In order of lowest to highest cost and niceness, I would rate these hotels as follows:

Hotel Smile – least expensive and least nice, but great base to stay at and sleep, while out exploring Tokyo every day! 

 

Hotel Niwa – Very nice and pretty, centrally located. The restaurant rocks, we did the five course lunch there, and I would go there again. We did not see the actual rooms, but I imagine they are fairly luxurious.

 

Villa Fontaine – Highly recommend for the value of all things considered. Right in the Haneda airport terminal, included breakfast buffet, spa ticket included for the onsen experience, and added bonus of a free shuttle into Tokyo! I would definitely stay here next time too.

 

Imperial palace hotel – If cost is not an issue, please stay here if you can. It looks amazing and the location overlooks the Imperial Palace Gardens and moat, it has the luxurious feel to it, and the pastry shop downstairs I highly recommend. 

 

Tuesday, June 11, 2024