A change in latitude, does wonders to my attitude.

AAAh.. My feet started to itch. Then R had a regional meeting in Tokyo and i decided to pack my suitcase too. This time I had an ally in Marge. One is an acomplished photographer ( Nikon et al ) and the other ( that's me ) a hopeful. Sakura or Cherry Blossoms were the main attraction and we trailed all possible locations of these delicate blooms. Day 1: First stop was the gardens of the Hotel New Otani in Akasaka where we stayed. We took some solid shots of its manicured grounds with its obligatory red bridge, Koi ponds and mini waterfall. After we left for Higashi Gyoen inside the Imperial Palace. Sadly, it was closed off to the public so we half meandered, half got lost and found ourselves in Chidorigafuchi. This was actually the choicest spot we could have wished for. Sakura trees lined the pavements bordering a lake. There was boating to be had, but we decided that we were both too clumsy for a self-manned boat. Pressing on, we moved off to Shinjuku Gyoen to catch the "...

Tokyo never cease to thrill your senses. It is the fashion, food and the juxtaposition of ultra modernism and traditionalism. The maddening crowds of Shibuya metro station, the fantasy world of Manga come alive in Harajuku on a Sunday afternoon. On the other spectrum, the sereneness of the Nikko mountains and its shrines, the state of Zen, the immaculate tea ceremonies, the obsession with quality and orderliness. Japan exists in superlatives. Civilised yet it had once the world's most fearsome military prowess. We stayed at the Prince Park Tower hotel which is next to the Tokyo Tower and two subway stops from Ginza. As service is big in Japan, check-in at the hotel was a flurry of activity with heads bowing and extra chairs being pulled out for our group. Tipping is not a way of life and can be construed as insulting to the service provider, so i didn't have to worry that i had no change for the bellboy. Day 1: Hopped on the hotel's courtesy bus to take me to the subway. T...