It looks like cheese, but it's not cheese, it's fish!

OMG what can I say about my first impressions of Tokyo. It's an enormous sprawling new city, but there's an incredible clam and order around. I expected crazy streets with millions of people trying to cross a road, and In rush hour that does happen, but there's ordered calm in the air. No pushing,  no rushing, no beeping of horns, even on the bus coming in an announcement was made not to use your mobile phone as it will annoy your fellow passengers!!! Despite incredible tiredness there's a huge city to explore and lunch was had in a city noodle bar, a lunch special delivered a large bowl of noodles, rice, a weird  tofu square (left untouched) and some amazing deep fried wantons. We were surrounded by groups of black suited office workers, who we saw later letting their hair down in the packed bars enjoying their Friday night beers. 

So far we have been met with smiles and support, from the waving man outside the train Station, the reception staff at the near by Best western, who let us sit in their lobby and use their wifi, to the patient waiter at our dinner stop, as we excitedly pointing to practically everything on the menu that could be grilled on a stick to then wash down with a cool beer.

Sinjuku is the place to stay, here the young and old mix in the crazy bars, rooms in hotels are rented by the hour, for intimate hungry couples and there's a vibe of excitement on the streets. We headed to the amazing Golden-Gai alleys in the evening, where there Are rows of bars as small as my spare bedroom, and are packed with really friendly locals in it for the long hall of having a bar to yourself and relaxing. We were beckoned Into a tiny bar my a waving group of locals and spent a couple of hours laughing, drinking and sampling local bar snacks (hence the title of today's pub), and huge cheers for picking up the tap - to the guy on my left at the bar -what an amazing first night :)

I didn't expect to be drinking whiskey sodas to midnight, I didn't expect to be greeted so warmly and I didn't expect this city to have such order and calm. So far Tokyo, you have blown my mind !!