Didn't manage to get up at six to go see the fish market like I'd hoped... Ended up catching the train for Shinjuku sometime before noon. Two stops into the ride on the Yamanote circle line I remembered that there's a train line that cuts directly across from the station I was at (Kanda) so I got off. Somewhat to my amazement I was right and I got to Shinjuku in about ten minutes instead of the half hour planned.
Shinjuku is one of Tokyo's busiest stations - more than two million people pass through each day! - and it seemed like they were all doing it while I was there. Actually I think it was a relatively quiet and it was still a madhouse - it took me a half hour just to figure out how to get out. I went to Yodobashi Camera - Tokyo's biggest camera store. I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's the largest camera store in the world - eight big floors. It was pretty amazing. I did some Christmas shopping, but just mostly wandered around - for four hours! It was getting dark when I left the store. I was almost done with my book, so I went on a quest for a book to read on the airplane. I found a bookstore with a large English section, but it was all text books except for the children's section. I ended up buying the new Harry Potter novel - for more than twice what it would have cost when I was considering it in Bangkok!
I had a nice Indian dinner then wandered around Shinjuku. The neon is incredible! The red light district was strange - so civilized and proper - a huge change from Bangkok! Around eight o'clock I caught a train back to Ueno (successfully managing the short cut again!). In my room I worked on my journal and read before taking another hot bath and calling Amy to make sure I have ride home from the airport.
