Your link to Northwest Indiana. tm

[sidebar.htm]		Power Shopping By Thomas 7-6-06 Ohayo gozaimasu! That is Japanese for Good Morning.  It can also be used as a general ‘hello’ greeting. Thomas thinks it really means…bring lots of cash! Yes, Thomas has returned from 3 weeks in Japan!  What a beautiful and interesting trip!  Shopping stories?  Oh please, this is Thomas; of course I have shopping stories! Thomas mastered the phrase “ikura (desuka)” which means “How Much?” Food stories? I ate so much sushi that I grew gills.  Did I mention Sake yet?  Well, you have to ‘wash down the sushi with something, don’t you?  Kanpai (which means ‘cheers’) just rolls off my tongue with ease. Natural Hot-Spring baths? The Hakone region is famous for them and, well, Thomas became addicted to them! I visited the public baths, in my hotel, 3 times per day (as recommended by the experts) and my skin was as smooth as silk after one day and I slept like a rock each night. Did I mention that the baths are ‘nude-only’ (men and women have separate baths, however)? Picture Thomas, the only ‘westerner’, in a room full of naked Old Japanese men!  (Thomas was the only one with ‘body hair’ and ‘tan lines’) Geisha stories? I am pleading the 5th amendment!  CNN ran a story on Thomas and the Geishas…lies, I tell you, LIES! Yes, I know you want shopping stories. Are you sitting down? Gasoline was $11.00 per gallon! A cup of green tea was $7.00. A post card was $1.05 plus $1.00 per stamp. I found a beautiful silk necktie at the department store.  I thought it was $16.00…until I got to the checkout counter.  It was actually $160.  It is still in Japan! A ‘Big Mac’ at McDonalds? $15.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was afraid to go into Starbucks… But there were bargains in Japan and Thomas found them.  Ever hear of a 100 Yen Shop?  That is the Japanese equivalent to an American dollar store.  100 Yen Shops were plentiful and well placed, often near a train/metro station.  Did I mention that the Japanese currency includes a 100 Yen coin?  How convenient! Thomas can determine the word ‘sale’ in any language. While in a shopping village in Kanazawa, I found the ‘half-price’ pottery table.  I also found a vase, which was gold leafed, at 60% off. That was a ‘good day’! Yakatas (that is the Japanese name for a Kimono) were everywhere.  Some stores carried cotton Yakatas for around $40. Most cotton Yakatas that I liked were around $200.  Silk Yakatas were at least 3 to 10 times the price.  Thomas was walking down a street in Kyoto and spotted a black & white cotton Yakata in a department store window.  I had to have it!  I entered the department store and was immediately met by a lovely salesgirl.  She showed me the Yakata, the Obie (that is the belt), and the shoes that complete the look. I looked like the perfect ‘Shogun’! The price, you ask?  Again, are you sitting down? $1, 998.00 Iie (no) arigato (thank you)!! I went back and purchased the $40 Yakata! And now… DON’T DOUBT THOMAS! Since I just got back, I haven’t had time to get to my favorite stores, so I quickly searched the papers and found a few bargains. THINK DIGITAL PRINTS! Thomas took over 600 photos and edited them down to 300.  Meijers [nationwide] has ‘next day 4” x 6” digital prints’ for $.16 if you have 75 or more. THINK LUGGAGE! Target [nationwide] has a terrific deal on luggage sets. They are offering an 8-piece set for the low price of $44.  The set includes a 29” suitcase, a 26” suitcase, and a 20” suitcase.  A 21” duffel gag, 16” backpack, an accessory bag, a shoe bag, and a 17” tote complete the bargain. THINK DOLLAR DEALS! Back at Meijers, they have some “dollar deals” in every department. Their advertisement showed Ultra supersize bath towels and beach towels for $6.00.  Similar bargains in all departments. More stories to follow, but for now…Sayonara (good bye)! Thomas