Starry Wisdom

The shinkansen ride was nice. About 3 hours. A highlight is that i pooed in a Japanese style toilet on the train. I had a choice between floor toilet and regular. And I thought “what the heck”.

I got to the Kyoto station and navigated my way to the taxi stand and off to the inn. I dropped off my bags and was greeted with ice mugicha (barley tea) and rice crackers. Yum. I was 90% sure of my stomache, but soon would be the real test. I went to East kyoto, but first I stopped at an unagi restaurant. It was very good, and my gut survived, so I think I am all clear.

After lunch I went to Heian Jingo, which was nice, but there was some event going on at the shrine, and they were seting up lights all over. Oh well, it’s still pretty. Afterwards I hiked over to Nanzen-ji. But, arg, it started to rain. Not that hard, but I scrapped the trip to the temple, especially since I left my rain jacet in my luggage.

To be prudent, I decided to go to the post office near Kyoto station to get me some hakagi no kitte. I actualy asked for them in semi-proper japanese – niju mai hagaki no kitte o onegai shimasu. After getting the stamps and mailing some postcards, I went to the TIC at kyoto station to get some internet time. It’s a good thing, because I had a deadline for confirming my hotel for the last two nights in Japan. Hah. Anyway, by the time I was done with that it was pouring out, so I made my way back to Sumiya. The map that I had was pretty crappy (oh, did I miss the awesome Tokyo atlas) , and so it was kind of a crap shoot if I was going the right way. In my head I could see a lot of people just giving up and hiding from the rain. But I made it. A bit wet, of course, but that’s ok.

I decided to take some pictures of my room, but the rechargeable batteries in my flash were dead. I should have charged them before leaving, but oh well. I went back out to 7-11 just down the street for some AAs. When I got back I took pics, jumped in the shower, changed into the yukata and wrote postcards while waiting for dinner.

I feel much better today – not 100%, but probably 90%. Pretty certain. I guess I got bit by stomach virus. Oh well. I am abotu to head to Kyoto. Tonight is one of my fancy nights, in the pimp ryokan. That should be nice

Ok, so the train is now off. Wow, its a pretty nice and smooth ride. Only been underway for 10 minutes but I’m liking this

Guts OK. Mango Yogurt and some awesome blueberry and chery gummy candies was m dinner. YUM.

Ugh, today was well… not a complete waste, but very bad. Some combo of jetlag, food poisoning, I dunno. I woke up and had the hotel breakfast, and then I think I doomed myself with a Wonda After shot. WTF? Ok, so the I went to Shinjuku with the intention of writing out some postcards and check email. Well, I felt like poo. I planned 2 good meals for today, unagi and tempura, but no. So I felt like shit but I thought it would pass. So after sitting at Mister Donut for a bit, I got on a JR train to Harajuku. Well after sitting in the park for a bit I still felt awful, so I headed back to the hotel. Good thing, because soon after I got back I puked up all my pan and co-hi- from the morning. Ugh. I lied down for a bit and then felt a bit better. I decided to go back to Harajuku and the Meiji-jingu – a big shrine in the park dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife – it was quite beatiful. I saw a wedding procession while I was there, which was really neat. Woot. But then the sicks came back. I rested on a bench for a bit, but then I decided I had better get back to the hotel. While I was on teh JR train I was basically hanging from the handhold I felt so crappy. When we got to the Shinjuku Station I was feeling most queazy. I tried to sit down on the platform, but vomit. I felt like a complete birk. I was kind of surprised that no one said “daijobu desu ka” to me. Ahh well, at least it was really watery puke, and not too pungent. So after the vomits, back to the hotel I went. Of course, when I got back, they were cleaning my room. So I went and sat in the park in Hatagaya for 45 minutes. There as some sort of religious event happenign in the square on teh other side of the park. One of those big portable shrine things. It was neat to see and rather random. So now it was 2:15 and I went back to the room. I barely made it back to my room I was so dizzy. I had some unfortunate toilet time, but it wasn’t so bad. I was very dizzy, but I managed to get down 1 floor and start some laundry. But when I had to go back between steps I was so drained and dizzy. I figured I was dehydrated so i grabbed a beverage that turned out to be a grapefruit flavored sport drink from the vending machine near the laundry. It felt really good to drink. When I got back to my room with my dry laundry and the bottle, i dropped it all ont he floor and flopped down into bed. I ended up take an hour and a half or so nap.

Next thing I know it is 7pm and I feel not awful. So I ate my last bit of pocky and drank some more water. I figure that if I am feeling ok at 8:30PM I might go get some AMPM. I am watching Doors, a pretty absurd ‘danger show’. The toughest transvestite in Japan is on and is being a complete wuss. At most 1/10 of the contestants made it through round 1’s obstacle course. It’s very video game esque. Speaking of video game, it’s funny that Keio is a train that i take, a mall, and also makes games for the DS.

Fuck are my feet sore. Too much sweating and too much walking. Tomorrow I will try to control my walking some – or at least that’s the plan. 5km or less is my goal! I don’t want to know how many km I walked today. To say dozens would not be a lie.

Ok, so I went to Roppongi, got off the train, and hoofed it to Tokyo Tower. Not a bad walk, but a little hilly near the tower. Oh, yeah, a couple of americans asked me if I knew where the Hardrock Cafe was, while I was still in the station – I didn’t but my map did. They were impressed by it. Anyway, I got some postcards at the gift shop at Tokyo Tower, then took the subway back to Roppongi Crossing.

I explored Roppongi Hills, and I am a bit mixed on this place. It’s pretty nice, but it’s also a bit sterile. It could almost be in the US. But it has an elegant simplicity i can appreciate. On my meanderings I came across Chinese Cafe 8, another place recommended by my friend Joan. I had dinner there which included a complimentary glass of Asahi? Uhh, ok! I had a ginger duck stirfry and welsh onion dumplings. It was very tasty stuff. The restaurants specialty is a whole fried duck, and from where I was sitting I could see them carving this for presentation for the lucky people who ordered it. The cutting was very skilled and neat to see. After I finished dinner I decided it was time to head over to the Mori tower.

I went up the Mori Tower to the Tokyo City View. It was a good time there, and I took some mediocre pictures of the city at night. I also saw the Sky Aquarium, a strange art exhibit with the concept of aquariums as art. This British guy berated the Japanese women he was with for saying that the weird fish (which I thought was pretty creepy) was oishii. That’s funny and stereotypical, but I thought that at some other tank, as well. But really, the one that they were pointing to, kowai desu ne! Well after going through the art exhibit based on some architect, I decided it was time for some dessert.

Haha, I ended up at cold stone. It was weird, because the workers are crazy insane happy – and they sing after each order since there is no tipping. The fruit was exceptionally deliscious. I decided to head back at this time as Heartland, a bar I wanted to check out, wasn’t open, and I was pretty tired anyway. I soaked my feat, then hit the AMPM and got a 10% off onigiri. It was an ume one, and really, I can only take so much Ume. But the rice and nori were really good. Calpis Melon Cream soda is really good. Now it is time to go to sleep.

Sony was amusing. Then I went to the Mitsukoshi department store. Mmmm. Food courts here are amazingly crazy. I walked around for at least 15 minutes, then I got some crab and shrimp gyoza for 1000Y. Well they came with a packet of sauce but no chopsticks. I thought I would go outside and swipe some from a convenience store – but yeah, there are none in Ginza. Grumble. But I found a secluded area in the shade and ate them with my hands. Delicious. Then, having eaten, I went back to check out the store proper and get a pastry. The store itself is a bit stuffy, but neat. I spent 10 more minutes in the food court before I got a chocolate cone. Oh, and this reminds me, that trash is impossible to throw out in Japan. I had the gyoza trash with me until the hotel. How goofy. I will chill for 15 minutes and then it is off to Roppongi.

Hrm, Ginza is pretty pretty amazing. Not a single convenient store on a 4 mile walk. OK, some of that includes a doubleback. But maybe I should back up… here is what happened since last i wrote: asagohan->shower->shinjuku. I checked email there, and got an update on the tempura place from Joan. I then went and found it. Huzzah! Then I came to Gina, and found out that I had 50 minutes until the Sony Building opens, so i decide to go on a walk. I’m on the lookout for a convenience store to get an onigiri, but none. Even vending machines are hidden on back streets here. I lost my kick ass Kodansha map… I put it down to take a picture and I guess I forgot to pick it up. A mile and change later I realize it’s missing, and walk back, but alas, it is not where I thought I left it. No fear, I found a bookstore and bought a new copy. Then I resumed my search for an onigiri. I found a restaurant called ONY (Original Natural Yard), where they didn’t speak english. But I got an ebi onigiri anyhow, because I’m good like that. I think I like the ones from the convience store better, but it at least the shrimp was good. It’s time for Sony to open, so I will go there now.

I woke up POO early (4:30 AM) but sat in bed for an hour. Then got up and looked at all the signts in Hatagaya. Hah. I’m about to grab some hotel breakfast and then shower. Today Ginza. Tonight? Rappongi Hills! and Tokyo tower. I should grab some postcards today.

I’m Pooped. I had Tengu (an izakaya – japanese style pub) for dinner. I tried and failed to find Joan’s tempura place, but I found an internet cafe and emailed her to try to get more information. Upon walking out of the internet cafe I saw that the next building over had a Tengu in it, which was recommended as a fairly easy to deal with and tasty enough izakaya.

I talked to a middle aged, Japanese businessman who was 2 seats down from me. He was a really nice guy. He gave me some suggestions of where to go, and we just talked about various things for about an hour as we ate. On my way back to the hotel I stopped at AMPM for some pocky and water. Now I will watch some TV on my iPod and then sleep.

I dropped my bags of here, as it was too early for check in, then I went back over to Shinjuku to get my JR pass set up. However, I didn’t take anything with me besides my voucher and passport, so I got way lost in Shinjuku. But I did manage to burn all the time I needed to before checkin, so that’s not so bad. I took a much needed shower and rested a bit. Now I will head back to Shinjuku for dinner.