Around The World w/Scott 2011: These are the days of My Life

Ok, so I have not been very current recently, as I have been a bit under the weather since leaving mainland China. I got back to Hong Kong and had a really bad chest cold. I tried to get out and explore once I got to Tokyo but I have just today, Monday been able to spend a day out in the city. Great, Monday the day all museums are closed. Great it has been raining for 2 days and I didn't even know it. I feel a whole lot better having slept for about 3 days straight. It has also gotten colder here with the rains.

I guess that when the body says take a nap you take a nap. Something about the Chinese and Japanese with their use of the box spring as the mattress, so far I don't know what they do with the mattress part of the bed as they utilize the box spring only. Talk about a sore back. All the great massages that I received in Thailand have been missed as my back is killing me. Maybe I'm just tired of being couped up and feeling a little weak but I am ready to get out and explore Tokyo.

I met the Japanese small business owner that when I was standing in front of the hostel saw my "T" Texas baseball cap and came over to say hello. He is a small business owner who owns a 4 story building across the street from the hostel. He manufactures/distributes men's belts. He wanted to tell me about his visits to the US and his visit to the Justin Boots factory in Fort Worth. I come all the way to Japan to meet a local guy who has been to the Stockyards in fort Worth, Texas. It's a small world after all. Talk about small world, I just met 3 guys in the common area and low and behold, 2 of them are from Texas. I come all the way around the world and half the State of Texas is staying at my hostel.

I did a small walk about yesterday and although it was raining lightly discovered that like Thia's and Chinese there are a temple on almost every corner. Not alot of English on any of the signage especially on the cross streets but at least the main streets will have a English written sign post. What a blessing. As just wandering with no idea where you are is a bit unsettling.

I did get out today, Monday and after once again going in all the wrong directions, walking as I still have quite a fear of the metro subway system in Tokyo, I finally managed to locate the Sumo Wrestling Arena and the Museum that was behind it. I am kicking myself as there was a Sumo tournament that just completed on Sunday. There apparently are big tournaments 3 times a year and due to my feeling under the weather, I missed a great opportunity to experience a live tournament. Oh well better luck next time. Not to self...all museums are closed on Mondays, some on Fridays.

I spent some time, as it was raining outside and I didn't feel up for a walk in the rain talking with one of the staff at my hostel. I asked about the day of the earthquake and he shared that he was at home for lunch at the time of the initial quake. He mentioned that he lives close on the 2nd floor of an 8 story building and that it was quite shocking. he returned to work and said that the initial aftershocks were more scary at work as the hostel reception is on the 4th floor with the rooms on the 2nd and 3rd floors. He said that there were initially 10 aftershocks daily and many were very strong. He advised that the meeting area for the hostel was 1 block away on the school yard playground. I guess that the 3 aftershocks that I have experienced are nothing compared to the real thing. I am hopefully not to find out during my stay at least.

Tomorrow I plan to visit the Imperial Palace Gardens (weather permitting). there are alot of cool areas of Tokyo to visit for many different reasons. There is the high end shopping in the Ginza area. There is a great area a little farther out on the subway to see the teen girls all dressed up in Goth wear but it is a Sunday evening attraction so next weekend it will be on my calendar for things to do. I visited Ueno the second day in Tokyo and it is a great park and History Museum as well as the zoo. I passed on the zoo as it was definitely a kids day with swarms of real young school kids and I wasn't up for the crowds as I was not feeling 100%. The park was awesome to just hang out in and people watch.

As you can tell i am still not my complete self yet I will return to my sarcastic, unrelenting but entertaining self in a day or 2. Till then, Enjoy.