after a short uncomfortable night flight from Ho chi Minh to Tokyo, i approached passport control and looked up at the trains to the city, some random blog noted that it takes 1:50 hours... what? i dont have this much time, it must be wrong. i pass passport control and find a train that takes 36 minutes! whoohoo and it leaves right away... in minutes i enjoy the green country side with the tiniest wooded hill.
some how i confused Oshiado station and shiodome station and i get the right instructions for the wrong place. i leave the fast train and get on the metro then realize my error, unfortunately , i realized it on a small station and have to wait a bit for the return train. after returning to the bigger station, then walking to the next station to get on a different line.. there are around 15 metro lines in this city, i find the ticket machine, select my station and go to place the ticket in, it doesn't work.. i ask the counter guy, and he tells me i must by a ticket on this machine. with no time to fight the system, i buy another ticket and reach my station within minutes and impressed by all the commercials within the train.
from shiodome station i walk to hamariku gardens- pay the fee and for the next hour walk around the green garden with stunted trees and also cherry trees, very few of them, this is late in season, see the small lake, small bridge, the artists that color in this quiet place. walk the peony garden and after an hour board the water taxi towards asakusa. the water way is mostly tall buildings, not a single pagoda in sight, i am following a frommer guide, the guide says a concrete view but that this is the ancient way of coming in to the city, so i decided to follow along. i am a bit cold. due to a suit case mayham, i don't have anything with me other then short pants and a T, and an umbrella, which does nothing for the cold. after 45 minutes on the ship, i disembark and finally get to use my umbrella as light rain of big drops begins. this is a temple area, it has several temple buildings and lots of market type booths full of humans. the booths sell various Japanese souvenirs and food. the problem with the food is that i dont understand what it is, local signs, i see people eat strange looking stuff but decide not to risk it, after visiting the temple i spot a potato booth and decide that a potato is safe, which it appears to be but not filling, after more market wondering, i spot a line for a falafel looking thing, i ask and it has beef and curry, i risk it, its ok . i walk around the market for an hour or so, enjoy the masses then hop on the train to another area- of ueno where i have my fast train return ticket at 15:00. it is now around 13:00 and i walk to a large shrine then walk by some gardens, see the little swan paddle boats, bird feeders and an area of pagodas , shrines, temples , a zoo and several museums/ this is a very green area locals and tourists alike are walking the streets and enjoying the sights.
just infront of the national muesum, i get my trademark shot, enjoy dark choclate self serve ice cream and pass by a large whale, that was left here by tzunamy waves.
it is now 14:20 and i hurry to the station, and get there by 14:35, then i see that this is the wrong station, a passer by tells me that my station is 1 k away. at this point after days of walking i am slightly limping , my feet are killing me, but no time, i run\ walk to ueno station and make it in time, place my ticket and it doesnt work. once again i talk to the guy, and he tells me that this is JR ueno (japan railways) and there is another ueno station for the fast skyliner train .... ahhh.. i rush out again and rush a bit more and reach my station, now the ticket fits , and i enter the train at 14:56... 4 minutes, i could have purchased something....
and japan makes 59- a bit short- i will be back one day to complete the tour but sometimes half a day is all you get.
i enjoyed the ride back and at the airport, eat the meal that i wanted on the original japan layover which was sold out then board the flight.
oh the horror, on the way over i had personal screens and watched 6 movies, now- no screens,,,, no!!! without screen the time passes slowly but i do see into the woods and some movie with bill murry. i leave japan at 17:50 and land at 15:30 of the same day!!!
lucky, i find an earlier flight back instead of waiting 6 hours in chicago, land and see mattanchuck who comes to my arms then leads me to the much more interesting escalator, up down 4 times...
good to be home, but i am exhausted..
the answer to the riddle is Ron Thal- lead guitarist of Guns and roses, but not the original one.... the sign lied... well live and let die...
see you on the next trip
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