So after going to bed at like 8pm, I slept through (mostly, except for some time awake around midnight) til about 6am. Freaky for me! (10 hours in bed and I *still* had bags under my eyes hrmmm!) Was still a bit hot and uncomfortable, but shook the doona innards away from the edge leaving just the sheet bit and that helped.
Spent ages writing up my blog, and downloading photos etc.
Our charging station in the hotel got a lot of use
Then the sweetie got up and we went and got breakfast. Just more pastries.
For the morning we did a wander up through Ueno Park. Revisited the walkway we'd last walked up in 2009 when the whole thing was wall to wall people for hanami. Then meandered north west of the park nominally to see some of the things in the Yanaka region.
Stu in Ueno Park
Looking towards Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park
Ueno Park cherry trees
Ueno Park fountain and Tokyo National Museum
Flowers at Ueno Park fountain
Fire engine outside Tokyo National Museum
2.5 Dimensional Tactile Sense - by Nayu Kakeya, in the Concourse of Art in Ueno Park
Photo by Stu
Autumn in Ueno Park
But I did also need to get out some more money, on account of being ripped off by the restaurant the night before, so found a Japan Post store. Sadly, like at the airport, they now charge a 216 yen fee for withdrawals. Sad times.
World's smallest laundromat?
Then we walked past a Denny's! Stu wanted coffee so we went in for coffee and a drink and a snack (french toast).
French toast at Denny's
Then continued on. Saw a couple of temples, and also wandered through the cemetery which was kinda nice.
Cemetery at Choshiyozandaio Temple
Cemetery at Choshiyozandaio Temple
Photo by Stu
Stu in Yanaka Cemetery Park
Skytree from Yanaka Cemetery Park
Flowers in Yanaka Cemetery Park
Ruins of Tennoji five-storey pagoda
Autumn leaves at Tennoji Temple
Tennoji Temple
Buddha at Tennoji Temple
Autumn leaves at Tennoji Temple
Photo by Stu
Tennoji Temple buildings
Ended up at Nippori station, where we finally had another ride on the old Yamanote Line down to Akihabara (154 yen). Had a bit of a wander around all the electronics store alleys. Picked up some cheap lightning cables and a USB-C cable. Then went and found some lunch. We ended up in a place that had electronic screens in front of each seat, and you order from that which was pretty cool. Except the UI was *terrible* and we would try and order a drink but then food order would disappear, or go back to ordering food but the drink order would disappear. Very frustrating. But we struggled through and got there in the end. Lunch was a *very* nice ramen (I got a burnt garlic one with pork).
Electronic menu and ordering tablet at Darumanome, Akihabara
Burnt garlic ramen with pork that I had for lunch
After lunch it was a mission to find Yodobashi Camera! I wanted a screen protector for my phone, but there was like thirty different things to choose from. Which is way way way too many, so I gave up. I also wanted a new camera bag for travel. I wanted a bag that would not only fit my big camera, but also random camera and the video camera. There were heaps there (JB Hi-Fi only had like one to choose from), but I stopped when I came to Crumpler, cause the sweetie would be happy with me getting a Crumpler bag haha. It works great, although the section where I keep all my wallet bits is a bit more awkward to get at, and I miss the top handle.
Akihabara buildings
Akihabara buildings
Akihabara buildings
Akihabara buildings
Yodobashi-Akiba
Then we headed back to Ueno (another ride on the Yamanote line, 133 yen). I let Stu go back to the hotel, and went across to the Keisei line and booked tickets for the morning train to the airport. Then timed how long it takes to walk from the station to the hotel.
Back at the hotel I put on some washing in the coin laundry (200 yen to wash, 100 yen per half hour to dry). It was only two days worth of washing, plus both our jeans, but it does mean we won't have to worry about doing any washing in Southampton, we can just wait til we're on the ship.
My new camera bag next to my old camera bag
I was getting kinda bored after a couple of hours in the hotel. I updated the holiday finances spreadsheet with expenses so far. Fought with Cathay Pacific's online check in system. I couldn't check in until I'd udpated all our passport etc details, but it won't let you edit it without "unlocking" it for "security reasons". It needed the e-ticket number, which I dutifully copy-pasted from the electronic copies we had. But it refused to accept it. As it turns out, you need to paste the number *without the space*. The number is "160 xxxxxxxxxx" but the form only accepts the first thirteen characters and truncates the rest, so I had no idea I was truncating the number. I also had to take out the space in the number. Utterly appalling system. #epicfail Cathay Pacific!!
That done, we headed out for dinner. Walked across the road and found a place that looked like it did karaage chicken of sorts, and the lady inside grabbed the door for us and invited us in, so in we went. As at lunch, this place had an electronic ordering tablet. This one worked a lot better than the one at lunch. We ordered some chicken wings and karaage chicken, and what we thought was "sweet potato and clams" that turned out to be capsicum and prawns (primarily prawns - we were hoping for more vegetation .. hrmm (our bowels aren't happy with our sudden change of diet that has a tonne of extra wheat and much less fruit and veg, hoping it will get better in the UK .. hrmm..)
Chicken wings at Utano Shop Izakaya (鳥良商店), Ueno
Capsicum and prawns at Utano Shop Izakaya (鳥良商店), Ueno
Stu outside Utano Shop Izakaya (鳥良商店), Ueno
Back to the hotel, downloaded all my photos, then washed my hair and we went to bed. Another night in bed by 8:30.
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