So today was a day off for me. The amount of sun I got on Friday was so bad that I feared aggravating by going outdoors for any length of time. I got up and out relatively early to have breakfast. Picked up some onigiri at the 7-eleven a few buildings down and saw in a park eating and enjoying the morning breeze. As a lovely Saturday morning I saw several fathers out with children playing in the park. One was playing catch with his daughter, another was teaching his daughter to ride a bike. Others watched as sons and daughters climbed on the gym sets. It made me miss the younger park days with my own daughters. After a couple of hours watching people, taking pictures of pigeons and enjoying a cooler morning I headed back and did some reading.
I was reading a book lent to me called Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. Very enjoyable read. He looks at the issues of getting old, how the main character perceives age. Also he has a very different view of interstellar war with alien races that I have never read in any other title. I do not want to spoil anything because I definitely recommend reading the book, but the idea that each alien race is motivated by different things, and fights in a different way, not understood by us is something that is unusual in the Science Fiction writing that I have read.
After reading for a while I slept, still dealing with the sun and temperature change I think. I woke up, read some more and then decided dinner was in order. I went across the street to a wonderful ramen place and had pork belly ramen. Very tasty. The restaurant people were very helpful with my lack of understanding. Also the system was very neat. There is an order and pay system beside the door. You order your food, pay for your food and get a ticket. The ticket is handed off to the staff, you take a seat and wait for food. There are glasses and pitchers of ice water all over so you can serve yourself water. Something I wish all restaurants back home did. The food was excellent, the staff friendly and when you are done you just walk out and they say goodbye. It was a lovely dining experience, even solo.
Afterwards I took a walk around the neighborhood, enjoying the night sky. I confirmed that the moon looks the same in Tokyo as it does back home, which was cool. I saw a couple of dining boats on the water, serving dinner and a show. I saw people walking dogs and I saw drink vending machines everywhere. Nearly every corner. Also convenience stores are all over. There are four on the next block from me, two on each side. I believe that is because no one has a fridge large enough to hold more than two days worth of meals. On that note the apartment I am staying in is wonderful. I have mentioned previously that it is not big, but to give you an idea of how small there is a bulk head between the main section and the entrance/bathroom. If I do not duck I take my head out on it. The hallway would not fit two of me side by side. The bed I am sleeping on is a slightly large single. A little wider and longer, and there is about three feet between it and the door and the same to the closet at the end. It is in the corner.
Well off on another adventure tomorrow. I think Akihabara.
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