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Day 11 - Ikebukuro
Today we decided to venture somewhere new on the JR Yamanote line (one of the main lines in Tokyo) since we haven't explored everywhere just yet. We were randomly picking and decided to go to Ikebukuro, one of the bigger stops on the line.
Once we get there it's just another amazingly large train station waiting for us with puzzling directions and exits leading to more exits. Once we found our way to the surface we walked around a bit trying to find some place that sold ice cream. We were a bit disappointed in the fact that once you get about 5 minutes or so away from the station, the lights and the sky-scraper-like buildings become residential apartments. There were more trees in sight and fewer convenience stores the further we walked.
We were still searching for the fable ice cream shop because not only did Daniele & Nami want ice cream, but they somehow convinced me and Clinton to want it to. Unfortunately we didn't find any place that sold ice cream so we decided Ikebukuro was enough and we'd head back. In the station we were walking toward our line and came across a little place that sold cream puffs filled with ice cream. Ping pong! So for 100yen I got to try a peach ice cream-cream puff, and although rock hard, it was very good.
On our way back we stopped by Shinjuku so Daniele could look for an electronic dictionary. While leaving the station we heard some musicians playing so we decided to stick around and listen. It happened to be a band, and for some strange reason, I was so surprised to hear them singing Japanese music. I have no idea why, but I guess I'm used to hearing English on the side of the roads that it was an unfamiliar sound. But we stuck around until the end of the song because, well, I really enjoyed their music.
We were walking around until it got late and happened to catch part of the matsuri that was happening there in Shinjuku. So once again we saw some Omikoshi (shrine) being carried around by a crowd of pant-less men. Afterward we just sat and talked a bit outside of Shinjuku station until perhaps 8pm where the sun had already gone down, and the Tokyo I imagined before coming to Japan had come to life. Lights as far as the eye can see, towering buildings of neon displays, and hundreds if not thousands of people crossing the street as though there were no particular direction as to where they were headed. This, was a moment I've been waiting to see.
Once we got home we were really tired and for some reason I really felt like making my own dinner. So we decided to do a little grocery shopping and Nami and I decided to make a Gyudon (meat, eggs, & rice) for dinner. We bought the necessary ingredients to try making it.
At home, I had the ingenious idea of cooking the rice while frying the meat, then to cook the eggs over the rice still in the rice cooker, and lastly place the meat on top and cook some more. Well, as everyone knows, nothing always goes according to plan. I basically did the essentials, but what I didn't calculate was just how long the rice cooker was going to take to cook the dang meal. Not only did the rice take about 30min to cook (or so it seemed), the now raw eggs took a little while longer to cook and the meat turned cold. Fortunately all ended well when the meal was done and I was a full and happy boy. And of course, celebratory ice cream was eaten after a lovely well-cooked meal.
Today we decided to venture somewhere new on the JR Yamanote line (one of the main lines in Tokyo) since we haven't explored everywhere just yet. We were randomly picking and decided to go to Ikebukuro, one of the bigger stops on the line.
Once we get there it's just another amazingly large train station waiting for us with puzzling directions and exits leading to more exits. Once we found our way to the surface we walked around a bit trying to find some place that sold ice cream. We were a bit disappointed in the fact that once you get about 5 minutes or so away from the station, the lights and the sky-scraper-like buildings become residential apartments. There were more trees in sight and fewer convenience stores the further we walked.
We were still searching for the fable ice cream shop because not only did Daniele & Nami want ice cream, but they somehow convinced me and Clinton to want it to. Unfortunately we didn't find any place that sold ice cream so we decided Ikebukuro was enough and we'd head back. In the station we were walking toward our line and came across a little place that sold cream puffs filled with ice cream. Ping pong! So for 100yen I got to try a peach ice cream-cream puff, and although rock hard, it was very good.
On our way back we stopped by Shinjuku so Daniele could look for an electronic dictionary. While leaving the station we heard some musicians playing so we decided to stick around and listen. It happened to be a band, and for some strange reason, I was so surprised to hear them singing Japanese music. I have no idea why, but I guess I'm used to hearing English on the side of the roads that it was an unfamiliar sound. But we stuck around until the end of the song because, well, I really enjoyed their music.
We were walking around until it got late and happened to catch part of the matsuri that was happening there in Shinjuku. So once again we saw some Omikoshi (shrine) being carried around by a crowd of pant-less men. Afterward we just sat and talked a bit outside of Shinjuku station until perhaps 8pm where the sun had already gone down, and the Tokyo I imagined before coming to Japan had come to life. Lights as far as the eye can see, towering buildings of neon displays, and hundreds if not thousands of people crossing the street as though there were no particular direction as to where they were headed. This, was a moment I've been waiting to see.
Once we got home we were really tired and for some reason I really felt like making my own dinner. So we decided to do a little grocery shopping and Nami and I decided to make a Gyudon (meat, eggs, & rice) for dinner. We bought the necessary ingredients to try making it.
At home, I had the ingenious idea of cooking the rice while frying the meat, then to cook the eggs over the rice still in the rice cooker, and lastly place the meat on top and cook some more. Well, as everyone knows, nothing always goes according to plan. I basically did the essentials, but what I didn't calculate was just how long the rice cooker was going to take to cook the dang meal. Not only did the rice take about 30min to cook (or so it seemed), the now raw eggs took a little while longer to cook and the meat turned cold. Fortunately all ended well when the meal was done and I was a full and happy boy. And of course, celebratory ice cream was eaten after a lovely well-cooked meal.
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