Coffee

The other day when I was wandering I came across a McDonald's . 

McDonald's has the best and used to be cheapest coffee and has been a safe bet when I travel to stop and recalibrate .

The window is on the street and I get coffee, small and apple pie.

The coffee is the size of my fist. The large is the size of a small back home. Hmmm.

Anyway there is no park. There are no benches. Nothing. So being resourceful I pulled out a plastic beer crate from between two buildings and set it next to a power box on the sidewalk so I wasn't in anyone's way. 

I settled down. Are my snack and was on my way. I replaced the crate from whence it came and continued on.

I was reading some tourist brochure later on that said Tokyo has wonderful restaurants because it is impolite to eat on the street or in public. 

Meanwhile, I stop in Yokohama for the day and people are lounging in the sun. Siting and picnicking. 

I felt like a badass for about 29 hours. 

Jacked

The last night in the capsule then moved to asakusa. Near a very cool temple and gate but in my birthday I had sushi from merry go round and at the robot restaurant and my stomach is messed up. 

I slept all of yesterday waiting for it to pass. It was pretty sketchy last night. Feel better today but not 100%.

It will just take time. I'll feel better tonight 

50

I woke up in a plastic hole. Sweaty, coughing and achy. Fifty is no walk in the park but...

I got my shit together, went the the basement, brushed my teeth and sauna. 

I remember the sauna from Korea but it wasn't as welcome as it was today. 

I shared a big stone pool of hot water with a old dude and from the look on his face we both needed it. 

A loooonnngggg soak and I was in the sauna. The heat cleared up my cough and in keeping with tradition I exited the sauna and took the cold dip. 

Fuck

I only dipped for about nine seconds but that is a long fucking seconds. It does bring you back clear and alert but it's a bitch.

Off to Ueno. I remembered Ueno as a tiny town with nothing there. Now it has as large park, museums and a temple I found. 

I like Buddhist temples . The colors, architectrure and even the smells are pleasing.

I got my fortune told by a robot dragon.

I watched the shinjuku high school baseball team face the Chou high baseball team. 

Then the Tokyo national museu of Art. 

Things definitely have turned my way. 

Hungry but pacing myself for dinner I found a sushi go round and I'm picking up plates and killing it.

Art, baseball, sushi. If you don't look forward to your birthday you're doing it wrong. 

I'm holding until dinner in shinjuku. You may know where I'm going. I hope it lives up to the hype

Small spaces

It's my birthday.

Sleeping in a capsule is an experience.   It feels like a train sleeper. With the shade at the end of the tube down you are in but you aren't.   I could hear conversations, shuffling, farting and tv from the other residents. 

The mat I'm sleeping in is thin so my shoulders and hips hurt.

I could hear snoring but I'm sure I did my share as well.

It's hot and I'm achy but I'm glad I'm doing it. I don't like to wonder about these things.  I much rather do them.

Tokyo

It turned into a day of nostalgia. I hit three of the sites I saw in Tokyo when I was here in 1997.

Hard Rock Cafe, Tokyo tower and the temple at asakusa.

The nostalgia was a little light because the sites barely flashed any memories. I was a little disappointed but I remembered a lot of shit can and should change in eighteen years. 

Having removed my head from my rectum I enjoyed the city a little more.

Another thing that killed the nostalgia was the fact that in 1997 I was not bloated old fart. I had run a half marathon that year and was three years out of a full one. The walking I did yesterday still has my feet throbbing like they were drums. 

I'm back at the hotel and it's coming up on 7pm. Pitiful 

Coffee and a chocolate could help me rally but the outcome is in doubt. 

Tomorrow I'm fifty. Today I feel it. 

Nah 

I feel forty but fucking fifty is something.

I'm seeing a lot of the city. It's nice. Clean. 

Holy fuck. I had curry for dinner after the temple. I picked one of the small cafes. A horseshoe bar with the server in the middle. Food came quickly and I was about half way through when I realized of the eight or so of us in there no one was talking. No one was pissed off or anything but no one had anything to say do we were all just enjoying the food in our own space. It's weird. It doesn't happen in America. If there is a silence people feel like it has to be filled, 

Wow. I enjoyed the shit out of my coffee. I'm headed to my cubicle and relax. 

More later

Breakfast

It's cold. Not bad cold. Good cold. Get your attention cold. 

The line up outside the hotel breakfast was ten deep with business types and women in full makeup. I checked, breakfast is not included in my room charge so out the door I go.

Streets are clean and sparsely populated. Looking for a soup joint I find a little place with students and a few ... I want to say old timers but these fuckers were about my age so that's all I have to say...

I grab a stool and wait a minute to order and I remembered you buy a ticket then they take the ticket with your order.

I'm feeling pretty pleased that I remembered this so I ticket and open my journal to start writing.

About five fucking minutes later miso, bowl of salty bacon with rice and tea. 

I'm not a morning person but this puts me in a good mood.

I though I ordered beef but the bacon is good. I'm tearing through it and the salt is getting to me. To my right is a bowl with ginger pickled to a neon pink . The sharp taste of the ginger and the salt is turning out to be an unexpected pleasure.

Done. 

I want coffee but what I really want is to take a shit. I'm off my game because I'm a little backed up with the flight and being just a little sick. The morning movement gets me on schedule and let's me go on with my day. 

But I also want coffee. There is a seven eleven next to the hotel. 

I pop in and they have hot coffee but I see the boss coffee can. How can I pass up " boss is the boss of them all"

I have to move.

I get the room and my hands are a little chilly from the wind and I sit down on a invitingly warm toilet seat.

Holy fuck

I don't think I could justify the expense but on a cold day and unexpectedly warm toilet seat can feel like finding a  twenty in an old pair of jeans.

Done. Phone charged and you are updated. 

More later fuckers

Breakfast

Checked in

Passed security and waiting

My flight is delayed and delayed again. I could get bent but going out is easy. No plans, one reservation and everything in front of me.

But with the wait I have to charge my phone. It's like crack. If I get low I need a fix. Laptop people have the charging posts staked out and have bivouacked every one.

I found a plug between a ficus and a best  buy kiosk. I'm squatting until my plane gets here, 

Coffee and a belvita. Life is good