My immediate thought would be - how much would it cost to extend your trip by moving your return flight back... Now there is no hurry to go home ...

Day 3 , April 28, 2024

Today I woke up with a better attitude and some excitement as today I’m going to two amusement park so to speak types of places so this will be a very, very fun day

First team labs, Planet I took the train from Shimbashi station transferred a few times and next thing you know 40 minutes later I’m on shin toyoso exiting the train to go to team lab

They are also extremely organized. I was 10 minutes early for my timeslot and then about five minutes before that slot was up. They changed the times and I was able to line up to get in. That was so quick heads up if I were you, I would come in like Birkenstocks or sandals or something although you do get to dry your feet, but you will be barefoot throughout the entire time except when you’re in one of the gardens.

All in all, I absolutely loved it. It was pretty magical. I need to go visit the other one now because I heard that one is even more amazing.

All in all was there about 45 to 50 minutes

Next up, Tokyo Disney Sea I had to do a little bit of backtracking, but I did take the train from the same station

This entire trip I have been thinking a lot about my mom whether she would like it being in team. Labs was one of the thoughts I was having as I was taking my train to go to Tokyo Disney. Sea I ran into out of the clear blue sky, my shampoo lady for over 10 years. I was in such a state of shock and and I was so happy to see her. We hugged real quick Exchange some words and I had to go and she had to go, but how cool was that?

After about 40 minutes of different train rides, I finally arrived to the Tokyo Disney resort area I took the Tokyo Disney train from the JR train station to Tokyo Disney Sea and there pricing is so expensive to ride their own train that they are providing to get to the different parks. Everything is more expensive at Disney, but that’s to be expected.

When I bought my ticket, I bought it through the app and through the app is how I got into the park

It is not like any other Disney Park to be quite honest it didn’t feel like I was in Disney. Maybe that’s a good thing for some people but for me, I preferred Tokyo Disneyland to Tokyo Disney.

I really just came here to walk around and cheer myself up, but I didn’t find the normal Disney atmosphere that cheers me up all the time I come to Disney Park But it’s OK. Most people come here because they have some cool rides. It’s really nice couples and there’s alcohol served.

Resort, the lines are epic Epic ride, attraction, epic for meeting, and greet and Epic to eat so didn’t really make for such a great time, but I still had some fun

I bought Premier passes for tower of terror and journey to the center of the Earth And it is absolutely worth it because I refuse to wait in an 80 minute line so I went straight straight through the front onto my ride and I was done twice

I tried to go have lunch at one of the decent places next to the Venice Canal, but that was a 40 minute wait which I thought was ridiculous. I just cannot fathom it. I am patient, but I am not that patient. lol.

I found some little grub place and even that took 25 minutes to put my order in, but once I did, I grabbed my tray and sat down, drank my beer ate my food and I left

Actually The park is quite huge and it is really pretty and nice

I was walking by the Indiana Jones ride and the line. I think it was almost a two hour wait and I was like darn. I really wish I could ride it and then I saw this guy say ”single rider “ and she said OK and he went right on in so I did the same thing thing and guess what I went all the way to the front also. You have to wait just a little bit because they need to match up with the odd number of people that are traveling together since for so many rides are either in groups of two or four so if there are three or five then they break them up and you ride with them. I love knowing this.

The next ride was some kind of rage on a roller coaster. That was so much fun. And again I used to single rider excuse which I was honestly and got right on

However, I did try to do that for Nemo and toy story and they said oh we’re sorry we don’t accept single riders you can go on standby. Sadly, I was not into that and then I felt I think my time at Park has come to end. Five hours is pretty good to be at a park alone in the hot blazing Sun lol

So I head back to Tokyo after a little tiny Disney shopping just a little

I’m not ready to go back to my hotel so I said I want to go to Roppongi. . I’ve never been to Roppongi.

Roppongi Hills. It’s so pretty.

Bougie and pretty and to top it all off, there was a huge NIhon shyu ( sake ) festival happening as I was following the sounds of fabulous house music being blasted

Oh my stars, I found Heaven

To join I spent ¥3900 and that gave me a sake glass and 11 coins I bought 10 more coins because I started seeing and noticing that a lot of the drinks started at four and went up to nine coins apiece

I may have had a few absolutely delicious drinks and I told myself you need to get out of there before you turn this into a nightclub party and go all out lol. I was actually quite tired so

I walked around Hills area and down to Azabu-Juban. I was starving by this time and I found another Ramen place. Yes, I’m addicted to Ramen. I am addicted to Ramen back home so why should I change while I’m here in the land of Ramen? lol.

This time I had chicken collagen, soup, base and more sake hahahaha.

That was my day three

I agree with you it would be nice to extend my trip, but I have been gone for and will be gone rather for a month and I kind of miss my two babies my little fur babies.

I think by the end of next week when I’m leaving, it will be the right time

Day 4

Today is family day I am meeting my cousins and their husbands wife and children and my aunt for lunch

We are meeting at Ueno Park because that is where I’m going to be visiting 1st as I have never been there

Today is the official day and I think the first official holiday of the week holidays called Showa Day in honor of emperor Hirohito.

It made all the sense why the park was absolutely jammed back and it was only 8:30 in the morning

I stretched my legs and walked around the beautiful park

I just followed my way through the part and ended up at Ueno park Ueno Toshogu shrine. Right next to Ueno Zoo. But the time I got there, they just opened up the gates. When they open the storefront up at 9:30 AM go through the exterior and a different route to view the temple.

I also went to visit Ueno park

Right next to it is the Botan-En peony garden. I paid ¥1000 to go in there, but it was worth it. They are so beautiful absolutely stunning.

After that, I walked around the park for a little bit and stumbled upon Ueno Hanazono Inari Shrine. That was pretty.

By this time, it was time to meet my cousins

I haven’t seen them since 2009 when both my mom and my dad were here along with me as we were seeing my grandmother.

At first, I noticed my youngest cousin even with her mask on, and I met her daughter for the first time she couldn’t believe that I remembered her, but I do I saw my other cousin the one that looks so much like my mother and it took everything to hold my tears back just like I’m doing now writing this report then the other cousin came, my male cousin and his wife who I’ve never met, followed by another cousin and their mother and I had to turn away because I couldn’t stop crying. I was so happy to see them. Really happy.

We walked down by the train station in search of this restaurant they had made reservations for we walked through I think it’s called amoeyokocho and I felt like I was in Thailand, Vietnam, or some other side street filled with tourists , lower quality goods , pickled pigs feet and fish and fruits for sale for a bargain.

We have to go a little bit slower because my aunts knee is very bad so we all walked like elegant geisha

We finally found our restaurant and it looks like it’s going to be a good one they were friends who were meeting up for the first time in a long time with tears in their eyes, hugging patting and hugging again saying “osashiburides” basically long time no see.

It made me all emotional again. lol. I was a big cry baby yesterday

The food was out of this world delicious. my aunt ordered two gigantic boats of sashimi and everybody ordered their own menu and mine came with Wagyu, beef, crab, and fish miso soup , tsukemono, tonkatsu and my own little sashimi tray.

We cheered our reunion over beer and then sake and I shared with them old photos of their father and mother, my mother’s younger brother and sister and my mom was on the last days weeks months and few years of her life so that they could know that she lived a very happy and fulfilled life even towards the end. my mother’s name is Sachiko and in her kanji it means happy child and my mom was a happy child to the end.

After lunch as a whole family, we walked back to Ueno Park and visited this temple dedicated to a Buddha but with a man’s head and a snake body out front by the senko area. Anyone what what I’m talking about ? It’s surrounded by Lotus fields.

After a family walk around the park, we all went to go have coffee and cake. That was one of the best experiences so far here in Japan is being reunited with my family. Even though they wanted to remind me, we were when we were children and how naughty I was. lol. I’ll take it.Hahahahah

Saying goodbye was so hard that I just couldn’t hold back my tears so I quickly hugged everyone and ran away and sending my love as they watched me the stairs to my train

And that was my day 4

Day 5ish

Today’s day five and I have plans to go to Shibuya. I spent some time on the phone this morning with my Financial Advisor sorting my life out so that I don’t come home to a mess since now I’m truly unemployed. Anybody hiring? Hahahaha

I set my coffee and write this to you all. I am going to get ready and go and enjoy my day in overcast Tokyo.

I better Bring my umbrella ☂️

Well I'm sorry about your project. You sound like a Hawaiian "Bridget Jones."

There is no need to travel all the way to tourist trap Memory Lane on the other side of the city but just go to the basement of Shimbashi Station Building. There are some yakitori restaurants which makes you timeslip to the former century.

Also some foreign tourists seemed to be numbed but it is not OK to talk over the phones at restaurants and coffee shops in Japan because it annoys others.

Have a nice day, anyway!!

Um thanks ? I did not say I was talking on my phone. I was securing my eSIM online. But not paying attention to eating fast as is the case for that typical restaurant. I’m going to shibuya because I always loved it and I like to be inspired by watching f the young kids and their fashions.

Ps whole agree. Talking on the online can be a no no , I do t see it any different than scream talking with your seat mate at the restaurant which has. Even an annoying occurrence here in Tokyo. But this is their space so … I’m just an observer

Sorry I mistook because you were scolded and actually yesterday the lady was talking on the phone in the Limited Express even they always make annoucements to go to the end section.

I think the ramen shop you visited is Yoroiya at Dempoin Street.

No worries. 😉 I try to be as respectful as I can. Wherever I visit. Plus my family is from and lives in Japan so I cannot embarrass the family ;)

Well the code seems to be quite different that I saw a Brazilian making a business call at a hotel lobby in a large voice. It was funny the other day that some Americans were surprised by the illustration of no talking on elevators.