Day 2, Skytree

August 3, Saturday

Since my host family bought my plane ticket over here I figured I could spend a couple dollars in gifts for them, so before I left I asked them what they wanted from America. They were shy in their requests:

Crest Toothpaste
Ziplock
A polo for my host dad and sister's husband

The interest in Crest toothpaste was from a tube I left behind when I evac'd out of country a year and a half ago (has it really been that long already?!), the ziplock because it's really expensive here and you can't buy them in bulk. Polos just because they like polos.

So I went to Costco and made sure to to fulfill their order to the fullest extent. I picked up a couple other things I thought they would like as well. Needless to say, I packed a regular sized suitcase with all the stuff I bought for them, which left me only a backpack for my clothes and what-not (and I managed to pack light for once! Go me).

Since my host sister got married she doesn't live in the house anymore so my host mom and I packed up some of the things she requested and totted them onto the train to Shinjuku. She has a cute one room apartment a little ways from the station. Her husband is off doing some business thing in Shizuoka (my city!) and has been gone for about a month! Craziness. She was delighted to see us and equally delighted with the presents (I bought her a cute American Eagle shirt that she insisted on wearing as soon as she  saw it). From her place we proceeded to the Tokyo Sky Tree, a TV receptor (did I use that term right?) that's supposedly the highest building in Tokyo and which they were in the process of building when I was here last year (thank god it survived the quake). But first we has some lunch.

EAT ALL THE THINGS *Nom nom nom*

Our waitress here was super rude according to my host sister and also according to her, "it wouldn't have been so bad had she at least been cute" ...eh herm...alrighty then. 

The sky tree was PACKED. If there is one thing you can say about the Japanese, say that they like to line up for things. It was like being at Disney Land. We waited for an hour and a half just to buy a ticket to go up. My feet were killing me. Then, if you weren't satisfied with how long the initial wait was and you wanted to go all the way up you had to buy two separate tickets. Not only that but you couldn't buy them at the same booth;oh no, you had to wait in line a second time at a different booth on the middle level. 

We only made it to the middle level. 

And the view was only alright because the weather kind of sucked. 

Sky tree is the long thing in the middle,
next to the Asahi golden poop.

it was big.

Jesus F*ck that's a lot of waiting

and of course it was raining.

Can you see Tokyo Tower though? It's
so small compared to Skytree

I don't know what that river is called.

We stayed for about 20 minutes and then headed back down (really, it was like Disney Land but less thrilling; the elevator was pretty fast though and it had neat designs on the inside). 

We thus proceeded onto Ueno were they insisted on buying me a BUNCH of Japanese snack foods. Insisted because they said it was the only thing they could buy for me which made me say "um, excuse me...you bought my plane ticket here remember?", but they couldn't be swayed. Now instead of a suitcase full of Costco goods, I have a suitcase full of dried squid, rice crackers, various sweet things, etc. Time for a party when I get back, I do say. 

This market was pretty neat though

Ueno was another place I failed to get to last
time, even though it was near by.

Now, full of Japanese Okashii (snacks), we headed back to Ikebukuro to meet up to my host dad who just got out of class (he goes to college for fun...?I don't know either) and we had dinner at a nice Izakaya. 

Yes, my host dad is wearing a Spiderman shirt and yes, I approve. 

A perfect ending to a perfect day. Miyuki pointed out a ramen shop that I want to try out before I leave. 

Next up: Evening out with Wayo University friends!

 

Jamie