Mariko’s left! I’m on my own (sorta)!

First, we went across the street to have breakfast at the Pronto. It was better than we expected.

Then we had some time to kill before her taxi came at 12:30. There was a slight panic when her flight from Haneda to Seattle was delayed. She had to re-book her flight in the US. I told her they had way more control at the airport and they fixed her connecting flight with little hassle. Right now I think she’s still en route to the US.

My plan was to get myself to Ueno and wait for my neighbor to arrive tomorrow and hang out with him for the first part of the day. Well, I need to learn how to use a calendar. He’s here already!

There was some mishap where I tried to reserve storage for a bag in Tokyo and my American Express account got locked. I had to re-activate it and that required me to turn on my US phone line at $12/day. That all worked out in multiple ways because the account got unlocked and I received several text messages from my neighbor that he was in Shibuya! So a day earlier than I thought and on the opposite side of Tokyo than what I expected. I had my hotel in Shinjuku hold my bag and went and hung out with him and his buddy for the afternoon.

We wandered around Cat Street and tried the Iyoshi cola where they pour the syrup out of a machine and then mix it with soda water or milk. The cola mix has six ingredients and it’s tasty.

We wandered up Cat Street and found a ramen shop but there was a line. Above the ramen shop was a shumai shop that was very tasty. I don’t think I’ve had Chinese food in Japan in years.

We made it to Meiji Jingu which was nice and relaxing but we went via Takeshita Street which is the opposite of relaxing. It’s a short street, though.

And then back to Shibuya to go to the PDX Taproom. It was full of foreigners and I bet a bunch of people from Portland. There was a table with three people who had the stink of Nike on them. Hahaha.

We split up for the evening and I went back to Shinjuku, got my bags, and got myself to Ueno. I always find it hard to find dinner in Ueno because it seems like there’s more drinking than eating. But I kept seeing “The God Diner” on Google Maps and it said I had to go through a soda machine to get there. I decided to give it a go.

It was pretty kitchy which doesn’t mean it’s bad. It’s loud, in several ways including sound-wise. The train runs directly about the restaurant!

I got the the bacon cheeseburger but that “bacon” is a slab of pork belly.

Also, I should warn you that you should use the “protective hamburger pocket” provided. I’m not sure how but every single ingredient in my burger was slippery and the burger would not hold together. You need the pocket to hold it together. If you ever have the need to stuff a tasty mess of a hamburger into your face in the Ueno area, this is the place to do it! I’d go again in a heartbeat.

And that’s it. I have to book my ticket to Toyama and go soak in the big bath upstairs. I am at a Dormy Inn after all.