Saturday 6th April 2002
This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.
Well! We’ve been busy. Cameron went to work all day Thursday, while I had a nice day – did a little work, walked to Yoyogi park, around the shrine (saw a wedding) and back, and then spent a good 2 hours swimming and sauna-ing. Knackered in the evening so had pasta in the hotel.
Yesterday was spent house-hunting with two different agents. We saw one apartment we liked especially (though they have all been good). Then a swim and sushi for tea and another early night. House-hunted again this morning and saw one flat that was wonderful except had no outside bit, and a house that we really like and might go for. Found out that stick men arecalled Kevin*!
This afternoon we went to Ueno. We walked round the park – lots of children going to the zoo and people getting drunk under the cherry blossom. Only the blossom has mostly gone now; this doesn’t seem to worry them. Had fried squid for lunch, followed by chocolate-covered bananas, and saw some turtles sunbathing (“cameron” means “turtle”) then went and wandered round the shopping streets, which are pretty amazing. Very crowded. Decided we would find the pub “warrior celt” before we left, but failed – still, we had a good explore while looking for it.
*I can see some of my asides need explanation. All construction works, holes in the ground, etc are guarded by men with sticks. Sometimes mechanical men with sticks. They point their sticks to help you avoid the hazard as you pass. They are called “Keh-bin” or something along those lines