It's currently 1:48 a.m., and I'm awake. I woke up slightly after midnight suddenly, still in the clothes I wore yesterday. The last thing I remember is laying down for a breather before wanting to take a shower! Haha. Why did I wake up? Maybe because I really needed to shower; August in Japan is similar to Iowa's hot and muggy weather. Then, I heard soft knocks at my door. Am I imagining this?? I ignored the knocks, thinking I was hearing things. Then my room phone started ringing! What's going on? I picked up, and the receptionist told me I had a phone call. So I wasn't imagining the knocks a few minutes ago? Calling me was Dad and my step mom. They were worried because they hadn't heard from me. I responded to Cindy's e-mail that morning, but they had just forgotten to check it. I spoke with them for about five minutes, and then took a much needed shower. It's actually a good thing they woke me up because I'm heading to Nikko early this morning, and I still had to write this post. I know if I don't write what I do and see at the end of the day, I won't remember. I've experienced so much that I honestly have to try and remember what I did Saturday. To recap, yesterday is a day of unforgettable experiences and memories.
Yesterday I biked in Tokyo, received countless more stares than Saturday, and met various people from the States! First success of the day was that I managed to get from point A to point B with no assistance!! The morning began with a journey to the National Stadium in the the Harajuku. I read that they allow you to rent free bikes to ride around the road that encompasses Meiji-Jingu's outer gardens, which is near the Stadium. The area was yet another beautiful, clean park. There were probably a couple hundred adults biking. Some had the rented bicycles for casual cycling, while others raced like professionals. There were also a couple of areas where attendants taught younger kids how to bike. It was adorable to watch! Riding around the garden, which was actually a blocked off road, I was able to watch people playing baseball, soccer, and tennis at a sports complex adjacent to the course. Depending where I was on the course, I could also view sections of Tokyo's skyline. After a while I took a break to read and sat on a bench, which was placed on a Ginkgo-lined sidewalk-- gorgeous! 
My next step was Shinjuku. For me, this was New York City. LP uses the terms "sensory overload" and "breakneck pace" to describe the area. They were not exaggerating. The people, action, lights, billboards.....It was all so overwhelming. I had looked into booking my hostel in this area, and I'm glad I didn't! I managed to find the store, and they didn't have what I was looking for, so I ventured back towards the station to a different one that I knew was in the area. There, I bumped into my first Americans! I never caught their names, but the guys, one from Washington and the other from D.C., were studying in Japan. They suggested a few sights to see, as well as shopping areas that I had yet to visit. After talking with them, I was back to the subway just as fast as it had brought me.
Next: Harajuku Station. I guess Sundays are the best days to visit because of the fashion. I noticed a male dressed as a nurse wearing a short skirt, white knee-highs, platforms, and a pink wig. But the highlight of the Harajuku Bridge was watching the punk rockers. They. Were. Talented. Look at my pictures. Need I explain more? Looking at my LP map of the area, I decided to venture to to the Meiji Shrine. Looking at the map, I thought, "Oh, that doesn't look too far." Bad idea. Trekking through gravel while wearing Chacos, which are an open-style sandal, was not a good idea. The highlight of this attraction was meeting New Zealander Jonathan. I met him at the Shrine after he sat next to me on a bench. Currently working in Singapore, he decided to visit for a few days before heading back to work. We talked about our travel experiences for a while-- he's literally been everywhere--before we headed back to Harajuku Station.
My last and final stop for the day was Asakuska. Not only was I there for gift shopping, but also to see a temple and shrine, but I couldn't find either of them! Every "you are here" maps were in Japanese, and the LP map threw me off. So with no luck in visiting the temples, I ended up browsing through the stalls of Nakamise-Dori, a pedestrian lane dedicated to serving every tourist's souvenir needs. I loved it! The dolls, trinkets, post cards, clothing... the FOOD! Wafes of goodies could be smelled throughout the street. I bought a fried something that looked like a cookie and green tea. The cookie was everything but healthy. It had anko inside the fried batter, a paste that looks, but doesn't taste, like chocolate and is made from a bean. Naturally, it's one of the best desserts I've ever tasted. After dinner I bought another one. Haha.
For dinner I ate at a sushi bar in an alley adjacent to Nakamise-Dori. As I walked by, I noticed the conveyor belt carrying sushi and decided to try it! I sat down and analyzed the passing raw fish, and heard English! Two chairs down from me were two girls about my age. Come to find out, they are from Chicago! Yen and Amanda were spending a few days in Japan before heading to Vietnam to visit Yen's grandparents. We talked for about 15 minutes before they had to go. It was great to meet them though because they were able to fill me in on Japan's nightlight in Roppongi, known for its partying. It's unfortunate they are leaving today, otherwise we would have met up again!
Even without their company, dinner was amazing. I LOVE sushi, and what better place to eat it than in Japan?! The conveyor belt-type sushi bar was a first for me, but I managed to pick the sushi I wanted based on the sketches and English translations on my tea...mug? Thirty bucks poorer, but fully satisfied, I walked around the area a little bit more and headed back to Ueno. At the station I ran into, yet again, two Americans who were from Florida. They said they "liked my accent." Haha.
It's almost 3 a.m. and I need to catch the 6:30 a.m. train to Nikko so I can beat the crowds. Sayonara!
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