Komban wa (good afternoon)!

Monday, March 29

The next day I was still craving sushi but hoping not to spend as much money. So I went to Hamada on Basement level 1 (there are 3 basement levels). It was more relaxed atmosphere though there were businessmen at the counter where I sat. I wasn't very impressed with the quality of sushi. Maybe I was spoiled by the excellent version from Genjikoh. Besides, as I was eating, the chef parked himself on the opposite side of the counter from me while he cleaned the squids. Pulling with tweezers each eye, and the clear plastic like spine of each of the 10 squids he processed 3 feet away from me. He also didn't serve wassabi with the sushi and it needed some flavoring badly! The fish tasted like it was soaked in water too long.

In their ad, they boasted to have fresh fish daily because the hotel was so close to tsukiji wholesale fish market . I did love my green tea ice cream. I suppose I've had better ones of that too but theirs was not bad. I had to stop and take a photo of their private room. It seems these restaurants have private rooms which is nice for those who can get in there and enjoy the feature.

Tuesday, March 30

At this point I had a routine. I had packed Carnation cocoa packets from California so I drank this in the mornings in their fine bone china cups with lid and using the nice hot water. Then I hang out and write postcards until the the housekeeper knocks and asks what time she could clean. The answer was the same daily, "12:30 please.". Then I showered and got dressed for lunch and adventure. Then I eat and go to the office center to chat with Mom online. However, this day I had a stomach ache from the mediocre sushi i had the previous day so I ordered room service. I may also be sore due to my stomach muscles I was using while wheeling, something I don't get to do when I'm on my motorized wheelchair.

I had soba (made of buckwheat) noodles with shrimp tempura. It was a mistake. I've seen people eat soba but I had never personally had it. I wanted to be adventurous and not just order what I knew would be good and hot and soupy like udon (wheat). Well, soba was cold. I was disappointed in temperature but the food was so good! I put sesame seeds, seaweed and onion in the soba sauce and the marriage of all those subtle flavors was simply lovely! Their tempura was good too but I simply enjoy the more earthy flavors. I think this was a 3,100¥.

Then I headed to the 20th floor to see some panoramic views of our immediate area. I also went up there to study where I might want to venture out, away from the hotel. I saw a grade school with lovely cherry blossoms. It was spring break so it wasn't crowded and served more as a park. It's the building with the swimming pool in the roof!

Wednesday, March 31

I did wheel out there later in the week. I can't use both legs and my right arm was affected by polio too so I get easily tired depending mainly on my left arm. But I wheeled out there and the strangers who saw me struggling pushed me where I needed to go. From the steep ramp of the hotel to a block away to cross the street to the school. Then same returning. Someone pushed me all the way inside the hotel. It was so nice to get out for an hour and interact with the locals, the people, the cherry blossoms, the birds, etc.

I was beginning to find my artistic expression in photos of the traffic outside the bedroom window too and even inside the bedroom. But I also painted a little with the watercolor supplies I had with me.

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