Back on Schedule!

Communicating with the Japanese is still a little difficult, but you manage with hand signs and a lot of pointing. The culture in general is very well-mannered and respectful. They also seem a little timid. When they try to speak English, they become very apologetic that they aren't saying it right. This is unlike America, where you would often see someone getting aggravated or annoyed that they can't communicate with a foreign visitor. Everyone is very helpful, or as much as they can be.

Last night was the first night that we slept on a normal schedule, so today should be a lot easier.

Today we are planning on visiting Asakusa. This is where the five-story Pagoda and Sensoji Temple are. We have to take the Ginzo subway there. We have been taking JR (Japan Rail), so we will see how this is.

We have extened our stay in Ueno for one more day because we are planning on going to DisneySea tomorrow. It is supposedly like no other Disney park in the world. We'll let you know. :)

On a side note, we had a small leak in our hostel room this morning. It was coming from the ceiling. It dripped for like 10 mins then it stopped. But last night, I woke up hearing rain on the roof - or so I thought. It sounded like a consentrated spot of drops, sort of like a rainspout. I paid no attention it, until this morning when our room was leaking. Good thing we had a coffee pot to catch the drops. This brings me to our bathroom. It's western style, in other words, it's not a hole in the ground. It's raised from the main floor about 8" and resembles one that would be on a boat. So it's really small and completely sealed except for a small drain hole in the corner. We hung up a clothesline in the center of our room so that we can dry our clothes. The small electric dryer in the lobby just wasn't doing it.

The room itself is about 15x15. When we first got here, there were towels, kimona robes and belts layed out on the low-to-the-ground bed. There is a little asian lady with barefeet that cleans the rooms everyday. But we have requested not to have the room cleaned for safety purposes (we have valuables in our room).