Hanami and Ueno zoo

The day was perfect for a stroll through Ueno zoo and the park. The air was tepid, the blossomes were spilling forth from their furled buds into the wind, on the walk ways, and anywhere they wished to be. We took the faithful Yamanote line to Ueno. We squealed over the cute Marimo moss balls on the side of the train! We wanted to see the real ones in Hokkaido one day. I have to say I love how Japanese can turn anything ANYTHING into a mascot! 

As we walked with the large crowds to the park, we noticed the profuse and enchanting atmosphere of the snowy blossoms. I was immediately drawn to the hanami kitties, as I had dubbed them. At the start of the great cobblestone walkway filled with blue tarps and groups of people, there was a tree with two felines. I had seen a photo of these felines online in someone’s blog. It was neat to actually see something of some notoriety. They lay on top of two t-shirts and were quite the pohtotgenic felines. They languidly blinked their eyes at the hordes of people who brandished cell phones, camers, and camcorders in attempts to capture cats enjoying cherry blossoms. Maybe it was a testament to their humanity in that they could enjoy the finer cultural experiences in life. I may have felt the same way If the illusion was not shattered by the owner who hopped over, to adjust the t-shirts and give the cats strong handed strokes and familiarly talked to them.

Only after a bit my attention had waned and I had to look about. J was still very interested in the kitties. My attention was snagged by a cross-dressing Alice. He was dressed in white stockings, blue dress, and a blond wig. There was a gentleman with a large professional camera and another gentleman attached with a microphone. I edged closer and closer, till they couldn’t do anything else but notice my not so subtle intrusion. They looked at me questionly and in my mangled Japanese I requested a photo. Much to my relief their curiosity odd approach turned into pleasant surprise and assenting to a photo, with much posing by Alice! I bowed an thanked them several times. I only wish I had taken a picture with Alice. As I was hugging my camera to my chest, I turned an ran right into J. She asked what I had been up to. I stammered, as if caught in something quite tawdry, and replied I had taken a picture of Alice. J eyed Alice and flatly said, you know that she’s not a she? I nodded.. in which again my strange obsession with crossdressers popped up. I liked it because he had dressed well and wore the dress better than I could! J shook her head and didn’t get it at all.

We continued down the cobblestone walkway, taking in the beauty of the flurry of bright petals and people reclining. They helped themselves to food, liquor, and card games. Some were setting up for larger parties. On my own I would of definitely tried to schmooze into one of these groups, but J was not one for crowds or strangers. She pointed at a small Buddhist temple on the hill. We looked around and then went down again. I wanted to try to capture the festive atmosphere some how. So I paused at the base of the steps where some young men had set up a majong table and were just beginning to play. This time they noticed me right away. I pointed at my camera. One guy offered to take a picture of me. I shook my head and indicated them, playing. One gentleman got it right away and told the others. I thanked them profusely. I loved these candid yet extremely normal pictures. No one would look at them with much awe, but I was glad t have them to remember. I do want to experience Hanami again.. But ALL DAY, into the night! Maybe one day.

J got bored and urged me to do something more interesting. So we went to the zoo. Ueno zoo, being rather large and famous, it was definitely a to do! So we angled ourselves back the same way to get to the zoo. It was opening day for the pandas. At first we were rather excited.. but when J saw the snaking line… we walked right passed the line. Seriously it was larger than a line to Disneyland magic mountain.

J loved the owls and spent the longest there. I liked the enclosure with the goats, sheep, and chickens. By the second half of the zoo, J was very much done. I was able to drag her to the lemurs and then it was time to go. We went out the back instead of walking back toward the front. It was kind of a blessing, because we saw the animals on the man made pound. J of course saw the most detail type of thing. A tiny turtle sunning himself on a rock near some giant hawks. I have to admit, J saw a lot of things I just never even paid any mind. She found neckalces, stuffed animals, gloves.. etc. 

Looks like squid!!

Fish on a stick.. MMMMM!

Takoyaki! Octoballs and tentacles!

We finally exited out the back of the zoo. The pond continued on the outside. There was a small temple in the water, with a bridge extended over the water to link it to land. J decided to go and drink a canned coffee and waited for me standing in the shade of one of the vending machines. I was estatic! I wanted to eat everything there. The bridge was lined on both sides by street food vendors, not just Japanese street food either. There were fish on a stick, dango, fried soba, octoballs.. etc. My money was already dwindling..but I couldn’t convince J to share something with me, so I got something tastey and cheap, which was Dango. There was a small fire and dango on sticks around it. I paid for it and he roasted it a bit, then added the sauce ( somewhat tastes and looks like bq sauce, but a bit sweeter). I brought my prize back, never making it over to the temple. We sat on the curb. I ate my dango and J made noises of disgust. I didn’t dignify with her a reply. The dango was heavenly. Finally curiosity overrode J. She asked to taste the meat I had gotten, even though she didn’t really like meat. I didn’t even say anything, I handed it to her and she took a bite… Her eyes lit up… What was she eating, she asked. I laughed and said it’s not meat at all, it’s stick rice balls that were roasted with sauce on them. After that I had to wrestle it away from her because she began to devour it earnestly. I offered to go get her one, but she contented herself to mine. At that point I had wished she still thought it was meat haha. But it was nice. The weather was beautiful, our canned coffee was tastey, and we shared delicious dango.

After a bit a young couple came to sit on the curb across from us. They shared a can of coffee and the boy slipped out an ashtray from his bag, as well as a cigarette. They shared that too and stared at us while we stared at them. It was a weird and slightly uncomfortable moment. But we all sat and drank our coffees, unabashedly staring at each other for some reason. I wanted to take a picture, but I couldn’t really ask and they wouldn’t offer.. So I had to keep this moment in my head. I think the thing that gets me each time, is the ease in which Japanese people pull out a full ashtray from their bags and just pop a ciggy in a hot minute..