Abbey's takin' us to the zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow, and we can stay all day!

... Or at least until dehydration and heat exhaustion force us to the cool embrace of the subway, from whence we shall be whisked home for a cold bath. And yes, folks, the subway system in Tokyo is cool. Literally and figuratively. And it doesn't smell or have strange air wafting in from vents of unknown origin. It's clean. And temperature-controlled. And clean. And surprisingly simple to navigate.

上野 動物園

Ueno Doubutsuen (Zoo)

Anyhoo.. on my last day of solo trekking, I visited Ueno Koen and the Ueno Zoo, and played the role of Creepy Adult Gaijin at the Zoo by Herself Taking Pictures. Eeps!

I won't bore you with my pictures of animals, but instead will creep you out with pictures of children. Actually, just one little girl in particular, who was rather wary of me, but apparently unafraid, because after she caught me snapping this one by the pond...

...she came near me at the petting zoo. I pretended to take a picture of the sheep... but really took it of both of them! Do not underestimate my sneakiness!

One last one for the road: The monorail that will take you between the two sides of the zoo. It costs 100円 or so, "flies" you over the street, and is a general good time to be had by all. I did foot it back, however, and it's not such a bad walk. But the experience, people, the experience!





Unfortunately the day was unbearably hot, and I didn't last long once I finished at the zoo. I tried to walk some more around the park, ended up at a small shrine next to the National Museum of Art, but then just couldn't take it anymore. Home I went.

Tomorrow: A Day With Carlos.