Under the Sea and Into the Sky

今日の日本語の言葉: suizokukan (pronounced "suizokkan") (水族館) - aquarium

This word was brought to you by where I spent the majority of my day today, chaperoning Ryosuke. It was fun, but let's say I'm never having children.

I woke up today later than usual, having actually finally gotten out of bed at 8:30. That's probably because I went to bed at 2:00 the night before (or I guess, this morning, right?). I was just so caught up in writing, and Anna was actually around for once! But that means I'm totally beat now, and it's not even 6:00. Taking care of Ryosuke also didn't help my tiredness.

It was great fun though! We left the house at 10:00, after Ryosuke finished his homework—he really hates homework, which, I don't understand. I don't think there's ever been an assignment that I haven't enjoyed in some way or another. It was a train adventure, considering I've never been out in that direction before, and the majority of the trip was done in the metro system, rather than JR, which is what I'm more used to. 

But we successfully did it! I can now read the kanji and know the announcements for all the different types of trains too (like rapid, local, semi super express, express, semi express, etc.), so we even managed to catch a good rapid the majority of the way, and then switch over to a local at the right point. I'm pretty proud of myself! The train system isn't the easiest to maneuver around, after all.

When we arrived at Kasai Rinkai Koen station, the first thing Ryosuke told me was that he was hungry. We just ate breakfast about three hours ago, so I don't know how that was possible, but we went and ate anyways at Mc Donald's—per Ryosuke's strong insistence. I think I gained back all I lost hiking yesterday from just that sandwich. -_-"

The park around the aquarium was very nice! It was so calm and relaxing, and the view of the Flower and Diamond ferris wheel was spectacular from almost anywhere. When it was built back in 2001, it was the second largest ferris wheel in the world, coming in at 117 meters. The tallest one now is in Singapore, coming in at 165 meters, if I remember correctly, with a bunch in between it and the F&D wheel. Nevertheless, it's still the biggest in Japan, and you know how I mentioned before that Tokyo loves its ferris wheels!

We stopped to watch a pair of street performers before heading into the aquarium. They were very entertaining, and I was happy to know that I understood them enough to get their jokes, too, even though they were in Japanese. You know, the best thing happened to me two days ago, which I forgot to mention then. I read an advertisement. Now, that's already something I haven't been able to do much, and that in itself made me happy, but what's better is that I got the double meaning! It was a play on words, and I understood! Yattaaaaaa!

Anyways, I'm going to lump all the aquarium stuff right here, before all the pictures, like I did with Takao-san. So this aquarium leaves an amazing first impression. Even from far away, there's that high dome that looks to be bordered by trees until you basically get right up to it. And then, when you actually get there, it's suddenly all open air and water. So much water. And the sun's angle and the water behind it just makes it all glisten even more. It was truly breathtaking, and I would have gone to the aquarium just for the feeling of standing there in that open area, looking at the bay. The only reason I would ever want to be an architect would be to create places that gave you feelings like that.

When we got in, the first thing we encountered was a tank full of sharks and sting rays. Honestly, if this is the first thing we see, the rest of the place must be extra badass—and that it was. They really liked large tanks and impressive displays. They had a large tuna tank, and then a 360 fish tank, which actually were the same tank. But it's seen in various views from different parts of the aquarium, to make it look like there are several. Nevertheless, there's a certain majesty with turning a corner and then coming to that huge thing right in front of your face, and your head naturally turns upward.

They also had a bunch of smaller tanks, though they still like big things. They had a massive great grouper, which was probably as long as Ryosuke is tall. They also had a giant sea coral formation, which I could probably lie on top of, and none of my limbs would touch the ground. Well, maybe they barely would. 

And then there was that penguin area! Oh the penguins! There were so many of them, and they were so cute. Some of them were utterly tiny, while others were like... you know, average large penguin sized. That penguin area was also right near the touch tanks, where Ryosuke got to discover that sea anemones are prickly, and certain sharks just don't bite humans. It took him a while to get comfortable with that, though.

They also had a very cool section where you could walk on the second floor and see the tops and "inner workings" necessary to keep up all the tanks on the first floor. I really enjoyed that section, since you got to see all the tanks from the top down, providing another view than just the usual one-view you get of tanks at most aquariums.

After we finished going through the aquarium, we hit up the cafe for some ice cream, where I got the cutest cone I have ever seen. It's just so squat! And they really didn't skimp on the ice cream. I bit slowly all the way down to the bottom of the cone and there was still ice cream all over. That's quality ice-creamsmanship right there.

We also hit up the gift shop, where I fell in love with all the plushies. They had such cute penguins (including the one that Aaron got for me at the Boston Aquarium), and they also had adorable jellyfish plushies, which were utterly irresistible. Of course, there were pencils, pens, erasers, and other stationery supplies. There were even classic Japanese tea mugs that had penguins and dolphins on them. I would drink so much more tea of I possessed those objects. xD

Then again, I don't drink much of anything but water, so mugs are sort of wasted on me—except for my odd love of eating out of cups with spoons.

I love these fish that hang vertically, floating up and down with the current.
I still don't know the species name, though. D:

It goes 360! 

Don't I look utterly imperial? 

After the aquarium, we headed off to the ferris wheel. It wasn't part of the initial plan to go there, but considering that it's the largest in Japan, I sort of had to go on it now that I was so close. Plus, Ryosuke seemed to want to go on it pretty badly, so he decided it for me. Ferris wheel it was!

From this ferris wheel, you're supposed to be able to see practically every Tokyo landmark, like Disney's castle, the rainbow bridge, Sky Tree, etc.—even Fuji-san. The only one I actually managed to find, though, was Sky Tree. It was too foggy far away to see Fuji-san, I can't tell what bridge is rainbow bridge (so I might have actually seen it anyways), and Disney's castle actually isn't that big... But either way, it was really high up and it gave me a really nice view of the city to one side, and then the sea to the other. 

We found out the hard way that Ryosuke is afraid of heights, even though he said he wasn't. Even though I'm afraid of heights too, the feeling just doesn't occur in a ferris wheel. Maybe it's because of the closed windows and enclosed space, for I'm sure I would feel such terror in an air balloon or something equally open.

It had a little water ride kids could go on before the ferris wheel. xD

That little dome to the right is the aquarium~

Midway point!

Sky tree!

He was a little bit petrified.

I WANT THEM ALL

We headed back home after the ferris wheel. We stopped by a section of vending machines, where I finally found canned hot chocolate! I knew that if canned cold chocolate (not milk chocolate) existed, then the opposite must be true too. I didn't get it though, just because I wasn't in the mood for something so sweet, and because I've really never been able to finish an average sized mug of hot chocolate in my life. 

Ryosuke got the corn drink, however, and he let me have a sip. Now I don't like corn chowder because it's so sweet, but I do love corn just by itself. I was tentative about this thing, considering it could be one of the sweeter corn products. Plus, it just sounded weird. I mean, warm corn juice in a can? Does this happen anywhere else but in Japan? xD

But, to my surprise, it was delicious. It might be my favorite vending machine drink so far (well, except water, but that doesn't count). I'll definitely get it again if I find it, though I haven't really noticed it anywhere. It just tastes like... corn. Good corn. I'm not sure of its nutritional value, but by god, it is utterly divine tasting. I think I might love corn in general just a little too much...

When we got on the train to ride home, we ended up getting in the last car, which had a nice window view into the conductor's room. This view exists in all trains I've ever been in anywhere, but this is the first time that it's been a large window that looks into a lit up room. Nowhere else have I found a conductor so accepting of onlookers. I mean, imagine this in the NY subway system, for example. They'd probably give you the middle finger if you stared. xD

But this conductor was so nice! In between stops, he would write out in quick kanji for Ryosuke what various things were on the dashboard as he pointed to them. He even waved good-bye to us out the window as the train sped off after we left. What a nice guy.

I was so tired by the time I got home. Taking care of Ryosuke took a lot of energy. His favorite pastimes seem to be getting lost, touching things he shouldn't, angering other people by elbowing them aside (for which I then have to apologize in my broken Japanese), and running into traffic. I mean, honestly. I had a headache before we even got into the aquarium.

Now this isn't to say that I didn't have a great time. I really did enjoy it, and since I don't get a chance to dote much on younger siblings (Alex is not really around, and Corbin is still too young for me just to take to the aquarium by myself), I really reveled in this experience. But I don't think I'm having children. I can't deal with them running into traffic every day for seven or eight years of my life. How did my parents do it?! Or all you other parents, for that matter. It's crazy. 

Well, I had dinner by now, and I'm very tired. I just want to go to bed, but I still have some Skyping to do (not to mention Monsters to watch), so I'll still be up for a while. I gave Ayuka her present from the aquarium, since she was so heartbroken that she couldn't come (there was no way I could handle them both). She liked it very much! I'm so happy. She's still thinking of a name for it at the moment, but promised she would tell me once she figured it out.

On that note of happy smiling children, I leave you. I'm going to go and try to write more of chapter two before I start Skyping people.

Good night!

マギー