Oct 6 - Getting by in Tokyo

We have now been here almost two weeks. Lily and i have been finding new things to do each day. We found a nice park nearby..some good french bakeries, and some other little shops for things we need to have on hand at the apt...rice, fruits, eggs,tea....we even found a Japanese dollar store(i mean "yen") ..the apt actually only had two plates, cups, bowls and silverware...so i found something nice i could buy just one of so we could all eat at the same time.We've been having breakfast together at the apt...lunch too..then mostly out for dinners...sushi, noodles, some rice based dish..We also found the starbucks nearby to be nice because they are always playing american music.and..in english..and the same people behind the counter most days, maybe just a little younger than us...friendly.
as far as sightseeing, last weekend we went to Ginza district and visited the fish market. Besides fish, they sold all different kinds of pickled and dried foods , sweets,dishware, teas, and cooking supplies. Lily was a little intimidated by the sight of all the dead fish and the smell, but Drew and I were amazed at how little it smelled because of how fresh it was.We had sushi there, it was excellent.When Lily has sushi ,she just has rice and cucumber or rice and egg..and miso soup..Drew and i usually have at least 3 or four kinds of fish which, to me, ..because its so fresh, i can only tell the difference from the color and its texture..which is good...
Friday ,Lily and i went to the zoo at Ueno Park..which i thought was like Central Park,NYC...... surrounded by museums, theaters, and music halls. I think it was a great relief for Lily to finally be around more kids than adults, as there were lots of school groups at the zoo..
Then today, we went on a boat ride along the Sumidawa( River) or (Gawa) , which runs along a good length of Tokyo...fed by the ocean.I am starting to recognize certain common words on a map like those in parentheses above.On the Japanese maps, the words park, or garden, or river are written with its name as one word;example: Sumidagawa.This is just one of the cultural barriers i'm working thru in trying to understand the Tokyo maps.
The boat ride ended at a garden/ park ( koen).Originally owned by the Imperial family of the 4th Tokugawa Shogun.It is called the Hamarikyu gardens(teien).Inside are a series of ponds, pathways, trees, shrubs and a teahouse called the Nakajima-no-ochaya,(ochaya being teahouse), which was originally built in 1707.Here we stopped to rest with a cup of matcha green tea and a little sweet cake.
Next home to rest up for the big bus tour up north and OUT OFF THE CITY!!!!