We are finally back home from our adventure... and what and ADVENTURE it has been!! As some of you know our original plans got a huge shake up. But it's honestly a great story and memory that Alejandro and I will never forget!
It all started quite normal and according to plan. We left Miami nice and early towards Dallas to catch a connecting flight to Tokyo. Now I have to admit we kinda knew that there was a Typhoon headed to Japan. But we were supposed to get in just under the wire, before the storm hit. Since in Miami we're used to hurricanes, we figured we'd hunker down and let it pass then continue our trip as if nothing had changed.
Originally we were going to have a long layover in Dallas before catching our flight to Tokyo. But about an hour in Dallas we noticed our flight got cancelled. We ran to the customer service counter, and no problem. They were able to get us on the earlier flight leaving an hour away.
We run to our new gate, changing up our plans of staying in a little Minute Suites for a small nap layover. My anxiety was already thru the roof. But at least we still had a flight out. So I was still ok. But soon enough I started noticing things were taking too long. We hadn't started boarding yet... then I see the pilot exit the plane. Deep down in my gut I knew shit had hit the fan.
I was right. This flight was now cancelled as well. My heart dropped. I was supposed to be in Tokyo for my birthday. That was no longer an option. I wanted to cry. Our trip was ruined in my eyes at that moment. My husband kept it together (for my sake) and got on the phone with American Airlines. The lady on the side of the line was so helpful. She felt so bad my big day was going to get ruined. So she told my husband that we couldn't get into Tokyo for the next few days. But while we waited why not take a free impromptu trip to San Francisco?
We would have to pay for a ton of new hotels we weren't planning for... but we'd get to do something nice for my birthday. So we said ok. Why not? We called our jobs, extended our vacation just two more days... to accommodate and not lose so many days from our Tokyo travels. We called the hotels, booked rooms. And BOOM. This weird adventure began!
Since we got cancelled our first night was in Dallas. The next morning we would take a flight to San Francisco. Our time in Dallas was short, but we still tried to make the best of it. After checking in to our hotel, we went and got a bite to eat. Alejandro said I had to try Jack in the Box... which I had never tried before. It was soooo good!!!! We called it a night pretty early since we didn't get much sleep the night before.
The next morning weather was a little chilly. So after the breakfast at the hotel... we headed to my favorite place in the world..... TARGET!!! But not just a Target... a SUPER TARGET. It was sooo big!! We got some jackets to stay nice and warm. Plus some basic white shirts just in case since our trip was now a couple of days longer. After some lunch at Chic-fil-A we headed back to the hotel and got our stuff together to head to the airport.
Another flight later, and hello San Francisco! We got there pretty late... so we checked into the hotel, eating dinner at the hotel and calling it a night. The next morning we got up nice and early and walked to a nearby CVS for some meds and the Starbucks right next to it for breakfast. Oh yea and it was my birthday!! I had somewhat had forgotten that fact until phone calls started to roll in. After breakfast we took the local transit (BART) to the bay. With no real plans in mind, just trying to see what we could make of the day.
When we got off the BART we started walking towards the bay area, and on the way we stop by a bike rental vendor. After some discussing whether or not this would be a good idea. We decided to go ahead and rent some bikes to be able to get around better. Man did we ride bike! It was a huge test in a way of how much I have progressed physically! We rode all the way to the pier, down the pier, towards the Golden Gate bridge, thru the bridge, and down to the little town of Sausalito. All the while it was fleet week so the whole area was packed!! We got to see some plane demonstrations, which Alejandro loved!! And after biking for hours, we went ahead and had an amazing linner (lunch & dinner) at a restaurant in Sausalito called The Trident.
It might not have been exactly what I had planned for my birthday... but it was honestly a great day. We saw a place we had never seen before and had new experiences and memories made.
The next morning we grabbed a quick bite at a local diner near the hotel... and can I just tell you it BLEW my mind away!! It was sooo yummy and the people were just amazing! After that we grabbed our bags and headed off to get another flight!!!
Back to Dallas we went, where we got there pretty late at night and checked into Minute Suites, who so gracefully were able to accommodate us, from our cancelled reservation to this overnight stay with them. Located right in the terminal we needed to leave from, it was the easiest and most convenient place to stay. I'm not going to say I slept too much... I was too anxious. I don't think I was going to calm down until my butt was on the seat in the plane!
The morning came around and after what seemed like forever... we were finally on the plane! Now a 13 hour flight is all that kept us from Japan! I'm not going to say that a 13 hour flight is super easy or comfortable (because I am realistic)... but honestly it wasn't horrible. It was so worth it just because at long last we were going to get to our bucket list, dream of a lifetime vacation.
We got to Narita Airport around 3 pm. Immediately we first stretched our legs and ran to a restroom! I'm pretty sure that is the first thing people do when they get off a plane half the time!! We then went ahead and bought our train tickets and metro passes. We started heading to the trains when I noticed Alejandro's book-bag (where our toiletries and sweaters were) was not on his shoulders. **Facepalm** Oh Alejandro!! Where did you leave it?? He ran to the restroom in a panic hoping we didn't lose it. Thankfully (as we had heard) the people in Japan are super honest. He got to the restroom, and there were two workers blocking the stall he had used, protecting his book-bag. Thankfully now we could grab the train!!
We got on the train headed to our hotel, thankfully I strategically picked a hotel near a subway stop (Higashi-Nihombashi). Our hotel was in a super chill area but extremely close to everything. We checked in and then went ahead and head out to find some dinner for the night.
We went ahead and stopped at a little spot near our hotel... I wish I knew the name of the place, but it was amazing!! Our whole dinner cost $7!! It was delicious and filling. It was the perfect spot to start our Tokyo journey. We called it a night after that to get ready for our next day.
The next day we got up super early (not planned) pumped for the day ahead. We went to 7-11 (yes 7-11... it's 100 times better in Japan than back home) and grabbed a quick breakfast before heading to our first stop of the day... Senso-ji Temple.
Arriving at Senso-ji it was completely empty... we slowly started noticing that Tokyo didn't start coming alive until after 9 am. Everything was nice and quiet, eerily beautiful and otherworldly. I have to say Senso-ji really left an impression on me. Its simple beauty and the aura of the whole space blew my mind. We picked our fortunes (mine moved me to tears), cleansed ourselves, prayed for ourself and others. It was a beautiful experience that I will never forget.
We then went ahead and visited the Nezu Shrine. This shrine had its own beauty in comparison to Senso-ji. It was a bit smaller, but it made up in different views and landscapes. I honestly enjoyed visiting shrines in Tokyo... not only did I feel so grounded in those spaces, but I feel that I experienced the more cultural and traditional side of Tokyo. Although I didn't get to visit every shrine on my list... I know we will go back one day and I'll be able to see them all!
After a nice lunch we headed to Akihabara for MariCar!! This experience was just hands down FUN!!! We dressed up as different characters and got a 2 hour long drive thru the streets of Tokyo. We passed amazing areas and sights... all the while our guide was taking a ton of pics for us! Honestly for anyone who is even thinking of going to Tokyo... this has to be on your "To Do" list. It was such blast that two hours literally flew by so quickly!!
The next morning we got up nice and early (hitting 7-11 again for our morning meal) to head out to Tokyo Disney Sea! Most people know I am a total Disney freak!! I live, eat and breathe Disney. So of course I have to visit Disney in another country... especially since Tokyo Disney Sea is unique and one of a kind. There is no other park like it (unlike Magic Kingdom/Disneyland which has iterations all over the world). I think I never stopped smiling the whole day long. If Disney here in Florida is amazing... Disney in Tokyo was just done to the 100th degree. It was like art. Everything so perfect and well thought out. The shows and rides unique and amazing... the FOOD blew my mind. I fell in love with the park, practically staying there over 8 hours. Not to mention we had a test of Japan's honesty again, as Alejandro had left his phone in the restroom! Again once he raced back he was able to talk with some gentleman and they let him know that they had turned it in to the nearby shop. Lo and behold all he did was describe his phone and boom there it was!
Eventually we left to rest up a little before going out for a nice fancy dinner in the city. Our most expensive dinner (for good reason) was at an all you can eat A5 Wagyu Beef Yakiniku and Shabu Shabu. It was amazing!! The meat literally melted in your mouth. It was so soft that it broke as you tried to pick it up with your chopsticks! It may have been our most expensive meal (although not even remotely expensive is USA terms... $70 per person for all you can eat A5 beef is a steal) but it was worth every penny.
As if our first two days weren't actioned packed enough... on our third day we went to Odaiba. In Odaiba there's a ton of fun things to do. We got there nice and early to be the first ones in for Team Lab Borderless. An art installation using digital art in a huge space! It was so fricken cool!!! All the colors, lights and sounds making this blank building into a huge piece of art. We literally spent hours in the space, walking thru all the different rooms and exhibits. None of our pictures really do justice to the beauty and awe we felt of this space. It really is worth taking your time to see.
We for sure took our time there!! We got there around 8am and left the space around 1pm. But you need that time to be able to see just about everything the space has to offer, since the art moves all thru the space and nothing remains quite the same for too long.
Afterwards we were starving... and what just so happens to be at the exit of Team Lab Borderless? Wendy's! So although we tried to stay away from foods we had back home... we just had to try it. One, because we were starving. And two, because we actually wanted to compare and see the difference between fast food in Tokyo and back home. Oh boy what a difference there was! Let's just say Tokyo knows how to do food, even fast food better than most other places.
After lunch we grabbed a quick ride on the huge ferris wheel in Odaiba before heading to see the huge Gundam statue by Diver City Mall. We walked around that area a bit before heading to Tokyo Joypolis. OMG Joypolis was so much fun!!! Think of a Dave & Busters on steroids! Amazing arcade games... but then super cool VR rides and games. Even a rollercoaster!! All inside in a three story building!! We spent the rest of the night there riding every attraction we could, and having loads of fun till pretty late at night.
The next day we decided to hit up Shinjuku and Harajuku. We first decided to go up the Metropolitan Government Building to visit the free observatory they offer. But once we got up there we saw... nothing! It was such a cloudy day, that the clouds covered the windows entirely. Visibility was zip! So we decided to make the best of it and sat at the cafe in the observatory deck and got something to drink. While we were there we noticed this lovely piano all decorated. It said it was a public piano for all to use and share their art. Alejandro joked about going up and playing the only song he knew... which he was glad he didn't do once we saw a gentleman go up and start playing some amazing classical music. He was there with a ton of sheet music and an older lady. We strikes up a conversation with her... and I have to tell you she was the sweetest and cutest thing in the world! After some time she asked us for our names and address so that she could send us a postcard. We couldn't believe how adorable she was! So we asked for her name and address as well so we could send her one too when we got back home. So she plucked out a picture she had shown us, and on the back wrote her info, the found a stamp the observatory deck has and stamped it as well. It was such an adorable and genuinely beautiful moment. Something that I don't think we will ever forget.
We caught a quick lunch in Shibuya before continuing at Denny's. Yes Denny's. But I will tell you... yet again Tokyo food does not compare. They made Denny's into a fancy restaurant with amazing food! Not just some local breakfast diner we're used to here in the states.
We then headed to Harajuku to walk down the famous Takeshita Street. This area was full of people, color, and different sights! Although people usually love this area... I will be 100% honest and say it wasn't my favorite spot. Out of all the things we saw, Harajuku just didn't cut it for me. But then again we didn't visit too many things there... so I am always open to trying it again next time!
We ended the night at an amazing ramen shop, and met a lovely couple who originally were from California that now lived in Tokyo. We spent the whole dinner making conversation and really enjoyed the night!
Our last day in Tokyo we ended it on a nice note. Early in the morning we headed over to the Imperial Palace... but like always we woke up too early and it wasn't open yet. So we went ahead and looked in the nearby area for some breakfast. We stumbled on this cute coffee shop that had the yummiest pastries and delicious coffee. Then we headed to 7-11 (it honestly became on of our favorite places) and grabbed some food to have a picnic in the Imperial Palace.
We entered into the palace grounds and were just in awe of the gardens and the architecture. There was so much beauty and history everywhere you looked. So pristine and clean. There were some areas blocked off, since right after we left Japan they would be hosting the new Emperors coronation there. So they were fully underway with preparations. But still it was such a site to see!
We headed back to the Shibuya and Shinjuku areas for a quick bite to eat and some light store browsing. We eventually stumbled upon a food court that honestly put all our food courts to shame. The desserts in the food court area looked like jewelry stores. Everything so perfect and beautiful! Almost too pretty to eat!! It was a great way to end the night. And like Alejandro said, thank god we didn't find this place at the beginning of our trip otherwise we would be completely broke!!!
All in all the trip was amazing. Such an adventure and journey half way across the world (after some minor pit stops) that we will never forget! We most likely will go back to Tokyo again. There's just so much to see that we didn't have the chance to see. Plus there's also the rest of Japan that we need to see as well! So adventure is still out there... who knows what will happen next?
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