Floaties, Fish, Palace and Fuji!!!

Good morning 'Merica!  It is good to be in the land we don't understand anything that is written.  It makes every meal an adventure!   Thank goodness for pictures of food, so at least we have some idea of what our food looks like because God knows we have no idea what it is made of!  This is breakfast! I have zero idea what the floaty thing is, but it's fried and my noodles, accompanied by that floaty thing, was heavenly!  Greg even got a hot noodle bowl with some type of triangular orange thing he had no idea what it was--what did he do?  He ate it, of course.

Post-breakfast we made it back down to the Tsukiji Fish Market! I could walk around there all day!  Apparently, they have about 450 different kinds of fish or sea creatures they sell.  And, each one is cooler then the next.  I took a bunch of photos, but then I started looking like a fish-picture-taking-creeper so I stopped.  (Actually we left.).  Here are a few of the things we saw:

This is an octopus arm in case there is something you want to make with a red octopus arm.  Sliced burger style or just to fry up like octopus tenders.

I had to capture a picture of the little guys Greg ate in his seaweed last night (one of the three weird things).  This picture shows what happens when people like Greg do not eat them while slimy...they get dried out and eaten like popcorn.

Next we headed, with a honey-milk latte coffee of course, to the Imperial Palace.  This is Greg trying to make it into the picture after setting the timer!  Second time is a charm. Oh, right before this picture was taken we saw our first Tokyo runner.  An old guy about 70.  As he went past, I said 'konichiwa!'  He busted up laughing.  What did that mean? :)

This fortress was originally built in the 14th century!  Pretty old, eh?  Buuuuuut, only the walls and moats (pictures below) are original.  The palace itself has been re-built several times due to destruction.

Lastly, we needed to get to the bullet train for Kyoto.  Greg of course worked his miracles in reading symbols to get us on a reserved green line train at 11:33, car 8, row 11, seats C and D.  I just follow him, smile and try to talk to people.  In the train station we both got 'surprise sandwiches.'  Mine looked like ham and mayo---but I am not sure there is mayonnaise here so it could have been anything.  It had a tangy weird taste.  Greg, he got, well we are still not sure.  But, he ate it.  The bullet train is awesome (I am writing this on the train)!  We, meaning Greg, had his eye open for Mt Fuji because at some point during our ride we were expected to pass it.  We (he) saw it covered by clouds....then by some miracle the clouds lowered and we got a GREAT picture!  Highest peak in Japan and one of 3 sacred mountains here (the others include Mt Tate and Mt Haru).  Snow-capped and breath taking!

KYOTO HERE WE COME!!! Stay tuned for more adventures.