Mars Rover

My first week of school is coming to a close. I do have to say that the first week of school is pretty much the same anywhere. Lots of pointless classes where the teacher talks about how much you have to get done this year, but then proceeds to waste everyone's time by reading through the syllabus together, then some alien being asks a question that our little prof has already read from the syllabus. Good times kids, good times. I have yet to fully decide on my classes, so once I finish up my class shopping, I'll post on my thoughts. 

Now let's get on to the good stuff, HOUSE DESTRUCTION and cute tinyyyy little Japanese trucks and construction equipment that I like to think of as Tonka toys. 

Tonka trucks

I woke up yesterday to the house next door just being straight up demolished. It was awesome. 

After taking a slow Wednesday morning of sleeping in and a lazy day run (with the occasional loud sound of house destruction), I decided to head to West Shinjuku to complete my first trip from the other day (it also helps that my train pass gets me to Shinjuku for free...). After visiting a bookstore and buying some Japanese textbooks and kind of meandering around, I walked over to the famous Shinjuku-Gyoen (Park). Although it costs 200 Yen to get in and is one of the only parks I know of in Japan that costs money, it was definitely worth it and absolutely breathtaking.

It felt so nice to be in the "wilderness" again. The park has a little forest, lots of ponds, and big open grassy areas. Out of the few parks I've visited here, I really have come to appreciate how the Japanese really work hard to utilize their space. Every park seems to be landscaped to the extreme, filled with ponds, trees in every corner, and footpaths that make you feel as if you're in a Miyazaki film. (I always secretly hope that the path will lead me to Totoro). Not only do the Japanese utilize their park space, but they put gardens on roofs, and even use basements for grocery stores(*spoiler alert). There are somethings I would say that the Japanese are not very waste conscious with, but in regards to their space, they always seem to be thinking of how to save it and how to better use it. 

Nom Nom Nom, Hungry Fishes!!

Lots of old Japanese men chilling in the park

Spider!!

The city in the background..

After 散歩-ing (walking) around and appreciating the sunny day of an island in the middle of a rainy week, I headed off to Hanazono-Jinja (Shrine). Unfortunately the shrine was under construction, so I didn't really hang out too long or take too many pictures.  I also went and explored a famous depachika, food floor within a department that is almost always in the basement. I visited this rich ridiculous one with all these fancy Tokyo-ites walking around in high heels buying expensive pastries and chocolates and overpriced vegetables. You truly have to walk around in one for yourself slackjawed to understand how crazy it actually is. 

My day came to a close peacefully with a melon on a stick and the glances of male hosts eyeing my gaijin status from afar.