Stupid Metro

Today, we had talked about checking out Tokyo Tower, but all morning as we homeschooled, we were watching the clouds build up in the sky.  By the time we were done with everyone's studies, it was sprinkling. 

 

 No problem.  Plenty of other things to see.  We decided to figure out the metro system by taking a little trip to a very little museum called the Japanese Sword Museum.  The boys were so pumped about this!  We had to walk in the rain to the Hiroo Station, but we didn't let a little rain dampen our spirits.  It was going to be a great adventure.  I was carrying Audra as we walked to the station in the rain, and behind me a beautiful older Japanese lady came scurrying up and shared her umbrella with me as we walked.  She tried talking to me, but she didn't know English, and I can't seem to grasp any Japanese.  I tried to say "train" in Japanese, but I must have been saying it wrong because she didn't understand me.  It was very sweet of her to share her umbrella with Audra and me, though. 

 Here is the fam after we had taken a few trains.  The kids thought the metro was great!  Audra is giving it two thumbs up in the picture!  :-)  Ray and I thought it was completely confusing, and though he eventually got it figured out, my country girl brain is more confused now than it was before we started.  From here on out, we will refer to the metro as the Stupid Metro.
We got to Shinjuko Station and walked in the rain to the Sword Museum.  We got there just as they were locking the doors.  Seriously?  ARGH!
Well, we spent over an hour figuring out and riding the metro and walking in the rain to get here, there must be something else to do.  We decided to go over to Yoyogi Park.  This is a park that I was wanting to save for the spring, but hey, we're here with nothing to do.  We walked in the rain over to the park.

 On the way, we found this cute little shrine.  It's called Tsushima Shrine. 

 The kids put 1 yen in for good luck (we were needing it by this point).  Logan showed Nathan what to do based on the other shrine we visited the other day.  I don't know if we needed to do the same ritual, but the kids seemed to think so.
We made it to Yoyogi Park, but they were closed today.  Yep.

 By now, it was getting dark.  The kids were soaked and cold.  We were carrying Audra and Nathan because they were too tired to walk.
On our way back to the Stupid Metro, we passed by a hair salon.  Ray needs a haircut, and I was planning on doing it (I cut his and the kids' hair) before we left Laramie.  However, with everything we did on the house to get it ready to sell, I simply did not have time.  The cheapest haircut we could find in Tokyo thus far was 3500 yen ($35).  This hair salon would do it for 1400 yen.  I told Ray we should stop and get his hair cut.

 While he was getting his hair taken care of, I walked back a couple of shops and got some snacks for the kids to sustain them until we made it home.  The bread here kills me.  Six slices in a loaf.  SIX.  That's three sandwiches.  We are not going to buy much bread while we are here.  I found some of those seaweed rice balls that Raymond had bought the other day and a small package of cookies.  When I went to pay for them, I told the clerk "thank you" in Japanese and was really happy that I had remembered what it was.  When I told Raymond later, he asked what I had said.  I told him, and he told me that I said something about "garbage".  Nice.  The clerk was probably thinking, "Stupid American". 

 Got the kids fed and then went in to check on Raymond.  I don't know if it is this way in every salon in Tokyo, but in this salon, you go up to this vending machine type thing and pay for your haircut.  You push the buttons to itemize what you want (cut, color, wash, etc.) and then it will tell you what you owe.  Put in your money and a ticket pops out.  When they are ready to serve you, you give them your ticket and then they know what services you want. 

 Mr. Barber did a very nice job and vacuumed Raymond's head and neck when he was done.  It was amusing to see how Tokyo hair salons function.

 Then, we walked back to the Stupid Metro.

When we got back to Hiroo Station, we came out at a different place than we went in.  Both Ray and I were completely lost and didn't know which way to go to get home.  Suddenly, two sister missionaries in our ward that we had met on Sunday bumped into us!  They told us that they were on their way to an appointment near our home and could walk with us to show us the way.  They never quit smiling as they rattled on and on with the kids the whole way home.  Walked us right to our front porch, where they gave each of us a hug--except for Raymond, he got a handshake--and went smiling on their way to their appointment.  Talk about two angels in a sea of frustration and confusion. 
Not the best of days, but an adventure nonetheless.