Four: 誕生日おめでとう

For the very first time in her life, the Queen is alone and all by herself, far far away in a foreign land, though a much-loved one.

And if the Queen has to make a wish today - just today - it'd probably be that she wishes she would somehow get lost and not make it back home, so she could live in the foreign land for the rest of her life.

Now, that's exactly what's called 'wishful thinking'.


I am feeling very easy, very relaxed, very light today. Just right for a still-sunny Sunday.

I've been on constant vigilance of the weather forecast. The dreaded rain might just hit anytime. Which would then be very 'bleh'.

I wake at the first alarm, but I stay in the horizontal position, drifting in and out of snooze, till I finally roll out of bed at ten.

That's fine. I've got time today. I've got plans.

Nope. No shopping still today. My resistance is holding up very well.

But I will continue to eat, of course. And then, a game to go to. And then, an old friend to catch.

I feel like I have new legs this morning. Thanks to the cooling patches I found at the drug store last night, and which I left overnight stuck to my legs. And so, I find the energy again to take on another mission for lunch.

Yatta!




I am exploring a totally new route, a totally unfamiliar area today.

I do much random research for food from resources everywhere - friends, travel guides, blogs, internet. But the same problem persists. How do I know which of these named restaurants would really turn out good and therefore worth my precious effort?

Remember, I only have that many meals during my stay. They are all precious.

This time, though, I decide to stop being so anal.

And so, a name is picked from my travel guide. I look at the address which totally looks alien. It adds, "Exit A3 from Awajicho Station".

And that's it.

Right.

Someone once said, "An address in Japan is like having no address at all."



Well, I find it. I can't be totally sure, till I see the menu. But it is packed, there is a queue at the front, and people are still streaming in.

I'll skip the details on how I did it, because I can't really remember. But anyway, it's really quite near Exit A3 - just that it's stuck somewhere in the middle of one of the many streets behind A3.

Ah. A pretty, traditional-looking restaurant. It specializes in soba, one of my favorites. It has only elderly ladies serving the floor, who look like they all deserve at least a 20-year service award. Very pleasant and polite though, not one of those grumpy obasans.

And it doesn't accept credit cards, so I am now really looking forward to my food.



I do a simple classic zaru soba. And I add on a prawn tempura, just in case my stomach starts grumbling by 3pm.

I love the fresh handmade soba, but it'd be sweeter if they upsize the portion a little. The moment I slurp up the last strand, I give thanks for the prawn tempura.

Oh, and yes, this is also the first time I see a prawn tempura that does not look like a prawn tempura. But who cares? When it tastes way better than most other prawn tempuras out there.

But the best bit of the meal?

The sobayu they serve unexpectedly just as I am about to finish the soba. This alone adds many points to the score.

The first and only time I've ever tasted sobayu was almost a year ago during a business trip, when the bunch of us was brought to a rather upclass restaurant. I fell in love with it immediately, but I have also never seen it ever since.

Verdict: I will embark on a soba mission next.




It's only just about past noon by the time I finish my meal reluctantly.

I have tons of time before the game starts at two, and the Tokyo Dome is only about a couple of stations away.

Nonetheless, I figure I should still head for the Dome and check out the rest of the place first. Sounds more interesting than where I still am right now.

The minute I get out of the station, I am ecstatic!

A roller coaster!

Thirty one freakin' years, and I have not had a single ride on a roller coaster.

I think I will give myself another treat today, but not before the game starts. Just in case.



I am getting very excited about the game now. I have been thinking about this for a long time, and this was one of the first things-to-do I'd decided upon the moment I decided on this trip.

I checked the schedule on the web site. They are indeed playing a game specially for the Queen on home ground! Why not?

So I bought a ticket online, with some help of course. Very cool.

It's past one-thirty, and I think I should get in and take my seat. Maybe take another piss in the loo, buy some food or beer.

But I almost get squashed on my way in, and I don't know how long it actually took before I get past the gate. Looks like the house's gonna be packed today.

The game starts very punctually at 2. The home team Yomiuri Giants are taking the field first, and they hold the visiting Chunichi Dragons at bay with zero run and three quick strike-outs. But the home run from the Giants first batter is the one that is making me very, very impressed.

But the impression is not staying for very long. The runs from either team remain at a nought, until another home run from the Giants in the fourth inning. And somewhere between the fourth and the last ninth inning, I almost doze off.

A final home run in the last inning seals the game for the Giants with a score of 3 to nothing. I have never seen a baseball game that scores only on home runs.

(Suddenly, I am missing writing for Red Sports =/)

Then again, I haven't really seen that many baseball games live.

A bit lonely and feeling weird sitting through a three-hour game alone, but still... very pleased with my birthday gift thus far.


I finish the day, having dinner with Ai-chan and her mom and dad.

Next summer, I'll go hang out at the beach with Ai-chan. Ai-chan's mom says I may. : )



Babies are the cutest things in the world. Next to dogs.