Today is Thursday around noon. I’m staying in for awhile ’cause I’s got some stomach issues going on and want to be around the apartment. I hope to get out soon and go bike riding like I did yesterday. The weather is unbelievable. I know that sun happens everywhere, but I didn’t think Japan, pack the sunscreen and boy, was that a mistake.

While I was riding yesterday, my arms became the color of lobsters … did I think to myself, “go you into those stores you love so and buy sunscreen”? No - I just kept on riding. Luckily for me when I bought the ridiculously expensive face stuff, I also threw in some Bénéfique by Shiseido … Sun Block - SPF 50. Thank God it was 50 because my nose and cheeks are still a little red.

I walked the bike with Marc to the train. I decided to ride for a little bit until I fell into this chain and into a car. The streets are incredibly narrow and there was this gutter next to the street and this car was coming at me and there were two cars behind me and Marc says - “Michele, look out for the gutter!” Which I had totally seen and was already a bit afraid of and then I guess because of all the pressure of the cars and Marc watching, I bit it. I scraped my knee and was humiliated. If I were Japanese, I would probably feel worse about the incident, but I’m American and we’re like cats … we fall down, look around and then lick our paws like nothing ever happened.

Since there aren’t any English street signs, I became completely turned around for a couple of hours. It was fine at first because I had no where to be, but I grew a bit annoyed when I had to go to the bathroom. I went into this park where there was a man feeding the pigeons, two trendy chicks with there little bitty dogs and a homeless man sleeping it off on a bench and checked out the bathroom there. Alas, no only did it not have any tp - it was also one of those squat toilets. I had used one the other day at the coffee shop, but I wasn’t up to revisiting the challenge. So, off I went in search of Marc’s apartment. I came back to this park twice before I came home.

After that adventure, my behind hurt from all that riding so, I decided that I’d read for a couple of hours. I’m reading “The Company” … it is so good. It’s about the CIA - so, I’ve been fairly paranoid this whole trip about being an American. That and I’m a freak and think the world is out to get me because of my nationality. Oh, wait … that’s sort of true, ain’t it?

I went back out and rode some more. Went to the store and looked at all of the stuff there again. I don’t know what it is, but I’m diggin’ these grocery stores. I guess because I can’t read anything that is written. When I left, this little girl on a bike was looking at me so hard that she ran into a post. She was fine.

Now, it’s Friday morning. Yesterday, I finally left the apartment at 3. Went biking for about an hour and a half. At the end of the ride, however, I really couldn’t stand sitting on the bike, so I walked it. I never got lost, but I never really knew where I was either. Found a really great grocery store. I know, I know - I have an obsession with grocery stores. This one had spices that I could read and know what they were and pasta sauces and pasta. Since Marc is working - I’ve been cooking and since I only know Western cooking … well, that’s what I’ve been doing. Last night, we had taco’s and I made him guacamole. Never fear, people, we’re going to Kyoto this weekend and I’ll be only eating Japanese.

If anyone is still reading after this enormous missive, do you have any suggestions of things for me to do today and tomorrow?