I had a really nice day in the park today, and it was nice to be able to have a walk around and then relax in a nice park. It was pretty packed with people though, but I was able to find a nice spot to have a sit down and read. I did have to zone out the thrash metal band rehearsing in the arena behind me though....perhaps that's why there weren't that many people there!

I did also have to deal with this Indian guy called Ali who thought that he could chat me up even though I tried to make it clear that I wasn't interested! I was just sitting on the side, minding my own business, and actually about to get up and walk back to the Benzeiten temple for another look. Then this Ali guy came up to me and asked if I was Phillipino. I seem to get that a lot, it's interesting having an Asian face! I don't think I look remotely Phillipino to be honest, but a Phillipino woman asked me that whilst I was in Canada in 1999 so go figure. Anyways, I said I wasn't but that my parents were Chinese. Then he proceded to sit next to me and try to chat me up!! He kept asking me questions, and I didn't really want to just get up and walk off (he wasn't too creepy but he did just keep looking at me which was off-putting) but after a while I just had to get up and leave. He said he wanted to come with me (ewwwwww!!) but I said I preferred to walk by myself! He didn't follow me thankfully!

So, getting to Ueno Park was interesting as the station for the park was absolutely rammed. I went up to the top of a bridge, and all the people just looked so funny, like little ants! I went off into the Park by the way that looked the least crowded, but there was still every husband, wife, child, and dog there!! There were lots of nice little foody stalls in the park too, it's just a shame I didn't know what was in everything! I did treat myself to a chocolate covered banana though :D
There was a cool potato stall that had the whole potato on a stick, but it was sliced up into a potato sort of spiral type thing, and it did look quite cool! The woman who was splicing up the potato had this strange machine to do it so at least it wasn't all done by hand.

The Benzeiten Temple was really nice as well. Benzeiten is the goddess of the arts, wisdom, the sea, and the protector of children, so she covers a lot of ground! There was also a boating pond with funny big swan boats that were white, as well as pink, and yellow! Never seen a yellow or a pink swan before, but I guess maybe they just didn't want to make all white boats?

Found the Toshugo Shrine on my park wandering, but I think it was closed for renovation as you could see the outside gate and fence, but the rest of the shrine was covered up and the covering had a picture of the rest of it. The shrine could have fallen down or something, but I think it was undergoing renovations as my guidebook did say that you could go in it for a small fee.
There was also meant to be a grand fountain in the centre of the park, but it wasn't working today, so that was a bit of a bummer as it would have been nice to see!

I brought my weary legs back to the hotel after that, as it was beginning to get dark and people were also starting to leave in their droves! Amazingly, even though the station is crowded, the trains don't seem to be too bad. I'm probably just going back somewhere where everybody else isn't, so at least I only have to put up with the masses getting into and out of the station!

Haven't really got a set plan for tomorrow but think that it's about time for some souvenir and present shopping to be honest! I've made it through the past few days on very little yen (sushi is fairly cheap, especially as I'm only buying the cucumber one seeing as I have no idea what the others have in them! I so badly want chip shop chips now!) and I've seen so many cute things that I want to buy! All sorts of silly looking sweets and biscuits and things that I'm sure will go down a storm at home! I could fill up my suitcase with all the sweets and biccies they have on offer here and they're not that expensive either! Hurrah! There is a nice little supermarket over the bridge and round the corner from here that does seem to sell different sweets to all the other places I've looked in, so I'll be going back there :D
Shopping does seem to be a Tokyo past-time here, so I'm only fitting in ;D