Imperial Palace

We figured out the Tokyo metro today. Some advice:-

Took train to the Imperial Palace. Still not entirely sure what it is - too tired from yesterday to read signs - weather is "like a sauna" as described by local woman. Ruins from hundreds of years ago anyhow.

This made us feel like we were in Grandad and Bubbles yard:

Some classy bamboo (though the mole tracks around it did NOT make us feel like we were in Grandad's backyard:

Tim and his map together again, me overlooking with a supportive "um hm, dear."

Good example of our MN boy breaking all kinds of protocol - "Stop throwing rocks in the moat Otto!"

Followed by "Off the curb!" and of course:

times 100! Needed to go to the bathroom:

Chose stall next door with regular toilet. Don't you love the child holder as well? This mushroom is screaming "I'm poisonous!"

Next we stopped for a refreshing lunch of ramen and french fries - I'm sparing you one food photo. Then to our first failed mission with a crummy tourist map that didn't have all the small metro stations or even the streets though is took a long time to figure that out and we were so hot and weary. Here is Tim getting a refreshing iced tea only to discover it was corn flavor. It literally tasted like creamed corn. Very bizzare and we both "No you finish it " each other at the same time:

Otto bought a regular water from one of the ubiquitous vending machines:

And we found the world's cutest logo for a delivery company (in a pretty CUTE country):

Gave up and got in a cab - even the driver couldn't find it so we gave up and said "HOTEL" and now are resting peacefully in the lobby air conditioning. Whew.