It's a 5 o'clock world...

After the workshop last night, we had a welcome reception, which included a buffet and drinks. The food was very good and included Japanese curry, rice, spring rolls, salmon sashimi, and a steamed fish which nobody could tell me the English word for, other than "It's like tuna." Whatever it was, it was very tasty. I also had about 6 glasses of beer, though they were the Japanese 2 oz variety (maybe I had the equivalent of one American bottle...we'll never know).

I stayed up later last night, getting to bed around 10:30 PM. The night ended very well with another computer call to the wife and kid back home--what a perfect way to end the day and go to sleep.

It was one of those nights where I didn't feel like I'd be able to fall asleep, and once I climbed into bed I tossed and turned for about 20 seconds before passing out. I woke up a few times through the night again, and finally climbed out of bed around 4:30. So I got about as much sleep as the previous night, so we'll see how today goes.

Around 5:30 I decided to go for a walk and check out Ueno. I really wanted a coffee and got very excited to see "Mister Donut" but alas, they don't open until 8 AM. I also found a Starbucks that wasn't open until 7 AM. So I wandered a bit and realized that 99% of the businesses were closed. Along the way, I was approached by a Japanese woman who was either asking me a question and trying to be nice or was a hooker. Really, in my mind, it's 50-50 which it was. Not sure what to do, I just kept walking.

I wandered a bit up Ueno park, and found a full on baseball game being played with umps and everything. Pretty interesting see as it was 5:45 AM. I wandered by the "Grand Fountain" and saw a guy picking earthworms off the sidewalk with chopsticks.
I wandered by the zoo as well, but it was gated up and couldn't see anything. So I'm back in the hotel now, about to get ready for some breakfast.

My talk is today and the workshop ends sometime around 3:30 or 4. Not sure what I'll do this evening, but I've got some ideas. We'll see. More later.