NMESI (does that sound like some African word?)

NMESI, or the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan) in Odaiba, is an interesting place to hang out.

On a chilly and windy Thursday afternoon, I made my transfer at Futako Tamagawa to the Oimachi line. All the way to Oimachi, an old lady commented to her older husband (70?) about how torn up my pants are. Of course it's obvious how gaijin I am because I am the only one who feels completely overheated by the obsessive amount of warmth coming from these trains on a slightly chilly fall day. Sorry, but I am from Oregon and probably right now it is freezing rain your ass off...

I make it to Oimachi and go down what like 4 long deescalators (deescalate?) So deep underground that it felt kind of eerie. 4 More stops to Tokyo Teleport, the central station of the Odaiba area island. I get off the train, fully conscious that everyone thinks that I am crazy wearing a tee-shirt. I honestly feel great and the wind is amazing. It's a great day to explore a new place. So I start walking around. Meeting a friend at the next line over, I start walking for that station. Then a text.. she plans to go to another station. Whatever!! I look at the map, which doesn't include that station, so I just go down the stairs and start walking, but I am a little turned around. Luckily there is a Koban right at the bottom of the stairs. I ask the police officers, whose job seems to be giving directions most of the time. I guess it's on the far end of the island. I start walking.

Wow, what a long walk! Maybe I should have hopped on the train!! Whatever.. I feel amazing. I am high on life. I head to the designated rally point and eventually Em and I meet up at the station. Onward to the museum, a mere 500 yen for what might be a good match for OMSI (the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry).

We arrive at the Museum, and there are 50 school kids putzing about outside. To be expected from a Museum right? We go inside, and WABAAMMMMMMM! FREE DAY!!! BOOYAA! For me, an already good day off just got better (sorry but I worked 6 days last week and probably 15 in the last 2 weeks). So free admission and we go inside to check things out.. and of course it's even more cool in some undescribable way than OMSI. It's more modern, newer, warmer, it feels more well designed and less cold and less like a factory.

So after exploring the Museum, we head over to Lotteria, where I sufficiently oversalt the fries and make a spectacle of the whole thing (my final conclusion is that lotteria is just not that great of a place to eat). Yes E.T., the nuggets did taste like crap. Then a walk to the station and back to lotteria to pick up a left behind bag (oops!!).

Off to the Izakaya in Gotanda for more 50 yen beers and endless ranting about work. Woo! Life is too short not to do what you want, right?

I will come back to NMESI to experience the awesome optical trip of the LED pictures and the sound trick stage (CRAZY PRIMATES!!).

Overall, what a great day. Let's hope my Monday (which lands on a Friday) happens to be even a fraction as awesome as today, and I will be a lucky guy.