So Katie and I had to face Tokyo alone today. We needed to complete the final step to our visas being long-term. This time the boys had to work so we were going to have to put on our big girl pants and do this one just the girls. We hit the 10:00 train out of Tsukuba and began our first trip to Tokyo without the boys. Since we got to the train early we got good seats. Reagan enjoyed having her own seat to bounce around in but also thought she should bounce around in ours as well.
The girls on the train (I kind of got cut out)
Reagan and I on the train
After arriving in Tokyo, we continued our trek, helping each other remember which way to go and which train/bus to hit next to get to the Immigration Office. We had made the trip twice with the boys but this time we had to remember all the stops ourselves. It was easy enough and within an hour we had finished the business we had come to do. We were officially long-term visa holders and now it was time to do some exploring. We didn’t really have anything planned so we looked at one of the tour maps Matt sent with me and decided on Shimbashi. It was not far from Akihabara where we take the Tsukuba Express home and we hadn’t been there yet so it seemed like a good place to stop and explore. So we get off at the train station and the confusion begins. Umm, which way to go. We had an idea of an area we wanted to head toward. We were trying to head toward the bay to find some good seafood and then check out some gardens that were near by. We started looking up since there was sky scrapers everywhere trying to read something that would be on the map. Finally we found a building we knew wasn’t in the way we were trying to go and just went the other direction.
Like an hour later and at least 7 different flights of stairs (oh and we have the stroller so we are carrying the stroller with Reagan in it up and down all of these stairways), we finally get across a major intersection feel we were going the right direction. That feeling last about 5 minutes when we realized again we had no idea where we were. Luckily we happened to be standing right in front of a tourism office with this confused look and a very helpful (English speaking I might add) lady came out and ask us if she could help. She gave us a map and pointed us in the right direction. Before we left we ask for a restaurant suggestion. She got us another map and told us about a sushi place a couple blocks away. Perfect! We love sushi and we were looking for seafood plus at this point we were starving and would have settle with about anything. The sushi was great and Reagan enjoyed her PB&J I brought her. We felt much better and headed off to the gardens we were looking for. Right as we got to the gate we realize how late it is and how tired Reagan look and decided we should head home. Of course like a block into our walk back to the train station she was out. Being optimistic I decided well good she can nap the trip home.
So sweet when she is sleeping
HAHA! Wait what kid actually does that for their mom. She napped just long enough for us to take the JR train back to Akihabara and for us to get on the Tsukuba Express to head back. She woke up minutes after we got on the 50 minute train ride home. Oh well she played nicely and we got back to town around 4:00. It was nice to have not spent all day there this time. It is very draining when we do that. Pretty good trip to Tokyo and Katie and I pulled it off with all by ourselves.
Wednesday night Matt came in and informed me we were headed to Tokyo the next day. We need to go to the Immigration Office and start the process on changing our visas from 90 day to long term. We hit the 10:00 am train to Tokyo and went straight to the Immigration Office to get that out of the way. Matt’s experience with the Immigration Office is it can make for a very long day. We must have picked a good day because we were in and out in less than an hour. So we headed out for lunch. We decided on a quick, cheap lunch so we could get going and then have a nice dinner. We went to a little fast food restaurant by the station and got gyudon (thinly sliced beef on top of rice in a bowl).
Reagan Petting the Guinea Pigs
We had decided the night before to have a Reagan friendly day so after lunch we headed to the Ueno Zoo. It was a pretty big zoo but we found our favorite spot only five minutes in. They had spider monkeys! I now know what my favorite zoo animal is. Seth went as far as to ask Katie if he could take one home. They swing around like crazy and use their tails like another limb. Even though we could have spent the whole day just watching them, we managed to pull ourselves away and check out the rest of Ueno Zoo. I have to admit though we did come back before we left to stare in awe of them for a few more minutes. It took us over four hours to see the whole zoo. Reagan loved it but it was really hot and naptime so she did get a little fussy about half way through. She crashed out for a bit but didn’t sleep long . . . too much going on around us. I think her favorite part was either the monkeys or the petting zoo. They had a section with rabbits, baby chickens, mice, and guinea pigs that you could hold and play with.
"Pleeease can I have it?"
Uncle Seth, Aunt Katie, and Regan
After the Zoo we went to a little amusement park for kids right across from the Zoo. Reagan rode a few ride and we got some ice cream. We went to the park to eat our ice cream and let her play for a bit. Pretty much a perfect day for an almost two year old: Zoo, rides, ice cream, and a playground.
We did try to sneak a few pictures as a family into the day but Reagan was way more interested in playing.
Our Family in Ueno
After the park we were all getting hungry so we decided to head back towards the train station and just find something close. We found a great curry restaurant on top of this huge electronic store. It was really good. I am falling in love with this thing called Naan. It is right up there with tortillas and the cheese naan is a pretty good replacement for a good ‘ole quesadilla. We caught the 8:00 pm train home and called it a night. The trips to Tokyo really wear us out.
So to finish off a very long week, we wanted to take Matt’s friend to see Tokyo before he left plus we had only been to one small part of Tokyo so it was a good time for Matt to get to show me more. We decided to let the Walkers and Justin go ahead of us since all we had done was run for four days straight and Reagan was really starting to get worn out. We had a slow morning and got to the trains about 10:00. The first thing on the list that day was to get a part of the Immigration office stuff started. Katie, Reagan, and I needed to change our visas from 90 days to long term. We got to the immigration office about 11:30 to find out Katie and Seth had accidentally left one of the papers at home. So we decided that would just have to wait for another day. Since we were all hungry next thing on our list was to find food. Matt and Seth had been to Ebisu Gardens and wanted to take Justin there so that is where we started. We had lunch out on the promenade area. It was beautiful. We even got a great picture of Reagan taking it all in.After lunch we headed to the Yebisu Beer Museum. It was pretty interesting and we finished the tour with a nice cold drink. Next on the agenda was to see the busiest intersection in the world. Oh course Reagan crashed on the way over so we got to have some fun picture taking with her passed out and tons of people walking past.
She was oblivious to the fact she was in a very popular intersection. Matt and I also took a picture together in the middle of the chaos. Loving each other when the rest of the world was whizzing past.
After that we decided to head to Ueno. Seth, Katie and Justin wanted to see the shrine over the lake but I was just about Shrined out so my vote was for just walking around the park. We first headed out to find the Ueno Zoo but when we found it we realized one it was about to close and it was more of an all day thing not an one hour thing. We did end up going to the Zoo a couple weeks later and you can read about that soon. So since the Zoo was closing we settled on a play area and just let Reagan run around for a bit. She didn’t want to leave the park and we snapped this photo of her standing pouting. She looks so small. One the way to the train station we were letting Reagan just walk next to us and play and we happen to notice two people covertly trying to take pictures of her. We just laughed and told them it was fine. All the sudden our little baby girl turned on the charm. She was posing for them and when they quit taking pictures she fussed until they took some more. I was somewhere in between embarrassed and quite amused. Next on the list for the day was to go to the Tokyo Tower. We hit the next train and got to the Tokyo Tower about 6:30. Almost perfect timing for seeing the sunset but I guess other people had this idea as well because there was an hour wait to get to the top. We decided we had made Reagan wait enough that week and decided dinner was a better idea. On our way back to the train station we walked past an English pub and decided that was just fine. It was really good and we even got to have some chicken wings. It was cool to see Tokyo but unreal how little we actually saw. We couldn’t see all of it if we went every weekend but we are up to the challenge to see as much as possible. Keep checking on the blog, there will be plenty more Tokyo adventures.
To add to our week full of adventure, Wednesday we decided to climb Tsukuba-san. We had a little bit of a lazy morning so we headed out mid-morning. We caught a bus that takes about 45 minutes to get to trail-head. Reagan is really loving public transportation because that means no car seats for her. The hike took us about an hour. A little longer than if Matt was by himself but I am just not use to hiking like that. Between the altitude and it being the Stair Master 3000, I had to stop every 10-15 minutes to catch my breath and catch up with Matt. The worst part is Matt had Reagan on his back. Now that adds to the hike. If you add her weight and the weight of the backpack it's probably about 35 extra pounds Matt was hiking with. But . . . we, ha who am I trying to kid, I made it to the top. We know Matt had no problems being the mountain man he is. Added bonus though, Reagan slept most of the hike. It was just beautiful when we got to the top. Not just the view but the idea of that we would be taking a cable car down.
Matt and Reagan
We’d brought our lunch so we ate at the top of this spinning restaurant. Then we went up on top of the roof to get an ever better view of the area and take a couple pics. After lunch we ate some well deserved soft-cream (soft-serve ice-cream) and of course Reagan loved it. The ride down was amazing. Just a few minutes in a cable car and we were back at the trail-head.
Reagan Enjoying Soft-cream
Riding Down
As we were walking out, Matt spotted some flowers and took some great pictures.
Day 3
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Miyojima Island
Sprint to the train, again.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
The rain was gone and the sun was out, it was a beautiful day in Hiroshima. The first stop of the day was to visit the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima (official site here). I was excited to see the park but also to remember the people and families that are directly affected by acts of war, past present and future. All of the things I have seen so far in Japan are about Japan's history, so the peace park really interested me because it is world history. Now that I think about it, I don't think I have ever been to a place/museum that is on the same magnitude as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Also, I don't think I have been any where in the US that reflect or depict major events in US history. Wait I take that back, I have been to ground zero and it is a very emotional site. It represents what terrorism can do and that it must be stopped. With that said I guess I will be adding some places to my bucket-list.
The first thing you see when you get off the streetcar is the A-Bomb Dome. This building was the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall before the bomb. The bomb detonated almost right above it so there wasn't much lateral force applied to the building, this is the main reason it wasn't leveled.
A-Bomb Dome at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
This panoramic picture was displayed in the museum and was taken not long after the atomic bomb. You can see the A-Bomb Dome on the left side.
Panoramic View of Hiroshima After the Atomic Bomb
Hiroshima Pre A-Bomb
Hiroshima Post A-Bomb
There is also a monument for the children that where killed by the bomb. That day there were many groups of school kids of all ages touring the park. There was one group that sang a few songs and read aloud some letters (maybe prayers?).
Children's Monument
Folded Paper Cranes
The Peace Memorial Park was very nice and presents a lot of information about the A-Bomb and the efforts for world peace.
Miyajim
After the park, we took a train then a ferry to the island of Itsukushima aka Miyajim (the Shrine Island). When the tide is up the the torii (the orange gate) is completely surrounded by water and is known as the "floating" torii. Also the shrine itself is built on stilts so the water is underneath it when the tide is up.
Miyajim
Chelsae with the deer
The guide book talked about the friendly deer that are on the island, but we never expected them to be this friendly. We saw probably at least 50 deer just hanging out with all the tourist. The stroller must have had some food in it because one deer started to get real interested in Chelsae and the stroller. At first it was funny, but as the deer became more persistent Chels just pushed the stroller and walked away. Did I mention that Reagan was in the stroller? As Chels went to save herself, Seth grab the stroller and the deer lost interest. No body was ever in danger but it was really funny. The best part is that I caught it on film.
Traditional Ceremony
It had been a long hot day so we took Reagan's clothes off and let her play in the water.
Family at Miyajima
This is when the trip gets really exciting or stressful, depending on how you look at it. Finishing up our lunch of famous Hiroshima area oysters we started to realize that we need to get going because we still have a ferry ride and a 45 minute train ride back to the Hiroshima station. Let the running begin. We ran to catch the ferry, then quickly made our way to the train station to catch a train back to Hiroshima. On the train is when it became apparent that we might actually not make it to the Shinkansen on time. We had something like 50 minutes before it left and we were like 45 minutes away from the station. Even though the girls were being pessimistic, Seth and I stayed optimistic and devised a plan. As soon as the doors opened at the station we would sprint to the Shinkansen platform, regroup there and some how delay the train if need be. It would be Seth then Katie, Chelsae and then me with Reagan in the stroller. Justin didn't have to really worry about it because his train left later. Well, only one of these steps were partially executed. When the doors opened we had something like three minutes to get to the platform. Out of the gate first was Seth then the rest of us followed. At the first escalator I told Chelsae to catch up with Katie and follow Seth. Justin stayed back and helped me up the first escalator with Reagan. At the top of the escalator I took off running pushing the stroller has fast as I could. The next escalator I picked up the whole stroller with Reagan in and ran up it. The train was still there but I didn't see anyone on the platform. They must be on the train since I should be the slowest with Reagan. I boarded the train and double checked to see if it was the right one. Once I did the doors closed and the train starting moving. I thought to myself, "Wow that was close but I made it, so the others must have too." Well that was a short lived thought. As I'm making my way to our seats I meet Seth (alone) in one of the cars. Both us of asked, "Are the girls with you?" We instantly knew the answer. "No."
Without cellphones, all we could really do is hope that they could catch the next train. Seth was thinking the girls would be pretty upset since we left them. I wasn't sure about Katie but I knew Chelsae would be excited to be on the next train because she would actually get to relax and sleep without having Reagan. She might have actually done it on purpose, maybe I'll miss the train without Reagan next time. Anyways, we weren't too worried about them because Justin was also there (hard to miss 6ft-something Justin) and the Japanese are really helpful.
Reagan actually did really well on the train. I think it helped that she had her own seat. When she started getting tired I put her in the stroller and pushed her up and down the train for a little while to put her to sleep. She actually slept for an hour and a half or so which was nice. Four hours later we arrived in Tokyo and we checked to see when the next train would arrive. Being Japan the next one was only 10 minutes behind us. Seth and I just waited by the stairs and a few minutes later the girls came walking down. Chelsae was smiling and said something like, "Well, how was the 4 hours on the train with Reagan?"(with sarcasm).
This is their side of the story. Katie was chasing a person that looked like Seth through the station and Chelsae was following Katie. At some point they lost that person and got lost in the station and was almost completely outside of the station. Once they finally found their way to the platform Justin was there and he told them he saw me get on the train. Then a guy came up and asked if they were looking for their bearded friend. The stranger said that there was a guy with a beard sticking his head out of the train looking for someone. So with these details the girls knew that we were on the train. Chelsae and Katie got their tickets changed for the next train and boarded just 10 minutes later.
Well, what did we learn from this? One, stay together or at least with your partner preferably your spouse. Two, if you miss the Shinkansen you can easily board the next one for no fee in the non-reserve section. Three, stay optimistic and you will make the train.
The trip was great. It was fun, exciting, quick, and a little stressful all rolled into one. I am so glad that we did it and were able to share the experience with Justin.
Day 2
Market in Kyoto
Nijo Castle
Kyoto Tower
Shinkansen to Hiroshima
Hiroshima Castle
Great dinner
Day 2 was split up between Kyoto and Hiroshima. After waking up at 9 or so and checking out we had breakfast downstairs in the Starbucks. Chelsae really wanted to see the Nishiki Market that she read about. This is what the guide book said, "Known as 'Kyoto's Kitchen,' Nishiki Market has a history of several centuries, and many stores have been operated by the same families for generations." The market was close to the hotel so it was first on the agenda. Very quickly I realized why it was called "Kyoto's Kitchen." There were fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, baked goods, dried goods, pickled goods, and some mysterious things too. The narrow covered pathway stretched for at least four blocks with over a hundred stores. Chelsae said it reminded her of the cooking shows when the chefs go to the oriental markets for their ingredients.
After the market we took a bus to the Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo). The area and parts of the castle date back to the early 1600s. There are two moats, one outer and one inner. Some buildings have been burned and moved but there are still some original ones, most notably the large Niomaru Palace. The palace has Nightingale floors which are designed to make a chirping noise when walked upon (see video below). It is a security measure to prevent anyone from being able to sneak through the hallways. The palace is 35,500 sq.ft and has 33 rooms. Some of the rooms even have hidden doors so guards could come in if needed. The castle was magnificent and the grounds were perfectly manicured.
Video of Nightingale floors. Sorry the video is a little shaky, it isn't mine. No video or pictures were allowed.
Castle inside the inner moat
One of the many gardens
Once done at the castle we took another bus to the train station. We still had two hours before our train left for Hiroshima so we went to the Kyoto Tower next to the station. Bought a ticket and rode the elevator up 100 m (328 ft) to the observation deck. The tower was built in the 60s and it definitely resembled that. From the tower we saw a few rooftop gardens that were really interesting, and it was nice to see a 360˚ view of Kyoto, just too bad it wasn't a clear day.
Kyoto Tower
Kyoto from the Kyoto Tower
Rooftop Gardens
The Kyoto station was also amazing. We didn't really get to see it when we arrived in Kyoto because we took the underground walkway for over half a mile to get to our hotel. The station has 11 stories and there are escalators all the way to the top, pretty crazy. (Sorry the picture is a little dark)
Kyoto Station
We boarded our train with no problems and arrived in Hiroshima two hours later. When we arrived in Hiroshima it was raining and didn't look promising. We donned our rain gear and walked to our hotel. Again, since we barely had 24 hours in Hiroshima we had to go do something rain or shine. The majority voted to go see the Hiroshima castle first. We walked for a while and finally found it after accidentally going into a large garden thinking it was it. At this point Reagan decided that it would be a good time to take a nap as we arrived at the castle. Since we needed her to take nap Chelsae, being a great wife/mother, watched her while I went through the castle. The castle was interesting but it was actually a museum showcasing Hiroshima's history before WW II. Not saying it was bad, just not what I was expecting. Also note that this picture is not mine, due to the fact that it was raining so much I wasn't able to take any.
After the castle/museum it was time to find something to eat. Of course we had to investigate a few different restaurants before making a decision. We decided on the restaurant that was on the 4th floor with a view, and it was also a place that you cooked at your table. The problem was that they didn't have an English menu nor did they even have a picture menu. We wanted an adventure, I had a Japanese Phrasebook and I knew how to ask "What do you recommend?" How bad could it be. The restaurant was very nice and each table was in a some what secluded room. Our room also was situated next to a window over looking one of the main streets in Hiroshima. Each room had a sliding door and they all had traditional Japanese tables, the ones where you sit on a cushion on the ground. After asking our server her recommendations we ordered what she pointed at. Shortly after she brought out a bucket of coals and placed them in the grill. Then she brought the first round of meats and it turned out to be chicken and beef. We quickly cooked those up and ordered some more. The food was delicious and it was a lot of fun not knowing what to expect. After dinner we headed to the hotel to rest our tired and sore feet.
Day 1
Run to train
Shinkensen to Kyoto
To the Temple
Crazy Artist
Sushi Dinner
“Mexican” Bar
I haven’t done any extensive research but I would venture to say that the two most popular destinations in Japan are Tokyo and Kyoto. Tokyo is the large metropolis of Japan with its own beauty, and Kyoto is the majestic/historic area of Japan with a completely different beauty. So naturally Kyoto was the next place on the Japan bucket-list. We probably would have planned this trip a little later in the year but our friend Justin came to visit us and he expressed interest in Kyoto. We also decided to see Hiroshima being that it was only 2 hours away from Kyoto.
Trip itinerary:
Tsukuba Sunday, June 6th ~8:00 a.m. to Tokyo
Tokyo to Kyoto on the Bullet train ~10:00 a.m.
Arrive in Kyoto 12:00 p.m.
Leave Kyoto Monday, June 7th ~1:00 p.m. to Hiroshima
Leave Hiroshima Tuesday, June 8th ~4:00 p.m. to Tokyo
Tokyo to Tsukuba
We didn’t want to leave our bikes at the Tsukuba station for three days so we had to walk to the station. It turns out that if you underestimate the time required to get some where and you also leave the starting point (the Ninomiya house) late, then you will be running no wait sprinting to catch the train. I bring this up because this is exactly how we started our trip and would prove to be foreshadowing for the rest of the trip. After sprinting 200 yards down two escalators with 30 pound backpacks, Reagan in my arms and Chelsae carrying the stroller we made it sweaty and out of breath. An hour later we were in Tokyo with plenty of time to board the Shinkansen (the Bullet Train). So we probably could have taken the next train but we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss the Shinkansen (foreshadowing).
The Shinkansen N700 has a top speed of 300 km/h (186mph). It took us 2.5 hours to get to Kyoto but the train was very nice with a lot of leg room and seats that actually reclined. Reagan didn’t sleep at all, she was just bouncing from seat to seat and up and down. It made for a longer trip but not too big of a deal. Riding the Shinkansen is like flying, it is extremely smooth with just a slight air-humming noise. One of the interesting things about the trains is when you go through a tunnel at high speed. Because of the tunnel the air that is being displaced by the train can not escape quickly so the air is compressed and the pressure inside the tunnel is increased. You then feel this change in pressure in your ears like when you fly. I was shocked the first time it happened but once I thought about it, it makes sense and I guess it’s not really that strange.
Kyoto
Making our way to our hotel we stopped at a Soba restaurant to grab some lunch. It was the third stop because the other restaurants we tried were full but I think it turned out to be the best choice. Right as we walked in there were three people making the Soba noodles that we were about to consume. We were lead up a narrow steep stairway and remember that we have our large backpacks, and Reagan is now asleep in her stroller. So we picked up the whole stroller and walked her up the stairs, this princess thing is really coming true for her. They seated us in our own dinning-room that had a door that we could close. It was very nice, quiet and secluded. The food was great, the atmosphere was wonderful and the air conditioning was cold.
After checking into the hotel and unloading some stuff from our backpacks we headed out to explore Kyoto. In the Kyoto guide it says that if you don’t have a plan it is possible to get over whelmed and just spend all day looking at a few temples and shrines. Since we didn’t have that much time we wanted to make sure that this didn’t happen to us. First stop was the Kiyomizu-dera temple. In the guide book it seemed to be one of the best temples to go to. It was built up on a hill and provided a nice scenic view of Kyoto.
Being there were going to be a lot of stairs to climb we took Reagan out of the stroller and left the stroller off to the side of the main gate. Don’t worry, the stroller was still there when we got back even though Chelsae was really worried about it. This was our first time to have Reagan out with a lot of Japanese people around and everyone was constantly stopping to look at her. I mean everyone, men and women both young and old. They always stop and say "かわいい (Kawaii)" which means cute. Please note, when I talk about this I'm not trying to brag or anything and I am really not exaggerating about then number of people. The bad/funny thing is Reagan is starting to know they are adoring her. Now when people have cameras she starts posing for them, and wants them to take her picture. It's funny and cute and the Japanese love it. Reagan also felt she needed to be in both the girls and guys pictures at the main gate.
In front of the main gate to the Kiyomizu-dera Temple
In front of the main gate to the Kiyomizu-dera Temple
The Kiyomizu-dera Temple.
After the temple we didn't have much of a plan but we found an area map and decided to walk towards a large park. We found the Maruyama Park and it was a really beautiful park. At the entrance there was a sign and it read. "This area was a deserted place covered with shrubs and weeds three hundred years ago. In 1886 it was designated as a park site an was created and enlarged. In 1913 it was made over by Jihei Ogawa, a landscape gardener who had previously designed the well-known gardens of Heian Shrine and Murin-an. This park is a typical Japanese park especially noted for its big drooping cherry trees and other various kinds of cherry trees. In the spring quite a lot of visitors come to this park night and day in order to see the beautiful cherry blossoms."
It was getting close to six and we started to make our way back to the hotel. Crossing a bridge we noticed a large group of people sitting down on the river bank watching something. As I started to get closer I could see that there was a person painting on canvas and I heard techno music playing. Then as I walked down to the river bank I realized that the artist was also playing/creating the techno music from a "turntable" slung around his shoulder. We had to stay and watch this, I mean come on music and art. I am glad that I took some video of it because it would be pretty hard for me to describe it with text. Take a look for yourself below.
Back at the hotel we showered and got ready quickly to go eat. We walked back towards the area where the art/music show was to find a restaurant. After looking at a few and finding some closed restaurants we decided to eat at this sushi restaurant that overlooked the river. After some great sushi we went to this "Mexican" restaurant that we saw while on our search for food. They advertised margaritas out front and we thought it would be nice to have one and see what kind of "Mexican" food they had. So we sat down and tried to order a margarita on the rocks/ice, of course they didn't understand that because they were all blended. Next he asked, "What flavor?" Me, "Umm...Just regular? I'm not sure what you mean?" Bartender, "Mago, or strawberry?" Me, "O, i see. No flavor please just a plain margarita." Bartender, "Umm...Ok." Next we see the two bartenders talking to each other with a confused look on their face. After a few minuets our margaritas were brought out to us. Not knowing exactly what they used to make this margarita I took a small drink first. Every drink after that was also small because when you order a plain margarita it turns out it is just tequila blended with ice, not awesome. I asked the bartender for some limes, we finished our tequila snow cone and nachos, and then headed home.
At the hotel the only option for the room was a double (two twin beds) and a small pull out couch. We first considered putting Reagan on the pull out couch but decided that was a long fall. Second idea was to put her on the cushions of the couch and since they fit perfectly in between the two beds she had quite the make do bed. Next problem, there weren't sheets or covers but there were house robes set out so we covered the cushions with one and left the other for her to cover with.
Surprisingly she really liked it and we all slept well.
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