I woke up early in the morning after sleeping more soundly than I have in a long time. A small inn in the mountains on an island is nothing like my apartment in the middle of Hong Kong. The last time I went out of town was Beijing, and I did not sleep well on that trip at all.
Hisoka was already in Tokyo for his big meeting. The plane that got me to Hiroshima was going back to Hong Kong in the afternoon. If I wanted to leave later or spend another night, I would have to book a commercial flight. I thought about finding a hotel in Hiroshima and spending some time there, but I have not had a real job since September. A free flight home was probably a good idea.
Miyajima was just as deserted in the early morning as it was at night, but far sunnier. The hotel gave me a ride into the village and I wandered around what looked like a ghost town. Itsukushima Shrine was practically resting on the water at high tide the day before. The reflection off the water made the torii look like it was floating. In the early morning low tide, the shrine sat on solid ground. The torii was in mud and tiny puddles.
Having already seen the village, I went in the only direction I could go without a boat. I walked uphill until the street became a path. It only took a few minutes for the village to dissolve into woods. As I walked up a gradual incline, the stream near my path casually ran downhill. The woods were completely deserted, except for a few deer who were neither impressed nor offended by my presence.
The quiet was amazing. The island was asleep. Even the birds were not yet awake. I heard almost none in the hours when they usually make the most noise. The deer were awake, but they make so little noise, they can sneak up on you without warning.
Every time the path crossed one stream or another, there was a small wooden bridge with red railings. The paths went from pavement to dirt to stone steps, but each bridge was built with pride and purpose. The temples and shrines were small enough to blink and miss. I only noticed a few because they had bright red torii out front. Even when the shrines were camouflaged by the woods, the torii stood out.
With no tourists in sight, I felt like I was experiencing the island the way it was meant to be. I was a tourist, but I was not part of a group, making noise, throwing trash on the ground or complaining that my surroundings were not like home. Miyajima is a sacred island, and in the peaceful early morning hours, I could see why. When people wandered onto the island thousands of years before tourist gift shops were invented, they must have thought they were in heaven. I wanted nothing more than to stay there all day, but when the ferries starting arriving, there would be backpackers and selfie sticks. Sooner or later, a Chinese tour group would arrive. I love a lot of things about Chinese culture, but Chinese tour groups are anything but silent and serene. My private holy site could not remain private for long. I also had a plane to catch if I wanted to go home for free.
Getting from Hong Kong to Miyajima would have been difficult without Hisoka, mostly because I did absolutely no research before I left. Getting back was easy. The hotel happily drove me to the Miyajima pier. The ferry to Hiroshima was straightforward. Getting a taxi at the Hiroshima pier was effortless. There were more than enough waiting around. It was a long taxi ride without anyone to talk to, since the driver did not speak English, but I had music.
Checking in at the airport was a little complicated. I was taking a private flight and everything inside the airport was designed for commercial flights. After asking a few people at information booths, with varying degrees of information, I found myself where I needed to be. They were expecting me. Getting on the plane in Hiroshima was just as easy as it had been in Hong Kong, even without a dozen Japanese businessmen.
The flight was empty. I'm pretty sure that every flight I have ever taken out of Hong Kong was fully booked. I can't remember the last time I was on a plane with several empty seats. This was definitely the first time I was the only passenger. I'm sure the service is always first class on a private flight, but when the entire crew only has one passenger, they pay attention to you.
When I asked the purser why they did not simply cancel the flight, she explained that the plane had to go back to Hong Kong. That flight was going to happen whether I was there or not. Had I stayed in Hiroshima and taken a commercial flight back, the private plane would have flown empty. At least the crew could have relaxed. With me there, they had very little to do, but they were all on the clock.
Back at home, I had time to contemplate the strangest first date I have ever had. I want a second date, and I know Hisoka does too, since we have spoken on the phone, but I doubt he has enough free time to date anyone. I cannot go to Tokyo every time I want to see him and he cannot come to Hong Kong just to see me. The private plane is not his personal property. Using it to shuttle us back and forth is not always going to be an option.
And if we do have a second date, it will be hard to top the first one. He would have to take me to Bora Bora or somewhere ridiculously amazing. We will be lucky if he can find the time for dinner and a walk in the park. But whatever happens, we will always have Miyajima.
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Saturday, July 7, 2018
Tuesday, July 3, 2018
Dating Underwater
8. Midnight Serenity
By the time we got out of the hot springs and were properly dressed, Hisoka had missed the last ferry back to Hiroshima. He never planned on spending the night and only booked one room. We had a good time talking naked in the water, but I was not about to let him sleep in my room. It was not a matter of trusting him. There was nothing aggressive about him and I never doubted for a second that I could easily take him in a shouting match. The problem that night was that I could not trust myself. Hisoka was a kind and sincere man who happened to look really good naked. Had we slept in the same room, he would have considered it inappropriate as a gentleman to suggest any indiscretions against my honor. But I might have jumped him.
As it turned out, he was never going to take the ferry and had no intention of spending the night. He took a private boat back to Hiroshima. He had a big meeting in Tokyo the next morning and wanted to sleep at home rather than commute across the country. That sounded reasonable to me.
My night was more relaxing. After Hisoka left, I spent the evening at the hotel. There would have been no point in going back to the village. Even the bars were closed by then. I thought about reading a book and going to sleep early, but my mind kept wandering back to the mineral water. We have heated swimming pools, hot tubs and all kinds of spas in Hong Kong, but no natural hot springs.
The women's shower/locker room was empty and I wondered if anyone would be in the pools. Showering off all the minerals from last time, it crossed my mind that the hot springs might not be open all night. This was an island where everything closed early. Had I been in the United States, it might have suddenly occurred to me that I was naked and alone in a part of the building that was deserted and might be closed. In my country, that is either a red flag or the beginning of a horror movie. But this was Japan. Getting Marion Craned in the shower is not the Japanese way.
When I walked out of the locker room, none of the doors were locked. Nothing prevented me from going to any of the hot springs. Had it all been closed, the shower most likely would have also been closed. The springs themselves were natural. Turning them off was never an option. Instead of a handful of senior citizens relaxing in the water, there was a single young man. He was in the hottest pool, far enough away from where I wanted to be, but he was probably my age. This might not have been a red flag, but it definitely looked like the beginning of a pornographic movie. And we were in Japan. Japanese porn can get pretty weird.
Fortunately, he was not a half man/half octopus and he did not even acknowledge my presence. He was busy cooking in his pot and might not have even seen me through the steam. After I dropped my towel and sat on my rock, I forgot he was even there.
The hot springs were always nice, but at night when there was almost no one there, it was more peaceful. Other than the simmering water and a light breeze rustling the trees, there was a silence that was as relaxing as the pool. I could see why the Japanese invented zazen.
As it turned out, he was never going to take the ferry and had no intention of spending the night. He took a private boat back to Hiroshima. He had a big meeting in Tokyo the next morning and wanted to sleep at home rather than commute across the country. That sounded reasonable to me.
My night was more relaxing. After Hisoka left, I spent the evening at the hotel. There would have been no point in going back to the village. Even the bars were closed by then. I thought about reading a book and going to sleep early, but my mind kept wandering back to the mineral water. We have heated swimming pools, hot tubs and all kinds of spas in Hong Kong, but no natural hot springs.
The women's shower/locker room was empty and I wondered if anyone would be in the pools. Showering off all the minerals from last time, it crossed my mind that the hot springs might not be open all night. This was an island where everything closed early. Had I been in the United States, it might have suddenly occurred to me that I was naked and alone in a part of the building that was deserted and might be closed. In my country, that is either a red flag or the beginning of a horror movie. But this was Japan. Getting Marion Craned in the shower is not the Japanese way.
When I walked out of the locker room, none of the doors were locked. Nothing prevented me from going to any of the hot springs. Had it all been closed, the shower most likely would have also been closed. The springs themselves were natural. Turning them off was never an option. Instead of a handful of senior citizens relaxing in the water, there was a single young man. He was in the hottest pool, far enough away from where I wanted to be, but he was probably my age. This might not have been a red flag, but it definitely looked like the beginning of a pornographic movie. And we were in Japan. Japanese porn can get pretty weird.
Fortunately, he was not a half man/half octopus and he did not even acknowledge my presence. He was busy cooking in his pot and might not have even seen me through the steam. After I dropped my towel and sat on my rock, I forgot he was even there.
The hot springs were always nice, but at night when there was almost no one there, it was more peaceful. Other than the simmering water and a light breeze rustling the trees, there was a silence that was as relaxing as the pool. I could see why the Japanese invented zazen.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Dating Underwater
7. Like Cocoon, But Everyone's Naked
Miyajima mostly shuts down at night. The restaurants and bars stay open after dark, but even they close early by city standards. Most people only take day trips to the island, most likely since Hiroshima is so close. The last ferry leaves well before midnight.
Hisoka had a dinner reservation waiting for us at the hotel before we got back. It was another Japanese meal, but more elaborate than what I had for lunch. In the village, I had rice and soup. At the hotel, they brought us entirely too much food. There was more rice and soup, of course, and noodles, pickled vegetables, steamed vegetables, intricately plated salads, seaweed as a dish and as seasoning. Unlike the standard steamed white rice that comes with every Chinese meal, this rice was larger and cooked with some type of green herb.
My impression was that this was probably the most authentic Japanese meal I have ever eaten. I have been to Tokyo, but there is a lot of foreign influence in the capital, and it is harder to avoid the tourist food. Miyajima does not seem the least bit interested in trying to be anything other than purely Japanese. There are plenty of tourists during the day, but most of them looked Japanese. Unfortunately, I could not taste any of the food I had on the island. Most of the time, having a numbed sense of taste is relatively easy to ignore. Going to a new place, especially one as culturally genuine as Miyajima, gets a little depressing at meal times.
After dinner, which neither of us were ever going to come close to finishing, Hisoka wanted to try out the hot springs. I had no objection to that. It was great in the morning. It should be just as great at night. My only issue, which I never bothered to articulate, was that we were supposed to be on a date. The most time we spent together was on the mountain and in the taxi ride from the airport. Mt Misen was exceptionally beautiful, but not particularly romantic. To me, romance is not gasping for breath and almost collapsing from exhaustion. Well, maybe under different circumstances, but not hiking up a mountain. We had a nice dinner, but now we were going off to separate hot springs. I think people should at least be in the same room on a date.
Before heading to our segregated locker rooms, Hisoka asked me if I had any tattoos. That might seem like a strange question, but this hot spring, as well as many others throughout Japan, did not allow anyone with tattoos inside. It is a universal rule that has several different explanations, depending whom you ask, but no one bothered to ask me the first time I went in. Not that it mattered. I have never liked tattoos and have no intention of ever getting one.
The women's shower/locker room was more crowded than it had been earlier, but not crowded enough for me to get self-conscious. I knew the routine and followed all of the proper etiquette. Just like every other woman who walked out of the locker room, I had a towel wrapped around my body. The indoor pool was just as empty as before. I think it might only be popular when it's raining.
The big surprise for me was in the outdoor pools. I saw Hisoka and a few other men as well as all of the women who walked out of the locker room. The other women went to whichever pools they preferred, dropped their towels and climbed in. I'm almost certain that they saw all of the men already there. In fact, more than a few women talked to some of the men.
I stood in front of my favorite pool, gripping my towel where the edges overlapped. Even if a typhoon suddenly struck the island, that towel was not coming off. When Hisoka saw me through the steam, he waved to get my attention. He motioned for me to come to his pool, but I had a few problems with that. It looked like all of the men were naked, although you never really know what's under water. Either way, I was naked under my towel. And if the dress code was not bad enough, he was in the rice cooker pool.
When he stood up in his pool, I had a decision to make. Do I look away or do I stare? I was curious, of course, but this was not the appropriate place to ogle men. Or perhaps it was the perfect place. There was steam rising from each pool, more from the hottest one. The hot springs had steam in the morning, but it was colder at night, and more difficult to see people through the mist.
It never mattered since Hisoka expertly positioned his tiny washcloth in front of himself as he stepped out of the pool. That was when I noticed that all of the men had tiny washcloths either near them on the edge of the hot springs or on their heads like white barets. I watched a woman get out of one pool, wrap her towel on, walk to another pool and drop the towel before climbing in. Under the water, everyone was naked as sin. The second anyone got out of the water, modesty prevailed and they covered their shame with whichever size towel they had.
Hisoka was covered, barely, when he walked toward me. He asked if I wanted to use a different pool. He assumed that my hesitation was solely about the temperature. I asked him why the men were not on the men's side, wherever that was. He laughed a little and explained that unlike most hot springs in Japan's largest cities, these rural springs were not segregated. The showers were and everyone covered themselves outside of the water, more or less, because that was the only decent and civilized thing to do. But the springs themselves were unisex.
I thought the men's hot springs were somewhere else and that I was on the women's side earlier in the day. Looking back, that was a stupid assumption. The hotel grounds would have to be considerable to have twice as many hot springs. With a mountain next to the springs and a road next to the hotel, there was no place to put anything else.
Hisoka saw nothing unusual about our environment, but he recognized that I am American. My ancestors were such religious extremists that they thought Catholicism was too liberal. He suggested we leave the hot springs altogether, but I told him that was crazy. The reason we came to Miyajima, the reason I flew to Japan, was for the hot springs. I loved it earlier in the day when I was alone with the old woman. I reasoned that I should love it again, even if there were other people around.
Something that really helped was how old everyone was. Had the hot springs been full of 20-something men/boys, I can almost guarantee I would have gone back to the locker room to get dressed. As it was, Hisoka looked like the youngest man there and I was likely the youngest woman. I'm generally a pretty terrible judge of Japanese ages, but most of the people in the water that night were hovering around retirement.
When I told Hisoka that I liked my bearably hot pool, he turned around and walked toward it. Apparently, the rule about covering yourself with towels only applies to the front. I watched his naked butt as he stepped into the hot water. Resting his washcloth on his head, he sat down and faced me.
I don't have a lot of rules about dating, but one of them has to be that my date can never see me naked on the first date. I don't know if that should happen on the 52nd date or the 104th, but definitely not the first. Any naturist can tell you that nudity has nothing to do with sex, but in my experience, getting naked on a date almost always has something to do with sex.
Maybe there was something in the air that night. Maybe it was my spontaneous trip to Japan. Maybe it was Hisoka's firm butt. Maybe it was the fact that we were surrounded by older people, none of whom would have looked too kindly on any youthful shenanigans. Whatever it was, I dropped my towel in front of my date, and several older people who may or may not have even known I was there, most of whom could probably not even see me through all the steam.
Hisoka smiled and watched me step into the pool. He might have watched a little too long. At least I was polite enough to look away when he got in, as far as he knows. As soon as I was in the water, I sat on a smooth rock and he asked me about my day on Miyajima. We talked about the island as though we were not naked and surrounded by other naked people. With mostly shoulders and heads poking out of the water, it was hard to notice fashion choices.
Hisoka had a dinner reservation waiting for us at the hotel before we got back. It was another Japanese meal, but more elaborate than what I had for lunch. In the village, I had rice and soup. At the hotel, they brought us entirely too much food. There was more rice and soup, of course, and noodles, pickled vegetables, steamed vegetables, intricately plated salads, seaweed as a dish and as seasoning. Unlike the standard steamed white rice that comes with every Chinese meal, this rice was larger and cooked with some type of green herb.
My impression was that this was probably the most authentic Japanese meal I have ever eaten. I have been to Tokyo, but there is a lot of foreign influence in the capital, and it is harder to avoid the tourist food. Miyajima does not seem the least bit interested in trying to be anything other than purely Japanese. There are plenty of tourists during the day, but most of them looked Japanese. Unfortunately, I could not taste any of the food I had on the island. Most of the time, having a numbed sense of taste is relatively easy to ignore. Going to a new place, especially one as culturally genuine as Miyajima, gets a little depressing at meal times.
After dinner, which neither of us were ever going to come close to finishing, Hisoka wanted to try out the hot springs. I had no objection to that. It was great in the morning. It should be just as great at night. My only issue, which I never bothered to articulate, was that we were supposed to be on a date. The most time we spent together was on the mountain and in the taxi ride from the airport. Mt Misen was exceptionally beautiful, but not particularly romantic. To me, romance is not gasping for breath and almost collapsing from exhaustion. Well, maybe under different circumstances, but not hiking up a mountain. We had a nice dinner, but now we were going off to separate hot springs. I think people should at least be in the same room on a date.
Before heading to our segregated locker rooms, Hisoka asked me if I had any tattoos. That might seem like a strange question, but this hot spring, as well as many others throughout Japan, did not allow anyone with tattoos inside. It is a universal rule that has several different explanations, depending whom you ask, but no one bothered to ask me the first time I went in. Not that it mattered. I have never liked tattoos and have no intention of ever getting one.
The women's shower/locker room was more crowded than it had been earlier, but not crowded enough for me to get self-conscious. I knew the routine and followed all of the proper etiquette. Just like every other woman who walked out of the locker room, I had a towel wrapped around my body. The indoor pool was just as empty as before. I think it might only be popular when it's raining.
The big surprise for me was in the outdoor pools. I saw Hisoka and a few other men as well as all of the women who walked out of the locker room. The other women went to whichever pools they preferred, dropped their towels and climbed in. I'm almost certain that they saw all of the men already there. In fact, more than a few women talked to some of the men.
I stood in front of my favorite pool, gripping my towel where the edges overlapped. Even if a typhoon suddenly struck the island, that towel was not coming off. When Hisoka saw me through the steam, he waved to get my attention. He motioned for me to come to his pool, but I had a few problems with that. It looked like all of the men were naked, although you never really know what's under water. Either way, I was naked under my towel. And if the dress code was not bad enough, he was in the rice cooker pool.
When he stood up in his pool, I had a decision to make. Do I look away or do I stare? I was curious, of course, but this was not the appropriate place to ogle men. Or perhaps it was the perfect place. There was steam rising from each pool, more from the hottest one. The hot springs had steam in the morning, but it was colder at night, and more difficult to see people through the mist.
It never mattered since Hisoka expertly positioned his tiny washcloth in front of himself as he stepped out of the pool. That was when I noticed that all of the men had tiny washcloths either near them on the edge of the hot springs or on their heads like white barets. I watched a woman get out of one pool, wrap her towel on, walk to another pool and drop the towel before climbing in. Under the water, everyone was naked as sin. The second anyone got out of the water, modesty prevailed and they covered their shame with whichever size towel they had.
Hisoka was covered, barely, when he walked toward me. He asked if I wanted to use a different pool. He assumed that my hesitation was solely about the temperature. I asked him why the men were not on the men's side, wherever that was. He laughed a little and explained that unlike most hot springs in Japan's largest cities, these rural springs were not segregated. The showers were and everyone covered themselves outside of the water, more or less, because that was the only decent and civilized thing to do. But the springs themselves were unisex.
I thought the men's hot springs were somewhere else and that I was on the women's side earlier in the day. Looking back, that was a stupid assumption. The hotel grounds would have to be considerable to have twice as many hot springs. With a mountain next to the springs and a road next to the hotel, there was no place to put anything else.
Hisoka saw nothing unusual about our environment, but he recognized that I am American. My ancestors were such religious extremists that they thought Catholicism was too liberal. He suggested we leave the hot springs altogether, but I told him that was crazy. The reason we came to Miyajima, the reason I flew to Japan, was for the hot springs. I loved it earlier in the day when I was alone with the old woman. I reasoned that I should love it again, even if there were other people around.
Something that really helped was how old everyone was. Had the hot springs been full of 20-something men/boys, I can almost guarantee I would have gone back to the locker room to get dressed. As it was, Hisoka looked like the youngest man there and I was likely the youngest woman. I'm generally a pretty terrible judge of Japanese ages, but most of the people in the water that night were hovering around retirement.
When I told Hisoka that I liked my bearably hot pool, he turned around and walked toward it. Apparently, the rule about covering yourself with towels only applies to the front. I watched his naked butt as he stepped into the hot water. Resting his washcloth on his head, he sat down and faced me.
I don't have a lot of rules about dating, but one of them has to be that my date can never see me naked on the first date. I don't know if that should happen on the 52nd date or the 104th, but definitely not the first. Any naturist can tell you that nudity has nothing to do with sex, but in my experience, getting naked on a date almost always has something to do with sex.
Maybe there was something in the air that night. Maybe it was my spontaneous trip to Japan. Maybe it was Hisoka's firm butt. Maybe it was the fact that we were surrounded by older people, none of whom would have looked too kindly on any youthful shenanigans. Whatever it was, I dropped my towel in front of my date, and several older people who may or may not have even known I was there, most of whom could probably not even see me through all the steam.
Hisoka smiled and watched me step into the pool. He might have watched a little too long. At least I was polite enough to look away when he got in, as far as he knows. As soon as I was in the water, I sat on a smooth rock and he asked me about my day on Miyajima. We talked about the island as though we were not naked and surrounded by other naked people. With mostly shoulders and heads poking out of the water, it was hard to notice fashion choices.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Dating Underwater
6. Three Views of Japan
Miyajima is a tiny island, about two miles wide and six miles long. Most of the island is wooded mountains surrounded by small beaches. The village at the pier probably looks just like it did during the Edo period, only with electricity and paved roads.
Rather than the scenery, most people go to the island for the temples. They are everywhere, from a large Shinto shrine that sits directly on the water at high tide to tiny boxes perched up in the middle of the forest. When my ride from the hotel dropped me off downtown, I walked through the village for a few minutes before I wandered along the shore and met a few deer. They wanted some food, but so did I. They were as friendly as cartoon deer that never have to worry about hunters, but they were hungry, so they moved on to other people as soon as they realized I was not going to feed them.
Walking along the shore, I noticed the Itsukushima Shrine torii jetting out of the water. It was hard to miss. It was painted red and stood out with the blue water and sky behind it. There were also dozens of people taking pictures. Around the corner from the torii was Itsukushima Shrine itself, an impressive building and unlike any Shinto shrine I had ever seen. Instead of a tall, dark building, it was spread out flat and painted the same vermilion red as the torii. Red is the common color for torii, but every Shinto shrine I had ever seen was brown/black.
The Itsukushima Shrine is so important to Miyajima that the island's name is actually Itsukushima. Everyone just calls it Miyajima. Even the signs from the Hiroshima pier said that the ferry went to Miyajima. As far as I could tell, the only time anyone ever used the word Itsukushima was in reference to the shrine and/or torii. The locals call the island Miyajima, so that is what I call it.
I wanted to go inside the shrine, but it was large and I was hungry. At the other end of the village, there was a row of restaurants. Not surprisingly, they all served Japanese food. Miyajima has a lot going for it, but one of the things I liked best was that there was not a single McDonald's, Starbucks or anything even remotely resembling a corporate chain store. The tourist shops in the village were owned by the people inside and the restaurants were all local. Maybe the Shinto and Buddhist buildings were part of a larger organization, but this was an independent town. Even the hotels were independent. There was no Hilton on Miyajima. The only trace of the corporate world I saw were the drinks in the public vending machines. Miyajima is Japan, so there were vending machines all over the place.
After lunch, I spent entirely too much time in the shrine. I knew when Hisoka was coming back to Miyajima, but I did not know what his plans were. If he wanted to show me the holy sites, he was too late. From Itsukushima, I went to Senjokaku and the Five Story Pagoda, Daiganji, Kiyomori and several smaller Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.
I was back at the hotel by the time Hisoka arrived. I probably could have met him at the pier, but he was not expecting me there and I would have had a hard time spotting him in a sea of unfamiliar Japanese faces. It never made any difference, since his plans were as far away from the village as you can get and still be on the island.
Hisoka thought I would appreciate the views from Mt Misen, the highest point on the island. And he was right. The ropeway to the top was two separate cable car lines, but unless you have all day and a case or two of water, you might not want to hike it. The view from the top of the ropeway was spectacular, and it was not even the top of the mountain. There was still another half mile hike and 300 feet up.
From the station, you can easily see dozens of islands in the Seto Inland Sea and large chunks of Shikoku and Honshu, with obstructed views of Hiroshima. You can also really appreciate how long and high the cable cars ride. It is not ideal for people with acrophobia.
There are several temples along the hike to the top, which provide welcome spots to rest and plenty of places to buy water. Mt Misen is a sacred mountain overlooking a sacred island, so anyone interested in Buddhism will have plenty to experience. It is also the best spot outside of the main village to have a few dozen deer nudge your hands for food.
The last temple on the way up is pretty small. Beyond that, you walk under, through and over some big rocks. The views from the peak are unbelievable. According to Japan, Itsukushima's torii is one of the “Three Views of Japan”. The torii is nice, and looks good with the water backdrop, but from the top of Mt Misen, you have a 360 degree view of everything you would expect from an island surrounded by other islands. The Seto Inland Sea is stretched out in almost every direction and Hiroshima is plain as day. Had I known anything about the city, I probably would have recognized several buildings. You can also look down on most of Miyajima.
Mt Misen was the kind of natural environment where I could have easily spent the entire day, had the last cable car not headed down at dusk. Quite reasonably, they do not want too many people up there after dark. Hiking back down at night would be an equal combination of dangerous and stupid. I'm sure the deer also want some private time. There are a lot of them. They have to come from somewhere.
I took pictures, of course, but my crappy cellphone camera does not do this place justice. These are pictures from other people, whom I can't credit because I don't have any names/agencies. Their equipment was much better than mine, but these images are still a pale imitation of how it looks in person.
Rather than the scenery, most people go to the island for the temples. They are everywhere, from a large Shinto shrine that sits directly on the water at high tide to tiny boxes perched up in the middle of the forest. When my ride from the hotel dropped me off downtown, I walked through the village for a few minutes before I wandered along the shore and met a few deer. They wanted some food, but so did I. They were as friendly as cartoon deer that never have to worry about hunters, but they were hungry, so they moved on to other people as soon as they realized I was not going to feed them.
Walking along the shore, I noticed the Itsukushima Shrine torii jetting out of the water. It was hard to miss. It was painted red and stood out with the blue water and sky behind it. There were also dozens of people taking pictures. Around the corner from the torii was Itsukushima Shrine itself, an impressive building and unlike any Shinto shrine I had ever seen. Instead of a tall, dark building, it was spread out flat and painted the same vermilion red as the torii. Red is the common color for torii, but every Shinto shrine I had ever seen was brown/black.
The Itsukushima Shrine is so important to Miyajima that the island's name is actually Itsukushima. Everyone just calls it Miyajima. Even the signs from the Hiroshima pier said that the ferry went to Miyajima. As far as I could tell, the only time anyone ever used the word Itsukushima was in reference to the shrine and/or torii. The locals call the island Miyajima, so that is what I call it.
I wanted to go inside the shrine, but it was large and I was hungry. At the other end of the village, there was a row of restaurants. Not surprisingly, they all served Japanese food. Miyajima has a lot going for it, but one of the things I liked best was that there was not a single McDonald's, Starbucks or anything even remotely resembling a corporate chain store. The tourist shops in the village were owned by the people inside and the restaurants were all local. Maybe the Shinto and Buddhist buildings were part of a larger organization, but this was an independent town. Even the hotels were independent. There was no Hilton on Miyajima. The only trace of the corporate world I saw were the drinks in the public vending machines. Miyajima is Japan, so there were vending machines all over the place.
After lunch, I spent entirely too much time in the shrine. I knew when Hisoka was coming back to Miyajima, but I did not know what his plans were. If he wanted to show me the holy sites, he was too late. From Itsukushima, I went to Senjokaku and the Five Story Pagoda, Daiganji, Kiyomori and several smaller Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.
I was back at the hotel by the time Hisoka arrived. I probably could have met him at the pier, but he was not expecting me there and I would have had a hard time spotting him in a sea of unfamiliar Japanese faces. It never made any difference, since his plans were as far away from the village as you can get and still be on the island.
Hisoka thought I would appreciate the views from Mt Misen, the highest point on the island. And he was right. The ropeway to the top was two separate cable car lines, but unless you have all day and a case or two of water, you might not want to hike it. The view from the top of the ropeway was spectacular, and it was not even the top of the mountain. There was still another half mile hike and 300 feet up.
From the station, you can easily see dozens of islands in the Seto Inland Sea and large chunks of Shikoku and Honshu, with obstructed views of Hiroshima. You can also really appreciate how long and high the cable cars ride. It is not ideal for people with acrophobia.
There are several temples along the hike to the top, which provide welcome spots to rest and plenty of places to buy water. Mt Misen is a sacred mountain overlooking a sacred island, so anyone interested in Buddhism will have plenty to experience. It is also the best spot outside of the main village to have a few dozen deer nudge your hands for food.
The last temple on the way up is pretty small. Beyond that, you walk under, through and over some big rocks. The views from the peak are unbelievable. According to Japan, Itsukushima's torii is one of the “Three Views of Japan”. The torii is nice, and looks good with the water backdrop, but from the top of Mt Misen, you have a 360 degree view of everything you would expect from an island surrounded by other islands. The Seto Inland Sea is stretched out in almost every direction and Hiroshima is plain as day. Had I known anything about the city, I probably would have recognized several buildings. You can also look down on most of Miyajima.
Mt Misen was the kind of natural environment where I could have easily spent the entire day, had the last cable car not headed down at dusk. Quite reasonably, they do not want too many people up there after dark. Hiking back down at night would be an equal combination of dangerous and stupid. I'm sure the deer also want some private time. There are a lot of them. They have to come from somewhere.
I took pictures, of course, but my crappy cellphone camera does not do this place justice. These are pictures from other people, whom I can't credit because I don't have any names/agencies. Their equipment was much better than mine, but these images are still a pale imitation of how it looks in person.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
Dating Underwater
4. Endless Driving, Endlessly
At Hiroshima Airport, it looked like we parked at the main terminal, but they played with our passports in a smaller room than I would expect from an international airport. Getting into Japan is always easy, but on a private flight full of Japanese businessmen, my passport was stamped without anyone flipping through the pages.
At the airport, Hisoka's friends shook hands, bowed and scattered. Everyone went off to wherever they went and I was happy that they would not be joining us. They were perfectly pleasant people, but I was on a date. Twelve's a crowd.
Hisoka and I took a taxi into town. This was our only taxi ride that was actually a metered taxi. Everything else Hisoka called a taxi was one type of black car or another, driven by some guy who never asked for any money. This taxi driver wanted to be paid when we arrived at our destination, but the car was still black.
During the one hour taxi ride from the airport into Hiroshima, Hisoka apologized that it took so long. There are apparently no trains from the airport, which is kind of strange for Japan. The long drive did not bother me. Even with trains, it takes an hour to get from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo. I can only imagine how long it takes by car. It was not like I was jet lagged. The flight was more comfortable than first class and we only spent minutes at the airports.
I saw almost none of Hiroshima from the freeway. It was obvious when we were in a city versus out in the countryside, but the city was mostly hidden by tunnels and shrubbery. When we finally got off the freeway, we were in a small, suburban town. When we reached the coast, we kept going. Hisoka told me we were in Hiroshima, but on the outskirts of town. It seemed like we had driven long enough, but what I did not know at the time was that we went around to the other side. The outskirts we were in was not between the city and the airport, but on the opposite side of the city.
Wherever we were suddenly got bigger just before the taxi stopped at the pier. I knew we were taking a boat to an island, but we seemed to be leaving from a popular tourist spot of its own. When Hisoka originally suggested going to Hiroshima, he really meant a small island just off the mainland. He was not being deceptive. For the longest time, the island was considered part of Hiroshima. Now, it is part of a different city, but most Japanese still consider it in Hiroshima.
The ferry was quick. It was like taking the ferry from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty. You can easily see the island from the Hiroshima side. The mountains stand out far more than a single statue holding a torch. The boat travels a little over a mile.
At the ferry terminal on the island of Miyajima, someone was waiting to drive us to the hotel. It was another black van, but this one was much smaller. Hisoka's colleagues would have never fit. From the pier, we drove along the coast for a few minutes before we started winding uphill, passing mostly trees and grass with the occasional house here and there. After we went downhill, we turned onto the coast again and passed a tiny beach. I thought we were going to turn at the hotel we saw on the beach. It was the only building that looked anything like a hotel and beyond it was more trees and woodland. But we kept going. After passing a few more hotels, we went back uphill and downhill.
The coast appeared again at another, even tinier beach. We drove along the coast for a while, passing more beaches and a beautiful nature park, what little we could see from the road. I saw my first deer at the nature park, which is strange since they are all over the island. I would see hundreds later on, but for whatever reason, I did not see any at the pier when we arrived.
Beyond the nature park, we started to really go uphill again. I wondered if there was a more direct route, but it turns out Miyajima is mostly mountains and woods with only a few roads going from one end to the other. The road narrowed the higher we ascended, but it was still paved. It was not, however, marked. I would have been completely lost had I been driving.
We kept going higher and higher, and the road got ridiculously narrow. I could see why we were in a tiny Japanese van. A normal van, or even a sedan, would have struggled to squeeze in between the trees and greenery. Eventually, I caught glimpses of the coast again. Only this time we were high above whatever beaches lay below. And then we started going downhill, a little too fast, but there was no cross traffic. Maybe a deer could have jumped in front of the van, but there were no cars in sight.
Back at sea level, there was a beautiful and completely empty beach. The view from the beach was several islands and the Seto Inland Sea. I wondered why no one was there. It briefly crossed my mind that if Hisoka wanted to murder me and dump my body somewhere, this might be the perfect place. Few people live on Miyajima and you only have to travel a few minutes away from the pier for it to get completely deserted.
Beyond Murder Beach, we were going back uphill. Even if I had jumped out of the van at this point, I would have absolutely no idea how to get to civilization. Up a long and winding road, there were more ocean views with islands as far as the eye could see. It was spectacular, but for the guy driving us, it was just another day at the office.
We started going back downhill yet again and passed yet another empty beach with similar views of probably the same islands. When the beach ended, we went back uphill into the woods.
I usually pick the hotel whenever I travel. Whether I go with others or alone, I'm mostly the one who does the research. I look at the maps and skim the reviews. Even if I have never been to the city before, I can find the hotel on a map. For this trip, all I did was show up. I had no idea where to go or how to get there. I was completely in Hisoka's hands. It was nice to have someone else lead the way for a change.
Surrounded by trees, brush and more trees, we turned off onto a smaller road. I did not think the roads could get any smaller, but this one meandered toward an obvious structure. Some time between 30 minutes and 30 years after leaving the pier, we were at the hotel.
At the airport, Hisoka's friends shook hands, bowed and scattered. Everyone went off to wherever they went and I was happy that they would not be joining us. They were perfectly pleasant people, but I was on a date. Twelve's a crowd.
Hisoka and I took a taxi into town. This was our only taxi ride that was actually a metered taxi. Everything else Hisoka called a taxi was one type of black car or another, driven by some guy who never asked for any money. This taxi driver wanted to be paid when we arrived at our destination, but the car was still black.
During the one hour taxi ride from the airport into Hiroshima, Hisoka apologized that it took so long. There are apparently no trains from the airport, which is kind of strange for Japan. The long drive did not bother me. Even with trains, it takes an hour to get from Tokyo Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo. I can only imagine how long it takes by car. It was not like I was jet lagged. The flight was more comfortable than first class and we only spent minutes at the airports.
I saw almost none of Hiroshima from the freeway. It was obvious when we were in a city versus out in the countryside, but the city was mostly hidden by tunnels and shrubbery. When we finally got off the freeway, we were in a small, suburban town. When we reached the coast, we kept going. Hisoka told me we were in Hiroshima, but on the outskirts of town. It seemed like we had driven long enough, but what I did not know at the time was that we went around to the other side. The outskirts we were in was not between the city and the airport, but on the opposite side of the city.
Wherever we were suddenly got bigger just before the taxi stopped at the pier. I knew we were taking a boat to an island, but we seemed to be leaving from a popular tourist spot of its own. When Hisoka originally suggested going to Hiroshima, he really meant a small island just off the mainland. He was not being deceptive. For the longest time, the island was considered part of Hiroshima. Now, it is part of a different city, but most Japanese still consider it in Hiroshima.
The ferry was quick. It was like taking the ferry from Battery Park to the Statue of Liberty. You can easily see the island from the Hiroshima side. The mountains stand out far more than a single statue holding a torch. The boat travels a little over a mile.
At the ferry terminal on the island of Miyajima, someone was waiting to drive us to the hotel. It was another black van, but this one was much smaller. Hisoka's colleagues would have never fit. From the pier, we drove along the coast for a few minutes before we started winding uphill, passing mostly trees and grass with the occasional house here and there. After we went downhill, we turned onto the coast again and passed a tiny beach. I thought we were going to turn at the hotel we saw on the beach. It was the only building that looked anything like a hotel and beyond it was more trees and woodland. But we kept going. After passing a few more hotels, we went back uphill and downhill.
The coast appeared again at another, even tinier beach. We drove along the coast for a while, passing more beaches and a beautiful nature park, what little we could see from the road. I saw my first deer at the nature park, which is strange since they are all over the island. I would see hundreds later on, but for whatever reason, I did not see any at the pier when we arrived.
Beyond the nature park, we started to really go uphill again. I wondered if there was a more direct route, but it turns out Miyajima is mostly mountains and woods with only a few roads going from one end to the other. The road narrowed the higher we ascended, but it was still paved. It was not, however, marked. I would have been completely lost had I been driving.
We kept going higher and higher, and the road got ridiculously narrow. I could see why we were in a tiny Japanese van. A normal van, or even a sedan, would have struggled to squeeze in between the trees and greenery. Eventually, I caught glimpses of the coast again. Only this time we were high above whatever beaches lay below. And then we started going downhill, a little too fast, but there was no cross traffic. Maybe a deer could have jumped in front of the van, but there were no cars in sight.
Back at sea level, there was a beautiful and completely empty beach. The view from the beach was several islands and the Seto Inland Sea. I wondered why no one was there. It briefly crossed my mind that if Hisoka wanted to murder me and dump my body somewhere, this might be the perfect place. Few people live on Miyajima and you only have to travel a few minutes away from the pier for it to get completely deserted.
Beyond Murder Beach, we were going back uphill. Even if I had jumped out of the van at this point, I would have absolutely no idea how to get to civilization. Up a long and winding road, there were more ocean views with islands as far as the eye could see. It was spectacular, but for the guy driving us, it was just another day at the office.
We started going back downhill yet again and passed yet another empty beach with similar views of probably the same islands. When the beach ended, we went back uphill into the woods.
I usually pick the hotel whenever I travel. Whether I go with others or alone, I'm mostly the one who does the research. I look at the maps and skim the reviews. Even if I have never been to the city before, I can find the hotel on a map. For this trip, all I did was show up. I had no idea where to go or how to get there. I was completely in Hisoka's hands. It was nice to have someone else lead the way for a change.
Surrounded by trees, brush and more trees, we turned off onto a smaller road. I did not think the roads could get any smaller, but this one meandered toward an obvious structure. Some time between 30 minutes and 30 years after leaving the pier, we were at the hotel.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Ichibancho
During my brief trip to Tokyo, I stayed at the Hotel Monterrey Hanzomon in Ichibancho. It was a quiet little hotel on a quiet little street. But it was also right in the middle of Tokyo, just next to the Imperial Palace. Walking down the street, it felt like Tokyo, but without all the noise and crowds.
The benefit to being in a tiny residential neighborhood was that it was quiet day and night. The downside was that, other than the Imperial Palace, there was not much nearby. The metro was right across the street, so getting around the city was easy, but I'm used to staying in Shibuya, where you have everything you need around you. You don't really need the metro.
There was a nice little bakery just down the street and a tiny grocery store across the street from that. In the opposite direction was a tiny produce store and a larger grocery store. The hotel was also between a 7-11 and Family Mart, of course. That might not sound like much, but 7-11 in Japan is a million times better than 7-11 in China. Chinese 7-11 is convenient, but Japanese 7-11 actually has food you can eat. In Shibuya, it would not matter. Shibuya has food in every direction. But in Ichibancho, it was nice to have a 7-11 nearby.
The hotel itself was nothing exciting. It was a standard business hotel with all of the usual amenities. Since this was in Japan, everything was exceptionally clean and the service was polite and efficient. I have no complaints about the hotel, but I will probably never stay there again. I like Tokyo to be loud and bustling. But if you want a calm neighborhood in the middle of the storm, this is a good choice.
I can't really say, but my impression was that Ichibancho is more like a smaller city in Japan. That is only an assumption on my part since I have only been to Japan's larger city, but the neighborhood around the hotel felt like a smaller suburb. I will need to go to Hiroshima or Nagasaki to make sure.
The benefit to being in a tiny residential neighborhood was that it was quiet day and night. The downside was that, other than the Imperial Palace, there was not much nearby. The metro was right across the street, so getting around the city was easy, but I'm used to staying in Shibuya, where you have everything you need around you. You don't really need the metro.
There was a nice little bakery just down the street and a tiny grocery store across the street from that. In the opposite direction was a tiny produce store and a larger grocery store. The hotel was also between a 7-11 and Family Mart, of course. That might not sound like much, but 7-11 in Japan is a million times better than 7-11 in China. Chinese 7-11 is convenient, but Japanese 7-11 actually has food you can eat. In Shibuya, it would not matter. Shibuya has food in every direction. But in Ichibancho, it was nice to have a 7-11 nearby.
The hotel itself was nothing exciting. It was a standard business hotel with all of the usual amenities. Since this was in Japan, everything was exceptionally clean and the service was polite and efficient. I have no complaints about the hotel, but I will probably never stay there again. I like Tokyo to be loud and bustling. But if you want a calm neighborhood in the middle of the storm, this is a good choice.
I can't really say, but my impression was that Ichibancho is more like a smaller city in Japan. That is only an assumption on my part since I have only been to Japan's larger city, but the neighborhood around the hotel felt like a smaller suburb. I will need to go to Hiroshima or Nagasaki to make sure.
Sunday, April 30, 2017
Paul McCartney One On One
The last time I saw Paul McCartney in concert was in Kansas City (Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey). We were both younger in those days.
The first time I saw him was in St Paul. I was in high school and he was single. Oddly enough, we never went backstage together. I suppose, in hindsight, that is a good thing. I would have considered that creepy and the press would have noticed Paul McCartney with a high school student. I'm pretty sure that is not his style anyway. His soulmate was an older woman.
Now that I'm too old to pay $300 for a concert ticket, and Paul is far older than anyone ever expected of a rock star back when he started, this could very easily be the last time I see him perform. He can't do three hour shows much longer, and I can't rationalize the high ticket prices. That and his refusal to acknowledge any country in Asia besides Japan. I live in the single most populated country in the world, by a long shot, and I have to fly to another, far smaller country to see him.
The opening to Thursday's show at the Tokyo Dome was a little strange, with his Hofner bass on the video screens like it was a golden idol, with fireworks exploding behind it. I have never seen anything like that in a concert before. While the audience was cheering, Paul and band casually strolled on stage. It looked more like the end of a concert than the beginning. Then they played “A Hard Day's Night” and the crowd went wild. The light show on screen reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I doubt it was supposed to.
“Junior's Farm” was the less political, radio-friendly version. Although, right now might not be the best time to sing about jumping the fence at the houses of Parliament. They showed clips of A Hard Day's Night and various Beatles footage during “Can't Buy Me Love”. We all knew it was going to be a nostalgic night, with mostly songs from the '60s and '70s. “Letting Go” was a little disappointing. Not because of anything the band did or did not do, but because nothing can compare with the Wings Over America version.
“Temporary Secretary” was also a little disappointing. Despite using keyboards for all of the string and horn parts on other songs, which is just criminal, the keyboards for the synthesizer part in this song sounded wrong. “Temporary Secretary” is essentially an electronic song. The keyboards should be easy. “Let Me Roll It” was one of the rare times Paul picked up an electric guitar. “Let Me Roll It”, “I've Got a Feeling” and “The End”. Most of the night, he was on acoustic guitar and Hofner bass. He actually played lead guitar on “I've Got a Feeling”, with a solo in the coda. He also played an acoustic guitar solo during “In Spite Of All the Danger”. It seems kind of odd to me that he does not give himself lead parts more often.
People like to complain about Paul's voice, especially during songs like “Maybe I'm Amazed”, which requires a combination of screaming and soft ballad. I'm sure that is hard to sing in your 70s. And maybe he should not sing it right after screaming at the end of “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five”. But he did not sound particularly bad Thursday night. He just did not sound 28 anymore.
He tried to speak Japanese before “In Spite Of All the Danger”. He had a script on the floor, which he stared at the entire time, but it was still pretty bad. He obviously does not speak a word of Japanese. The audience loved it, though. Japan is one of those countries where people appreciate the effort, even if you butcher their language. No one in Japan will ever yell at you to “learn Japanese or get out” or “go back to Mexico”.
“You Won't See Me” was interesting. He did a little acoustic intro that most of the audience did not recognize until he started singing the lyrics. The audience sang along with “And I Love Her”. I was looking at one of the video screens when he did his little booty shake, so I got to watch his 50 foot tall butt dance to the song.
The saxophone solo on “Lady Madonna” freaked me out. I was looking around the stage, but I could not see anyone with a saxophone. Then I realized that Wix was playing it. That was disappointing. They might as well use drum machines instead of real drums. I bet Paul could afford to hire real musicians. One of the reasons Wings Over America is so great is because the keyboards play the keyboard parts.
Just before playing “FourFiveSeconds”, he introduced the song with, “We played the oldest song and now we're going to play the newest song.” But the song he played right before was “Lady Madonna”. Hardly the oldest song he played that night. He played a lot of Beatles songs. Half the concert was Beatles songs. And most of them are older than “Lady Madonna”. What surprised me was that five people cheered when he started to play the “FourFiveSeconds” guitar intro. What really surprised me was that he played that song at all. The lyrics were on the giant screen behind the stage, but they were in English, so I don't think as many people sang along as he expected. The funniest part was when they showed a picture of Kanye on screen and some of the audience booed. I don't know what Kanye did to offend the Japanese, but his fans were not in the audience that night.
Before he introduced “Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite”, he led the audience in a little sing along, during which he gave a dirty little giggle that really surprised me. I have never heard him laugh like that. While introducing “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, he spoke a little Japanese. There were subtitles at the bottom of the video screens, so everyone understood him, but I got the impression that he thought everyone understood his bad Japanese. After the audience cheered, from reading the subtitles, he said it again, only much worse. And not a single person in the stadium cared.
Some people ask why Paul still tours at his age. There was a brief moment during “Band On the Run” where he leaned against Rusty Anderson and smiled before bouncing up and down. The look of pure joy on his face answered that question.
The first “Live and Let Die” explosion scared the hell out of the woman standing next to me. She had never seen Paul in concert, and did not seem all that familiar with the song, so it was a complete surprise to her. She also thought the stage was on fire, with all of the lights and lasers, and actual fire, but the people she came with reassured her that we would all survive. It might not have helped that the video screen directly above the stage showed nothing but fire. I suppose it would have looked like something went terribly wrong if it was any other song. The audience laughed when Paul pretended to go deaf from all the pyrotechnics, but it was pretty loud. At his age, he might want to rethink that.
The only time his voice really sounded like he was an old man was during “Hey Jude”. He struggled here and there throughout the concert, but it looked like he was having a hard time breathing during “Hey Jude”. With his mussed up hair and a spotlight right in his face, I almost thought I was going to witness a heart attack on stage. He caught his breath as the song went on, though. By the na na nas, he was good to go. Of course, he mostly lets the audience sing that part.
When he started playing “Yesterday”, the audience wanted to cheer, but everyone knew they had to be quiet if they wanted to hear the song. That was one of those times I knew I was in Japan. “Hi Hi Hi” was funny, simply because he was playing it in Tokyo. The greatest revenge is selling out a stadium concert while the politicians who wanted to ban you are long gone. The crowd went nuts during Abe's short “The End” drum solo. And then it was over. The confetti and smoke when Paul left the stage was pretty weird.
I can't say it was the best concert I have ever seen, or even the best Paul McCartney concert I have ever seen, but it was probably the last time I will see him. He is never coming to China, and going to Japan for a concert is absurd. Maybe if I happen to be somewhere at the same time he has a concert, I will see him. If it is not sold out long before I get there.
The first time I saw him was in St Paul. I was in high school and he was single. Oddly enough, we never went backstage together. I suppose, in hindsight, that is a good thing. I would have considered that creepy and the press would have noticed Paul McCartney with a high school student. I'm pretty sure that is not his style anyway. His soulmate was an older woman.
Now that I'm too old to pay $300 for a concert ticket, and Paul is far older than anyone ever expected of a rock star back when he started, this could very easily be the last time I see him perform. He can't do three hour shows much longer, and I can't rationalize the high ticket prices. That and his refusal to acknowledge any country in Asia besides Japan. I live in the single most populated country in the world, by a long shot, and I have to fly to another, far smaller country to see him.
The opening to Thursday's show at the Tokyo Dome was a little strange, with his Hofner bass on the video screens like it was a golden idol, with fireworks exploding behind it. I have never seen anything like that in a concert before. While the audience was cheering, Paul and band casually strolled on stage. It looked more like the end of a concert than the beginning. Then they played “A Hard Day's Night” and the crowd went wild. The light show on screen reminded me of 2001: A Space Odyssey. I doubt it was supposed to.
“Junior's Farm” was the less political, radio-friendly version. Although, right now might not be the best time to sing about jumping the fence at the houses of Parliament. They showed clips of A Hard Day's Night and various Beatles footage during “Can't Buy Me Love”. We all knew it was going to be a nostalgic night, with mostly songs from the '60s and '70s. “Letting Go” was a little disappointing. Not because of anything the band did or did not do, but because nothing can compare with the Wings Over America version.
“Temporary Secretary” was also a little disappointing. Despite using keyboards for all of the string and horn parts on other songs, which is just criminal, the keyboards for the synthesizer part in this song sounded wrong. “Temporary Secretary” is essentially an electronic song. The keyboards should be easy. “Let Me Roll It” was one of the rare times Paul picked up an electric guitar. “Let Me Roll It”, “I've Got a Feeling” and “The End”. Most of the night, he was on acoustic guitar and Hofner bass. He actually played lead guitar on “I've Got a Feeling”, with a solo in the coda. He also played an acoustic guitar solo during “In Spite Of All the Danger”. It seems kind of odd to me that he does not give himself lead parts more often.
People like to complain about Paul's voice, especially during songs like “Maybe I'm Amazed”, which requires a combination of screaming and soft ballad. I'm sure that is hard to sing in your 70s. And maybe he should not sing it right after screaming at the end of “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five”. But he did not sound particularly bad Thursday night. He just did not sound 28 anymore.
He tried to speak Japanese before “In Spite Of All the Danger”. He had a script on the floor, which he stared at the entire time, but it was still pretty bad. He obviously does not speak a word of Japanese. The audience loved it, though. Japan is one of those countries where people appreciate the effort, even if you butcher their language. No one in Japan will ever yell at you to “learn Japanese or get out” or “go back to Mexico”.
“You Won't See Me” was interesting. He did a little acoustic intro that most of the audience did not recognize until he started singing the lyrics. The audience sang along with “And I Love Her”. I was looking at one of the video screens when he did his little booty shake, so I got to watch his 50 foot tall butt dance to the song.
The saxophone solo on “Lady Madonna” freaked me out. I was looking around the stage, but I could not see anyone with a saxophone. Then I realized that Wix was playing it. That was disappointing. They might as well use drum machines instead of real drums. I bet Paul could afford to hire real musicians. One of the reasons Wings Over America is so great is because the keyboards play the keyboard parts.
Just before playing “FourFiveSeconds”, he introduced the song with, “We played the oldest song and now we're going to play the newest song.” But the song he played right before was “Lady Madonna”. Hardly the oldest song he played that night. He played a lot of Beatles songs. Half the concert was Beatles songs. And most of them are older than “Lady Madonna”. What surprised me was that five people cheered when he started to play the “FourFiveSeconds” guitar intro. What really surprised me was that he played that song at all. The lyrics were on the giant screen behind the stage, but they were in English, so I don't think as many people sang along as he expected. The funniest part was when they showed a picture of Kanye on screen and some of the audience booed. I don't know what Kanye did to offend the Japanese, but his fans were not in the audience that night.
Before he introduced “Being For the Benefit of Mr Kite”, he led the audience in a little sing along, during which he gave a dirty little giggle that really surprised me. I have never heard him laugh like that. While introducing “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, he spoke a little Japanese. There were subtitles at the bottom of the video screens, so everyone understood him, but I got the impression that he thought everyone understood his bad Japanese. After the audience cheered, from reading the subtitles, he said it again, only much worse. And not a single person in the stadium cared.
Some people ask why Paul still tours at his age. There was a brief moment during “Band On the Run” where he leaned against Rusty Anderson and smiled before bouncing up and down. The look of pure joy on his face answered that question.
The first “Live and Let Die” explosion scared the hell out of the woman standing next to me. She had never seen Paul in concert, and did not seem all that familiar with the song, so it was a complete surprise to her. She also thought the stage was on fire, with all of the lights and lasers, and actual fire, but the people she came with reassured her that we would all survive. It might not have helped that the video screen directly above the stage showed nothing but fire. I suppose it would have looked like something went terribly wrong if it was any other song. The audience laughed when Paul pretended to go deaf from all the pyrotechnics, but it was pretty loud. At his age, he might want to rethink that.
The only time his voice really sounded like he was an old man was during “Hey Jude”. He struggled here and there throughout the concert, but it looked like he was having a hard time breathing during “Hey Jude”. With his mussed up hair and a spotlight right in his face, I almost thought I was going to witness a heart attack on stage. He caught his breath as the song went on, though. By the na na nas, he was good to go. Of course, he mostly lets the audience sing that part.
When he started playing “Yesterday”, the audience wanted to cheer, but everyone knew they had to be quiet if they wanted to hear the song. That was one of those times I knew I was in Japan. “Hi Hi Hi” was funny, simply because he was playing it in Tokyo. The greatest revenge is selling out a stadium concert while the politicians who wanted to ban you are long gone. The crowd went nuts during Abe's short “The End” drum solo. And then it was over. The confetti and smoke when Paul left the stage was pretty weird.
I can't say it was the best concert I have ever seen, or even the best Paul McCartney concert I have ever seen, but it was probably the last time I will see him. He is never coming to China, and going to Japan for a concert is absurd. Maybe if I happen to be somewhere at the same time he has a concert, I will see him. If it is not sold out long before I get there.
Thursday, April 27, 2017
Tokyo To Tel Aviv
I flew to Tokyo yesterday and then I'm going to Tel Aviv. The Tel Aviv trip should be standard, but the Tokyo is unusual, for a few reasons.
I have been to Tokyo, always flying in to Narita Airport. That is the main international airport with most of the flights, but it is pretty far from Tokyo. They have some fast trains to get into the city, but it would be better to actually land in the city itself.
This time, I went to Haneda Airport. It is at the southern tip of the city, but at least it is actually within the city limits. The most expensive express train from Narita takes about an hour to get into the city. The cheaper trains are about 90 minutes. From Haneda, I got to my hotel in less than 30 minutes. Japanese trains run on time, so when they tell you how long they are supposed to take, that is how long they take.
Another unusual aspect to this Tokyo trip is the hotel. I usually stay in Shibuya. I like the neighborhood and it has everything I need without having to crowd onto the JR. This time, I'm in the Ichibancho neighborhood of Chiyoda. I don't know this neighborhood at all, so it should be interesting. My first impression is that it is very quiet. This is definitely not Shibuya.
Easily the most unusual aspect of this trip to Tokyo will be the Paul McCartney concert today at the Tokyo Dome. That is something I have never done before. I have seen Paul in the United States, but never in Asia. And if you want to see Paul in Asia, you have to go to Japan. He does not seem to know that China exists.
I have been to Tokyo, always flying in to Narita Airport. That is the main international airport with most of the flights, but it is pretty far from Tokyo. They have some fast trains to get into the city, but it would be better to actually land in the city itself.
This time, I went to Haneda Airport. It is at the southern tip of the city, but at least it is actually within the city limits. The most expensive express train from Narita takes about an hour to get into the city. The cheaper trains are about 90 minutes. From Haneda, I got to my hotel in less than 30 minutes. Japanese trains run on time, so when they tell you how long they are supposed to take, that is how long they take.
Another unusual aspect to this Tokyo trip is the hotel. I usually stay in Shibuya. I like the neighborhood and it has everything I need without having to crowd onto the JR. This time, I'm in the Ichibancho neighborhood of Chiyoda. I don't know this neighborhood at all, so it should be interesting. My first impression is that it is very quiet. This is definitely not Shibuya.
Easily the most unusual aspect of this trip to Tokyo will be the Paul McCartney concert today at the Tokyo Dome. That is something I have never done before. I have seen Paul in the United States, but never in Asia. And if you want to see Paul in Asia, you have to go to Japan. He does not seem to know that China exists.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Thanksgiving 2015
I have spent more than a few Thanksgivings in Hong Kong. Two years ago, we went to a Michelin star Italian restaurant for Thanksgiving. I was not all that wild about the food. I have been to several hole in the wall Italian restaurants that were far superior. A lot of people will disagree with me, but I think Italian food is better when made by an old married couple in the kitchen. Celebrity chefs get all the attention, but their revolving door staff can never match what Nonna Leone can do.
Ironically, we went to a Japanese restaurant near Canton Road last year. That was another trendy hot spot with average food. Having been to Japan, I can confidently say that some anonymous guy making noodles by the side of the road can deliver a more honest meal than a celebrity chef from Italy who trained in London and makes Japanese food in China.
This Thanksgiving, Lily and I were in Japan. We could have easily had a better Japanese Thanksgiving dinner than what we had last year in China, but I wanted something more American. People always tell me it's crazy to seek out American food while traveling in other countries. You are in that country, so you should eat that food. I mostly agree, but I live in China. I don't eat American food every day. I rarely eat American food at all. Around here, authentic American food means McDonald's and Haagen-Dazs. There are plenty of “American” restaurants in China, but they are as authentic as American dim sum. We ate plenty of Japanese food throughout the trip, but for Thanksgiving, I wanted something more familiar.
Tokyo has plenty of American expats and restaurants that cater to our tastes. We heard about several restaurants that had special Thanksgiving menus. We picked a place just south of the Shibuya station called Good Honest Grub because we liked their menu and, this part is important, they had reservations available. Rather than one night of Thanksgiving, they did it all week.
Despite the terrible name, this was a nice restaurant. They are only open for breakfast and lunch, and close when the sun goes down, so their chefs are never going to be famous and they are unlikely to ever get any Michelin stars. But they use a great deal of fresh, local produce and are a rare non-smoking restaurant in Tokyo.
Something I was a little disappointed in was their pumpkin pie. I have been on a bit of a quest to find real pumpkin pie for several years now. Most places in Hong Kong use the cheapest butter they can find in their crust, if they even have a crust, and the pumpkin filling tastes nothing like pumpkin. I think most of them use sweet potatoes or squash instead. Good Honest Grub's pumpkin pie tasted like pumpkin, and the crust was much better than anything in China, but they seem to have forgotten the nutmeg. Pumpkin pie without nutmeg is like brownies without smashed up chocolate bars.
It was a good Thanksgiving meal overall, and Tokyo has a million places to get dessert. Since Thanksgiving is meaningless in Japan, nothing closed early. Ice cream and imagawayaki were available all night.
Ironically, we went to a Japanese restaurant near Canton Road last year. That was another trendy hot spot with average food. Having been to Japan, I can confidently say that some anonymous guy making noodles by the side of the road can deliver a more honest meal than a celebrity chef from Italy who trained in London and makes Japanese food in China.
This Thanksgiving, Lily and I were in Japan. We could have easily had a better Japanese Thanksgiving dinner than what we had last year in China, but I wanted something more American. People always tell me it's crazy to seek out American food while traveling in other countries. You are in that country, so you should eat that food. I mostly agree, but I live in China. I don't eat American food every day. I rarely eat American food at all. Around here, authentic American food means McDonald's and Haagen-Dazs. There are plenty of “American” restaurants in China, but they are as authentic as American dim sum. We ate plenty of Japanese food throughout the trip, but for Thanksgiving, I wanted something more familiar.
Tokyo has plenty of American expats and restaurants that cater to our tastes. We heard about several restaurants that had special Thanksgiving menus. We picked a place just south of the Shibuya station called Good Honest Grub because we liked their menu and, this part is important, they had reservations available. Rather than one night of Thanksgiving, they did it all week.
Despite the terrible name, this was a nice restaurant. They are only open for breakfast and lunch, and close when the sun goes down, so their chefs are never going to be famous and they are unlikely to ever get any Michelin stars. But they use a great deal of fresh, local produce and are a rare non-smoking restaurant in Tokyo.
Something I was a little disappointed in was their pumpkin pie. I have been on a bit of a quest to find real pumpkin pie for several years now. Most places in Hong Kong use the cheapest butter they can find in their crust, if they even have a crust, and the pumpkin filling tastes nothing like pumpkin. I think most of them use sweet potatoes or squash instead. Good Honest Grub's pumpkin pie tasted like pumpkin, and the crust was much better than anything in China, but they seem to have forgotten the nutmeg. Pumpkin pie without nutmeg is like brownies without smashed up chocolate bars.
It was a good Thanksgiving meal overall, and Tokyo has a million places to get dessert. Since Thanksgiving is meaningless in Japan, nothing closed early. Ice cream and imagawayaki were available all night.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Sleeping in Tokyo
We stayed at the Shibuya Excel Hotel Tokyu, which is obviously in Shibuya. We stayed in Shibuya the last time we went to Tokyo, so we wanted to branch out a little more. We spent more time in Shinjuku this time, but the last thing we wanted to do was go all over the city. There is more than enough to experience for a week in Shibuya and Shinjuku.
The hotel is just outside the JR station. Since it sits on top of a shopping mall, you can walk from the station to the hotel without ever setting foot outdoors; a convenience on rainy days. This is a standard business hotel that looks and feels like what you expect from business hotels in Japan, but our room was larger than we expected. We did not book the cheapest room, because there were two of us, but we did not book the most expensive suite either.
They were supposed to give us two single or double beds, or whatever they want to call it. In East Asia, bed sizes never seem to match what we call them in the United States. I have slept on queen size beds that would be just right for a child. The hotel put us in a room with one king size bed. I don't think it was really king size, but it was big enough. Fortunately, Lily and I are good friends. It would have been awkward if this was a business trip.
Despite the lack of beds, which they were never able to fix, the service at the hotel was everything we expected from a business hotel in Japan. The housekeeping ninjas kept the room immaculate. We never saw them, but they were obviously there.
In parts of China, housekeeping will knock on your door day or night. Whenever they happen to be making the rounds, they will come to your room. No one really cares about do not disturb signs on doors. If they are cleaning your floor right now, they are coming to your room. I have dealt with a few people who were confused by the lock on the door and did not seem to understand why they could not get in. I have had housekeeping knock on my door at six o'clock in the morning. I'm usually awake, but I doubt most everyone else is. Even if the timing works out that no one tries to get into your room while you are sleeping, you will definitely see those housekeeping carts in the hallway. More often than not, they block the hall and you need to move them just to walk to the elevator.
In Tokyo, we never even saw the carts. They were obviously there when we were out, but we did not keep anything close to a regular schedule. We came and went at random and were prone to going back to the room in the middle of the day. It never mattered what time it was. No one was ever seen or heard. But the room was always cleaned.
Breakfast was included with our room, but we only ate it once. It was not bad for a hotel breakfast, but we were surrounded by food. Why eat something average when you have some of the best food in the world just outside your door? Sure, the hotel breakfast is free, or at least included in the price, but if you are prone to pinch pennies, Tokyo might not be for you.
The bathroom was not as modern as we expected, but it had the standard electronic toilet that gives every trip to Japan that little something extra. I was actually glad they had not renovated the bathroom recently. Whenever they do, they will probably put in one of those window walls that every hotel in China seems to have now. I like windows, but I want to use them to see what is outside the hotel, not to see what my roommate is doing in the bathroom. Not everyone who stays in a hotel is a couple, and not every couple wants to watch each other on the toilet. I know enough Chinese people who agree with me on that one. I'm hoping the Japanese feel the same way.
One of my favorite things about this hotel was the view. Cleanliness and comfort are far more important, but in Japan, your room is going to be clean. That's a given. This hotel is up to 25 floors above a shopping mall, which itself is 3 or 4 floors, so most rooms have good views of the neighborhood. Since our room faced north, we had a great view of the Shibuya crossing, Yoyogi Park and downtown Shinjuku. The last time we were in Tokyo, we stayed in an apartment. We had views of the neighboring buildings. This time, we had a postcard view from a large window. There are a million hotels in Tokyo, but I would not mind staying at this one next time.
The hotel is just outside the JR station. Since it sits on top of a shopping mall, you can walk from the station to the hotel without ever setting foot outdoors; a convenience on rainy days. This is a standard business hotel that looks and feels like what you expect from business hotels in Japan, but our room was larger than we expected. We did not book the cheapest room, because there were two of us, but we did not book the most expensive suite either.
They were supposed to give us two single or double beds, or whatever they want to call it. In East Asia, bed sizes never seem to match what we call them in the United States. I have slept on queen size beds that would be just right for a child. The hotel put us in a room with one king size bed. I don't think it was really king size, but it was big enough. Fortunately, Lily and I are good friends. It would have been awkward if this was a business trip.
Despite the lack of beds, which they were never able to fix, the service at the hotel was everything we expected from a business hotel in Japan. The housekeeping ninjas kept the room immaculate. We never saw them, but they were obviously there.
In parts of China, housekeeping will knock on your door day or night. Whenever they happen to be making the rounds, they will come to your room. No one really cares about do not disturb signs on doors. If they are cleaning your floor right now, they are coming to your room. I have dealt with a few people who were confused by the lock on the door and did not seem to understand why they could not get in. I have had housekeeping knock on my door at six o'clock in the morning. I'm usually awake, but I doubt most everyone else is. Even if the timing works out that no one tries to get into your room while you are sleeping, you will definitely see those housekeeping carts in the hallway. More often than not, they block the hall and you need to move them just to walk to the elevator.
In Tokyo, we never even saw the carts. They were obviously there when we were out, but we did not keep anything close to a regular schedule. We came and went at random and were prone to going back to the room in the middle of the day. It never mattered what time it was. No one was ever seen or heard. But the room was always cleaned.
Breakfast was included with our room, but we only ate it once. It was not bad for a hotel breakfast, but we were surrounded by food. Why eat something average when you have some of the best food in the world just outside your door? Sure, the hotel breakfast is free, or at least included in the price, but if you are prone to pinch pennies, Tokyo might not be for you.
The bathroom was not as modern as we expected, but it had the standard electronic toilet that gives every trip to Japan that little something extra. I was actually glad they had not renovated the bathroom recently. Whenever they do, they will probably put in one of those window walls that every hotel in China seems to have now. I like windows, but I want to use them to see what is outside the hotel, not to see what my roommate is doing in the bathroom. Not everyone who stays in a hotel is a couple, and not every couple wants to watch each other on the toilet. I know enough Chinese people who agree with me on that one. I'm hoping the Japanese feel the same way.
One of my favorite things about this hotel was the view. Cleanliness and comfort are far more important, but in Japan, your room is going to be clean. That's a given. This hotel is up to 25 floors above a shopping mall, which itself is 3 or 4 floors, so most rooms have good views of the neighborhood. Since our room faced north, we had a great view of the Shibuya crossing, Yoyogi Park and downtown Shinjuku. The last time we were in Tokyo, we stayed in an apartment. We had views of the neighboring buildings. This time, we had a postcard view from a large window. There are a million hotels in Tokyo, but I would not mind staying at this one next time.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Home Again
Lily and I are back in Hong Kong. We left Tokyo Friday night, landed in Hong Kong very late Friday night and got home after midnight. We both had to work on Saturday, but I was lucky enough to work Saturday night. So I got to sleep a little. Lily had to wake up Saturday morning, so she only got to take a little nap.
Neither of us like going to work right after we come back from another country. I like to have a full day off between the airport and work. But sometimes you want to stretch out your vacation as much as possible. We could have come home earlier, but that would have meant leaving Tokyo earlier. As it is, we were only there for 7 1/2 days. That's not nearly enough time for a city like Tokyo.
The weather was pretty nice while we were there. The last time we went to Tokyo was in August, so it was hot and humid, just like Hong Kong. This time, we got a little rain and much cooler temperatures. It was never cold, but it was cloudy enough most of the time. Anything not oppressively humid is good.
Neither of us like going to work right after we come back from another country. I like to have a full day off between the airport and work. But sometimes you want to stretch out your vacation as much as possible. We could have come home earlier, but that would have meant leaving Tokyo earlier. As it is, we were only there for 7 1/2 days. That's not nearly enough time for a city like Tokyo.
The weather was pretty nice while we were there. The last time we went to Tokyo was in August, so it was hot and humid, just like Hong Kong. This time, we got a little rain and much cooler temperatures. It was never cold, but it was cloudy enough most of the time. Anything not oppressively humid is good.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Thanksgiving in Tokyo
Lily and I are going to Tokyo tomorrow. We went back and forth about which neighborhood to stay in, but eventually decided on Shibuya. We stayed there last time, so we talked about going somewhere else, but we want this to be an easy trip. In any other neighborhood, we would have to look at hotels. In a city like Tokyo, that can take a while. The only hotels we know in Shinjuku are ridiculously expensive. For Shibuya, we already had a hotel in mind. They had rooms available, so we took it.
Had we planned this trip ahead of time, we probably would have picked a different neighborhood. Tokyo is the kind of city where it is best to stay in one area and then see another part of the city another time. You are never going to get to know it all in one trip. Since we stayed in Shibuya last time, it would make sense to stay in Minato or Chiyoda this time. But we did everything at the last minute, so Shibuya is easier. We can still spend as much time as we want somewhere else since our hotel is right next to the JR station, but I would bet that we will mostly be in Shibuya. I would rather walk around the neighborhood than spend all day on a subway train.
The original plan was to go for a long weekend. Since my birthday is on Sunday, we were always going to be there for my birthday. Then we shuffled some of our days off, got a few extra and decided to go a little later and stay a little longer. Now, we will be there for my birthday and Thanksgiving. Japan might not be the ideal Thanksgiving location, but neither is China. Eating a Japanese Thanksgiving dinner will be a nice change of pace from our usual Chinese Thanksgiving dinner.
Had we planned this trip ahead of time, we probably would have picked a different neighborhood. Tokyo is the kind of city where it is best to stay in one area and then see another part of the city another time. You are never going to get to know it all in one trip. Since we stayed in Shibuya last time, it would make sense to stay in Minato or Chiyoda this time. But we did everything at the last minute, so Shibuya is easier. We can still spend as much time as we want somewhere else since our hotel is right next to the JR station, but I would bet that we will mostly be in Shibuya. I would rather walk around the neighborhood than spend all day on a subway train.
The original plan was to go for a long weekend. Since my birthday is on Sunday, we were always going to be there for my birthday. Then we shuffled some of our days off, got a few extra and decided to go a little later and stay a little longer. Now, we will be there for my birthday and Thanksgiving. Japan might not be the ideal Thanksgiving location, but neither is China. Eating a Japanese Thanksgiving dinner will be a nice change of pace from our usual Chinese Thanksgiving dinner.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Tokyo Birthday
Lily and I are going to take a little trip to Tokyo. We have not taken a vacation together since we went to Tokyo last year. Our last big trip was Paris, but that was not entirely a vacation. We just went to Taipei last month, but that was a weekend in a city an hour away.
We both managed to get a few days off at the same time and wanted to go somewhere close, but definitely outside of China. Tokyo is an inexpensive and easy trip, and Japan is not at all Chinese. It might seem strange to call Tokyo inexpensive since it is such an expensive city, but flights from Hong Kong are cheap and only take about four hours. We thought about Thailand and Korea, which are also pretty close, but went with Tokyo for a variety of reasons.
Neither of us has been to Korea. We would both like to go some day, but since we have never been there, we would have to look up too much information for a quick and easy trip. We know what we need to do for Tokyo, and already looked into a few different neighborhoods before we went the last time.
Thailand is pretty easy and cheaper than Tokyo, but we like the weather in Tokyo better. Thailand is always hot and humid. The only change of seasons are from wet to dry. The wet season just ended, so we would not have to worry about too much rain, but we both like actual seasons. If we want hot and humid, we can stay in Hong Kong. It will not snow in Tokyo while we are there, but at least it will be noticeably cooler. We will probably be in Hong Kong all winter, so this might be our only chance to go somewhere that gets cold.
This trip is not actually for my birthday. That part is only a coincidence. We will both be working a lot more during Christmas/New Year, so now is the time to go somewhere. After the New Year, which I think is in February next year, we will have more time to take a bigger trip.
We both managed to get a few days off at the same time and wanted to go somewhere close, but definitely outside of China. Tokyo is an inexpensive and easy trip, and Japan is not at all Chinese. It might seem strange to call Tokyo inexpensive since it is such an expensive city, but flights from Hong Kong are cheap and only take about four hours. We thought about Thailand and Korea, which are also pretty close, but went with Tokyo for a variety of reasons.
Neither of us has been to Korea. We would both like to go some day, but since we have never been there, we would have to look up too much information for a quick and easy trip. We know what we need to do for Tokyo, and already looked into a few different neighborhoods before we went the last time.
Thailand is pretty easy and cheaper than Tokyo, but we like the weather in Tokyo better. Thailand is always hot and humid. The only change of seasons are from wet to dry. The wet season just ended, so we would not have to worry about too much rain, but we both like actual seasons. If we want hot and humid, we can stay in Hong Kong. It will not snow in Tokyo while we are there, but at least it will be noticeably cooler. We will probably be in Hong Kong all winter, so this might be our only chance to go somewhere that gets cold.
This trip is not actually for my birthday. That part is only a coincidence. We will both be working a lot more during Christmas/New Year, so now is the time to go somewhere. After the New Year, which I think is in February next year, we will have more time to take a bigger trip.
Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 9
Just north of Yoyogi Park is Shinjuku, which is a completely different type of neighborhood from Shibuya. It might as well be a different city. We almost chose a hotel in Shinjuku before we found the Shibuya apartment. Ryan and Kevin liked the red light district in Shinjuku, but Lily & I thought it looked like some kind of cartoon neighborhood. It was more like some weird Disney Toon Town than a sexual haven. It was funny because other parts of Shinjuku were more of a serious business area while a lot of Shibuya was like a cartoon town. I thought they should have put the red light district in Shibuya and our apartment street in Shinjuku.
Shinjuku also has one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo, the Metropolitan Government Building, which is probably a great place to see views of Tokyo. Unfortunately, we went in between storms, so we never saw Mt Fuji. Supposedly, you can see it very well from the observation deck, which is completely free to enter, but only on a clear day. We almost went to the Tokyo Skytree, which is the second largest tower in the world, but it was too cloudy to make it worthwhile. We would have had great views of fog.
We went to other areas of Tokyo, of course, but we spent most of our time in Shibuya and Shinjuku.
We spent a tiny amount of time in Chiyoda, home to the Imperial Palace. You need a reservation to go inside the Imperial Palace, and there are a million blackout dates, so we just looked at the outside. It is probably far more impressive inside.
Minato is an enormous district with far more than anyone can see in one trip. Even if we had stayed in a hotel there, we would barely know the place. The main tourist sight is Tokyo Tower, a slightly taller version of the Eiffel Tower. Everyone told us the views are better from the Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku, though again, only on clear days.
Chuo is a tiny district, by Tokyo standards, but home to the Ginza. By day, the Ginza is a shopper's paradise. It is Tokyo's version of New York's Fifth Avenue, Paris' Champs-Élysées and Amsterdam's PC Hooftstraat all rolled into one. By night, it is an epileptic's worst nightmare. The sensory overload from the lights alone is enough to give you seizures. Tokyo has about nine million people. The lights and noise of the Ginza make it feel like all of them are on a single street at any given time.
Shinjuku also has one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo, the Metropolitan Government Building, which is probably a great place to see views of Tokyo. Unfortunately, we went in between storms, so we never saw Mt Fuji. Supposedly, you can see it very well from the observation deck, which is completely free to enter, but only on a clear day. We almost went to the Tokyo Skytree, which is the second largest tower in the world, but it was too cloudy to make it worthwhile. We would have had great views of fog.
We went to other areas of Tokyo, of course, but we spent most of our time in Shibuya and Shinjuku.
We spent a tiny amount of time in Chiyoda, home to the Imperial Palace. You need a reservation to go inside the Imperial Palace, and there are a million blackout dates, so we just looked at the outside. It is probably far more impressive inside.
Minato is an enormous district with far more than anyone can see in one trip. Even if we had stayed in a hotel there, we would barely know the place. The main tourist sight is Tokyo Tower, a slightly taller version of the Eiffel Tower. Everyone told us the views are better from the Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku, though again, only on clear days.
Chuo is a tiny district, by Tokyo standards, but home to the Ginza. By day, the Ginza is a shopper's paradise. It is Tokyo's version of New York's Fifth Avenue, Paris' Champs-Élysées and Amsterdam's PC Hooftstraat all rolled into one. By night, it is an epileptic's worst nightmare. The sensory overload from the lights alone is enough to give you seizures. Tokyo has about nine million people. The lights and noise of the Ginza make it feel like all of them are on a single street at any given time.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 8
The neighborhood we were in could not have been better. We stayed in Shibuya, which is famous for shopping and food, but our apartment was on a quiet street away from all the excitement. We were only a few blocks away from everything, but once you turned onto our street, life immediately moved slower. It was like being in a quiet residential neighborhood right next to all the downtown action.
We were an easy walk to the Shibuya JR station, but we were also pretty close to the Harajuku station. I think our apartment might have been right in the middle of the two, but we mostly used Shibuya because it was a bigger station that went to more places.
I'm not really sure what is south of Shibuya, but just north of our apartment was Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine. The first time we went there, we took the JR from Shibuya to Harajuku, but then we quickly found out that we could easily walk to the park. The front entrance to the park was about the same walking distance as the Shibuya station.
The Meiji Shrine was very interesting. Ryan thought it looked like a Chinese temple, but I thought it was completely different. Chinese temples seem louder. Not only in the noise made by all the people, but in the design. This shrine was calm and relaxing. Chinese temples are rough and jagged. The Japanese people at the Meiji Shrine were far more reverential than I have ever seen anyone at a Chinese temple. You can easily walk around a Chinese temple without being the loud American because Chinese people are, by and large, far noisier. At the Meiji Shrine, we were effortlessly the loud Americans, even though half of us were Canadian.
It's interesting that Canadian's have no bad reputation anywhere when most of the world probably looks at Canadians and assumes they are American. I wonder how many obnoxious Canadians have wandered around, letting everyone assume they were American.
We were an easy walk to the Shibuya JR station, but we were also pretty close to the Harajuku station. I think our apartment might have been right in the middle of the two, but we mostly used Shibuya because it was a bigger station that went to more places.
I'm not really sure what is south of Shibuya, but just north of our apartment was Yoyogi Park and the Meiji Shrine. The first time we went there, we took the JR from Shibuya to Harajuku, but then we quickly found out that we could easily walk to the park. The front entrance to the park was about the same walking distance as the Shibuya station.
The Meiji Shrine was very interesting. Ryan thought it looked like a Chinese temple, but I thought it was completely different. Chinese temples seem louder. Not only in the noise made by all the people, but in the design. This shrine was calm and relaxing. Chinese temples are rough and jagged. The Japanese people at the Meiji Shrine were far more reverential than I have ever seen anyone at a Chinese temple. You can easily walk around a Chinese temple without being the loud American because Chinese people are, by and large, far noisier. At the Meiji Shrine, we were effortlessly the loud Americans, even though half of us were Canadian.
It's interesting that Canadian's have no bad reputation anywhere when most of the world probably looks at Canadians and assumes they are American. I wonder how many obnoxious Canadians have wandered around, letting everyone assume they were American.
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 7
Tokyo was amazing. I can see why Americans like it so much. Japanese culture seems a lot more accessible than Chinese culture, from an American perspective, at least. I'm not saying Japan is like the United States. They are very different places in a million different ways. But from what little I have seen, I think it would be far easier to be an American adapting to Japan than to be an American adapting to China. I would love to know how Chinese people feel about adapting to life in Japan, or about Japanese people in China.
Going to another country with Ryan, Lily and Kevin was more than interesting. I have gone to a few countries with Ryan, so there were no surprises there, but this was my first trip with Lily & Kevin. We have all known each other for a few years, but we never really thought about taking a vacation together until now. We talked about it, but not seriously.
Staying together in a hotel would have been interesting. We have all lived together, more or less, but a hotel is different from an apartment. Unfortunately, I can't say anything about that experience since we stayed in an apartment on this trip. It was not someone's actual apartment, but one of those apartments that travelers can rent for short stays. There's a name for it, but it escapes me right now.
The great thing about staying in an apartment is that you have a lot more room. We had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a small kitchen. We could have had the same amount of space in a large suit at one of the better hotels, but that would have been far more expensive. Tokyo is not the cheapest city in the world. The apartment we rented was beyond reasonable. I think they charged less because most people don't know about it, unlike a national hotel chain that everyone knows about.
Going to another country with Ryan, Lily and Kevin was more than interesting. I have gone to a few countries with Ryan, so there were no surprises there, but this was my first trip with Lily & Kevin. We have all known each other for a few years, but we never really thought about taking a vacation together until now. We talked about it, but not seriously.
Staying together in a hotel would have been interesting. We have all lived together, more or less, but a hotel is different from an apartment. Unfortunately, I can't say anything about that experience since we stayed in an apartment on this trip. It was not someone's actual apartment, but one of those apartments that travelers can rent for short stays. There's a name for it, but it escapes me right now.
The great thing about staying in an apartment is that you have a lot more room. We had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a small kitchen. We could have had the same amount of space in a large suit at one of the better hotels, but that would have been far more expensive. Tokyo is not the cheapest city in the world. The apartment we rented was beyond reasonable. I think they charged less because most people don't know about it, unlike a national hotel chain that everyone knows about.
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 6
We are going to Tokyo tomorrow. The plane tickets are confirmed and the hotel/apartment is finally booked. We have some idea of what we want to see and where we want to go, but we are also leaving plenty of room to improvise. The last thing I ever want to do on a trip is plan every little thing down to the last hour. I want to know how to get around, but where I go is often open to last minute choices. Luckily, I'm traveling with people who pretty much feel the same way. The four of us have never traveled together to a different country, so it should be interesting.
As if that's not enough traveling, I'm also going to Los Angeles next month. That trip is easier for me since I don't really have to plan anything. My agent already booked the plane tickets. I'm not even sure which airline it is. I should probably look into that. I don't know if he has found a hotel yet. I'm going with three other girls, whom I don't know. Hopefully, he will book at least two rooms. I should probably look into that as well. Right now I'm concentrating on Tokyo. I will deal with Los Angeles later.
As if that's not enough traveling, I'm also going to Los Angeles next month. That trip is easier for me since I don't really have to plan anything. My agent already booked the plane tickets. I'm not even sure which airline it is. I should probably look into that. I don't know if he has found a hotel yet. I'm going with three other girls, whom I don't know. Hopefully, he will book at least two rooms. I should probably look into that as well. Right now I'm concentrating on Tokyo. I will deal with Los Angeles later.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 5
We finally decided on a hotel. That's good news since we are leaving on Monday. I was a little worried that we would still be arguing over hotels when our plane landed in Tokyo.
We went with Shibuya for a few reasons. The Shinjuku hotels are probably more luxurious, but we all decided that we are not going to spend all that much time in the hotel anyway. Since none of us have ever been to Tokyo, we want to see Tokyo, not some hotel. In Shibuya, we found a place that is more like an apartment than a hotel. It will not have all the room service and housekeeping that you get in a hotel, but it seems like a nice apartment. Hopefully, it will give us a better experience, more like the way people live there instead of tourists staying at a hotel.
Shibuya seems to have more for all of us. From what I can tell, Shinjuku is a business and party area, with a lot less in between. Shibuya seems to have a little bit of everything. We also had to consider our luggage. Lily & Kevin don't know how to travel light. I'm not really sure why that is, but they always bring more than they ever need on trips. The Shibuya apartment is close to the train station. The Shinjuku hotels would require some extra walking time, which is always more of a chore when you are unfamiliar with the neighborhood and have to drag along suitcases on choppy roads. For whatever reason, the luggage companies design their wheels for the smoother airport floors, not for the uneven surfaces beyond the sliding glass doors.
We went with Shibuya for a few reasons. The Shinjuku hotels are probably more luxurious, but we all decided that we are not going to spend all that much time in the hotel anyway. Since none of us have ever been to Tokyo, we want to see Tokyo, not some hotel. In Shibuya, we found a place that is more like an apartment than a hotel. It will not have all the room service and housekeeping that you get in a hotel, but it seems like a nice apartment. Hopefully, it will give us a better experience, more like the way people live there instead of tourists staying at a hotel.
Shibuya seems to have more for all of us. From what I can tell, Shinjuku is a business and party area, with a lot less in between. Shibuya seems to have a little bit of everything. We also had to consider our luggage. Lily & Kevin don't know how to travel light. I'm not really sure why that is, but they always bring more than they ever need on trips. The Shibuya apartment is close to the train station. The Shinjuku hotels would require some extra walking time, which is always more of a chore when you are unfamiliar with the neighborhood and have to drag along suitcases on choppy roads. For whatever reason, the luggage companies design their wheels for the smoother airport floors, not for the uneven surfaces beyond the sliding glass doors.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 4
We have narrowed our hotel options down to the Shibuya Excel Hotel in Shibuya and the Hilton or Hyatt in Shinjuku. The two Shinjuku hotels are right next to each other and very expensive. We can get a suite at either one and have a very nice time in Tokyo. The Shibuya hotel is less expensive and does not have suites, but I think it's in a better location.
The Shinjuku hotels are farther away from the metro, though they are probably an easy enough walk. They are in a business area and I'm sure it's a great place to stay if you are on a business trip. Your meeting would probably be close by, if not in the hotel itself.
Ryan and Kevin want to be closer to the non-stop Shinjuku nightlife. The neighborhood they want to stay in is northeast of the metro station, but the better hotels are west of the station. The station itself seems to be massive, so just getting from one end to the other might take a while. I don't know how long it would take to walk from either hotel to the red light district, but in August, even thirty minutes might be too much.
The Shibuya hotel is right next to the train station. It's literally across the street and connected by a walkway. You can probably walk from one to the other during a typhoon and never get wet. I think that's terribly convenient. Typhoon or not, I'm sure we will use the trains a great deal, so the closer we are, the better. We could also avoid the famous crosswalk, which probably gets pretty old pretty fast, especially if you have to walk through thousands of gawking people just to cross the street.
There are practical considerations we need to think about. Tokyo, unlike Hong Kong, has Krispy Kreme. Needless to say, I'm sure I will go there at least once a day. The Shinjuku hotels are eleven blocks from the nearest Krispy Kreme. The Shibuya hotel is about a block away from the nearest Krispy Kreme, with another one six blocks in the opposite direction. Clearly, Shibuya has the advantage.
Ryan likes to get as much authentic American food as he can when we travel. Most people don't go to Tokyo for American food, but most people who were raised on American food probably don't live in Fuzhou either. There's nothing close to real American food where he lives and very little where I live. Tokyo should have more options.
So far, we know about a Sizzler in Shinjuku and Outback in Shibuya. Sizzler is terrible. It has killed people. I don't know why they want it in Japan. There's a Hard Rock Café, but that is farther away from Shinjuku and Shibuya. McDonald's is everywhere, but I'm not counting that because, while authentically American, it is also as appetizing as a giant plate of dog shit. Hopefully, there is an independent restaurant owned by an American expat somewhere. Authentic food should not have to be garbage.
The Shinjuku hotels are farther away from the metro, though they are probably an easy enough walk. They are in a business area and I'm sure it's a great place to stay if you are on a business trip. Your meeting would probably be close by, if not in the hotel itself.
Ryan and Kevin want to be closer to the non-stop Shinjuku nightlife. The neighborhood they want to stay in is northeast of the metro station, but the better hotels are west of the station. The station itself seems to be massive, so just getting from one end to the other might take a while. I don't know how long it would take to walk from either hotel to the red light district, but in August, even thirty minutes might be too much.
The Shibuya hotel is right next to the train station. It's literally across the street and connected by a walkway. You can probably walk from one to the other during a typhoon and never get wet. I think that's terribly convenient. Typhoon or not, I'm sure we will use the trains a great deal, so the closer we are, the better. We could also avoid the famous crosswalk, which probably gets pretty old pretty fast, especially if you have to walk through thousands of gawking people just to cross the street.
There are practical considerations we need to think about. Tokyo, unlike Hong Kong, has Krispy Kreme. Needless to say, I'm sure I will go there at least once a day. The Shinjuku hotels are eleven blocks from the nearest Krispy Kreme. The Shibuya hotel is about a block away from the nearest Krispy Kreme, with another one six blocks in the opposite direction. Clearly, Shibuya has the advantage.
Ryan likes to get as much authentic American food as he can when we travel. Most people don't go to Tokyo for American food, but most people who were raised on American food probably don't live in Fuzhou either. There's nothing close to real American food where he lives and very little where I live. Tokyo should have more options.
So far, we know about a Sizzler in Shinjuku and Outback in Shibuya. Sizzler is terrible. It has killed people. I don't know why they want it in Japan. There's a Hard Rock Café, but that is farther away from Shinjuku and Shibuya. McDonald's is everywhere, but I'm not counting that because, while authentically American, it is also as appetizing as a giant plate of dog shit. Hopefully, there is an independent restaurant owned by an American expat somewhere. Authentic food should not have to be garbage.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Tokyo Trip part 3
We have narrowed our Tokyo hotel search to two neighborhoods, Shinjuku and Shibuya. Shinjuku is one of the main entertainment districts with a lot of food and shopping. It also has a famous park and a famous temple. Shibuya is one of the main entertainment districts with a lot of food and shopping. It also has a famous park and a famous temple. If they sound exactly the same, that's because what little I have seen describes both areas in the same ways. The big difference seems to be that Shinjuku has one of the red light districts and Shibuya has a famous crosswalk.
When Ryan finds out about the red light district, he is going to vote for Shinjuku. He loves going into red light districts, for some reason. He does not do anything in them he is not supposed to do. He just likes to look around. He spent way too much time in Amsterdam's red light district, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want him to miss the rest of Tokyo.
No one is going to vote for the famous crosswalk. It's in every movie set in Tokyo, but that's not enough of a reason to stay there. I think a crosswalk is about as exciting as a street lamp.
The bad news, or maybe it's good news, is that both neighborhoods have far too many hotels. We have narrowed our search, so we can ignore most of the hotels in Tokyo, but we still have about a million options.
When Ryan finds out about the red light district, he is going to vote for Shinjuku. He loves going into red light districts, for some reason. He does not do anything in them he is not supposed to do. He just likes to look around. He spent way too much time in Amsterdam's red light district, as far as I'm concerned. I don't want him to miss the rest of Tokyo.
No one is going to vote for the famous crosswalk. It's in every movie set in Tokyo, but that's not enough of a reason to stay there. I think a crosswalk is about as exciting as a street lamp.
The bad news, or maybe it's good news, is that both neighborhoods have far too many hotels. We have narrowed our search, so we can ignore most of the hotels in Tokyo, but we still have about a million options.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)