Well, I've been back two weeks now and it's been a busy couple of weeks. When I returned to work, there was a pile of work that had been anxiously awaiting my arrival. Well... there was that and a cubicle filled to the brim with pink and black balloons. It's been rather disturbing how quickly I've fallen back into my pre-trip quotidian habits. Part of that may have been that I was anxious to get home and find comfortable habits to return to. Something about western-style toilets, menus in English, and being able to drink tap water makes life so much easier. Sorry I haven't been able to get in touch with all of you since I returned. I've meant to but just have not been able to find the time. I'll try harder and hope to talk to you all again soon.
Looking back on the trip, I'm so glad I went. It's hard to explain to people when they ask how the trip was without saying something totally unhelpful like, "It was great!" What was great about it? It was great to strike out on my own for a month, to get away and remember that there's a whole other world out there beyond our individual bubble and our coasts. It was great to see Jeff again and experience an entirely different culture and how they deal with everyday minutiae that we all experience. But most of all, it was great to go away and come back knowing more about myself, what I'm capable of, and what I love about where I live. I'm not sure you can ever fully appreciate those things until you've stepped out of your comfort zone and disconnected yourself from them.
So... those are my final thoughts on the adventure. I think that pretty much wraps up this experiment in blogging but before I sign off, I have two final items to bring up:
1) I'm not sure how to get pictures out to everyone for viewing. I looked into Picasa but short of paying for a subscription (yeah, right!), I'm limited to 100 Mb upload per month. As I have 3 Gb of photos, that'd take awhile. Does anyone know another site that's easy to upload 3 Gb of photos so I can email a link to people outside of the Seattle area? Or should I just quit being a cheapskate and send Google (via Picasa) some money? Either way, hopefully there'll be an email headed your way with a link to view the photos I took.
2) I've already started thinking about my next trip. As I'm currently sitting on negative vacation hours at work and I'm also trying to not dip further into my savings to pay for this trip, I'm not going to be going anywhere anytime soon. But hey, it's never too early to start planning, right? So along those lines, I have three little words to say:
Trans, Siberian, Railway.
Take care everyone.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
My Current Location
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I'm going to try to keep this post updated with my current whereabouts so you all can follow along at home...
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
See You All Stateside
When you all wake up and read this tomorrow... I'll probably be sleeping. But when I wake up tomorrow, I'll be heading off to the airport and the great Asian adventure will be coming to a close.
Not much to report from today. Saw a rock garden this morning (no pictures though) before leaving Kyoto and Mt. Fuji remained elusive despite the fact that I got off the train specifically to see her. Drats. Otherwise, it's a quite night in sleepy Narita and a long day tomorrow.
Looking forward to being home and seeing all of your smiling faces soon!
Not much to report from today. Saw a rock garden this morning (no pictures though) before leaving Kyoto and Mt. Fuji remained elusive despite the fact that I got off the train specifically to see her. Drats. Otherwise, it's a quite night in sleepy Narita and a long day tomorrow.
Looking forward to being home and seeing all of your smiling faces soon!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Yo, Yo, Kyoto
I've been in Kyoto the last two days having a blast. The crowds aren't nearly as pressing here as they were in Tokyo, the weather has cleared up for blue skies, and the Buddhist Temples and Shinto Shrines here have been great for relaxing. Yesterday was spent at Nijo Castle, Nanzen-ji Temple, and walking the Philosopher's Walk. All felt very Japanese. I made a day trip today to Nara, the supposed cradle of Buddhism. I saw the temple there (Todai-ji) as well as a couple of impressive shrines. Kasuga Shrine in Nara, home of thousands of stone lanterns, is also the home of a few hundred tame deer. Well, I'm not sure tame is the right word. Maybe just more tame than wild. They're pretty vicious if you have any food-smelling items in your pockets.
On the way back to Kyoto I stopped at Fushimi Inari Shrine which is pretty well known for its thousands of orange and black torii (which is a terrific color combination, by the way):
That's not my picture (can't download them here at the hotel after all) but you get the idea. I guess the moral of the story though is that when the Shinto-ists get their minds settled on a theme for their shrines, they really go all out about it. No half-assing it with only a few hundred lanterns or torii! Build it like you mean it!
Once I got back to Kyoto, I cruised through the Gion District and saw a few apprentice Geisha (Maiko) walking down the streets. They were drawing quite a bit of attention from the tourists but would you believe it, they were walking around taking pictures themselves, sightseeing like the rest of us schmucks!
I'm headed back to Tokyo tomorrow (well, technically Narita), hoping the clouds will stay away long enough for me to get my first gander at Mt. Fuji. Then early Thursday morning it's bon voyage. I'll probably have a final debrief or two once I get back so stay tuned!
On the way back to Kyoto I stopped at Fushimi Inari Shrine which is pretty well known for its thousands of orange and black torii (which is a terrific color combination, by the way):
That's not my picture (can't download them here at the hotel after all) but you get the idea. I guess the moral of the story though is that when the Shinto-ists get their minds settled on a theme for their shrines, they really go all out about it. No half-assing it with only a few hundred lanterns or torii! Build it like you mean it!
Once I got back to Kyoto, I cruised through the Gion District and saw a few apprentice Geisha (Maiko) walking down the streets. They were drawing quite a bit of attention from the tourists but would you believe it, they were walking around taking pictures themselves, sightseeing like the rest of us schmucks!
I'm headed back to Tokyo tomorrow (well, technically Narita), hoping the clouds will stay away long enough for me to get my first gander at Mt. Fuji. Then early Thursday morning it's bon voyage. I'll probably have a final debrief or two once I get back so stay tuned!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Tokyo: The Highlights
Pictures with commentary below:
The pre-game cheerleaders and rituals before the baseball game on Friday at the Tokyo Dome. The fans were loud and dedicated but also rather polite. The Hanshin fans quietly sat while Yomiuri was at bat and the Giants fans cheered their heads off. When Hanshin came up to bat, the Yomiuri fans sat down and it was the Tigers fans' turn. But despite their enthusiasm, I didn't really feel like they're any more passionate about their teams than American fans. I guess the giveaway was the total lack of correlation between their cheering and the magnitude of the play at hand. You wouldn't be able to tell if somebody just hit a popup in the first or a game winning grand slam from the sound of the fans. And you can't blame it on the beer either; the beer garden was DESERTED before the game (trust me, I looked long and hard).
The purportedly busiest intersection in the world in the Shibuya district (which I just like to say out loud: She-booyah!). I took this shot from the 2nd floor of the Starbucks in the building with the walking dinosaur from "Lost in Translation." The Shibuya district (you're saying it out loud aren't you?), is where the video arcades, neon lights, and pachinko slots are. Very fun but also VERY loud. So much so in fact that the dedicated pachinko players were wearing ear plugs. Sounds like a blast doesn't it!!
Speaking of "Lost in Translation," the Suntory whisky Bill Murray's character is in Tokyo to promote... yeah, it's a real whisky here. They also make beer (which is crap like all of the other beers here, by the way) and I just about died laughing when I saw this billboard. "For relaxing times, make it Suntory time." The locals standing next to me didn't get it...
Sumo from tonight! The wrestling started at 8:30 am this morning (!!) and went until past 5:30pm. I thought that was a little much for me so I didn't show up until 12:30 or so... and found an almost deserted stadium. The Japanese (who knew what they were doing) didn't start showing up in earnest until 3:00 or so and the place absolutely erupted when this guy in red came up (he won too). It was fun but I have to admit, I spent most of the time confused beyond belief. I'm sure the sake didn't help on that front...
Today was my last full day in Tokyo; I'm heading to Kyoto tomorrow and hoping to see Nara and Mt. Fuji along the way. And then Thursday it's more than 20 hours of air travel to get back to the Emerald City. All I have to say is that I see a burger and a good beer in my future...
P.S.
What trip to Japan would be complete without an earthquake? News Link It felt like someone was trying to wake me up by shaking my bed this morning. I was so concerned and worried about it that I rolled over and went back to sleep once the aftershocks tailed off. I didn't hear anything about it afterwards and started to doubt whether or not it really happened. But I guess when you live in Tokyo, it really is, "Wake me when it's at least a magnitude 6..."
The pre-game cheerleaders and rituals before the baseball game on Friday at the Tokyo Dome. The fans were loud and dedicated but also rather polite. The Hanshin fans quietly sat while Yomiuri was at bat and the Giants fans cheered their heads off. When Hanshin came up to bat, the Yomiuri fans sat down and it was the Tigers fans' turn. But despite their enthusiasm, I didn't really feel like they're any more passionate about their teams than American fans. I guess the giveaway was the total lack of correlation between their cheering and the magnitude of the play at hand. You wouldn't be able to tell if somebody just hit a popup in the first or a game winning grand slam from the sound of the fans. And you can't blame it on the beer either; the beer garden was DESERTED before the game (trust me, I looked long and hard).
The purportedly busiest intersection in the world in the Shibuya district (which I just like to say out loud: She-booyah!). I took this shot from the 2nd floor of the Starbucks in the building with the walking dinosaur from "Lost in Translation." The Shibuya district (you're saying it out loud aren't you?), is where the video arcades, neon lights, and pachinko slots are. Very fun but also VERY loud. So much so in fact that the dedicated pachinko players were wearing ear plugs. Sounds like a blast doesn't it!!
Speaking of "Lost in Translation," the Suntory whisky Bill Murray's character is in Tokyo to promote... yeah, it's a real whisky here. They also make beer (which is crap like all of the other beers here, by the way) and I just about died laughing when I saw this billboard. "For relaxing times, make it Suntory time." The locals standing next to me didn't get it...
Sumo from tonight! The wrestling started at 8:30 am this morning (!!) and went until past 5:30pm. I thought that was a little much for me so I didn't show up until 12:30 or so... and found an almost deserted stadium. The Japanese (who knew what they were doing) didn't start showing up in earnest until 3:00 or so and the place absolutely erupted when this guy in red came up (he won too). It was fun but I have to admit, I spent most of the time confused beyond belief. I'm sure the sake didn't help on that front...
Today was my last full day in Tokyo; I'm heading to Kyoto tomorrow and hoping to see Nara and Mt. Fuji along the way. And then Thursday it's more than 20 hours of air travel to get back to the Emerald City. All I have to say is that I see a burger and a good beer in my future...
P.S.
What trip to Japan would be complete without an earthquake? News Link It felt like someone was trying to wake me up by shaking my bed this morning. I was so concerned and worried about it that I rolled over and went back to sleep once the aftershocks tailed off. I didn't hear anything about it afterwards and started to doubt whether or not it really happened. But I guess when you live in Tokyo, it really is, "Wake me when it's at least a magnitude 6..."
Friday, September 19, 2008
I'm Feeling Japanese
I've arrived in the Land of the Rising Sun... to find rain clouds. Oh well. My trip through China was terrific and even though I was rarely ever restricted in my freedoms, I still just feel a little freer now that I'm gone. For instance, I can say whatever I want now: "Free Tibet!" "Taiwan's sovereign!" "Tian'an Men Square, 1989!" Phew, that feels better...
But now it's time to focus my attention on the country at hand. And let me tell you, Japan has some very cool things going on. For instance, the toilet in my hotel, yeah, it's heated. You know, in case my bum gets cold during the summer. I haven't tried the bidet feature yet but it's only a matter of time and the fake flushing noise to mask any... ahem... other noises, is pure genius.
One thing I've discovered that the Japanese have not perfected yet is mass transit. I consider myself pretty well-versed in the ways of... well... subways. I've been underground all over the world and I'd say I mastered the Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing tubes just on this trip alone. But this... this is ridiculous:
"At least it's in English," was my first thought. What makes things the most confusing about this Spaghetti Diagram is that when you look at that map, you're actually looking at more than three company's mass transit lines (there are only three major company's I've used thus far though). So to get from point A to point B, it's not only likely you'll have to transfer from one company's subway line to another's, it's even possible you'll have to use Company 1, Company 2, AND Company 3 just to make the trip. And each time you transfer companies, you have to find your way out of the subway station, find the nearby station you're transferring to, buy another subway ticket, and find the next train you need to catch. Needless to say, of the 10 hours I was out and about today, I spent 15 trying to figure out how to get around...
But get around I did. I went to the fish market and had fresh sushi for lunch. Got a real good look at those rain clouds from the observation deck at Tokyo Tower. Caught a Japanese baseball game tonight (Yomiuri beat Hanshin for those of you following the Central League standings back at home). Tomorrow I'm gonna hit up the video arcades (and maybe a museum or temple or something cultural). Sunday... you better sit down for this... are you ready? I'm not sure you're ready for this... well, here it is anyway... I'm drinking sake and watching real live Sumo. It's. gonna. be. AWESOME!
But now it's time to focus my attention on the country at hand. And let me tell you, Japan has some very cool things going on. For instance, the toilet in my hotel, yeah, it's heated. You know, in case my bum gets cold during the summer. I haven't tried the bidet feature yet but it's only a matter of time and the fake flushing noise to mask any... ahem... other noises, is pure genius.
One thing I've discovered that the Japanese have not perfected yet is mass transit. I consider myself pretty well-versed in the ways of... well... subways. I've been underground all over the world and I'd say I mastered the Taipei, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing tubes just on this trip alone. But this... this is ridiculous:
"At least it's in English," was my first thought. What makes things the most confusing about this Spaghetti Diagram is that when you look at that map, you're actually looking at more than three company's mass transit lines (there are only three major company's I've used thus far though). So to get from point A to point B, it's not only likely you'll have to transfer from one company's subway line to another's, it's even possible you'll have to use Company 1, Company 2, AND Company 3 just to make the trip. And each time you transfer companies, you have to find your way out of the subway station, find the nearby station you're transferring to, buy another subway ticket, and find the next train you need to catch. Needless to say, of the 10 hours I was out and about today, I spent 15 trying to figure out how to get around...
But get around I did. I went to the fish market and had fresh sushi for lunch. Got a real good look at those rain clouds from the observation deck at Tokyo Tower. Caught a Japanese baseball game tonight (Yomiuri beat Hanshin for those of you following the Central League standings back at home). Tomorrow I'm gonna hit up the video arcades (and maybe a museum or temple or something cultural). Sunday... you better sit down for this... are you ready? I'm not sure you're ready for this... well, here it is anyway... I'm drinking sake and watching real live Sumo. It's. gonna. be. AWESOME!
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Fat Lady has Sung
The 2008 Paralympics ended tonight so the summer olympic season is officially over. Beijing has been very supportive of the Paralympians (of whom I've seen quite a few since I've been here) and all of the competitions. I'm not sure how much coverage has been available back home but every game has been on tv here.
I went to the Olympic complex yesterday and have to admit, felt the Olympic spirit coursing through me. They had some track and field event going on while I was there and couldn't help noticing I had an extra hop in my step as I heard the crowds ooh and ahh. Here are some pictures. Please note: yes it really was overcast. It had rained before and after I was there so this wasn't smog... this time.
I went to the Olympic complex yesterday and have to admit, felt the Olympic spirit coursing through me. They had some track and field event going on while I was there and couldn't help noticing I had an extra hop in my step as I heard the crowds ooh and ahh. Here are some pictures. Please note: yes it really was overcast. It had rained before and after I was there so this wasn't smog... this time.
Japan starts tomorrow! Hooray!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
It's September 16th...
Do you know where your baseball team is? I promised some baseball commentary on here and with 12 to 14 games to go before October, raging thunderstorms tonight, and a steady internet connection, I've decided it's time. So here it is...
If the playoffs started today, the Angels, White Sox, Rays, and Red Sox would be representing the AL. The Twins are only 1.5 games back from the Pale Hose though with three head-to-head games coming up. The Chi Sox have a slightly easier schedule though with three games against the Yanks while the Twinkies play the Rays four times. Still, head to head games make all the difference. I'm calling a push on this one; it'll be decided in Minneapolis next week.
The other remaining question mark in the AL is the wild card. It's definitely coming from the East and it'll be between the Rays and the Red Sox but which one is decided only by mere percentage points at this point. Two more head to head games to go this week probably won't be decisive (I'm predicting a split of the last two), so we'll have to see if the Rays can keep it together under pressure as the season comes to an end. Their remaining schedule is 4 each against the Twins, at the O's, and at Detroit. The Sox on the other hand have three in Toronto and finish at home with 4 against the Tribe and 3 against the Evil Empire. With the Sox success at home and their superior Pythagorean, I'm calling it another Boston pennant this year. I'll admit a slight bias though...
In that other league (heh), the Cubs and Dodgers are the only teams that can feel confident they're in. In the East, the Mets only have a 0.5 game lead over the Phillies who also happen to be tied with the Brewers for a wild card berth after sweeping them in a four-game set at home. The Phillies definitely have the easier remaining schedule as they avoid the Cubs all together and have 9 of 12 against sub-.500 teams. The Mets get to face the Cubs 4 times and I'm sure they're thinking about last September's collapse. But the Brewers get to face the Cubs a whopping 6 times before the season's over. They're giving them everything they've got with Sabathia, Sheets, and Parra in the first three, but I'm afraid if they don't take at least 2 out of 3 this week, they're gonna need either another Mets Meltdown or hope the Cubs are in full rest mode for a sweep to end the season. Prediction: Phillies pass the Mets who erase last year's demons and hold off the Brew Crew. Sorry, no pissing their pants for joy for the Brewski-faithful this year; it'll be 1982 and counting...
So that would give us division series of Rays in LA, White Sox/Twins in Boston, Mets in Chicago, and Dodgers in Philly. Sounds exciting. I can't wait to get back and see some October ball!
P.S. In other news, the M's are half a game behind the Nats and basically tied with the Dads for the worst record in baseball and the no. 1 pick in next year's draft. Come on, M's! Lose! Think about the future!
If the playoffs started today, the Angels, White Sox, Rays, and Red Sox would be representing the AL. The Twins are only 1.5 games back from the Pale Hose though with three head-to-head games coming up. The Chi Sox have a slightly easier schedule though with three games against the Yanks while the Twinkies play the Rays four times. Still, head to head games make all the difference. I'm calling a push on this one; it'll be decided in Minneapolis next week.
The other remaining question mark in the AL is the wild card. It's definitely coming from the East and it'll be between the Rays and the Red Sox but which one is decided only by mere percentage points at this point. Two more head to head games to go this week probably won't be decisive (I'm predicting a split of the last two), so we'll have to see if the Rays can keep it together under pressure as the season comes to an end. Their remaining schedule is 4 each against the Twins, at the O's, and at Detroit. The Sox on the other hand have three in Toronto and finish at home with 4 against the Tribe and 3 against the Evil Empire. With the Sox success at home and their superior Pythagorean, I'm calling it another Boston pennant this year. I'll admit a slight bias though...
In that other league (heh), the Cubs and Dodgers are the only teams that can feel confident they're in. In the East, the Mets only have a 0.5 game lead over the Phillies who also happen to be tied with the Brewers for a wild card berth after sweeping them in a four-game set at home. The Phillies definitely have the easier remaining schedule as they avoid the Cubs all together and have 9 of 12 against sub-.500 teams. The Mets get to face the Cubs 4 times and I'm sure they're thinking about last September's collapse. But the Brewers get to face the Cubs a whopping 6 times before the season's over. They're giving them everything they've got with Sabathia, Sheets, and Parra in the first three, but I'm afraid if they don't take at least 2 out of 3 this week, they're gonna need either another Mets Meltdown or hope the Cubs are in full rest mode for a sweep to end the season. Prediction: Phillies pass the Mets who erase last year's demons and hold off the Brew Crew. Sorry, no pissing their pants for joy for the Brewski-faithful this year; it'll be 1982 and counting...
So that would give us division series of Rays in LA, White Sox/Twins in Boston, Mets in Chicago, and Dodgers in Philly. Sounds exciting. I can't wait to get back and see some October ball!
P.S. In other news, the M's are half a game behind the Nats and basically tied with the Dads for the worst record in baseball and the no. 1 pick in next year's draft. Come on, M's! Lose! Think about the future!
Monday, September 15, 2008
The Great Wall!
So... the Chinese, they built this wall. It's pretty old and pretty long. It's also pretty great. So, let's just call it the Great Wall. Pictures below. I didn't reduce them in size as much as I have the others so they may take awhile to download.
(I think this is the same view as the picture in my header)
(I think this is the same view as the picture in my header)
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Picture Download
Wouldn't you know it, after all of that complaining, the computer here is up to the challenge after all. So without further ado, here are some pictures from Shanghai, Nanjing, and Beijing. Enjoy!
The two tallest buildings in Shanghai. The one on the left (with the square hole) was just completed (like two weeks ago?) and is now the tallest building in China. The observation deck was closed for that building the day I was there so I had to settle for the 88th floor of the shorter building. Phooey.
A night view of the Pudong district of Shanghai, a "Special Economic Zone" that's correspondingly rich. This is the view from the Bund (see below!).
The Bund in Shanghai, site of most of Shanghai's decadence back in the "good ol' days." Nowadays it's the site of beggars, thieves, and peddlers. Oh and the river is nasty polluted too, just to add insult to injury.
A view of my pleasant walk through the woods on Purple Mountain, just outside of Nanjing.
The centerpiece of the Memorial to the Nanjing Massacre. Very abstract at times (and sometime gruesomely non-abstract), the memorial had aspects that reminded me of the Vietnam Memorial in DC.
The famous Tian'an Men Square with Mao's mug overlooking it all. You can kinda get a sense of the crowds I was battling all day.
A view of the Forbidden City from nearby Coal Hill in Jingshan Park. The lovely Beijing skyline is ever so slightly obscured by the "overcast" skies.
This is the Temple of Heaven where the Emperor, as the son of the gods, communicated a desire for a plentiful harvest each year: "Hey guys up there, how's it going? Listen, we sure would like to eat this year so how about a little help down here. That'd be great, thanks!"
The two tallest buildings in Shanghai. The one on the left (with the square hole) was just completed (like two weeks ago?) and is now the tallest building in China. The observation deck was closed for that building the day I was there so I had to settle for the 88th floor of the shorter building. Phooey.
A night view of the Pudong district of Shanghai, a "Special Economic Zone" that's correspondingly rich. This is the view from the Bund (see below!).
The Bund in Shanghai, site of most of Shanghai's decadence back in the "good ol' days." Nowadays it's the site of beggars, thieves, and peddlers. Oh and the river is nasty polluted too, just to add insult to injury.
A view of my pleasant walk through the woods on Purple Mountain, just outside of Nanjing.
The centerpiece of the Memorial to the Nanjing Massacre. Very abstract at times (and sometime gruesomely non-abstract), the memorial had aspects that reminded me of the Vietnam Memorial in DC.
The famous Tian'an Men Square with Mao's mug overlooking it all. You can kinda get a sense of the crowds I was battling all day.
A view of the Forbidden City from nearby Coal Hill in Jingshan Park. The lovely Beijing skyline is ever so slightly obscured by the "overcast" skies.
This is the Temple of Heaven where the Emperor, as the son of the gods, communicated a desire for a plentiful harvest each year: "Hey guys up there, how's it going? Listen, we sure would like to eat this year so how about a little help down here. That'd be great, thanks!"
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