Reading Simon's blog entry below I had to giggle - a moving traffic island is the only description for crossing the road.
Simon did fail to mention the overnight train ride from Hanoi to Hue. Splashed out and travelled first class ('soft sleeper' they had a cheek to describe it as....that is just a blatant lie) and the journey was an education to be sure. I didn't leave my bunk for the 11 hour journey for fear of inadvertently touching anything!
Along our journeys we are greeted with a graceful countryside of paddy fields running in picturesque contour lines. Each field is in a different state of picking or growing and every spectrum of green was used in painting them. Conical hats are obviously still the rage here and they dot the fields, towns, shops etc with little pale pyramids.
I will say that my card game skills are improving immensely from the last two rainy days and I have finally found the time/nerve to attempt a game of pool - Simon is a great teacher until you start winning! We have been out to adventure and even found some local art to buy.
Hue itself is right on the 17th parallel and borders the Demilitarised Zone, so it saw lots of action in the Vietnam war. This does mean a fair number of sights are still scattered with bullet holes and the once glorious Imperial Palace is not much more than a few houses. It felt a little strange to read the museum literature and then stand in from of rows of tanks and artillery they captured from (and with) Americans.... and this was only in the 70-ies.
Another overnight train journey to look forward to tonight.....wish me luck!
Thursday 28 February 2008
We didn't get run over!!
Our series of Playstation like drives from airports doesn't seem to have stopped, the road rules in Vietnam seem even more relaxed than Beijing with only the ratio of mopeds to cars the difference. Where our high speed introductory trip in China was like a rally game the Vietnamese equivalent was a cross between Grand Theft Auto (if you have played it remember how much fun it was knocking someone off of their bike!!) and Dance Station (given the number of times you stamp on the floor in the vain hope there is an extra brake pedal in your taxi!)
Mopeds really have replaced the bicycle as the transport of choice. In Hanoi with a population of approx 4 million there are an estimated 2 million on the roads, you will see everything carried around from the husband with his wife and two kids, to a chest of drawers to terrified tourists on the xe om tourist taxi moped (translated as hug vehilce!!)
The roads become even more fun when you are a defenceless pedestrian removed from the safety of a car. The Lonely Planet guidebook advice is to engage in eye contact and walk slowly across the road in order to give the riders time and space to go around you...no sudden movements and certainly don't break out into a run to get to the other side. With these pearls of wisdom we set out on an adventure to discover the city, the first flaw comes when you realise it is quite difficult to engage the riders of 10 mopeds simultaneously particularly when they are coming from both directions...so you just have to hop off of the pavement and hope that it works...and it did, it is a bit like being a moving traffic island.
Hanoi is a very pleasant city sitting at the top of Vietnam making it a very useful starting point for backpackers following the north - south route down towards Cambodia as we are, it also has a large student population. These factors combined mean that it is quite a hectic place with a whole host of people whose sole purpose it is to ask you if you would like to hire or buy something, it is not the kind of place to go for a quiet stroll but having said that Cath and I fell in love with it. There is definitely a slightly european feel in both the architecture and food but also the lifestyle with couples sitting around the central lake and a decent cafes scattered accross the city.
After settling into our hostel we went off to book a trip out to Halong Bay where we were expecting to float around thousands of stunning limestone islets in the sun whilst sipping on cocktails. The only problem is that the tour company had failed to book the weather and after our bus ride we boarded the boat and chuckled with the three other couples about the fact that it might be a bit of a damp trip (James, a Spurs fan, was even missing the cup final for this!!!) The cruise was nice enough (yes I used the nice word) but not what we were hoping for although it could have been a heck of a lot worse if we hadn't persuaded the captain to switch off the karaoke.
The weather has now been with us for a few days and we are hanging out in Hue, a small city about half way down Vietnam. We have watched snowbaording movies, caught up on some sleep, started out pool playing, read some and generally mucked about with each other which has been very cool. It is nice to sit and talk nonsense all afternoon!!
Mopeds really have replaced the bicycle as the transport of choice. In Hanoi with a population of approx 4 million there are an estimated 2 million on the roads, you will see everything carried around from the husband with his wife and two kids, to a chest of drawers to terrified tourists on the xe om tourist taxi moped (translated as hug vehilce!!)
The roads become even more fun when you are a defenceless pedestrian removed from the safety of a car. The Lonely Planet guidebook advice is to engage in eye contact and walk slowly across the road in order to give the riders time and space to go around you...no sudden movements and certainly don't break out into a run to get to the other side. With these pearls of wisdom we set out on an adventure to discover the city, the first flaw comes when you realise it is quite difficult to engage the riders of 10 mopeds simultaneously particularly when they are coming from both directions...so you just have to hop off of the pavement and hope that it works...and it did, it is a bit like being a moving traffic island.
Hanoi is a very pleasant city sitting at the top of Vietnam making it a very useful starting point for backpackers following the north - south route down towards Cambodia as we are, it also has a large student population. These factors combined mean that it is quite a hectic place with a whole host of people whose sole purpose it is to ask you if you would like to hire or buy something, it is not the kind of place to go for a quiet stroll but having said that Cath and I fell in love with it. There is definitely a slightly european feel in both the architecture and food but also the lifestyle with couples sitting around the central lake and a decent cafes scattered accross the city.
After settling into our hostel we went off to book a trip out to Halong Bay where we were expecting to float around thousands of stunning limestone islets in the sun whilst sipping on cocktails. The only problem is that the tour company had failed to book the weather and after our bus ride we boarded the boat and chuckled with the three other couples about the fact that it might be a bit of a damp trip (James, a Spurs fan, was even missing the cup final for this!!!) The cruise was nice enough (yes I used the nice word) but not what we were hoping for although it could have been a heck of a lot worse if we hadn't persuaded the captain to switch off the karaoke.
The weather has now been with us for a few days and we are hanging out in Hue, a small city about half way down Vietnam. We have watched snowbaording movies, caught up on some sleep, started out pool playing, read some and generally mucked about with each other which has been very cool. It is nice to sit and talk nonsense all afternoon!!
Monday 25 February 2008
Good food, great friends and laughter - lots of each....
What a contrast from Beijing. To be honest, I could not have left Beijing quickly enough and to have Hong Kong next on the itinerary only made the contrast of the two more extreme. To start with we were greeted with efficient service, trains on time and a smiling friendly face (of the one and only Aidan Campbell) at the other side. Falling in love with Hong Kong was instant for both of us. The smart city and slick service still has an edge to it that is tangible. And neatly tucked between the high rises and designer boutiques is life...rough, real and tasty. I am not sure if we overstayed our welcome, but spending 7 days in HK was brilliant - much needed downtime, washing (done for us) and time to prepare for the next leg of the journey.
Aidan was a brilliant tour guide. Within minutes we knew how everything worked, where to get what, how it all worked and what to avoid. Discovering their (Aidan and Carla's) eating spots was a treat and our first night we were delighted to share in their sushi spot (local style) Ladies and Temple street night markets (new Gucci wallet for me!) and all contained within the bright city lights - always look up, otherwise you miss it.
In fact LOTS OF FOOD should be the title of this blog as we seemed to do a lot of eating out. Sat morning we started with dim sum - again we were the only gwailo (Westerners) in the place and thanks to Caroline and Carla for the tour of the menu. More please! Followed by a wander through Hong Kong Park and their very cool free aviary. We also marveled at the fish and terrapins in the pond for ages.
The evening entertainment was Lan Kwai Fong with all the bars packed with stylish bankers - my jeans and a t-shirt was a stretch for "smart"!!
The week highlights were:
Stanley Bay - in 45min you are in a totally different world and would guess you were in the Med. Winding roads, bargain hunting and noodle bars dominated the day.
Markets, markets, markets - Ladies, Temple street, Jade.... you name it we went there and there are bargains to be found. A t-shirt and handbag were the only purchases and anyone who has been here knows how restrained that is. Simon also managed a purchase (but not in a market) and a new camera lens was invested in (expect GREAT pics from here on)
Foot massages - aaaahhhhh...... although a little ticklish at first.
Happy Valley races - horses running through the high rises at night... very popular with the locals and expats alike. No money was won, but the bets were small.
Lama Island - and no there are not actual lama's there!! Wonderful day on one of the islands south of the main island. Hot, hot, hot and the 5km hike across it was rewarded with spectacular views at the top and a cold beer and FAB seafood at the end.
Food - of every kind. Dim Sum, Sushi, Noodles, Thai and the best burger in years (not McD's)
Meeting cool people - Aidan and Carla have lots of friends in HK and over various evenings of drinks / dinner / lunch we met most of them. Our final night was spent at Jaspas for some good Aussie grub and a cocktail or two. Aidan - how was that 'Salty Dog'?
View of HK Island from the bay - especially over a cocktail or two at the Intercontinental!! Bright lights, big city!
Sadly we departed Hong Kong, but ready for the next adventure with backpacks full of clean clothes and a plan (all be it a rough one) I do have a feeling we will be back though.... more than once. Easily 'movable to' if we could find the jobs!
Aidan was a brilliant tour guide. Within minutes we knew how everything worked, where to get what, how it all worked and what to avoid. Discovering their (Aidan and Carla's) eating spots was a treat and our first night we were delighted to share in their sushi spot (local style) Ladies and Temple street night markets (new Gucci wallet for me!) and all contained within the bright city lights - always look up, otherwise you miss it.
In fact LOTS OF FOOD should be the title of this blog as we seemed to do a lot of eating out. Sat morning we started with dim sum - again we were the only gwailo (Westerners) in the place and thanks to Caroline and Carla for the tour of the menu. More please! Followed by a wander through Hong Kong Park and their very cool free aviary. We also marveled at the fish and terrapins in the pond for ages.
The evening entertainment was Lan Kwai Fong with all the bars packed with stylish bankers - my jeans and a t-shirt was a stretch for "smart"!!
The week highlights were:
Stanley Bay - in 45min you are in a totally different world and would guess you were in the Med. Winding roads, bargain hunting and noodle bars dominated the day.
Markets, markets, markets - Ladies, Temple street, Jade.... you name it we went there and there are bargains to be found. A t-shirt and handbag were the only purchases and anyone who has been here knows how restrained that is. Simon also managed a purchase (but not in a market) and a new camera lens was invested in (expect GREAT pics from here on)
Foot massages - aaaahhhhh...... although a little ticklish at first.
Happy Valley races - horses running through the high rises at night... very popular with the locals and expats alike. No money was won, but the bets were small.
Lama Island - and no there are not actual lama's there!! Wonderful day on one of the islands south of the main island. Hot, hot, hot and the 5km hike across it was rewarded with spectacular views at the top and a cold beer and FAB seafood at the end.
Food - of every kind. Dim Sum, Sushi, Noodles, Thai and the best burger in years (not McD's)
Meeting cool people - Aidan and Carla have lots of friends in HK and over various evenings of drinks / dinner / lunch we met most of them. Our final night was spent at Jaspas for some good Aussie grub and a cocktail or two. Aidan - how was that 'Salty Dog'?
View of HK Island from the bay - especially over a cocktail or two at the Intercontinental!! Bright lights, big city!
Sadly we departed Hong Kong, but ready for the next adventure with backpacks full of clean clothes and a plan (all be it a rough one) I do have a feeling we will be back though.... more than once. Easily 'movable to' if we could find the jobs!
Saturday 23 February 2008
China...land of the...um...well...
Firstly a confession, yes we knew we were travelling to China during the New Year festivities and we knew everything was going to be pretty shut up and there would be fireworks everywhere (and I mean 24 hours a day.) But in our defence we really wanted to see what China would be like especially at this special time running up to the Olympics and we shifted our trip around to fit this in.
So with that out of the way, we knew we were in for a different experience from Tokyo where everything works and everyone bends over backwards to help - to the point of the ridiculous, the obligation the Japanese feel to help people find their way led to us being jumped a couple of times by map wielding grannies even when we were perfectly clear where we were going!
Our overall impression of Beijing is of a city that is breaking it's neck to be ready for the summer (and reminding everyone 24/7 on 3 of the state run TV channels that they are doing so.) The amount of building work is astounding, every street has some form of development from the huge new corporate centres to the underground system with fancy new turnstiles all wrapped up in plastic and the 'polishing' of the hutongs - Beijing's old winding streets housing the old school hustle and bustle that seem to be disappearing fast. It has a definite feeling of being a city that is not quite finished...I hope they get there.
Some highlights of the highlights of our week were
strolling down the night market daring each other to eat something gruesome on a stick (we thought about the grubs, scorpions and seahorses but went extreme and had strawberries and pineapple dipped in syrup no less!!)
walking along the Great Wall on Valentines Day (nice and early to avoid the crowds)
peking duck carved at our table
Factory 798, an old factory complex that used to churn machinery for the common good that has now been taken over by the art scene in Beijing...we wandered around gallery after gallery for a whole day. It was the first time we felt like we were seeing unhindered expression, especially after watching CCTV!!
a wonderful restaurant called passby bar where we shared a bottle of wine and chatted for hours...all nonsense!!
No photo...you don't want to pry now do you!
Oh and Chairman Miaow on Tiananmen Square of course!
There were a number of things that we weren't impressed with but that may be something that we will have to write down for the right people...Dear China...
So with that out of the way, we knew we were in for a different experience from Tokyo where everything works and everyone bends over backwards to help - to the point of the ridiculous, the obligation the Japanese feel to help people find their way led to us being jumped a couple of times by map wielding grannies even when we were perfectly clear where we were going!
Our overall impression of Beijing is of a city that is breaking it's neck to be ready for the summer (and reminding everyone 24/7 on 3 of the state run TV channels that they are doing so.) The amount of building work is astounding, every street has some form of development from the huge new corporate centres to the underground system with fancy new turnstiles all wrapped up in plastic and the 'polishing' of the hutongs - Beijing's old winding streets housing the old school hustle and bustle that seem to be disappearing fast. It has a definite feeling of being a city that is not quite finished...I hope they get there.
Some highlights of the highlights of our week were
strolling down the night market daring each other to eat something gruesome on a stick (we thought about the grubs, scorpions and seahorses but went extreme and had strawberries and pineapple dipped in syrup no less!!)
walking along the Great Wall on Valentines Day (nice and early to avoid the crowds)
peking duck carved at our table
Factory 798, an old factory complex that used to churn machinery for the common good that has now been taken over by the art scene in Beijing...we wandered around gallery after gallery for a whole day. It was the first time we felt like we were seeing unhindered expression, especially after watching CCTV!!
a wonderful restaurant called passby bar where we shared a bottle of wine and chatted for hours...all nonsense!!
No photo...you don't want to pry now do you!
Oh and Chairman Miaow on Tiananmen Square of course!
There were a number of things that we weren't impressed with but that may be something that we will have to write down for the right people...Dear China...
Friday 22 February 2008
We have not written for weeks - having too much fun
When we left off we were Tokyo based - oh how long ago that was!! Lots to catch-up on so I will only do highlights.
Our last two days in Tokyo were spent very differently from each other. In an attempt to get the most out of our Japan Rail Pass, we again hopped on a train and headed up North to a little town called Nikko. If you are ever in the area we know THE BEST udon noodle place in the world (as confirmed by the hundreds of reviews and notes posted all around the little 4 table shop) The town is famous for temples (gaudy and grand) and many, many a temple step was climbed as we explored the countryside. The best find was the original monkeys for 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' - wonder which one this is!?
Our farewell to Japan was spent in Tokyo itself and we stumbled upon a wonderful art exhibition in Roponggi Hills. UBS exhibition in the Mori Gallery on the 69th floor - their private collection on loan - fabulous art and amazing views of the city. Roponggi itself is well known for its smart shops and restaurants, but we managed on a bowl of noodles and green tea from the corner shop!! Not enough of the city views, we headed for the Government Buildings (for the second time) for its sparkling Tokyo nighttime vistas.....so high up in fact that we were in the cloud and saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass! - goodbye Tokyo!
Our last two days in Tokyo were spent very differently from each other. In an attempt to get the most out of our Japan Rail Pass, we again hopped on a train and headed up North to a little town called Nikko. If you are ever in the area we know THE BEST udon noodle place in the world (as confirmed by the hundreds of reviews and notes posted all around the little 4 table shop) The town is famous for temples (gaudy and grand) and many, many a temple step was climbed as we explored the countryside. The best find was the original monkeys for 'hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil' - wonder which one this is!?
Our farewell to Japan was spent in Tokyo itself and we stumbled upon a wonderful art exhibition in Roponggi Hills. UBS exhibition in the Mori Gallery on the 69th floor - their private collection on loan - fabulous art and amazing views of the city. Roponggi itself is well known for its smart shops and restaurants, but we managed on a bowl of noodles and green tea from the corner shop!! Not enough of the city views, we headed for the Government Buildings (for the second time) for its sparkling Tokyo nighttime vistas.....so high up in fact that we were in the cloud and saw nothing but our own reflections in the glass! - goodbye Tokyo!
Friday 8 February 2008
Great curry, grand castles and gruesome truths
Okay - I notice we have not done much in the way of updates for a while. Lets see what I can update you with.
Following a day with monks and meditation, we made our way down the coast to Kurashiki. The journey from Koya-san down the mountain is an experience in itself as the little train winds and bends its way down the single track (one can almost hear it complain as it twists along) The mountainside is covered with spindly tall trees that have grown tall and thin as they fight each other for sunlight - the snow dusting makes it all magical. A long day on fast trains sees us make it to Kurashiki (a quaint Edo-era town of traditional buildings lining narrow canals).
Not much more to the day itself than a curry and to bed. This blog would not be complete without a mention of our best meal in Japan so far - a tiny little curry house (Japanese curry that is) off a side street and we were the only table in the place... the owner took this as an invitation to practise his English on us and we spent the rest of the evening shuffling pages in our respective phrase books in order to hold a basic conversation. We were rewarded with a brilliant meal and very entertaining conversation - if you are ever in the area you must go to Naish Curry!
James Bond moments are never far away and the following day we wandered around Himeji castle. The structure is amazing and all wood above the foundation. The weight is estimated at 5000 tons - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himeji_Castle
Bombed and attacked many time it has had to have much repair work done to it, but a walk to the top is rewarding and pretending to be Tom Cruise (Last Samurai was filmed here) in ninja-style moves along the way was even more entertaining.
The picture says it all and yes, for those James Bond fans out there, this is from 'You Only Live Twice.'
Dutifully following the guidebook we got a bento box lunch and had it in the castle grounds. I was treated to the worst food I have yet had in Japan and accidentally ate some seafood smelling thing (yet to be identified) Simon on the other hand discovered cans of warm tea from a vending machine - all his Christmases had come at once to this Englishman!
From film sets to horrific events. Tuesday saw us off to Hiroshima and I am not sure we were prepared for the magnitude of the lesson in history.
The Peace Park (above) and Memorials were very moving, but the clearest message of all was of how strongly the people of Hiroshima appeal to the abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world. The life stories and photographs were a bit of a shock to the system and in stark contrast to that of the Japan we had experienced to date.
The A-bomb Dome was the only structure still standing after the bomb exploded and it has been left as it was as the stark memorial to the events of that day. It is staggering to stand in the middle of a city (now a cosmopolitan hub) and imagine how it all vanished in a moment.
The origami crane statue is in memory of all who suffered the side effects - to a little girl who got leukemia 7 years later and suddenly died. She believed that if she made 1000 cranes she would be cured, but didn't reach her goal before she died - from that day in 1955 to today, children all over the world make origami cranes to support the message of peace. We loved Hiroshima and if ever back in Japan one day, it is a must-see destination.
Then we turned tail and headed for Tokyo - we had gone as far south as we could and Wednesday was mostly spent on the Shinkasen rushing through the countryside heading for the big city once more. I have noticed that we are both reading a lot (for pleasure and not work or CIPD this time) and devouring book after book. Simon had to hunt down the only English bookshop in Hiroshima to get a new fix of literature! Good thing too - 5 hours on a train means you run out of things to talk about!
Big city lights - this reminds me of a scene out of Lost in Translation. A Tokyo (the very famous electric district) I expected. Never before have you seen so many gadgets - for everything. The funniest were the exercise machines that simulated horse riding - we must have been there for 20min riding and laughing as we rode off into the sunset side by side!
Thursday is Chinese New Year day and no better place (other than China possibly) to see it in than Chinatown in Yokohama. What a fab place. Beyond the restrictions of an already crowded Tokyo is a very stylish, new, sparkling city. The shops are like nothing I have ever seen. More shops from everywhere, every brand, every style, every country, ever everything - all in one place. Clare Rule - I did think of you as we wandered the floors (not buying anything!)
Chinatown was a buzz with steaming stands of large dumplings, lion dancing, firecrackers on every corner and people by the thousand. We didn't stand still for too long for fear of having a lantern hung from us - every other stationary object was adorned with one! Dumpling and green tea and roasted chestnuts - welcome the year of the rat!
Not bad for one posting - more Tokyo tales to follow soon I am sure.
Following a day with monks and meditation, we made our way down the coast to Kurashiki. The journey from Koya-san down the mountain is an experience in itself as the little train winds and bends its way down the single track (one can almost hear it complain as it twists along) The mountainside is covered with spindly tall trees that have grown tall and thin as they fight each other for sunlight - the snow dusting makes it all magical. A long day on fast trains sees us make it to Kurashiki (a quaint Edo-era town of traditional buildings lining narrow canals).
Not much more to the day itself than a curry and to bed. This blog would not be complete without a mention of our best meal in Japan so far - a tiny little curry house (Japanese curry that is) off a side street and we were the only table in the place... the owner took this as an invitation to practise his English on us and we spent the rest of the evening shuffling pages in our respective phrase books in order to hold a basic conversation. We were rewarded with a brilliant meal and very entertaining conversation - if you are ever in the area you must go to Naish Curry!
James Bond moments are never far away and the following day we wandered around Himeji castle. The structure is amazing and all wood above the foundation. The weight is estimated at 5000 tons - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Himeji_Castle
Bombed and attacked many time it has had to have much repair work done to it, but a walk to the top is rewarding and pretending to be Tom Cruise (Last Samurai was filmed here) in ninja-style moves along the way was even more entertaining.
The picture says it all and yes, for those James Bond fans out there, this is from 'You Only Live Twice.'
Dutifully following the guidebook we got a bento box lunch and had it in the castle grounds. I was treated to the worst food I have yet had in Japan and accidentally ate some seafood smelling thing (yet to be identified) Simon on the other hand discovered cans of warm tea from a vending machine - all his Christmases had come at once to this Englishman!
From film sets to horrific events. Tuesday saw us off to Hiroshima and I am not sure we were prepared for the magnitude of the lesson in history.
The Peace Park (above) and Memorials were very moving, but the clearest message of all was of how strongly the people of Hiroshima appeal to the abolition of nuclear weapons throughout the world. The life stories and photographs were a bit of a shock to the system and in stark contrast to that of the Japan we had experienced to date.
The A-bomb Dome was the only structure still standing after the bomb exploded and it has been left as it was as the stark memorial to the events of that day. It is staggering to stand in the middle of a city (now a cosmopolitan hub) and imagine how it all vanished in a moment.
The origami crane statue is in memory of all who suffered the side effects - to a little girl who got leukemia 7 years later and suddenly died. She believed that if she made 1000 cranes she would be cured, but didn't reach her goal before she died - from that day in 1955 to today, children all over the world make origami cranes to support the message of peace. We loved Hiroshima and if ever back in Japan one day, it is a must-see destination.
Then we turned tail and headed for Tokyo - we had gone as far south as we could and Wednesday was mostly spent on the Shinkasen rushing through the countryside heading for the big city once more. I have noticed that we are both reading a lot (for pleasure and not work or CIPD this time) and devouring book after book. Simon had to hunt down the only English bookshop in Hiroshima to get a new fix of literature! Good thing too - 5 hours on a train means you run out of things to talk about!
Big city lights - this reminds me of a scene out of Lost in Translation. A Tokyo (the very famous electric district) I expected. Never before have you seen so many gadgets - for everything. The funniest were the exercise machines that simulated horse riding - we must have been there for 20min riding and laughing as we rode off into the sunset side by side!
Thursday is Chinese New Year day and no better place (other than China possibly) to see it in than Chinatown in Yokohama. What a fab place. Beyond the restrictions of an already crowded Tokyo is a very stylish, new, sparkling city. The shops are like nothing I have ever seen. More shops from everywhere, every brand, every style, every country, ever everything - all in one place. Clare Rule - I did think of you as we wandered the floors (not buying anything!)
Chinatown was a buzz with steaming stands of large dumplings, lion dancing, firecrackers on every corner and people by the thousand. We didn't stand still for too long for fear of having a lantern hung from us - every other stationary object was adorned with one! Dumpling and green tea and roasted chestnuts - welcome the year of the rat!
Not bad for one posting - more Tokyo tales to follow soon I am sure.
Thursday 7 February 2008
Picking up the pace
It now seems that every time there are a couple of days between blog entries, we have an enormous amount to catch up on!
Before I get to the 'we saw this and did that' - some insight into Japan we noticed.
Firstly, it must be one of the easiest places to travel as a blind person...there is an audible alert for everything:
-each station on the metro in Tokyo seems to have it's own door closing bing-bong
-the crossings in Kyoto sing to you when it's safe to cross
-the shopping streets in Kurashiki play light jazz whilst you wander between shops
and in most places you will find little speakers hanging from lamp-posts playing bird calls.
The second thing (and I am sure that this will not be a surprise to most of you) I am amazed at the ingeniousness of the Japanese. Only here would you have train seats that can be flipped round to ensure that you are facing forward no matter which way the train is going!! The place that people seem to have spent most of their time inventing things is in the bathroom and in particular the toilet. I will spare you a picture (although tempted to take one) but the very minimum is that toilets have heated seats...mmmm...slightly more advanced versions have a little squirty washer and speakers to play "waterery noises" to protect ones dignity.
As I hear your staggered intakes of breath I will get back to the program...last time we left you we were on our merry way from Kyoto...to a lovely little traditional guesthouse in a place called Oji in order to check out a very large buddha sat in a very large temple. He was indeed very big and the building he is sat in is said to be largest wooden building in world.
The big building and the very big Buddha
After this we headed off on a spiritual adventure up a mountain to spend an evening with monks in temple lodgings at Koya-san. The mountain and the temples thereon are one of the holiest peaks in Japan and it is said that Kobo Daishi is still meditating after over a thousand years...he's not dead, right!
The spiritual side of the trip was very rewarding. We were invited (and attended) evening meditation with the monks and were taught some basics of breathing and relaxation - the temperature took some of the edge off as you can imagine how easy it is to breathe freely with 2 t-shirts, a jumper, a fleece and winter jacket on...topped off with a beenie!! This is not traditional Buddhist monk garb, but it was -5 degrees, they do not have central heating and the walls are made of paper!! Morning meditation started at 6am and we just made it in time as a lay-in was tempting.
Temple lodgings
The graveyard of 500 000 tombstones. There is even one from a pesticide company in apology to all the little ants they have and will kill!
Escaping the snow under a tree
An unexpected highlight for me, although Cath might not agree, was the food. We were served some of the best vegetarian food you'd find anywhere...it was mostly different kinds of tofu, but not like the tasteless stuff you get in Sainsbury's. This tofu was complimented with delicately flavoured soups and pickles It is claimed that Michelin himself stayed at the temple and gave their tofu 2 stars (confirmed by two Frenchmen who were staying there and showed us the Michelin book) ...afterwards I felt a little guilty that we had gorged on a pack of chocolate chip cookies (just in case.)
A very guilty face - in anticipation of a tofu only dinner, Cath devoured a box of chocolate biscuits. Good thing too as she didn't eat much dinner!
As you can see from the photos there was snow everywhere which made the atmosphere quite magical - little Buddhas appearing through drifts and giant gravestones capped in a winter topping. There is still so much to share from our trip, but that will have to do for now as we need to get going to the next adventure.
Before I get to the 'we saw this and did that' - some insight into Japan we noticed.
Firstly, it must be one of the easiest places to travel as a blind person...there is an audible alert for everything:
-each station on the metro in Tokyo seems to have it's own door closing bing-bong
-the crossings in Kyoto sing to you when it's safe to cross
-the shopping streets in Kurashiki play light jazz whilst you wander between shops
and in most places you will find little speakers hanging from lamp-posts playing bird calls.
The second thing (and I am sure that this will not be a surprise to most of you) I am amazed at the ingeniousness of the Japanese. Only here would you have train seats that can be flipped round to ensure that you are facing forward no matter which way the train is going!! The place that people seem to have spent most of their time inventing things is in the bathroom and in particular the toilet. I will spare you a picture (although tempted to take one) but the very minimum is that toilets have heated seats...mmmm...slightly more advanced versions have a little squirty washer and speakers to play "waterery noises" to protect ones dignity.
As I hear your staggered intakes of breath I will get back to the program...last time we left you we were on our merry way from Kyoto...to a lovely little traditional guesthouse in a place called Oji in order to check out a very large buddha sat in a very large temple. He was indeed very big and the building he is sat in is said to be largest wooden building in world.
The big building and the very big Buddha
After this we headed off on a spiritual adventure up a mountain to spend an evening with monks in temple lodgings at Koya-san. The mountain and the temples thereon are one of the holiest peaks in Japan and it is said that Kobo Daishi is still meditating after over a thousand years...he's not dead, right!
The spiritual side of the trip was very rewarding. We were invited (and attended) evening meditation with the monks and were taught some basics of breathing and relaxation - the temperature took some of the edge off as you can imagine how easy it is to breathe freely with 2 t-shirts, a jumper, a fleece and winter jacket on...topped off with a beenie!! This is not traditional Buddhist monk garb, but it was -5 degrees, they do not have central heating and the walls are made of paper!! Morning meditation started at 6am and we just made it in time as a lay-in was tempting.
Temple lodgings
The graveyard of 500 000 tombstones. There is even one from a pesticide company in apology to all the little ants they have and will kill!
Escaping the snow under a tree
An unexpected highlight for me, although Cath might not agree, was the food. We were served some of the best vegetarian food you'd find anywhere...it was mostly different kinds of tofu, but not like the tasteless stuff you get in Sainsbury's. This tofu was complimented with delicately flavoured soups and pickles It is claimed that Michelin himself stayed at the temple and gave their tofu 2 stars (confirmed by two Frenchmen who were staying there and showed us the Michelin book) ...afterwards I felt a little guilty that we had gorged on a pack of chocolate chip cookies (just in case.)
A very guilty face - in anticipation of a tofu only dinner, Cath devoured a box of chocolate biscuits. Good thing too as she didn't eat much dinner!
As you can see from the photos there was snow everywhere which made the atmosphere quite magical - little Buddhas appearing through drifts and giant gravestones capped in a winter topping. There is still so much to share from our trip, but that will have to do for now as we need to get going to the next adventure.
Friday 1 February 2008
Temple, temples everywhere!!
Kyoto is not Japan's capital of culture for nothing. I have never seen so many temples and shrines in one place (they lost their mystery a little after the 15th one in an hour!)
This is a wonderful city and full of history and beauty. Temples aside, there are many wonderful lanes lined with traditional tea houses and if you are lucky (which we were) the odd Geisha or two.
Day one in Kyoto and we dutifully followed the temple trail until curiosity took us down a pretty side road and into a land free from the crowds. It was so quiet in fact I felt like we were on a film set. Then from around the corner came three magnificent Geisha... I nearly jumped up and down with excitement as they glided past us and up the hill (but not without a photo request naturally - the usual point at the camera and 'photo?').
The temples themselves are rather impressive and in the sunshine you catch all the wonderful colours. They are not just for tourists either, they are very much still in use by the locals and seeing them in use helps us understand culture and tradition all the more.
Above is the Water Temple
These are little prayer / wishes made and offered up to the spirits for consideration.
After a day of much walking, a little bit of shopping and a Starbucks stop we crashed at the hostel for dinner. The pace of temple consumption was relentless, but with 2000 in the greater Kyoto area it is a necessity!
Day two Kyoto and we headed just out of town to Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine. This is a hillside walk following a winding path (4km long) of torii. The long and rather tough walk was unexpected, but very rewarding. Constructed in the 8th century to the gods of rice and sake, the path meanders all the way up the hillside and delivers a rewarding view of Kyoto from the top. We had definitely earned our bowl of Ramen noodles for lunch!
Back on the temple trail and we headed North of Kyoto to the Golden Shrine
and to find some peace (or just rest the legs) in Japan's most famous Zen garden at Royanji temple. The dry garden of 15 rocks (arranged in 5 islands set adrift in the sea of sand) has had philosophers and scholars puzzled as to its meaning since 1450. We didn't solve the mystery - just enjoyed the view!
And here is one of the man behind the camera - yes, he is on holiday with me!!
This is a wonderful city and full of history and beauty. Temples aside, there are many wonderful lanes lined with traditional tea houses and if you are lucky (which we were) the odd Geisha or two.
Day one in Kyoto and we dutifully followed the temple trail until curiosity took us down a pretty side road and into a land free from the crowds. It was so quiet in fact I felt like we were on a film set. Then from around the corner came three magnificent Geisha... I nearly jumped up and down with excitement as they glided past us and up the hill (but not without a photo request naturally - the usual point at the camera and 'photo?').
The temples themselves are rather impressive and in the sunshine you catch all the wonderful colours. They are not just for tourists either, they are very much still in use by the locals and seeing them in use helps us understand culture and tradition all the more.
Above is the Water Temple
These are little prayer / wishes made and offered up to the spirits for consideration.
After a day of much walking, a little bit of shopping and a Starbucks stop we crashed at the hostel for dinner. The pace of temple consumption was relentless, but with 2000 in the greater Kyoto area it is a necessity!
Day two Kyoto and we headed just out of town to Fushimi Inari-Taisha Shrine. This is a hillside walk following a winding path (4km long) of torii. The long and rather tough walk was unexpected, but very rewarding. Constructed in the 8th century to the gods of rice and sake, the path meanders all the way up the hillside and delivers a rewarding view of Kyoto from the top. We had definitely earned our bowl of Ramen noodles for lunch!
Back on the temple trail and we headed North of Kyoto to the Golden Shrine
and to find some peace (or just rest the legs) in Japan's most famous Zen garden at Royanji temple. The dry garden of 15 rocks (arranged in 5 islands set adrift in the sea of sand) has had philosophers and scholars puzzled as to its meaning since 1450. We didn't solve the mystery - just enjoyed the view!
And here is one of the man behind the camera - yes, he is on holiday with me!!
A boy`s dream
Just another quick one...on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto I got to ride on the worlds coolest train set, while Cath dozed next to me I was transfixed by the flash of white in all of the highly mirrored buildings we passed.
We sped from Tokyo to Kyoto in no time at all, just whetting my appetite for all of the rest of the trips on the Shinkasen or bullet train...like from Thomas the Tank Engine they all have their own names although I think Hikari is way cooler than Gordon or Edward (no offence Dad.)
We sped from Tokyo to Kyoto in no time at all, just whetting my appetite for all of the rest of the trips on the Shinkasen or bullet train...like from Thomas the Tank Engine they all have their own names although I think Hikari is way cooler than Gordon or Edward (no offence Dad.)
Leaving Tokyo...reluctantly
Having set our alarm clocks for the ungodly hour of 8 we went to bed full of excitement about our trip to Tsukiji fish market. There was a very politely worded warning (we are in Japan) about the fact that it is a very busy working market with lot`s of trade people and vehicles buzzing around. This, however, could never have prepared us for the buzz that greeted us. Having had our tour from Shiro a few days before we felt brave enough to head straight in...that`s when we first encountered the motorised gas canisters that were used to pull everything from crates of fish and veg to workers off on their break.
We spent quite a while just wandering around the market which houses approx 1000 wholesalers dealing in over 400 different types of fish. We saw whole tuna being chopped up, crabs wriggling around in the vain hope they weren`t destined for someone`s soup, oysters, mussels, whelks and cockles galore. I cannot put into words how overwhelming the activity was, some of the photos will show you a couple of stalls but if you imagine this over a few acres (can`t remember how many but you are talking the size of several large UK shopping centres end to end) you may start to get an idea.
The reward for getting through the market alive was a trip to the outer market, where there were countless sushi restaurants peddling the wares of the wholesalers no further than a few hundred metres away...some of the sushi was so fresh it was still twitching. This maze of shops, counters, shacks and conveyor belts made choosing where to eat slightly hard but we plumped for place that looked nice and bright with a smattering of locals.
It was in this sushi joint that we first experienced the very friendly welcome that comes when you enter a lot of Japanese restaurants, that is to say the doorman / maitre`d shouts, "mushi mushi" / "we`re ready" and every member of staff then replies with some as yet indeciferable welcome to you. This is great as you feel quite special...until you are on your third piece of sashimi and eight other special guests have arrived each getting their very own welcome...oh how we laughed!
All of this was a great way to finish our first stint in Tokyo...Kyoto next.
We spent quite a while just wandering around the market which houses approx 1000 wholesalers dealing in over 400 different types of fish. We saw whole tuna being chopped up, crabs wriggling around in the vain hope they weren`t destined for someone`s soup, oysters, mussels, whelks and cockles galore. I cannot put into words how overwhelming the activity was, some of the photos will show you a couple of stalls but if you imagine this over a few acres (can`t remember how many but you are talking the size of several large UK shopping centres end to end) you may start to get an idea.
The reward for getting through the market alive was a trip to the outer market, where there were countless sushi restaurants peddling the wares of the wholesalers no further than a few hundred metres away...some of the sushi was so fresh it was still twitching. This maze of shops, counters, shacks and conveyor belts made choosing where to eat slightly hard but we plumped for place that looked nice and bright with a smattering of locals.
It was in this sushi joint that we first experienced the very friendly welcome that comes when you enter a lot of Japanese restaurants, that is to say the doorman / maitre`d shouts, "mushi mushi" / "we`re ready" and every member of staff then replies with some as yet indeciferable welcome to you. This is great as you feel quite special...until you are on your third piece of sashimi and eight other special guests have arrived each getting their very own welcome...oh how we laughed!
All of this was a great way to finish our first stint in Tokyo...Kyoto next.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
