Having a nightcap up on the 45th floor of the Keio Plaza Hotel. The view was awesome.
Monday, October 25, 2004
Sunday, October 24, 2004
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Back At The Keio Plaza Hotel
The train took about 45 minutes on the Marunouchi Line to Tokyo back to the Keio Plaza Hotel. Once there we checked in and our bellhop took us to (surprise, surprise) THE EXECUTIVE FLOOR. THe room was far nicer than the previous room. King size bed, lazy boy, awesome view of the city, hooked up with yukata kimonos and slippers, and more importantly INTERNET access. I let El take a nap while I took a hot shower and got ready for dinner. Since the storm had literally put a damper on our plans we decided to get dressed up for a nice dinner and hang out at our hotel. She had chosen for the hotspot to be Glass Court, a modern buffet style restaurant. Much, much nicer than any other buffet we've ever had we feasted. Foie gras with risotto, roast beef, smoked duck, fresh sea scallops, crab puree, seafood fritti and such with wine to to wash it down. For dessert we sampled several cakes and green tea ice cream. Stuffed silly we headed up to the 45th floor to have a night cap at SkyBar Polestar, a jazzy little cigar bar with an amazing view of downtown Tokyo, that would put Manuel's on 28th to shame. Afterwards we retired to our suite and passed out.
Friday, October 22, 2004
Exploring After The Typhoon
The next morning we set out to try and salvage what was left of our stay in Hakone and do some exploration. The morning fog covered everything up in the mountain and made everything feel surreal. Even with the sticky humidity, the area was incredibly serene. We took a short nature walk and decided to head back. By this point I was ready to hop onto the bullet train, or shinkansen, back to Tokyo for another shower and something to eat.
We were met by a pleasant elder taxi driver who was instructed to take us to the train station. He even tried to point out peaks, but soon gave up since he couldn't speak English at all. An hour later we arrived and our driver went inside to the station to check on our passage back. After a bit he came back frazzled making various phone calls and speaking to us in machine gun Japanese. We tried as best we could to make out what he wanted us to do motioning us to stay in the cab. Finally I made some hand gestures and motioned for him to find someone who could speak English. Ah-ha! Running inside he found a young man fluent in English and had him explain to us that the bullet train was cancelled due to bad weather. He quickly refunded us money and reissued a new set which made us take the regular subway back to Tokyo (3x longer to arrive).
From there our driver took us to the correct line and wanted to wait with us to make sure we got to our train safely and on-time. I felt bad for him and instructed him not to worry and we would be ok if he left. Even then he initially refused wanting to wait. Wow! Talk about service! I gave him 1000 Yen which he refused:
(Driver)) "No, no!"
(Me trying to pass him the bill) "Domo arigato" ("Thank you very much", long bow)
(Driver) "No, no" *(bowing back)
(Me) "Chu-soku." ("lunch", still trying to pass money)
(Driver) "no, no, ok"
(Me) "onegai shimass" ("please")
(Driver) (Takes money, long bow again and a handshake from El) My first semi-successful conversation. What a great feeling.
We were met by a pleasant elder taxi driver who was instructed to take us to the train station. He even tried to point out peaks, but soon gave up since he couldn't speak English at all. An hour later we arrived and our driver went inside to the station to check on our passage back. After a bit he came back frazzled making various phone calls and speaking to us in machine gun Japanese. We tried as best we could to make out what he wanted us to do motioning us to stay in the cab. Finally I made some hand gestures and motioned for him to find someone who could speak English. Ah-ha! Running inside he found a young man fluent in English and had him explain to us that the bullet train was cancelled due to bad weather. He quickly refunded us money and reissued a new set which made us take the regular subway back to Tokyo (3x longer to arrive).
From there our driver took us to the correct line and wanted to wait with us to make sure we got to our train safely and on-time. I felt bad for him and instructed him not to worry and we would be ok if he left. Even then he initially refused wanting to wait. Wow! Talk about service! I gave him 1000 Yen which he refused:
(Driver)) "No, no!"
(Me trying to pass him the bill) "Domo arigato" ("Thank you very much", long bow)
(Driver) "No, no" *(bowing back)
(Me) "Chu-soku." ("lunch", still trying to pass money)
(Driver) "no, no, ok"
(Me) "onegai shimass" ("please")
(Driver) (Takes money, long bow again and a handshake from El) My first semi-successful conversation. What a great feeling.
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Palace Hotel Hot Springs
Since we had booked an overnight stay here at the Palace Hotel we had to part ways with our new traveling companions. Our travel agent arranged for a taxi to take us to the hotel. Palace Hotel is a resort known for its hot springs. Unfortunately, we were forced to stay inside because the typhoon had closed down all shrines, museums and shops. With nothing left to do we decided to go low impact and chill out. Personally I was glad to since we had been moving at a pretty hectic pace since we arrived. We ate dinner at the Humming Cafe Restaurant and crashed out. El took advantage of the wee hours and everyone asleep to try out the hot springs. Why wait so long? The onsen, or hot spring baths, require that you share a common changing room, clean yourself thoroughly and soak in your birthday suit with everyone else. Of course, men and women have their own baths. El came back around 6:30am trying to get me to try it out. Unfortunately, I didn't feel like "comparing notes" with the locals and chickened out.
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
I Think I'm Turning Japanese...I Really Think So!
With nothing better to do in our hotel room during the typhoon in Hakone we decided to immerse ourselves introspectively...
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Most of the tour rained throughout and made visibility on the rides zero percent because of the fog. We enjoyed chatting with everyone though and made the best of it. Only a handful of us braved the typhoon weather to make a trek in Owaku-duni Hot Springs, or Valley of Great Boiling. The springs are a natural occurence from a collapsed volcano 3 to 4,000 years ago and made up all the springs in the town of Hakone. Many corporations including Nissan and IBM kept summer homes here.
Monday, October 18, 2004
Mt. Fuji and Hakone
We checked out of the Keio Plaza Hotel and headed out towards Mt. Fuji and the town of Hakone for an overnight stay. The weather was already looking a little grey and we are having doubts about it. We met a woman from California, named Patti, who came with her brother who was in the music business. Apparently she was very well versed in Japanese culture and gave us great information in exchange for me helping her figure out the rail system when her guide fell sick and she had to travel alone.
The coach ride to Mt. Fuji was guided by a pleasant woman, named Chizi-ko, or "Cheese" as she allowed some to call her. Immediately we figured out who was cool to hang out with and who was a pain in the ass from the get go. One Indian man and his wife deserved a great kick in the ass as he thought he was better than everyone else and barked orders to Chizi-ko, including stopping the bus so a woman sitting in his brother's seat would move somewhere else. What an a$$hole. Chizi-ko never conceded to his demands with certain foods ("We want curry for lunch, make sure the coffee is hot, go ahead and make the cream hot, too."), seating arrangements, etc. Since it's not customary for Japanese to scold or complain she kept a tight lip. We met two women from Maryland who we spent a good part of the tour with since they made good conversation and had a great energy. Plus, it helped that they yelled at P.I.T.A. guy whenever he got whiny. Eventually, he got the idea he was being a d*ckhead when nobody wanted to speak to him or sit with him on the cablecar or the ferryboat or...
The coach ride to Mt. Fuji was guided by a pleasant woman, named Chizi-ko, or "Cheese" as she allowed some to call her. Immediately we figured out who was cool to hang out with and who was a pain in the ass from the get go. One Indian man and his wife deserved a great kick in the ass as he thought he was better than everyone else and barked orders to Chizi-ko, including stopping the bus so a woman sitting in his brother's seat would move somewhere else. What an a$$hole. Chizi-ko never conceded to his demands with certain foods ("We want curry for lunch, make sure the coffee is hot, go ahead and make the cream hot, too."), seating arrangements, etc. Since it's not customary for Japanese to scold or complain she kept a tight lip. We met two women from Maryland who we spent a good part of the tour with since they made good conversation and had a great energy. Plus, it helped that they yelled at P.I.T.A. guy whenever he got whiny. Eventually, he got the idea he was being a d*ckhead when nobody wanted to speak to him or sit with him on the cablecar or the ferryboat or...
Guardhouse at the Imperial Palace Gardens
The Imperial Gardens was not at all what I expected. I guess hanging out at Epcot or Yerba Buena Park in San Francisco threw me off a little. Japanese gardens are stereotyped as flowering gardens with fountains and ponds loaded with medium sized koi fish. Wooden bridges and trellises are plentiful with stone carvings and red and gold-painted Tori gates. Not so. This time of year foliage is going thru a transitional stage and what flowers were still left were probably blown off by the previous week's typhoon. Nonetheless, we were lucky with beautiful cool weather and a clear sky. The gardens themselves were clean and simple. People everywhere were either on their lunchbreaks or having picnics with family. Digging a little deeper into the 173-acre area we found streams and small rocks with falling water. The koi here aren't medium-sized, they're GIGANTIC! Easily two feet long I know they live for quite a long time so these fish must be ancient. by fish standards.
The new palace is also on this property and is where the royal family reside, but it's closed off to visitors. The only exception is on the Emperor's birthday and New Year's Eve. It was pretty interesting to see some of the original samurai guardhouses,
The new palace is also on this property and is where the royal family reside, but it's closed off to visitors. The only exception is on the Emperor's birthday and New Year's Eve. It was pretty interesting to see some of the original samurai guardhouses,
Saturday, October 09, 2004
Ginza at night
The Ginza district at first seemed similar to Shinjuku with it's department stores, restaurants, and bars. But that was quickly dismissed upon entering our first department store underground via the rail station. Two floors of the most beautiful dishes imaginable from various vendors. This is not the food courts like back home AT ALL with your choice of Olive Garden Express, California Pizza Kitchen, McDonald's or Manchu Wok. This is the Mecca of food which they called the FOOD GARDEN. Here vendors only specialized in certain food items be it plates of lacey tempura shrimp, fish and vegetables; bentos of sashimi; roasted duck; barbecue; vegetables; butcher meats and an artery clogging selection of pastries, cakes, chocolates and other sweets. EVERYTHING was amazing. People shuffled up and down aisles of counters sampling everything. I broke down and bought us a snack of tempura and desserts from Giotto's of Mango Tart and a gold dusted chocolate mousse cake. INCREDIBLE. We're coming back here for sure.
The rest of Ginza is every high end boutique you've ever heard of - Burberry's, Gucci, Prada, Armani - and the latest cars on display, computer equipment. A couple we met later in Hakone from Palms Springs told us of 29" flat panel tv's at Sony for only $200. Our Aquos for the master bedroom at home cost $500 for a 15". I gotta go back to see if this is true. Voltage here is similar to U.S. with about 10 cycles less, but it should still be US compliable, Hmmmm...souvenir anyone?
Around 9:30 we were beat up pretty good and decided t hit the rail back to Shinjuku to pack for our trip to Mt. Fuji and Hakone via motorcoach. The typhoon is almost here so it'll be heads or tails of what kind of weather to expect tomorrow on the mountain.
We had dinner tonight down the street from the hotel at a local pub/eatery. Our rule of thumb has been is if it's packed with locals, eat there. This was a prime example. We had no problem getting a table we just had to share it with 3 other groups - two couples and a set of three older businesswomen who obviously were not amused by our presence. After a quick nod hello to them they immediately asked for another smaller, more intimate table. This on some instances has been the normal attitude from the older generation. Even at our hotel, which apparently caters to businessmen we were often given very short, undetailed answers to our questions. On the other hand, the younger staff went out of their way to explain things or give directions and make sure we did not get lost. I've read that slowly the older generation is becoming more receptive to western culture, but SL-O-O-OWLY.
The rest of Ginza is every high end boutique you've ever heard of - Burberry's, Gucci, Prada, Armani - and the latest cars on display, computer equipment. A couple we met later in Hakone from Palms Springs told us of 29" flat panel tv's at Sony for only $200. Our Aquos for the master bedroom at home cost $500 for a 15". I gotta go back to see if this is true. Voltage here is similar to U.S. with about 10 cycles less, but it should still be US compliable, Hmmmm...souvenir anyone?
Around 9:30 we were beat up pretty good and decided t hit the rail back to Shinjuku to pack for our trip to Mt. Fuji and Hakone via motorcoach. The typhoon is almost here so it'll be heads or tails of what kind of weather to expect tomorrow on the mountain.
We had dinner tonight down the street from the hotel at a local pub/eatery. Our rule of thumb has been is if it's packed with locals, eat there. This was a prime example. We had no problem getting a table we just had to share it with 3 other groups - two couples and a set of three older businesswomen who obviously were not amused by our presence. After a quick nod hello to them they immediately asked for another smaller, more intimate table. This on some instances has been the normal attitude from the older generation. Even at our hotel, which apparently caters to businessmen we were often given very short, undetailed answers to our questions. On the other hand, the younger staff went out of their way to explain things or give directions and make sure we did not get lost. I've read that slowly the older generation is becoming more receptive to western culture, but SL-O-O-OWLY.
The Imperial Palace Gardens
The Imperial Gardens was not at all what I expected. I guess hanging out at Epcot or Yerba Buena Park in San Francisco threw me off a little. Japanese gardens are stereotyped as flowering gardens with fountains and ponds loaded with medium sized koi fish. Wooden bridges and trellises are plentiful with stone carvings and red and gold-painted Tori gates. Not so. This time of year foliage is going thru a transitional stage and what flowers were still left were probably blown off by the previous week's typhoon. Nonetheless, we were lucky with beautiful cool weather and a clear sky. The gardens themselves were clean and simple. People everywhere were either on their lunchbreaks or having picnics with family. Digging a little deeper into the 173-acre area we found streams and small rocks with falling water. The koi here aren't medium-sized, they're GIGANTIC! Easily two feet long I know they live for quite a long time so these fish must be ancient. by fish standards.
The new palace is also on this property and is where the royal family reside, but it's closed off to visitors. The only exception is on the Emperor's birthday and New Year's Eve. It was pretty interesting to see some of the original samurai guardhouses, artillery storage and defense houses. Almost all of them have been destroyed and only a handful remain.
The new palace is also on this property and is where the royal family reside, but it's closed off to visitors. The only exception is on the Emperor's birthday and New Year's Eve. It was pretty interesting to see some of the original samurai guardhouses, artillery storage and defense houses. Almost all of them have been destroyed and only a handful remain.
2004 Tokyo Designer's Week
At every turn in Japan I've been surprised by something new. No matter how outrageous or unusual an experience seems there is no end to what comes around the corner. Today we decided to explore Central Tokyo and its outlying areas, more specifically The Imperial Palace Gardens, the Ginza district and the fish auction/market along the river.
We started out fairly late so we missed almost all of the fish auction (5am-10am) and still had a 30-40 minute commute by rail so we gave up on the river for another time. We were starving and had our Hawaiian breakfast of white rice, spam, poached egg, salad and tea across the street at Royal Host. All the food is portioned much smaller than by western standards which makes sense why they are all slimmer in build and considering all the walking they do. Aaah those damn Gaijin with their oversized everything...homes, cars, food (Supersize please!) and waistlines.
Before we left our room I noticed an exhibition below across the street. After breakfast we decided to see what the hub bub was all about. The local art and design university were hosting outdoor furniture design exhibits. These were to be solutions to the parks and transportation stations lack of seating. The students hung out nearby to encourage people to try out the designs for themselves. All of them utilized clean, modern lines with innovative solutions. One in particular caught my eye. The student used cut tree stumps and bamboo limbs sanded down to a super smooth surface while still maintaining all the natural knots and imperfections in the wood. To me it reflected the traditional Japanese philosophy of incorporating all things without disrupting it's natural environment. I did enjoy all the other exhibits, but this particular one impressed me because of the student's ingenuity to maintain his culture's roots while solving his task.
We started out fairly late so we missed almost all of the fish auction (5am-10am) and still had a 30-40 minute commute by rail so we gave up on the river for another time. We were starving and had our Hawaiian breakfast of white rice, spam, poached egg, salad and tea across the street at Royal Host. All the food is portioned much smaller than by western standards which makes sense why they are all slimmer in build and considering all the walking they do. Aaah those damn Gaijin with their oversized everything...homes, cars, food (Supersize please!) and waistlines.
Before we left our room I noticed an exhibition below across the street. After breakfast we decided to see what the hub bub was all about. The local art and design university were hosting outdoor furniture design exhibits. These were to be solutions to the parks and transportation stations lack of seating. The students hung out nearby to encourage people to try out the designs for themselves. All of them utilized clean, modern lines with innovative solutions. One in particular caught my eye. The student used cut tree stumps and bamboo limbs sanded down to a super smooth surface while still maintaining all the natural knots and imperfections in the wood. To me it reflected the traditional Japanese philosophy of incorporating all things without disrupting it's natural environment. I did enjoy all the other exhibits, but this particular one impressed me because of the student's ingenuity to maintain his culture's roots while solving his task.
Shibuya Kabuki
Even through the madness of Shibuya's neon lit nightlife, vestiges of the old culture maintain a foothold. Here performers dressed as kabuki advertise an upcoming show.
Crowds of Shibuya
This coincidentally puts us at our next stop, Shibuya, home of every teenagers' wildest entertainment wet dream. Kids seem to come here immediately after school and hang out til closing time. Here the neon lights are more and brighter. Pachinko Slots, retail shops with the latest fashions, gacha vendors, restaurants and bars line the streets. Kids are everywhere. We met a woman today who had some interesting information about the district. Many of the teenagers come here to chill out, but unfortunately, since they are underage they have no money. Shopkeepers and vendors lose money because of it and rent here is very high so there has been a recent move to cater more to the older set (20-30 year olds). Still it's fun to watch the sea of people move around.
As a driver in any district, especially this one, it can be intimidating. The sheer number of people crossing a crosswalk during a light change can be overwhelming. As I driver I would think I may accidentally bump someone walking and get a mob motivated enough to yank me out of my car and beat me to a pulp. Nobody here jaywalks since the drivers are also pretty reckless in speed and turns as well. Even more reckless are the bicyclists. in the US cyclists would use the road and follow traffic. Here they use the crowded sidewalk. There's been a few times where El and I were almost clipped by someone weaving their way through. If you don't pay attention you may end up with someone in your arms.
After this day it was all we could handle and decided to head back to the comforts of our western style hotel. A four-star hotel here is relatively simple compared to back home. The most outstanding feature is the bidet. Of course, even that has to be engineered to be the most technologically advanced. But, even still the rooms are comfortable and the staff fast, efficient and courteous. It would make the most luxurious hotels in America shamed in the fact that the Japanese don't work for gratuity. They work hard because it's the right thing to do. The more and more I type I realize how much of our culture could learn from the Japanese.
Everything it seems at home is driven by money. Make as much doing as little as possible as you can seems to be the modus operandi. Here they truly believe in the team effort. Even the "lowliest" job is taken with pride and diligence. It's also very rare to be "fired" from a job. I learned talking to people that Japanese tend to stay with a job for longer periods of time. The "back pat" only comes when someone is nearing retirement.
**NEWSFLASH**
Around 2:30am this morning El and I were awakened by something I haven't experienced since I left the Philippines - earthquake! El freaked out a little, but I assured it would only last a moment (about 30 seconds). The only difference in my past experiences was that I was on the ground, not on the 29th floor of a high-rise hotel in the middle of downtown Tokyo. El later told me the building was actually "earthquake-proof".
Pop Trivia time! Japan experiences about 100 (or is 1000?) earthquakes a year. Most aren't felt by anyone except by measuring equipment. Something about this part of the world I guess.
Later, we received news about another typhoon making landfall in Japan by Saturday. Gre-e-a-a-t! Back to bed...
As a driver in any district, especially this one, it can be intimidating. The sheer number of people crossing a crosswalk during a light change can be overwhelming. As I driver I would think I may accidentally bump someone walking and get a mob motivated enough to yank me out of my car and beat me to a pulp. Nobody here jaywalks since the drivers are also pretty reckless in speed and turns as well. Even more reckless are the bicyclists. in the US cyclists would use the road and follow traffic. Here they use the crowded sidewalk. There's been a few times where El and I were almost clipped by someone weaving their way through. If you don't pay attention you may end up with someone in your arms.
After this day it was all we could handle and decided to head back to the comforts of our western style hotel. A four-star hotel here is relatively simple compared to back home. The most outstanding feature is the bidet. Of course, even that has to be engineered to be the most technologically advanced. But, even still the rooms are comfortable and the staff fast, efficient and courteous. It would make the most luxurious hotels in America shamed in the fact that the Japanese don't work for gratuity. They work hard because it's the right thing to do. The more and more I type I realize how much of our culture could learn from the Japanese.
Everything it seems at home is driven by money. Make as much doing as little as possible as you can seems to be the modus operandi. Here they truly believe in the team effort. Even the "lowliest" job is taken with pride and diligence. It's also very rare to be "fired" from a job. I learned talking to people that Japanese tend to stay with a job for longer periods of time. The "back pat" only comes when someone is nearing retirement.
**NEWSFLASH**
Around 2:30am this morning El and I were awakened by something I haven't experienced since I left the Philippines - earthquake! El freaked out a little, but I assured it would only last a moment (about 30 seconds). The only difference in my past experiences was that I was on the ground, not on the 29th floor of a high-rise hotel in the middle of downtown Tokyo. El later told me the building was actually "earthquake-proof".
Pop Trivia time! Japan experiences about 100 (or is 1000?) earthquakes a year. Most aren't felt by anyone except by measuring equipment. Something about this part of the world I guess.
Later, we received news about another typhoon making landfall in Japan by Saturday. Gre-e-a-a-t! Back to bed...
Harajuku: Slaves to Fashion
The western culture had definitely infiltrated and taken over pretty much most of Tokyo. The city was illuminated with neon lights so bright it put Las Vegas to shame. Amusingly though, we would stumble upon tiny little pockets of the old culture - A temple tucked away in a little alley way or an elderly woman in kimono walking alongside teenagers in their Duran Duranesque clothing. It was as if the old Japan was still hanging only by a thread not ready to surrender itself completely to the invasion.
On our way to the Meiji Jingu Shrine we stumbled upon, Takeshita-dori, what was considered to be the "fashion alley", a street crammed with the latest in Hip Hop wear, Punk Rock or whatever was currently in. Vendors stand outside yelling, "irrasshaimase!" or "welcome" in an unusually high pitched voice. It was here that I made my first etiquette mistake. I went to try on a dress shirt at one of the shops and asked for a dressing room. The clerk showed one to me and as I walked in he yelled out, "no!" Of course, it was because I still had my shoulder pack on so I gave it to El. Nope. He wanted me to take off my shoes. Woops!
There are two modes of fashion here apparently, One is the ultra conservative, although pricey look. Men working the reception desks at the hotels wearing tailored suits and Phillipe Patek watches. Women in hosiery with elegant suits and Louis Vuitton purses.
Or there's the flipside. Dyed hair with layers of logo'd shirts under patterned long sleeves under unstructured leather blazers with frayed jeans and black boots. Schoolgirl uniforms with incredibly thick leg warmers. Girls in boots or stilettos with striped socks and fur collared jackets.
Japanese LOVE their fashion eventhough at times it seems they march to their own drummer. We tried to make sense of their hodge podge of fashion. It could be in the high 80's, but they would be heavily layered under piles of shirts, jackets and sweaters, boots and thick socks. It's easy to spot an outsider. They would be the ones dressed sloppy or for pure comfort. Sometimes the women in high heels walked like they were hobbled or uncomfortable, "but damn I look good!" We guessed since overcrowding and the lofty prices for real estate is common, the Japanese make up for it in only the most expensive of anything. Since they can't show it off with a car (they typically walk or take the rail anywhere since parking is rare) or with a lot home accessories, they would rather wear it. Which would also make sense for the small electronics gadgetry and such. There's no sense of putting a 50" TV in a one bedroom with an entertainment center with 10" woofer towers. There's simply no room., one bath 800 sq. foot condo
On our way to the Meiji Jingu Shrine we stumbled upon, Takeshita-dori, what was considered to be the "fashion alley", a street crammed with the latest in Hip Hop wear, Punk Rock or whatever was currently in. Vendors stand outside yelling, "irrasshaimase!" or "welcome" in an unusually high pitched voice. It was here that I made my first etiquette mistake. I went to try on a dress shirt at one of the shops and asked for a dressing room. The clerk showed one to me and as I walked in he yelled out, "no!" Of course, it was because I still had my shoulder pack on so I gave it to El. Nope. He wanted me to take off my shoes. Woops!
There are two modes of fashion here apparently, One is the ultra conservative, although pricey look. Men working the reception desks at the hotels wearing tailored suits and Phillipe Patek watches. Women in hosiery with elegant suits and Louis Vuitton purses.
Or there's the flipside. Dyed hair with layers of logo'd shirts under patterned long sleeves under unstructured leather blazers with frayed jeans and black boots. Schoolgirl uniforms with incredibly thick leg warmers. Girls in boots or stilettos with striped socks and fur collared jackets.
Japanese LOVE their fashion eventhough at times it seems they march to their own drummer. We tried to make sense of their hodge podge of fashion. It could be in the high 80's, but they would be heavily layered under piles of shirts, jackets and sweaters, boots and thick socks. It's easy to spot an outsider. They would be the ones dressed sloppy or for pure comfort. Sometimes the women in high heels walked like they were hobbled or uncomfortable, "but damn I look good!" We guessed since overcrowding and the lofty prices for real estate is common, the Japanese make up for it in only the most expensive of anything. Since they can't show it off with a car (they typically walk or take the rail anywhere since parking is rare) or with a lot home accessories, they would rather wear it. Which would also make sense for the small electronics gadgetry and such. There's no sense of putting a 50" TV in a one bedroom with an entertainment center with 10" woofer towers. There's simply no room., one bath 800 sq. foot condo
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Our first day in Tokyo we decided to do some exploring of the surrounding areas, more specifically in Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya. This was to be our first foray into the rail system. Sure you could take taxi or even a bus, but do as the Romans do.
Upon our first entry into the Shinjuku Station you are immediately bombarded by a swarm of fast-paced Japanese on their way to work. In the train station it's quite easy to get runover or shoved out of the way. Since we couldn't read the postings for the different lines it was difficult to find our way around initially. It was actually comical to go to "information" and ask "how much", "which train...", and "What platform" only to get a puzzled look or a strained attempt at English. El is actually trying to learn the language and it's it subtle nuances while I have all but given up on sounding like a horse's ass.
When boarding a train the Japanese line up perfectly while waiting, but as soon as the doors open it's a free-for-all to board / leave. I noticed this phenomenon on Japan Air as well. Whereas westerners board by row and typically wait for the row ahead to leave, Japanese immediately board the plane altogether which makes it completely chaotic. Same with leaving.
After a few trips here and there we finally got a hang of the easiest and quickest routes. We even tried transferring trains without too much trouble. The Japanese are extremely polite and genuinely don't want to offend anyone. On a train it is impolite to use a cell phone or to stare at anyone, so Japanese are either flipping thru their cellphone messages, reading or "sleeping". I'd love to catch a photo of this if I can be stealthy about it.
Our first excursion was to Harajuku where the Meiji Jingu Shrine is. It is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken who were made into deities. The Empress began a Red Cross fund where she donated 100,000 Yen (or about $1,000,000 by today's standards) in 1912. Even more uplifting is the prayer tree where people donate money and then earn a wish or prayer mounted on a wood plaque from the monks. Hung around an ancient tree this ritual is performed everyday by the monks. Just by a guesstimate, today's prayers numbered around 800.
Upon our first entry into the Shinjuku Station you are immediately bombarded by a swarm of fast-paced Japanese on their way to work. In the train station it's quite easy to get runover or shoved out of the way. Since we couldn't read the postings for the different lines it was difficult to find our way around initially. It was actually comical to go to "information" and ask "how much", "which train...", and "What platform" only to get a puzzled look or a strained attempt at English. El is actually trying to learn the language and it's it subtle nuances while I have all but given up on sounding like a horse's ass.
When boarding a train the Japanese line up perfectly while waiting, but as soon as the doors open it's a free-for-all to board / leave. I noticed this phenomenon on Japan Air as well. Whereas westerners board by row and typically wait for the row ahead to leave, Japanese immediately board the plane altogether which makes it completely chaotic. Same with leaving.
After a few trips here and there we finally got a hang of the easiest and quickest routes. We even tried transferring trains without too much trouble. The Japanese are extremely polite and genuinely don't want to offend anyone. On a train it is impolite to use a cell phone or to stare at anyone, so Japanese are either flipping thru their cellphone messages, reading or "sleeping". I'd love to catch a photo of this if I can be stealthy about it.
Our first excursion was to Harajuku where the Meiji Jingu Shrine is. It is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken who were made into deities. The Empress began a Red Cross fund where she donated 100,000 Yen (or about $1,000,000 by today's standards) in 1912. Even more uplifting is the prayer tree where people donate money and then earn a wish or prayer mounted on a wood plaque from the monks. Hung around an ancient tree this ritual is performed everyday by the monks. Just by a guesstimate, today's prayers numbered around 800.
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Hollywood Hills Breaking Crew
Wow! Breakdancing came back in a big way here I guess (Comeback #3 according to my count). Some street performers put on a great show in front of (of all places) the Gap. I don't ever remember me and my brother, Ricky, EVER doing anything quite as acrobatic as these guys. The really tried to throw out some pretty amazing things. Hey guys - here's two bucks for the effort.
Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Something I noticed in the Hollywood Hills - you'll never see a true local here. It is completely overridden with tourists. It was very cool to see the famous Hollywood Walk of Stars and their handprints in front of the Chinese Theatre. There was definitely an energy to the place. Little did I know that this was just a foreshadowing of our real trip yet to come.
Plenty of neon lights and people watching to be found. We tried to make it out to the Hollywood sign to take some pictures, but according to our server at Toji's the city never turn on the lights at night to discourage jumpers. Oddly enough there is also an astonishing number of Tarot Card readers and fortune tellers here. Just a coincidence? you decide.
Plenty of neon lights and people watching to be found. We tried to make it out to the Hollywood sign to take some pictures, but according to our server at Toji's the city never turn on the lights at night to discourage jumpers. Oddly enough there is also an astonishing number of Tarot Card readers and fortune tellers here. Just a coincidence? you decide.
Beverly Hills
This is actually not me and El's style to shop at the snooty looking Beverly Hills area, but it was cool just to drive around and see all the poseurs. It was near the hotel and Hollywood Hills so we took a quick drive/walkthru to see how the other half lives...
Loews Beverly Hills
I got us a nice room at the Loews Beverly Hills. I realize this is kinda frivolous considering we're only going to be there for the night, but what the hell - we're on vacation.
El, Cheech, Christine & Me.JPG
So, we came into L.A. Sundat afternoon and were picked up by my cousin, Luis (aka Cheech, aka Chito, aka Luisito) and his new wife Christine. We were able to see my Uncle Rey and his home, but Auntie Leigh was still at work and Abbie was down for the count with the flu. It was a VERY short trip and we promised to come back for a longer stay.
Back On Track: Day One
Surprise! Surprise! We got back from our day at the Imperial Palace in Central Tokyo and the Ginza District and what do we find? A VSDL modem sitting on my dresser! It's great and I've been on a waiting list for one, but we are dead tired. Oh well. Better get to it.
I thought I might try and put our trip in order...
I thought I might try and put our trip in order...
Turning Japanese
Just a quick konnichiwa to all of you. Sorry about the lame postings Ive been trying to do. Our hotel at Keio Plaza in Shinjuku has FREE internet access in the rooms. Unfortunately they failed to mention that they have a limited amount of ethernet VSDL modems. Doh!
Anyways, a quick recap...
Went to Los Angeles and Cheech and his wife took us out to Beverly Hills and Hollywood Hills. Great to see them again. As a pre-Japan warmup they took us out to Toji, a fantastic Shabu Shabu restaurant.
Afterwards we took our LONG flight to Japan (11 1/2 hours) and got to Tokyo at our hotel after another 1 1/2 hour drive to the hotel Keio Plaza. We were BOMBED since we chased the sun and had a straight 24 hours of daylight.
The next day we went to explore Harajuku to catch up on the latest in trends and then Shibuya to see the latest in electronic gadgetry.
Today we rolled out to Central Tokyo to see the Imperial Palace Gardens and now we actually found an Apple store in the Ginza district, the heart of western high fashion. Since we dont have internet access at our room we took the chance to reconnect (temporarily) with the western hemisphere check banks, email and such.
Anyways, we:re out for now so check you later!
Lek
Anyways, a quick recap...
Went to Los Angeles and Cheech and his wife took us out to Beverly Hills and Hollywood Hills. Great to see them again. As a pre-Japan warmup they took us out to Toji, a fantastic Shabu Shabu restaurant.
Afterwards we took our LONG flight to Japan (11 1/2 hours) and got to Tokyo at our hotel after another 1 1/2 hour drive to the hotel Keio Plaza. We were BOMBED since we chased the sun and had a straight 24 hours of daylight.
The next day we went to explore Harajuku to catch up on the latest in trends and then Shibuya to see the latest in electronic gadgetry.
Today we rolled out to Central Tokyo to see the Imperial Palace Gardens and now we actually found an Apple store in the Ginza district, the heart of western high fashion. Since we dont have internet access at our room we took the chance to reconnect (temporarily) with the western hemisphere check banks, email and such.
Anyways, we:re out for now so check you later!
Lek
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Give Kids The World
Eventhough I knew I was cutting it close I had committed to do my yearly visit to Give Kids The World. What is it? An incredible non-profit theme park dedicated to making terminally ill children forget they are ill basically. The Golf Channelhas made GKTW their BIG charity event each year in addition to the smaller events. A good part of the company signs up to do crafts projects, maintenance or decor. My job this year? PHOTOGRAPHS. Last year I managed to take some decent documentation photos along with the camera crew for our PR department, but I also made copies for GKTW's PR department. Apparently I did something right and they loved it. I know I know. Pretty miniscule compared to what my co-werks did, toiling in the hot sun, but I felt good about what I was doing. Trust me, I always catch hell from them with commentary like "Hey is that camera getting heavy yet?". It's all good.
Today me and El were up bright and early at 5:00 am to kick off our trip. Woo hoo! First stop is LA. I managed to get us a sweet suite at the Loews Beverly Hills just for the hell of it - it's vacay!
Today me and El were up bright and early at 5:00 am to kick off our trip. Woo hoo! First stop is LA. I managed to get us a sweet suite at the Loews Beverly Hills just for the hell of it - it's vacay!
Friday, October 01, 2004
Land of the Rising Sun
The countdown begins. I've got less than four hours to go before I get the hell outta dodge and head on out to LA first to see my cousin, Cheech, and then me and El roll out to the Far East and visit the Land of the Rising Sun.
Every year we manage to head out somewhere to celebrate our anniversary. Our parents were the old school types who believed work hard and save your money for your retirement. THEN travel. But why would you travel when your aches and pains always bother you and get tired easily and ...
Our first trip for our anniversary we went to Italy. We still about that one to this day. INCREDIBLE. Great weather, great food, beautiful sights, friendly people. If you ever get a chance I highly recommend it.
The following year we went to Hawaii. Another great choice. But we went on a cruise for it. Never again. You never get to really explore the islands like you'd think. It wasn't until we rented a Jeep Wrangler the last few days and drove thru the island did we really appreciate it.
Because of all the 9/11 drama we wanted to stay domestic and the following year we decided to keep it simple and see the West Coast. Plus Cheech (Luis to everyone else) got married and it was a great excuse to go to Vegas and see a good friend and his family in San Diego. I'd definitely move there.
BUT this year we are back on the international travel kick. So Japan it is! So much work here at the office, but it's not much to ask for to see this country. I really dig their history and culture. Again, I look forward to the photography. If I remember to do it I'll post a link to Shutterfly.com to our pics from trips.
It's too bad we don't have the funds or the time for a quick jaunt to the Philippines. I'm sad that we won't be able to celebrate my sweet grandma's 91st birthday (Lola!). But I sent a little something overseas to her and some well wishes.
Anyways, I'll see you guys on the flip side. Peace and the Far East!
Lek
Every year we manage to head out somewhere to celebrate our anniversary. Our parents were the old school types who believed work hard and save your money for your retirement. THEN travel. But why would you travel when your aches and pains always bother you and get tired easily and ...
Our first trip for our anniversary we went to Italy. We still about that one to this day. INCREDIBLE. Great weather, great food, beautiful sights, friendly people. If you ever get a chance I highly recommend it.
The following year we went to Hawaii. Another great choice. But we went on a cruise for it. Never again. You never get to really explore the islands like you'd think. It wasn't until we rented a Jeep Wrangler the last few days and drove thru the island did we really appreciate it.
Because of all the 9/11 drama we wanted to stay domestic and the following year we decided to keep it simple and see the West Coast. Plus Cheech (Luis to everyone else) got married and it was a great excuse to go to Vegas and see a good friend and his family in San Diego. I'd definitely move there.
BUT this year we are back on the international travel kick. So Japan it is! So much work here at the office, but it's not much to ask for to see this country. I really dig their history and culture. Again, I look forward to the photography. If I remember to do it I'll post a link to Shutterfly.com to our pics from trips.
It's too bad we don't have the funds or the time for a quick jaunt to the Philippines. I'm sad that we won't be able to celebrate my sweet grandma's 91st birthday (Lola!). But I sent a little something overseas to her and some well wishes.
Anyways, I'll see you guys on the flip side. Peace and the Far East!
Lek
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