It is astounding that about half the population wear surgical masks in public. It looks like the land of bank robbers!
We just saw Mt Fuji...magnificent. Top covered in snow.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
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Dec 7
It is Pearl Harbor Day here in Japan but we see no evidence of recognition on anyone's part. We seem to be the only ones aware of it as yet. It is a gorgeous sunny day and w are on Shinkansen 509 on the way to Kyoto. It's the Bullet Train. We are going through many cities as well as bypassing Mt. Fuji. We plan to get a good look at this Japanese icon.
Tokyo
We arrived late yesterday due to flight delays because of bad weather. Bumpy all the way. It is winter here. I forgot how much I hate the cold. We dumped our stuff in our tiny little room and went out to explore the area and immediately proceeded to get lost. That's ok because people walk around all night here and it is perfectly safe. So we wandered till we found a good local eatery and had a Japanese meal which was delicious. By the time we found the hotel it was 12:45 in the morning. We crashed in our tiny little bed and slept very well. The staff is extremely helpful and everything is very clean.
This morning we woke up early, anxious to explore Tokyo. We found our new favorite restaurant and had an American breakfast with lots of cappuccino to fend off the cold. Off we went. We are extremely proud of ourselves after having totally mastered the Tokyo metro system without getting lost. It is massive and amazing and we even bought tickets from the machine. We were all over the city. We took three sightseeing busses so as not to miss anything. We saw the Imperial Palace where the Emperor lives. We couldn't go in because he is there with his family. We saw some things we will return to in two days. It is a very big city and, strange as it seems, it is all dolled up for Christmas. There are lights and Christmas music everywhere. The stores are amazing. The Ginza is amazing. We crossed the street without getting killed many times. Contrary to what we were told, it is not an expensive city. We have had no trouble eating delicious meals which were reasonably priced, taken reasonable cab rides and of course used the very inexpensive public transportation system. We are learning a few words and the people are so helpful and polite that they have been going out of their way on many occasions...total strangers in the metro and on the streets. Everything is very clean. People do rush around a lot. They don't stroll. They scamper.
When we arrived at the Ginza we found ourselves in the middle of a peace demonstration. There were literally thousands of peaceful anti-war protesters marching in orderly lines down the Ginza. That street is pretty overwhelming with its sea of humanity and the demonstration made it even more crowded. I don't love crowds and when they are coming at me from all directions I got a little wonky.
So we made it back to the hotel after being out from 7:30 this morning till 8:30 tonight. We are taking the bullet train to Kyoto tomorrow morning for an overnight in that ancient imperial city filled with castles and Geisha. I really wanted to take Geisha lessons but there is not enough time. The makeup alone takes hours. But at least we will see them and learn about them. Fascinating. I can't wait. Very excited.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Tomorrow
Tomorrow afternoon we pack up and head for Tokyo and Kyoto. This is the final leg of the journey. I will post many photos in about a week. Due to the enormous amount of photos I take I have to work with my home computer to upload the ones I want but trust me, it will be worth it. I will be looking for a camera in Tokyo since I will be buying a Japanese camera. Otherwise, it will be bought in the US.
I understand it is very cold in Japan so I hope this Southern Old Girl survives.
Hong Kong Day 3
Today we took the hydrofoil express boat to the island of Macau. It was a former Portugese colony so there is a large Portugese influence in the culture and the architecture. Another part of the picture is that part of the island is filled with Las Vegas casinos. It is crazy. All the staff and guests are Asian. Almost no one speaks English. Then there is the old part of town which is strictly Chinese. So it is a mixture that works well.
We had a great Chinese lunch in a beautiful restaurant where they gave us chopsticks as well as Western utensils. I guess we confused them.
We made it back on the ferry. It was a rough ride and people were throwing up. Then hopped on the local bus and remembered where to get off. I guess we know our way around this town pretty well. We are, however, getting a bit tired. We have been gone for a month and miss the grandchildren.
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Hong Kong Day 2
OK so this is the worst traffic I have ever seen. It is like something out of a horror movie. Cars, busses, cable cars, taxis everywhere and nobody moves. They just sit there. Yesterday evening it it to over an hour to even get a cab and then we just sat in it with the meter inching up and up. The subway is much faster but unbelievably crowded. This place has the most people squeezed into the smallest place in the world. The amount of people is staggering and almost everyone wears a mask. They are pretty helpful and polite in general and the little kids are so adorable you could just eat them up.
Today I looked at cameras but think I will wait for Japan where they are all manufactured. The amount of stores and markets is just overwhelming. My head is spinning. And everyone loves to bargain. We went to the famous Ladies Market and I thought Jerry would fall down in a dead faint. Actually, it was almost too much for me. I never saw so much crap crammed into so small an area with so many people wandering around looking at all that crap! They come with suitcases and fill them up with all that crap to take home and give away as presents. I must admit that I bought a really cute pair of ballet flats that are both cheap and comfy. What else cane you ask for?
We took the subway and had to change trains twice. No problem. It's like the London Underground on steroids. We didn't even get lost. But it was so damned crowded that I almost got dizzy. It was like being in a sardine can with all the other fish. It is a very safe place despite all the swarms of humanity. You can wander around all night and nobody will bother you except maybe a begging Buddist monk shoving a bowl in your face. But the shopping is really quite outstanding no matter what you want to pay. And it's fun, although Jerry doesn't think so.
Tomorrow we are thinking of going to Macau, an island about an hour away by ferry where all the big casinos and gambling resorts are located. It was a former Portugese colony and parts of the old town are UNESCO world heritage sights. Sounds pretty good provided the seas are calm. It is Las Vegas without strip joints and caters to Asian high rollers.
Hong Kong
We are now off the ship after a quiet passage to Hong Kong. I love it here, except for the traffic which is terrible. It is my second time here and I remember it well. I especially love the bargains and the food. It is one market after another. Shop till you drop is the operative word here. Tomorrow I will be camera hunting. We are totally exhausted after a day running all over HK island with a few hours at the Stanley Market thrown in for good luck.
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