/Tokyo Madness

Missed out on an update on Kyoto, aka Shrine Mania. There were good times in Shrine Mania, one of which was our stay at a traditional ryokan (旅館) which included kaiseki dinner and breakfast. It was a treat to be seen. The kaiseki required punctuality, which can prove quite difficult when there are 11 of us running riot. Other notable ryokan experiences were: wearing a yukata 24/7, and HT's favourite - having to shower in a common bath area (Ofuro).

More on Kyoto later.

Am now in Tokyo. As the saying goes, when in Tokyo...

• Squeeze yourself in a sardine packed Tokyo subway. Seeing it on TV might be fun, but being caught in the midst of it is stressful and tiring. I was physically unable to lose balance because we were squeezed in so tight - I had bodies all around me to break my fall. Apparently some guy said to Nat that it was a case of 'survival until you have to get off'.

• Eat at the Iron Chef's restaurant. It was a culinery experience well worth every dollar. 3 hours of delectable food and sake, all adding to this nearly full-grown food baby that I am harvesting this holiday.

• See lots of dead fish; feel regret and sorrow for the dead fish only to eat some of it later. So yummy though ...

• Buy a snowboard - tick! Not fun transporting the thing on the subway though.

Other Tokyo highlights to come later.

What I haven't done is try out the "massage" function on the bidet in our apartment. I will muster the courage before we leave on Saturday.

/Hiroshima

I am a big fan of the lost in translation signs, starting with the etiquette don'ts on the subway:




... to the tourist information signs at Miyajima Island:





But the most memorable Hiroshima experience was undoubtedly the Peace Memorial Park (the Peace Memorial Museum being the highlight). It was both educational and reverent. Highly recommended albeit the sombreness.




And topped off with oishii okonomiyaki:

/Osaka

Arrived feeling slightly haggard in chilly Osaka.

Jetstar flight was not very pleasant: air-conditioning was pumped up to the max; witnessed first hand an old lady throwing up her spaghetti & meatballs (let me tell you, the gay steward was not happy about that projectile motion).

Then the correlation between the 2 dawned upon me: air con up, smelly cabin down.

Watched 7 episodes of 30 Rock (so funny! had to gag myself. thanks Gregan). Didn't managed to get much sleep. Everything attempt at leaning on those malleable head rest things was disconcertingly rebuffed. The damn head rest things kept giving way. I think the weight of my head was working against me.

Heading straight to Hiroshima tomorrow morning (at 6am). Meanwhile, a few of my fave familiar Japanese things: a) stumped (again) by the train system; b) massage chairs; c) vending machine katsu curry; d) vending machines with lost in translation drinks; and e) my all time fave (along with bidets and those funny anti-smoking campaigns) the return of the fogless mirror!







Off to bed ... need to get up in a few hours.