Posts Tagged ‘travel’
Typical Japanese Dinner
Whenever someone of a different culture offers to cook dinner, I get excited. I mean really excited. During my time in Japan I ate dinner with two Japanese families in their homes. They were both amazing, but one had an extra, little twist.
Harajuku Fashion
There’s a link on Boing Boing to some awesome fashion from the Harajuku district in Tokyo. These people officially gather every weekend, but it’s not uncommon to see toned down versions on the streets pretty much every day. From the few times I’ve seen these people, I’ve gathered that they really enjoy cameras. I guess if I spent as much time and money on a costume as they do I’d probably want to show off too.
Here’s a link to the gallery.
Gift wine
I just looked up where the bottle of wine we were given came from. It’s a nice french $70/bottle margaux. I’m having a great time thinking about Melissa and I wandering around Tokyo drinking from a $70 bottle of wine at 4:30 am.
Thank you tattooed, possibly convict English men.
Back in a hostel
Aaron wasn’t quite ready for me to stay with him last night so I just spent the night in a hostel. I’m continuing my stay where Charlie and I stayed a couple of nights. It’s a really nice place for a hostel, but last night was my realization why I don’t like dorm-style housing with strangers. I have no problem sleeping through their noise when they come in at all hours, but there’s inevitably the one person who can’t handle my noise when I get up early. Maybe it’s just part of the hostel experience, but I still feel bad about it.
Tonight I get to stay with Aaron in his apartment that’s slightly bigger than his body. I don’t know where I’ll sleep.
test from my phone
Tags: japan, remote post, train, travel
Posted in cell on May 16th, 2008
This is a test from my new phone.
A temple in Narita
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We were determined not to fall asleep at 4pm so Charlie and I went for a walk down to a temple. It was a nice walk down a very narrow road. I’m not sure if the people were crossing the street in front of us out of fear or just because the sidewalk was non-existent. Either way it made me feel like a big man.
After viewing temples and taking lots of touristy pictures, we managed to somehow order food at a restaurant. Both of us got unagi in a bowl of rice and some beer. It was really nice.
We have arrived in Japan
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Our flight was 10 boring hours, but an uneventful flight is a good thing. We slept a lot on the plane so we weren’t completely exhausted when we landed. It’s still really tough to stay awake. It’s after 5am for me right now. I’m surprised I can remain conscious. Charlie passed out almost an hour ago.
We took a few minutes to get ourselves oriented in the hotel before venturing out. There’s a temple nearby so we trekked down to be supertourists. My pictures are still uploading, but I’ll post more about it when they’re done. Suffice it to say that it was a very relaxing and very fun first day. Pictures were taken, food was eaten, and a good time was had by all.
My brain is turning into a thick, soupy substance as I type. It may be time to give in to this nagging desire for sleep.
Goodbye Brazil; Hello Japan
After a few days back in Seattle, I’m ready to leave again. The next stop on my world tour is Japan. I’ll be traveling with my friend Charlie and meeting another friend, Aaron, and my uncle. Aaron and my uncle live about an hour outside of Tokyo. They don’t live together, however. That would be weird.
We’ll be flying in to the international airport in Narita. It’s a bit outside of Tokyo, but Charlie and I got passes that allow us to ride the trains as much as we want for 2 weeks. They should pay for themselves after a few short trips.
Being in Seattle has really made me realize how much I’m ready to live somewhere else. Maybe it’s the culture shock of arriving home after some time away. Maybe it’s just my own preference. I can’t really tell right now. All I know is that Seattle is really slow. I think I need more stimulation. I also have a strong desire to start things over. I guess that’s why I quit my job, gave up my apartment, and sold my car. The east coast is seeming like a good place to be. I had a ticket to Vienna, but I’m thinking of canceling it now. My reason to go has all but dissolved. Someday I’ll go to Europe, but I’m not sure now is the time.
The Women In Brazil Wear Tall Shoes
I went shopping today at the mall in Salvador. It’s pretty nice inside. There’s even an ice skating rink with fake ice. It’s a little strange to see people dressed for summer on ice skates, but I got over it. When I first arrived, I got a cup of coffee and a brigadeiro and sat down to watch people.
I’ve noticed this before, but never really thought about it. The women here LOVE platform sandals. These sandals have probably 6 – 8 inch thick soles. I don’t know why they do it. It must just be a cultural thing, but they aren’t sexy and they don’t look comfortable. I think they also throw off the center of gravity so these poor women walk as though they are constantly falling forward. Maybe Brazilian men like tall women.
Culture Shock: Propaganda
To me, culture shock is anything that I notice different from what I’m used to. It doesn’t have to be anything huge or upsetting. It doesn’t even have to be bad. There have been many moments of culture shock since I arrived in Brazil, but I think the biggest one has revolved around the vendors. A simple walk down the beach is almost certain to be interrupted at some point by a person (usually a man) trying vigorously to sell you something. It’s not just the beach, though. I’ve had vendors try to sell me necklaces and pirated DVDs while I’m inside a restaurant. I’m a somewhat shy person when it comes to interacting with people I don’t know so I tend to just awkwardly brush them off.
The problem comes in when I actually do want something. I can’t ever see myself wanting to buy a crappy necklace, but sometimes I want water or food. One of the most difficult things for me has been to consciously assess what they have and if I want it. It took me about a month to come up with this technique, but it works. If a vendor tries to sell me something, I will engage them in brief conversation, look at their wares, let them know of my interest (or lack of), and thank them for the offer. They are much more prone to leave quickly and I don’t feel harassed. These people are simply trying to make some money and they aren’t doing it at gunpoint.
I just leveled up in Portuguese as well so that helps. I think I’m at level 4 now so I have about 66 more levels if we’re going by WoW rules.
