We’re Going Back to Bangkok: Part 1

We arrived in Bangkok, one of our most favorite and interesting big cities. It's called the 'City of Angels' due to the ever-present temples, wats, and shrines that dot this metropolis. Look anywhere, and you'll find one stretching to the sky in all its ornate glory or a small one right around the corner, crammed into its own space. It's a reminder of the importance of Buddhism and Thailand's spiritual history, which are fundamental to its people.

Wat Arjun. Famous, often visited Shrine near our hotel. 

Small shrine just outside the gate to the pier where we go to Chinatown.  

According to several travel sites, Bangkok is the most visited city in the world. The population is around 11 million people. Thailand's Tourism Ministry estimates that there have been 24.5 million visitor visits as of November 25th of this year. To be fair, a portion of those are here on business, but most are tourists. The majority of those tourists visit between November and February. It's bursting at the seams with everyone wanting to buy a pair of light cotton pants with an elephant design all over them or anything with 'The North Face' logo on it. It's like joining the throngs of people trying to get a scone on the last day of the Puyallup Fair, only it's that way day after day. Phew! But, hey, that's part of the charm. 

The Chao Phraya river jammed with water taxis, tour boats, long tails and hotel taxis jockeying for position, trying to get first dibs on letting their riders off or getting their riders onto their boats. Pretty much a zoo on the water, but fun to watch. 

Chinatown market. If this looks crowed, it is. We only walked down 4 or 5 blocks through this skinny hallway and it was just like this for another 4 or 5 blocks. The vendors are yelling at potential customers to buy their stuff. Overstimulation for me. They have everything from underwear to hammers to Christmas supplies to dishes to whatever you want, it’s here. 

The main street in Chinatown hosts various goods but primarily features restaurants and food stalls offering out-of-this-world tasting Asian and international food. Additionally, there are gem and jewelry shops along this street. Pandemonium would be a good way to describe Chinatown, but in an exciting way.

As an aside, Hong Kong consistently held the position as the number one visited country in the world until China unceremoniously wrestled it to the mat in a headlock until the count of three. Before anyone knew it, Hong Kong was no longer under the 'one country, two systems policy'—the deal they made with Britain back in the '90s to allow Hong Kong to remain a 'free enterprise zone.' However, China keeps its promises until they don't, so Hong Kong dropped way down the list of most visited countries. I guess the world's travelers are reluctant to visit a country whose government beats on its citizens and crushes any opposing views, (see Tiananmen Square). 

The Chao Phraya River runs right through the middle of Bangkok and is a major working river. We sat each morning with our cup of coffee and watched the traffic move up and down the river. If it floats and has some sort of engine to move it through the water it’s probably here somewhere, every kind of watercraft imaginable. To name a few: water taxis of every description, some as long as 100 feet; dinner barges, oil barges, barges filled with sand, rice, rock; tug boats, runabouts, skiffs, long tails; police boats and military boats. There are many more but that gives an idea of the variety we saw on the river. 

Tourist boat. Ticket sellers attempt to sell unsuspecting tourists 30 baht (or about a dollar) for this boat knowing that a local Thai, aware of the water taxi schedule, can take another boat to the same destination for 16 baht. 

Hard to see but the barges in the foreground are full of sand and the barges behind are unloaded and float high in the water. 

A long tail taxi has a long shaft with a propeller at the end usually driven by an old tractor or truck engine. The shaft is 10-12 feet long. 

Tugs and a tour boat. 

Multicolored tug boat helping steer multiple barges.

 

Waiting in a long tail boat to lock down into the klongs or canals that surround Bangkok and southern Thailand. 

One of the most interesting water craft are the barges. Usually 3 or 4 barges are roped together with a tugboat pulling out in front and a tugboat behind that pushes the back one way or another to help with steering. On each barge is a small house, usually with laundry hanging off one side and, occasionally, there is a deckhand mulling about doing various tasks. If the ships are loaded they sink down into the water and generally move slowly. If unloaded, they look almost like a bobber they float so high on the river. Barges heading north are usually carrying sand, gravel or rock for building and construction. Barges heading south are usually carrying agricultural good. 

We most often took water taxis, tourist boats or long tails boats. The water taxis were the most convenient way to get from one place to another, then on to a subway, train or taxi. Getting on and off the water taxi was like being in a fun house at an amusement park where the floor shifts in different directions and trying to navigate from one end to the other is the challenge. Here, everyone stands and attempts to keep their balance on a dock that’s moving to and fro and up and down from the wishy washy water conditions. The approaching taxi bumps or slams into the dock, both boat and dock moving in their own direction that creates a gap that keeps opening and closing while everyone attempts to jumps on or off the boat. All the while the deckhand is yelling at everyone to hurry…”go, go, go!!!” Watching some of the older Thai ladies elbowing their way onto the boat to get down the stairs and into a seat so they don’t have to stand on the moving boat is hilarious. Even so, I still got to the seat first. Ha!

Every big city has its problems, and Bangkok has its share. The Chao Phraya River is the most polluted river in Thailand, laden with bacterial and nutrient pollutants, heavy metals, and an abundance of plastic waste. The government is addressing this through various means, such as subcontracting with companies like 'The Ocean Cleanup.' Their technologies trap, sort, and repurpose the plastic for non-single-use products, while also incinerating it to generate energy. Let's hope these efforts prove effective.

Another critical issue is Bangkok sinking due to its foundation on clay instead of bedrock. The extensive use of concrete in construction adds weight, and the clay is more malleable than rock. Compounding this, global warming and rising sea levels present a challenge. As the lower part of Thailand is a vast delta, problems due to increased flooding are emerging. Bangkok sits only about 5 feet above sea level, highlighting the vulnerability of this environment.

Presently, the city uses pumps during the rainy season to divert water into the Chao Phraya River and out to the ocean. However, during normal times, like our current visit, I noticed water being pumped into the river during high tide. I hope they can effectively manage these challenges. Ultimately, I hope we collectively address our global warming issues successfully.

Ending on a more positive note, here are a couple of pictures of the nightly light show on one of the bridges that we enjoyed every night. 

Rama VIII Bridge. The bridge was an engineering marvel which has an asymmetrical design with a single pylon on one side of the water and inverted Y cables stretched across the bridge holding it up. 

Hope all is well with you.

Ed out. 

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Phuket: Tourist Haven

Whoa! If you're a true-blue tourist, Phuket is tourist heaven. Phuket is the center of the universe of tourism in Thailand. It attracts a truly international crowd. There’s a reason for that. Here, get pampered with manicures, pedicures, facials and massages until you’re so relaxed you could melt. Zip lines, ATV and Sea Doos, scooters, bikes and go karts are here to rent. Snorkel and dive in clear blue waters of the Andaman sea. Tours of every description were hawked by tour operators on every street counter. Shop until you drop, eat to your heart's content and/or drink the night away. It’s hard to consider abstaining from anything…it’s exhausting, really.

Then, after contemplating the previous day's indulgences, you hop into a tuk-tuk for a journey to a Wat high on a hill above Phuket. There you can find solace for the excesses of the past few days and a Monk will even say a prayer and bless you. This can help with finding a way back to some sort of harmony and balance. What’s a relief. Then, you can steady yourself and move on to another day of, well, more excesses. With so, so many choices, why not?    

Room, Marcella, Terry and I, high on a hill.

Here we are looking for the monk.

Speaking of eating, trying to zero in on the perfect choice for dinner where the choices seem limitless, it’s a target-rich environment. There are so many varieties of foods that it’s a bit overwhelming. Food vendors line the streets in every direction. We favor the street food, but the restaurants here offer a diverse collection of international fare. We dined in a Croatian restaurant one night, relished seafood at a night market, indulged in curry for a lunch, and started each day with a breakfast buffet. Thankfully, we're getting plenty of exercise; otherwise, buying a size larger swimsuit on an “active” vacation was never part of the plan.

We visited another shrine and Wat in Phuket that had a meditation center, a building housing statues of revered monks, and another with a statue of the Buddha. All with the same theme: the calm and reverence to the Buddha and Buddhism as a way of life. I entered the last shrine before we left and looked up to see a monk sitting in a throne. I removed my hat and bowed out of respect before I realized it wasn’t a living, breathing monk but an authentic-looking statue. 

With so many things to do and so many ways to experience life here in this tourist mecca, it’s not surprising there are constant reminders of Buddhism. Buddhists believe that human life is one of suffering, and that meditation, spiritual and physical labor, and good behavior are the ways to achieve enlightenment, or nirvana, (from National Geographic). I’m convinced that the Buddha never envisioned this type of Nirvana as do some of the guests of Phuket think it might be. Which makes me wonder, could part time enlightenment work out ok?

All for now. You’re welcome to leave comments if you wish. Happy Holidays to everyone. 

Ed, out.    

Quiet Koh Phayam

Having been in Thailand for a duration similar to our stay in Japan, I've gained perspective on the diffences between these countries and their people. To draw an analogy, if each country were a person, the Japanese might resemble a purpose-driven adult with a serious demeanor, dressed in black and focused on getting down to business. In contrast, the Thai people could be likened to a carefree teenager wearing shorts and an 'I love New York' tank top, with a big smile, ready to play. This is, of course, a generalization. Being able to enjoy the differences between two cultures, each with their own type of richness, diversity and history is the reason Moon and I travel. 

Onto Ranong, southwest of Bangkok, on the coast.  Ranong sits a couple miles from the Thai-Myanmar border. Our desire to visit Myanmar, (Burma), has been longstanding. Unfortunately, the country has a troubled history and is currently ruled by a military junta. The US State Department says it’s a no go. Mines, kidnapping and/or arresting foreigners, lousy healthcare, civil unrest, and the military trying to kill off a portion of its ethnic citizenry are a few good reasons to stay away. I suppose when there is news that Starbucks and Mickey Ds start opening up, it’ll be safe for a visit.  

At the docks in Ranong, we stepped onto a a 42 foot speed boat with two 250 hp Yamaha outboards and sped off down the river and out into the Andaman Sea for a quick 40 minute ride to the Island of Koh Phayam. Our other choice was a “ferry” that would have taken. 2 1/4 hours. That piece of work looked like it could have been christened “Dubious”, which would have fit perfectly with its ramshackle appearance. No thank you.  

We arrived at the docks on the east side of the island and headed to our bungalow on the west side via TukTuk, a 3 wheeled motorcycle. There were no cars on this island. So scooters, Tuk Tuks, and small tractor equipment that looks as if it does all the heavy lifting type work on the island.

Our beach bungalow was located on a long, expansive beach that was essentially deserted, save for a handful of people. It stayed that way throughout our trip, a stark contrast to Chiang Mai, which was bustling with humanity from end to end. The fresh salt air, warmth of the sun, and the sand between our toes created an ideal beach experience—relaxing and peaceful.

There were three things this island had in abundance: butterflies, mangy looking dogs, and scooters. I can understand the scooters because it’s the only way to get around and do business here for the 500 or so people that live on the island full time and probably that many visitors during the high season. Thats how everyone gets from one place to another here. It makes sense.  

Then there are the dogs of Koh Phayam. They are everywhere; at the pier, on the streets, in the restaurants, on the beach. They probably outnumber scooters. Their favorite pastime is to lay right in the middle of the street as the scooters whiz by their heads at 20 mph. Those streets are about 2/3s the width of one lane of a Seattle side street, so not very wide at all. And they don’t even flinch. If it were me laying in the middle of the street trying to nap, with scooters zooming by me at 20 mph I’d be a nervous wreck. It’s silly of me to nap in the middle of the road but you get the picture. It’s a delicate dance between the scooters and the dogs.  

Then, there are the dogs of Koh Phayam. They're everywhere; at the pier, in the restaurants, at the beach and in the streets.  They probably outnumber the scooters. Their favorite pastime is lounging right in the middle of the street as scooters whiz by at 20 or 30 mph. These street are about one quarter the width of a Seattle side street, so quite narrow. Surprisingly, they don’t even flinch. If it were me, trying to nap in the middle of the street with scooters zooming by at 20 mph, I'd be a nervous wreck. Admittedly, it’s absurd to nap in the middle of the road, but you get the picture. It's a delicate dance between the scooters and the dogs and each knows their place to stay safe.

Lastly, there were butterflies. Throughout our stay, no matter where we were on the island, they were constantly fluttering about. The hotel manager mentioned that they feed on tiny light purple flowers found on specific bushes, and those bushes are scattered all around the island.

Butterflies everywhere. 

All for now. We left the tranquil atmosphere of Koh Phayam for Phuket, and boy, was that a shock. 

Ed, out.

Oh My, Chiang Mai

We returned to Chiang Mai to experience the celebrations that accompany the Loy Krathong and Yi Peng festivals in this northern city of Thailand. Both are coupled together during the full moon at the end of November every year. It is a spectacle of a high order. 

The Loy Kathrong celebration is a show of gratefulness to the Goddess of Water since water is so integral to the Thai way of life. Small floating wreaths of every shape, color and material, about the size of a salad plate are assembled with small flowers and leaves, a small candle in the middle and a couple of stick incense sticking out the top. It’s placed carefully into the water, then given a small nudge and down the river it goes. As it floats away so do grudges, bad luck and maybe a bit of iffy karma which is why th drivers is flooded with these little baskets. 

Legend has it that it’s also a romantic exercise because it seemed to be performed by couples making goo goo eyes at each other. So I did my best goo goo eyes impression at Moon, (as she rolled her eyes at me).Then we set our floating basket off down the river, grateful to the Goddess of Water for her continued existence and grateful for each other as we enjoy our travels and adventures together.  

Yi Peng is a festival commonly celebrated to expunge bad luck one might have acquired along life’s path.  This process entails lighting a waxy candle-like ring in the bottom of rice paper lantern held together by bamboo. The heat fills the lantern until it starts to rise. The lanterns are carried away into the sky along with those luck problems. It is also a moment to say a prayer for all your ancestors that have passed before you. Basically, the river that runs through Chiang Mai is filled with small floating flower baskets and the skies are full of lighted lanterns and fireworks. The joyous atmosphere is filled with an anticipation that prayers will be conveyed, wishes will be granted and luck will be more favorable. The whole occasion is pretty impressive. 

I took this photo from the internet. I had a million chances to take photos of every type of these showy little baskets but ended up with none. Bad blogger! I picked this particular photo because Terry made one that looked almost like this one.  

Not a great photo of the Loy Krathong, but you probably get the idea. 

 

Good luck lanterns being released into the sky.

Unfortunately, there was a downside that we experienced in Chiang Mai at the time of the festivals. There seemed to be an over abundance of folks wishing to relieve themselves of their lousy luck. Trying to get back to the hotel was clostraphobic. We were surrounded on all sides by heat, people, cars, motorbikes and everyone moved at a snails pace. Crowded would be an understatement. People gridlock would be a term I would use to describe it. To be in that close proximity for so long with seemingly nowhere to turn for relief was a little creepy. We finally returned to the hotel and were relieved.  

  

Thailand is full of temples, Buddhist Temples. They are everywhere. The Thailand Dept. of Religious Affairs estimates that 92% of Thais are Buddhists, 5% are Muslim and 1+% are Christian.  At its basic level Buddhism teaches practitioners to let go of attachment, cultivate compassion and practice mindfulness. (Who wouldn’t think that would be a step in the right direction?) There are massive temples, small temples, street corner shrines, temples in the middle of nowhere and famous ones smack dab in the middle of cities. It’s a sign of the spiritual nature of the Thai people and is thought to be less of a religion than a way of life. It does give off a sense of reverence even in the chaos of a big city like Bangkok. The Thai peoples’ graciousness, their happiness and easy smiles, and their pleasing attitude toward others is a nice welcome to those of us who like to visit here. 
 

  

In the second and third photo is what’s call a chedi or supra and this one is gold plated. It’s a sight to see, having been here for more than 500 years

We met our friends in Chiang Mai for the purpose of enjoying the Loi Krathong and LiPeng Festivals together. Maxx and Kay, Scott,Terry and I took time out to visit Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, a Buddhist temple. It is 3500 feet above Chiang Mai. The road to get there makes the perilous winding road from Kahului to Hanna on Maui look like a straight line. Heading up the mountain with the road twisting and turning was like a E ride at Disneyland. 

As per Wikipedia, this small Dio Suthep temple was built in 1383s. It’s been decorated and redecorated and expanded numerous time since then. It seems as if there are temples within temples and shrines within shrines here. There is something for every one. There are Buddhas standing, sitting, laying on his side and one holding a sign that read, “Call here to find out what Buddha wants for you”. I was kidding about the last one. That’s probably blasphemous and I don’t want any bad karma, really, I was just kidding. 

The road to the temple was finally built in 1935. Here’s what I’m thinking…for 552 years the good residence of Chiang Mai climbed 3500 feet up the mountain to give thanks to Buddha and offer prayers. Back then, following the Buddha’s path was not without its perils and sacrifice. Even in todays’ world, we observed 3 monks walking up the road as we headed down the mountain after our visit. Truth be told, if I were one of those months, I’d put my thumb out for a ride to the top. But, when picturing that scenario, a monk thumbing a ride just doesn’t seem right, does it?  

Working safety here in Thailand can be a bit dicey. Here are a couple of workers that are hooking up who knows what in a fur ball of tangled electrical lines. The bamboo ladder, which has metal steps, was leaned against the whole mess as the hookup proceeded. I watched them do this twice as they moved down the street. Moon and I worked with the injured worker population for years and visiting many worksites. We observed many unsafe practices. This one is a real doozy. This photo might be on the cover of The WA State Dept of Labor and Industries pamphlet with a caption, “Don’t do this, ever”. 

The restaurants here have funny names and those often cater to tourists. Our favorite, where we had breakfast each morning, was Butter is Better. They had a complete section of Fred McMurray. Remember My Three Sons? Our other favorite with killer biscuits and gravy was Bella Goose.  

All for now.  Ed out. 

Osaka on a fast train.

 One last thing about the big city of Tokyo. There must be some sort of unwritten rule for keeping cars in like-new condition here, because every vehicle in this city looks as if it came right off the showroom floor. They’re so clean they might even be hygienic. Commercial or personal, it didn’t seem to matter. I observed a street sweeper whose whole working existence is to pick up and clear away dust, dirt and debris. It’s supposed to look like Snoopy’s buddy Pig-Pen but is was clean as a whistle. How is that even possible?

Onto Osaka on a Bullet Train or Shinkansen as the Japanese have coined it. Japan was the first country in the world to build dedicated rail lines for high speed travel. The Shinkansen zips along this high speed railway line a a shopping 176 mph. As a comparison, the train from Seattle to Vancouver, BC, covers 120 miles in 3 hours and 58 miles at the snail’s speed of 30 mph. If you booked a reservation on a Shinkansen out of Seattle, (if they had one), where could you go in that amount of time?  San Francisco would be an easy reach with enough time left over to grab some chocolates in Ghirardelli Square down at the waterfront. The ride was an enjoyable experience as we flew by the towns and countryside, albeit a dizzying one. 

Our first full day in a new city brought to light a few differences between the people of Tokyo and those in Osaka. The residents of Tokyo are generally stoic and reserved and made eye contact only by accident then quickly looked away. Smiling seem to be forbidden and probably only happens in public if a player wins a bundle on a game of Pachinko. And they’re a quiet bunch. With a gazillion folks jockeying for space on a train or subway in a big enclosed hallway, it’s oddly quiet. Cram 120 or more of those same  folks into a subway car and the decibel level goes from oddly quiet to soundproof-room quiet. Weird but truc. A pin drop would sound like a firecracker here. When riding the Osaka transit, it’s a much lighter atmosphere.

Pachinko Hall.

Osaka folks, on the other hand, seem more relaxed.  They smile easier, are more chatty, and just don’t seem to have an “all business, all the time” kind of demeanor. They actually laugh here, out loud. I observed it myself. They wear different colored clothing, like they’re not afraid of getting a ticket for wearring something other than black like they seem to do in Tokyo. There were many more families out and about in Osaka as compared to Tokyo. And that’s where you see the smiles and hear the laughter most often.   

Everybody rides a bike here in Osaka, young and old, (and I mean old). It’s a means of transportation and exercise.  Moon and I chuckled when we saw a women riding an old rusty bike, who had to be in her 90s. And it wasn’t unusual to see a rider put groceries in the basket attached to the handlebars, throw the kid in the back bucket seat then hop on and peddle away. All this was done on a busy crowded sidewalk. It’s easy to wander aimlessly here because everything is new, there’s people everywhere, and the fragrance from the food stalls is alluring. But, it’s necessary to keep one eye on the sidewalk to avoid a nasty bike-tire-in-the-stomach scenario. I cant’t remember seeing a bike in downtown Tokyo.  

We toured the Osaka Castle in all its splendor. It’s an historical building 400 years old and still standing, although it’s been rebuilt several times. It’s one of the few things that wasn’t bombed during World Wars Two. 

We took a boat trip around the moat, with its high walls. It was obvious that the inhabitants of the castle wanted to keep any outsiders…out. 

At the other end of the spectrum from an ancient castle is the New Abeno Harukus building in Osaka. It was the tallest building in Japan at a height of 300 meters. If you are metrically challenged, that’s almost 1000 feet up. The tallest, anyway, until 3 days ago when the new Mori Building opened in Tokyo, which scrapes the sky at 330 meters, roughly 100 feet taller than the old champ in Osaka. Regardless, the view in Abeno Harukus was out of this world.  One floor down from the top was an outdoor mini-park where Moon and I sat down for a rest and to take in the view of Osaka. 

Wide angle shot of downtown Osaka taken with my i-phone.

Abeno Harukus Building.

While we were siting taking in the view, I took a picture of the sky’s reflection in the window. 

Many hotels in Japan have a thing they do that’s sort of, charming? Instead of providing each room with an entire basket of incidentals, those items are placed in a case near the first floor elevators. They’re free. A guest only takes what they need. So we’ll call it the Honor Case of Incidentals. The case includes mouthwash, combs, mesh wash clothes, shampoo and conditioner, coffee, toothbrushes and toothpaste, face cleanser, towelettes, body cream, toothpicks (what?), razors, and probably a couple things I missed. I know what you’re thinking, “this situation is ripe for abuse”. We spied such a situation when a woman loaded a bundle of items into her bag. She seemed to have a special affinity with the mesh wash clothes. Now, watching someone take more than they need because it’s free, I don’t know, it’s just wrong. And irritating to boot. That’s all I gotta say about that.  

The coolest thing across Japan that is consistent, whether in Osaka or Tokyo or anywhere else in this country is the bowing.  Everybody bows here.  It’s a sign of recognition and respect. It’s displayed in their behavior and attitude toward others and in the environment of their lives. A bow can mean many things, such as “hello”, “excuse me”, “thank you” and “good bye”, but those are only a few of many other possibilities. It’s refreshing, really. 

By the way, when we return back home and any of you need one of those nifty mesh wash clothes or one of those handy little plastic fold-up combs, let me know because I have a bunch of ‘em. Test me.   

Tokyo Transit

Our plane landed in Tokyo Narita Airport, which is 1 1/2 hours away from Tokyo, so that’s kind of a misnomer. We took the train, which is pretty much the easiest and most convenient way to get to Tokyo proper and our hotel.  Easy is relative, however, after an 11 hour flight my brain was functioning at a level between a highly tuned biological machine and a bowl of potato salad. Good thing Moon was there to save us both. 

We checked into Park Hotel Tokyo which is on the 25 to 34 floors of executive office building, There seems to be quite a few hotels that take up space in offices building here. The Park’s claim to fame? They present the works of Japanese based artists on every wall, table and open space. They even hand over some of the rooms to artist so they can create art, whether it’s a painting or sculpture or whatever the process is for them. It’s like staying in a museum except the price of admission is a bit more than your average entrance price to MOMA. It was a delight, every day. 

Tokyo ranked 3rd best transit metropolis in the world with its abundance of trains, subways and buses. Getting to the correct train or subway platform can be a bit daunting. A passenger must navigate a labyrinth of tunnels, hallways, platforms, gates, stairs, escalators, and elevators. All this is hodgepodged together and intertwined on seven different levels, 4 floors below ground and 3 floors above. It’s complicated and always busy. We’ll have it down pat just about the time we’re ready to leave Tokyo.

Everybody dresses in black here so colorful attire is a no go. Occasionally a dark gray or dark green is seen but they would be an outlier from the norm. I left my aloha shirts in the closet. When looking out over the sea of humanity in the train or subway station it looks much like everyone just came back from a funeral or they’re headed to one. And in those stations the majority of them are looking, head down, at their iPhones. According to the Tokyo travel guide 5.98 million people use the transit system every day. With so many folks looking at their phones while going this way and that, it seems impossible there wouldn’t be passenger pileups or people crashiing into each other, somewhere…but no. While they’re perusing the internet or texting maybe a little sonar/radar avoidance app pops up an alert telling them to alter their course. Or maybe they’re all just intuitive, like a murmuration of starlings, each changing speed and direction in awareness of the transit community around them. Who knows?

We headed to Shibuya crossing which is supposed to be the busiest foot traffic crossing in the world. An area of shopping malls, restaurants and people watching and a big screen TV, sort of like a Times Square like atmosphere. It’s become known as the Shibuya Scramble because 24 hours per day an average of 2000 pedestrians ramble across the intersection every 2 minutes from every direction.  That’s a couple million crossings per day. That’s a lot of steps. 

A shout out to all the Japanese who helped us navigate the transit system. They made it their life’s work ensuring we got to the correct train or subway, by literally, walking us to the gate or plateform. One fellow gave us a “follow me sign” after we showed him our Google Maps. Off he went as we tried to keep up. Yesterday morning, this particular guy walked 100 yards out of his way, up some stairs to an elevator and out onto a platform, then pointed to the gate we were supposed to take. All this with a smile and a bow, like we did him a favor. This happened with other people, not just this one guy. Since it happened that often I did a little research to find out if it was common. This type of behavior is identified as Omoiyari. It is one of the core values in Japanese culture where everyone tries to make life a little easier  for others. It’s something our world could use a little more of at this point in time, that’s for sure. We were grateful for the help. 

Up and out the door at 5:00 a.m to catch the fish market auction in a massively huge building near the waterfront. Everything from the smallest shrimp to 300 pound tuna are auctioned daily. We barely got in to see the last tuna auction and should have left an hour earlier. 

Toyosu market is the center of the universe in terms of Bluefin Tuna. It’s prized here in Japan more than anywhere else in the world and they’re willing to pay dearly for it. That would be $2.

25 million dollars for a 612 pound Bluefin tuna. The tuna caught off the coast of Japan have just the right about of fat content that’s supposed to be the best tasting in the world. 

Of course, we had to have some. So at 7 o’clock in the morning we were seating at a sushi counter enjoying some of the best tasting tuna in the world. Once we had the opportunity of tasting the fish here, all others will probably pale in comparison. It was delicious.  Fun Fact: we chatted with the sushi chef who told us the knife he used to prepare our meals was purchased 40 years ago and he’s used it ever since. 

My mouth is watering even now, just thinking about this experience. 
 

I’m a cloud watching kind of guy. This picture was taken of clouds in the late afternoon hanging over the Tokyo skyline. The coloring and shading of the clouds was gorgeous. It’s going on my computer’s startup screen when I return home. 

All for now. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. 

Ed and Moon

Sent from my iPad

Leaving home

Well, we’re shedding all the responsibilities of Seattle home life after all these past month’s preparation for our trip. It’s a pretty exhilarating experience. 

We headed to our gate at SeaTac to find our trip starting with a bang. Moon and I were upgraded to first class on Alaska. So my thoughts of a quick meal or snack, a cocktail for Moon, water in those charming little eco-friendly milk cartons and a warm “thank you for flying Alaska Airlines” flew through my head. However, on a 24 minute flight from Seattle to Vancouver, a first class passenger gets a roomier seat and a smile. I could sit on a metal stool for 24 minutes and be perfectly happy, but I’m not complaining. Anyway, after takeoff we ascended to altitude for the first 15 minutes of the flight when the PA comes alive with, “our bathrooms are now locked” (Yikes!), “please bring your seat backs to their...”, you know the drill. I think the light rail from SaeTac to SoDo takes longer. But, we are finally on our way and thrilled about it all. 

After disembarking the plane and entering Vancouver International Airport it was a breeze moving through customs with our Nexus cards. We booked a room in Fairmont Hotel which is connected to the airport. It as only about a 100 yards from where we would check our luggage the next morning. The room for our one night stay overlooked the runway. There is something calming about watching the planes, large and small, come and go. It was a nice touch to our first day of traveling. 

We were hungry, so being an adventuresome lot we visited a kiosk outside of baggage claim named Japandogs. The woman manning the kiosk was hopping up and down trying to stay warm in the 40 degree weather. She didn’t seem to find the humor in my asking if she was chilly.  Her attire would have been right at home in Homer Alaska in the dead of winter. Anyway, she handed us one pork dog with onions and seaweed and an unknown special sauce and one pork dog with chopped daikon radish, these purple pickle things and some kind of mayo/wasabi concoction. When in Rome, eh’? They weren’t bad.  

Off to Japan tomorrow.  Stay tuned.  Ed out.