tokyo! (part two)

(This is part two of a 2-part Blathering.)


Jeff and I had been warned about the heat (Alison's Jeff got sunstroke the first day here when he visited), but luckily things have cooled off somewhat. Perhaps because of the typhoon that went through part of Japan recently! Anyway, armed with a hat, sunscreen, and lots of Water Salad and other drinks from the public vending machines, we were fine.


Around 2 pm, we decided to head back to Alison's. We took the Tokyo subway, which is way more complicated than the one in Toronto. Alison was our guide; it will be interesting to see how Jeff and I cope when she's not with us. She gave us each cards with a small map of the area immediately around her apartment, with her apartment clearly marked...at least this way we'll be able to tell a taxi driver how to get us back to her place, if necessary. There seem very few street signs and no consistent building numbering system.





After snacking on yummy rice snacks (Jeff and I picked up a bunch of interesting-looking packaged rice balls which we chose by colour since we couldn't read the characters), I transferred my 148 photos (all taken since we arrived at Vancouver airport to fly here) to my laptop, deleted the rejects (leaving about 100), wrote these Blatherings. By the time I finished, Jeff and Alison were napping; I joined them. :-)


We woke after about 1.5 hours. Jeff was too groggy to go out for dinner, so I turned on the television to stir his tv-alert genes. And surprisesurprise, there was another food show on! This one seemed to be entirely about three men eating various cuts of beef. First the part of beef would be highlighted on a cartoon cow, who would smile and nod her head up and down. Then the men would cook pieces of the chosen beef on a grill, after which the camera would zoom in on each man dipping the meat in some kind of sauce then (and this was close-up, mind you) put the meat in his mouth. While still chewing, each man would grunt a delighted or outraged response.





Guest Blathering from Alison George:


My first guest blather. How exciting!


I am so happy to have Jeff and Debbie in Japan. It is wonderful to show people around and know I will have shared experiences with others. I've been here now for about two and a half months, and my only other visitor was my husband (JeffL, for anyone who read the Killarney trip report). I find it so nice to try to explain some of the culture, customs, etc. to visitors. I also very much enjoy seeing the reaction of people who are new to Japan to all the different things here. (Case in point....Debbie's reaction to "Water Salad")


Including this trip, I've lived in Japan for about two and a half years. The first year was way way back when I was 17. I was an exchange student sponsored by the Rotary Club, and I attended Japanese high school for a year in a town called Yatsushiro, on the southern island of Kyushu. I lived with host families, and was completely immersed in this culture, studying Koto (Japanese harp), Aikido (a martial art), flower arranging and of course, the language. I had no choice....foreigners in that town were scarce -- so scarce that people would stop and stare when I walked down the street. It was a challenging, unbelievable experience for me. I was shown so much, and learned so much and I was at an age when information just absorbed so easily (funny how that changes with time).





When I finished university, I decided it was a good idea to find out how much Japan was in my system, so I returned for another year. I was 23, and lived in Tokyo, teaching English and studying Japanese. Though again a remarkable year, I began to realize that I did not feel "centred" or at home in Tokyo. The city is enormous, busy and very different from Toronto. So I shifted gears somewhat, eased up on the Japanese classes and started to work at a radio station -- which was great fun. I have no regrets about spending a second year here. It helped with my language, taught me independence, all very important at that age.


This time round, I am here because of a short-term job transfer. My company was looking for someone to help out in our Tokyo regional office. Because of my experience here, and that I know some Japanese, they asked me if I would consider the opportunity. It was a scary prospect -- I would have to spend just over four months here, working on an intense project. Over that time, I would only be able to see my husband three times -- he is visiting me here twice, and I would be able to come home once (for the Killarney trip). I have the most incredibly supportive husband...we both recognized this is a once and a lifetime opportunity, and we felt we could handle the seperation. He was also intrigued with the chance to visit Japan -- his picture taking is rivalled only by Debbie. I told my boss I would go....and prepared to depart within three weeks. A week before I left, we found out I was pregnant.





Ah, the fickle finger of fate. The timing isn't so bad....I'll be just under six months when I return. The toughest part is being apart from Jeff...especially now when physical changes are well underway. I'm afraid he won't recognize me when he gets here in two weeks (we will have been apart for a month). Debbie said she'd take a "belly shot" to e-mail to Jeff. Hopefully, that will lessen the shock.


Okay, enough....I've written much more than I meant to. My next guest blathering will be about the life and times of Jeff and Debbie in Tokyo. They are doing very well, and a pleasure to have as visitors.





Today's Blatherpics


- Rice snacks we picked up on the way home.


- A number of young people are into this "Goth French Maid" style.


- Jeff and Alison, a few minutes after we arrived at her apartment.


- Flea market. Amazing selection of items for sale, with some excellent deals. I very nearly bought a gorgeous used kimono for $90, but realized I had nowhere to display it, nowhere to wear it, and it would somewhat of a pain to get back home on the plane.


- A street musician.


- Alison on Takeshite street.


- Subway car.





Today's Poll:



Have you ever watched an episode of The Iron Chef?

tokyo! (part one)

(Sunday, September 2nd, 8:40 pm, Tokyo time)


Yay, we're in Japan!


Another two-part Blatherings follows (a Guest Blathering from our friend Alison on the next page)...


Because of the reading light problems I experienced on the Air Canada flight from Toronto to Vancouver, I looked for a book reading light (the kind that you could clip on your book, or wear around your neck) as soon as we got to the airport. Despite the many shops, no one had one. And of course when we boarded the flight, I discovered that my reading light DID NOT WORK. Sigh. Fortunately our flight was during the day, so I only had problems reading when the cabin lights were off and window shades pulled. But I have vowed to track down a reading light before going back...I would not survive a 12 hour flight with no reading light.


The nine hour flight from Vancouver to Japan went by remarkably fast, considering that neither Jeff nor I were able to sleep very much. We both had books and magazines, plus the two movies were pretty good ("Spy Kids" and "Bullets Over Broadway"). Then about 2/3 way through the flight, a flight attendant brought a message to the passenger sitting next to me, beside the window. Turns out that his luggage was never put on the plane, so it would be delivered a day late.


We then got in a conversation with the guy, who turned out to be an Asian Studies student teaching English in Tokyo, who has been living in Japan for the past four years. He gave us tips on sights to see in Tokyo, where to eat, etc.


The food on the flight was pretty good, and included Asian-theme variations like green tea, cold Oolong tea, sushi, hot towels, Japanese rice crackers. Soy sauce in extremely cute clear plastic containers shaped like tiny fish.





We took a bus from the airport to the Prince Hotel, where we met Alison. Alison looked great and remarkably energetic/perky for someone who is four and a half months pregnant. We walked to her apartment, where we chatted and snacked on stuff in her fridge and watched some Japanese tv before crashing fairly early. I was extremely braindead, and fell asleep within a few seconds of my head hitting the pillow.


Here are some highlights of our trip so far, as well as some differences I've noticed already between the Japanese and North American culture:


- Japanese tv. A lot of the shows seem to be about food. Eating it, cooking it, examining it. One show we found was about sticky food. Two guys in lab coats were comparing the relatively stringiness of various types of Japanese food.


- Plastic food displays. They are all over the place, and remarkably realistic. I like these because you can tell immediately what the restaurant serves. Most plates have a small label with the price in yen. I figure that if Jeff and I have problems ordering in restaurants and Alison isn't with us, we can drag our waiter or waitress outside and just point. :-)





- My first Japanese restaurant experience. We went to a Starbucks a few blocks from Alison's place. Alison and Jeff ordered some frosty drinks (it's pretty warm here right now, around 30 degrees, which is a lot cooler than it's been in recent months). I wasn't planning to get anything, but then noticed PUMPKIN sandwiches in the case. Wow, very cool. I had to try one, of course. I reached in and started to pull one out, but then remembered that I had seen the Starbucks clerk take one out with tongs for a customer. Oops. I pulled back, but then accidentally knocked another sandwich (fortunately wrapped in plastic) on the floor. Mortified, I put the sandwich back in the case and took out my pumpkin sandwich (heck, I figured I might as well go all the way since everyone was probably looking at me anyway). Went to the counter, where the clerk smiled and said something to me in Japanese. Augh. I muttered something incoherently and looked confused, and then the clerk pointed to a sign which said "350 yen". I handed over a 1000 yen note, not sure if I was paying $1 for the sandwich or $100. The clerk handed back some change and said, "Thank you" with another smile. I marched out of the Starbucks red-faced but triumphant, having (barely) successfully made my first purchase in Japan.





- Clothes and doorframes are smaller. Jeff has to duck to get into Alison's apartment. I'm sure he's going to bonk his forehead at least once during our trip.


- Other differences I've noticed: More people seem to smoke. There don't appear to be non-smoking areas in restaurants, but perhaps I'm wrong. Right now I'm trying to memorize how to say "a non-smoking train car, please".


- People don't tend to wear safety helmets when riding bicycles, even when using child carriers. I was pretty horrified to see a father go by with a baby in a carrier on the back of his seat WITHOUT A HELMET, and a toddler girl sitting in front of him, also without a helmet.





- Flea market. The one Alison took us to apparently only occurs twice a month; our timing was lucky. Huge event, with all kinds of interesting items for sale including second-hand kimonos (yes, I was highly tempted! the prices were pretty cheap), Japanese swords, musical instruments, manga, bowls, toys, books, old family photo albums, tons more.


- People-watching. I am going to have a TON of fun people-watching in Japan. It's fascinating. Some initial observations: There are very few overweight Japanese people. Many Japanese (especially the younger generation) dye their hair different shades, including blonde, red, orange, brown. There seems to be a much wider range of fashion styles in Tokyo than in Toronto, from full traditional kimono get-up to new age goth to platform shoes to business outfits, etc. We spent some time on Takeshite Street, which is somewhat the equivalent of the hippie area of Queen Street in Toronto.





Another highlight today was seeing weddings at the Meiji Shrine. We were lucky enough to see several weddings in progress at the Meiji Shrine, where the brides and some of the wedding party were in full traditional clothing. Absolutely gorgeous (see above and below). (Note from Guest Blatherer, Alison....As we approached the Meiji Shrine, I told Jeff and Debbie...rather proudly... how very fortunate my husband and I had been several months earlier to happen upon a wedding party at the shrine. We felt so priviledged and lucky! Of course, there was a plethera of weddings going on today -- it was wedding central. Debbie even managed to get into a few of the group shots.)





Continued on the next page...


Today's Blatherpics


- Me with Water Salad, a yummy drink I bought from one of the zillion beverage vending machines all over Tokyo. There were also a zillion cigarette vending machines.


- Japanese TV.


- Plastic food display.


- Alison's apartment, which is larger than the average apartment in Japan. I was standing just in front of the inside entrance. Immediately to the right is the bathroom, and immediately to the left is the kitchen. The building kindly loaned Alison a single-person pull-out cot during our stay. I feel pretty guilty about Alison (our pregnant hostess!) staying on the cot, and am Immensely Grateful to her for letting us invade her space for 12 days!


- Pepsi promotional booth. There was a crowd of young men lined up along the sidewalk, not surprisingly.


- Wedding we saw at Meiji shrine.


- Another wedding at Meiji shrine. We saw THREE during the hour we were there. Obvious a popular spot. :-)

welcome zoe!

Congratulations to Amanda and Scott Snyder! And a hearty welcome to:


Zoë Catherine Snyder

born 8/29/01 time 5:17am

weight 7 lbs 13 oz, height 19.5 inches



From Scott:



"Amanda labored for 22 hours and only dilated 4 cm when the doctor decided it was best to take the baby by C-Section.



Mother and baby are recovering well, Mother and Father are still trying to find the manual. :)



More as time permits... but here's the first picture. :) Look for more in the next week or two on ZoÎ's website : http:///www.sonomancer.com/zoe/.

Written on August 30th

I am typing this on the ferry from Duke Point near Nanaimo (Vancouver Island) to Vancouver. I like ferries. I think that perhaps it's the multitasking aspect of the experience that appeals to me...here I am, for example, typing on my computer whilst en route. Unlike a cramped airplane, I can walk around anytime I want to visit the restrooms, the cafeteria, the gift shop, or go out on deck to watch a pod of killer whales or passing scenery. Maybe I'd be more jaded about the whole thing if I did this two-hour ferry ride on a regular basis.


Jeff and I had dinner in the Inn restaurant last night, beside the fireplace. We talked about things we wanted to change in our lives, things we wanted to keep, and a little bit about what we planned to do when we finish our sabbaticals. I am VERYVERY excited about plunging fulltime into my freelance writing as well as establishing a regular routine. Our lives have been pretty chaotic and in constant flux for the past two and a half years.


Some would find the idea of routine/ritual frighteningly dull; Jeff and I are both yearning for it. For me, the undesirable extreme (i.e. in terms of unpredictability) came with my experience in Philadelphia...constantly changes in management hierarchy and in the company "vision", empty promises and meaningless meetings, not knowing whether I would still have a job from one day to the next. Speaking of Inkspotstuff, Luisa and Ruth have both e-mailed to tell me about Inkspot being mentioned in the most recent issue of CHIRP magazine (which apparently comes with Treehouse Family magazine for parents):



"KidLit Online

Websites For Would-Be Scriveners

by Hadley Dyer


Any budding Atwoods or Ondaajtes in your household? Well, they can tap into a host of online resources for inspiration, practical tips and places to publish their work.


Start with Inkspot's For Young Writers (www.inkspot.com/young), which is part of Inkspot.com, a favourite virtual stomping ground for professional writers. Inkspot is jam-packed with information, including feature articles and interviews with established authors. Aspiring writers can post and critique stories and exchange ideas via chatrooms, polls and discussion forums. "The Hopper" section uses story jumpstarters to get creative juices flowing and has links to print and online publications that accept kids' writing."



As most of you already know, Xlibris shut down Inkspot in February. :-( Ah well.


This morning I woke at 6:30 am, unable to fall back asleep. I took our Lonely Planet Japan guide (thanks to my friend Kennerly for recommending this book) and found an armchair by the fireplace in the lobby to read it. From time to time I'd look up to watch the morning fog on the ocean.





After about ten minutes, the desk clerk came over and asked if I'd like a cup of coffee. She kindly refrained from commenting on my dishevelled appearance or the early hour. I'm normally not a coffee person, but the thought of something hot to drink was appealing. She came back a few minutes later with my coffee, and I settled in for about an hour and a half. I read about how to cope in a Japanese restaurant, some essential phrases, types of food to expect and where to find it. I even reviewed my rusty knowledge of hiragana...with any luck, I will occasionally be able to pick out enough recognizable characters to occasionally recognize the occasional useful word or phrase. :-)


Today's Blatherpics


- Zoe!


- Jeff on our last evening stroll at the Wickaninnish.


- Bill Hessin from "Missing Link Fossil Enterprises" near Qualicum Beach, B.C. We stopped by his shop on the way to the ferry and bought a few souvenirs for Sara and Annie. Really sweet guy. Check out his website at http://www.fossilhut.com.


Today's Poll:



Do you feel comfortable holding a newborn baby?

beachcombing, part two

(Today's Blathering is in two parts. This is the second part. Here's the first part.)


Yesterday after my Hot Stones Massage, Jeff and I drove to Long Beach. This beach was HUGE. And at low tide, it was also the widest we'd ever seen. The sand was damp and hard-packed except for way back near the forest, where piles of driftwood provided improvised picnic areas for sunbathers and beachcombers. The gorgeous day had attracted a lot of visitors to the beach; we had trouble finding a free parking space in the adjacent lots.


Jeff is keen on going swimming in the surf before we leave for Japan. I think I'll be content with wading up to my knees. :-) For me, the air is too brisk and water too cold to make swimming an appealing prospect...I'd rather go beachcoming or find a quiet place to read. Plus I confess the warning signs everywhere freak me out a bit, cautioning visitors about the riptide and dangerous currents and so on. I also can't help but notice that there aren't many actual swimmers...most people in the water are either wading in the shallow waves or out in wetsuits, surfing.





The main warning that has been hammered into our brains (in brochures, signs, tourist info flyers) is: "NEVER turn your back on the ocean!" Pretty dire-sounding, but apparently rogue waves (unusually big waves which appear without warning) have been known to sweep unsuspecting people off the beach. I think I'll stick with beachcombing. :-)





Yesterday we also walked a short hike up Radar Hill. Gorgeous view! Also lots of interesting plants I've never seen before. I've taken photos (maybe I'll post some later, in case any of you can help identify them) and hope to find a book about local plant life in the Inn somewhere.


We checked out the Wickaninnish Information Center, but it was disappointingly small, only taking about ten minutes to go through the entire place. However, it did have a nice restaurant on a sunny patio. :-) We shared crabcakes, Caesar salad, and garlic and brie on crackers. A decadent chocolate and caramel phyllo pastry for dessert, YUM. I also had an extremely nice pear cider which I hope to locate in Toronto.





On the way back, we checked out the town of Ucluelet. We mainly checked it out because of the unusual name (apparently it means "safe harbour"). A ton of whale-related business names. Later, we discovered that Ucluelet has dubbed itself the whale-watching center of the West Coast (or Canada).


Ucluelet is a charming town, with interesting shops and an area which is obviously booming with real estate potential...we drove around several forested roads which showed evidence of heavy residential construction. We also investigated a Roots resort in the area.





On the way back to the Inn we decided to stop off at Long Beach, where we clambered up some rocks to watch the surf and the sunset.


I've thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the Wickininnish, and I love this area. As I've mentioned before, Jeff and I have already decided to come back for a future anniversary stay! :-)


Tomorrow we leave for the Japan leg of the trip, driving the car back to Vancouver via the ferry, staying at the Vancouver Hilton. We fly to Tokyo the day after tomorrow! I'm super-excited about visiting Japan for the first time AND seeing our friend Alison again.


Hey, I heard talking on the balcony below our room a few minutes ago and was in time to catch Jeff in his pre-treatment (Hot Stones Massage) foot soak. Looking forward to hearing how he enjoyed the experience. I took a photo, see below.


And HEY, according to a posting by Beckett in Blatherchat, the Snyders are now in the hospital, with Amanda about to give birth any minute! (if she hasn't already!!) All our good wishes go with you, Amanda and Scott!!!!







Today's Blatherpics


Jeff and me on Long Beach, waiting for the sunset.


- Long Beach.


- A sign at an entrance to Long Beach, warning people about the dangerous currents.


- Welcome sign for the town of Ucluelet.


- Sign we found at the Wickaninnish Information Center. Jeff is pointing to points on the map indicating Tokyo (top) and Vancouver Island (bottom right). We'll be flying to Tokyo the day after tomorrow. :-)


- Jeff, enjoying a foot soak before his Hot Stones Massage.

Feel free to suggest a daily poll question.


Today's Poll:



Have you ever gone swimming in the ocean?

beachcombing, part one

This morning, Jeff and I were woken by the smoke alarm around 3 a.m.


Both of us tensed, but the alarm only sounded for a few seconds before falling silent again. Weird. Neither of us could smell smoke, and then Jeff noticed that the power had just gone off. Almost immediately, we could hear a generator starting up with a steady (and loud) thrumming. It was clear that the power had gone off, started up briefly (making the smoke alarm beep a few times), then shut off again. We fell asleep again, hoping that the power would be on when we woke up.


It wasn't.





Around 7 a.m., I got restless and decided to go out for a walk on the fog-covered beach while Jeff kept sleeping. Sometimes people ask Jeff and me what useful "couple advice" we've learned in our ten years of marriage. One of the best pieces of advice would be to make sure that both partners be able to pursue solitary time and interests as well as joint. I know of couples who seem not to be able to do anything apart, joined at the hip, having identical friends and activities. As romantic as this may sound, I think it would drive me nuts. :-)





Jeff and I do share the same circle of friends and do many things together, but we each also have friends of our own, and have our own interests which we enjoy pursuing. We also both share a love of solitude, and understand that sometimes this means that we need time alone, without the other person. This doesn't mean there's anything wrong with our friendship; it just means that we each also enjoy our own space and quiet solitude time.





I walked on the beach for about an hour. There weren't many other people out that early...only a few joggers who appeared briefly before vanishing again into the fog, the sound of their running shoes slapping against the sand lingering a few minutes before fading as well.





During our stay, I've found that one of things I enjoy most about beach-walking is looking for interesting things that the tide leaves behind. I took photos of anything vaguely interesting, and have posted some here on this page for you to peruse.





Yesterday, I finally perused some of the books on the mantelpiece more closely, more interested in local flora and fauna now that we've had a chance to look around. Books I've been browsing:


-- Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Pojar and Mackinnon (1994, Lone Pine).


-- National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, third edition.


-- Whelks to Whales: Coastal Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest by Rick Harbo (1999, Harbour Publishing)


-- Whales of the West Coast by David Spalding (1998, Harbour Publishing.





I sat for about a half hour at a small tidal pool in a rock crevice on the beach, just watching all the wildlife. Upon cursory glance, it's just an ordinary puddle of water. Examining it closely, however, revealed an incredible variety of plant and animal life -- VERYvery cool.





When my stomach began grumbling, I headed back to the Inn. Despite the lack of power, the restaurant was still able to serve me a full breakfast...I was pretty impressed. There was no breakfast special; one of the waitresses explained that the chef had told her that this morning's breakfast special was having breakfast at all. :-)


I brought a book to read over my grilled tenderloin and eggs, but ended up just looking out at the ocean instead. I can read anytime; how many more times will I be able to eat breakfast beside the ocean?


I am going to break precedent and extend my Blatherings over two entries today, since I still haven't said anything about our trip to Long Beach and Ucluelet yesterday.


Stay tuned for another Blathering very soon today...





Today's Blatherpics


- Anemones. I think these are Buried Anemones (at least they match the picture in the book :)). When the tide recedes, these look pretty sad and dead.


- Me on the beach (I held the camera up and took a photo of myself). Obviously, I just got out of bed.


- Mussel (Pacific Blue Mussel?). This one was open, which I found interesting. Not sure if this means it was dead or not. Note the acorn barnacles encrusting the shell.


- Black Turban Snail (I think). According to a book, this species has been estimated to live as long as 80-100 years (!).


- Ochre Star (also known as Purple sea star, or common sea star). It feeds on mussels, barnacles, limpets and snails. Lifespan of 20 years or more. Sea stars are supposed to have impressive regenerative abilities...with a portion of the central disc intact, the animal can recover and grow a full new body.


- Some kind of crab. It looks like it's upside down, so I suppose it must be dead...though there were several upside-down crabs in this tidepool, which is kind of weird.


- Bull kelp (I think). The stalk grows to 65' (20 m) long. These huge things can be found all over the beach, and a pile of them looks almost like some kind of multi-tentacled sea creature. Whenever I came across one, it was inevitably covered in tiny beach hoppers (tiny crustaceans) which all hop away and hide at my approach. There was also a lot of feather boa kelp.


- Some kind of slug-type thing. Couldn't find this in the marine life guide.


- The small tidal pool where I was checking out all the action. :-)

Feel free to suggest a daily poll question.


Today's Poll:



If you hear a fire alarm go off in your building (or hotel, if you don't live in an apartment) and don't smell smoke, do you tend to ignore it or wait for a building announcement rather than evacuate?