I’m surprised I haven’t written anything about Google Earth yet, but I’ve only had a chance in the past two weeks to really play with some of the features. If your computer can support it, I strongly suggest you take the time to download and play with it.
One of its coolest features is the ability to linkify places anywhere in the world. After you download and install the software, try clicking on the following links to see some of the places I’ve stayed in Japan and Australia:
Well, as ususal, it was a long trip, but I’m back home. Sarah seems to be relieved to see me, and the kids remember who I am. It amazes me how much Micah has grown. He’s a little man now, and he’s too ticklish.
I’ll be going back to work tomorrow for a security presentation, and it’s better to have jetlag at work than at home. The plan is that I’ll then take a week off starting a week from today.
Also, for anyone who cares, my birthday is on Thursday, and if you’re so inclined, you can pick me up something from my Amazon Wishlist.
Well, I’m ready to come home. I’ve been here for a little over a month, and that’s quite long enough, thank you. The transition from exciting to mundate didn’t happen as quickly as I thought it would, but it did happen. It’s not that I’m tired of Tokyo… far from it! I’m just tired of experiencing new things without being able to share those experiences with my family. The best trip out here was the one when my wife came along.
So, if and when I come back, hopefully I’ll be able to drag along my wife or my brothers along. Of course, my brothers need to get off their buttocks and get their passports.
misc/800px_Fugu_in_TankWell, after being here almost a month, I’ve experienced a new first. Myself and two other guys from work decided to participate in a Fugu dinner. For those of you who are unaware, fugu (フグ – Japanese for blowfish) has a reputation for being a potentially fatal meal. The liver and intestines of the blowfish contain a chemical called “tetrodotoxin“, which, according to Wikipedia, is “about 1200 times deadlier than cyanide”.
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JapanJune2005/IMG_0873A long day today… I had plans to go try Fuji, but I discovered that the mountain doesn’t open until July. Then, I thought I would head down to Kyoto, but found out late last night that it would cost me something like $300 round trip just for the train tickets, if I had just planned ahead one day, I could have gotten a round-trip ticket, and a hotel room for ~$190. Extremely disappointing.
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At 1:16 this morning, I noticed that the room seemed to be shaking. It was like I was bouncing my legs, but I wasn’t. Weird… I thought maybe I broke my chair (again), but it didn’t want to stop. Then I remembered I was Japan, and what I felt was probably an earthquake.
So, I’m watching MTV Japan over here, and this band, Fire Ball, comes on, and I’m entranced. It’s got an urban reggae sound, but it’s all Japanese. Anyway, I bought the album when I was in Ikebukuro yesterday, and I ripped a few samples for you all to hear.
Track 2 – 999rulaz (953k)
Track 7 – Walea (1.2m)
What a long day… I wanted to try something new in the city, so I tried googling for Tokyo, and found the Tokyo City Guide, which had articles on some sections of town I hadn’t been to yet. I saw they had a page on Ikebukuro, so I thought I’d give it a try.
Like Shibuya and Shinjuku, Ikebukuro is on the outskirts of Tokyo, and is a place where the regional rails meet the Tokyo subways and buslines. Around all these places, a large industry has built up to service the many, many commuters who go through. From restaurants to pachinko parlors, there’s something for everyone, so I made my plans.
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misc/quentin3For lunch today, I stopped at the Kua’aina burger restaurant in Omote-Sando. It’s a Hawaian burger joint, and it was pretty good. I found out later that they have a “set lunch” (a combo meal) that was cheaper than buying the fries and drink seperately. I was very impressed, especially since humburgers are a rare treat over here. It’s a good break from raw fish and noodles.
Just at the point where I thought I was running out of new food, I found the Tokyo Food Page, with over 1000 restaurant reviews of places throughout Tokyo. Tomorrow, I’m thinking of stopping by the Halleluyah Korean place right around the corner. I might wait, though, until some of the guys at work are free to go out.
Food for the Day:
- Breakfast: Nothing – ¥0
- Lunch: Kua’aina cheeseburger and fries – ¥1400
- Dinner: Egg Salad, Ham, and Cheese sandwich – ¥230
Just for your information, raman shops serve their noodles hot. Very hot. I forget every time, and every time I burn my mouth. I did find a good place in Yotsuya that served a wonderful meal (and new for me!) Along with the excellent udon noodles, I got a small bowl of what I would describe as an egg mixture with three oysters, scrambled together and served over rice. Excellent!
Food for the Day:
- Breakfast:Meusli – ~¥50
- Lunch: Egg Salad, Ham, and Cheese sandwich – ¥230
- Dinner: Oyster and scrambled eggs over rice, and udon ramen – ¥940
JapanJune2005/IMG_0845A coworker here coined an accurate description of Tokyo, when he said that this city lives in the alleys. For every main street, there are a dozen little alleys, barely wide enough to get a car through (and sometimes not even that).
I headed down to Asakusa (pronounced a-sock-sa) for the first time on this rainy Friday, and I was impressed. It’s amazing that even though this is my 10th trip to this city, it still manages to find ways to impress me. Today, it was the five story pagoda near the shrine at Asakusa. I haven’t had a chance to research it’s story, but it’s presence is impressive.
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I love iced green tea, uncorrupted by added sugar. It has a sweetness that perhaps only white tea could possibly beat. Sadly, Americans are addicted to sugar products like Coca-cola, so it’s impossible to get bottled unsweetened green tea.
In Japan, any convenience store will have at least a half-dozen brands of green tea, all unsweetened, and all delicious. Ironically, my favorite, はじめ (Hajime-cha) is made by Coca-Cola Japan.
misc/rosen_eOne evening, after Sarah and I returned from an excellent sushi dinner here in Tokyo, she made the comment that she was burping up fish. Sushi, more than any other food that I’ve found, seems the be the food that keeps on giving. Long after you’ve forgotten the meal, a nice piece of tuna will escape, and remind you with fishy goodness.
Right now, my stomach is stuffed with various species of seafood. In Shibuya, I’ve found a kaiten sushi place who’s approximately 40 seats are always packed. My sushi palate is not very developed, so I’m pretty much looking for good cheap sushi, and this place delivers. Each plate costs ¥103 (about $1) for two pieces, and I can have a satisfying meal for $12-$15 (plus beer, if I get some), and because you don’t need to actually order anything, the language barrier poses no problems.
I’ve got the day off tomorrow, since I’m working the weekend. I’m planning on taking the Ginza line on the Tokyo Metro out to Ueno, which is on the other side of the Tokyo. I haven’t spent much time out at that end, so this will be new for me. It’s supposed to be rainy tomorrow, so I’ll grab an umbrella and snap some pictures.
Once again, I’m back in Japan. For the first time, though, I’m not staying at the ANA Hotel in Akasaka. Since I’ll be here for more than 30 days, I’m at the Oakwood Residential Apartments in Aoyama (close to Shibuya). For the same price, this studio isn’t bad at all. I’ll be taking pictures and sending them back to Sarah.
One of my former co-workers lives in the next apartment. When I booked this place, I didn’t even know any of the American guys lived in this complex… I found the apartments through Google. In a city of some 25 million people, I’m next door to someone I know.
Sadly, while I’m here, my friend Berek will be out in Moscow, Idaho, so I won’t be able to hang out with him. He did stop by our house while he was visiting friends in Philadelphia the week before Memorial Day, so that was fun.
It’s going to be a long trip. It’ll be lucrative, but as the kids are getting older, the money is becoming less of an incentive. Once I’m back, though, I’ll be home until at least October. Small consolation, but it’s there.
Now that’s more like it. Remember when I was saying how the United lounge at Chicago O’Hare disappointed me because I had to pay for my wireless connection in the business lounge, and because I had to pay for the alcohol? Well, they can take a lesson from the Qantas lounge at Narita Airport in Japan.
There’s free, all you can drink, good alcohol, and free, all you can use, wireless Internet access (802.11g, no less!). This is truly what an airport lounge should be.
It’s 6:20pm, Tokyo time, and I’ll be hopping a flight to Australia in about 2 hours. I’ll be down there for a couple more weeks, or until the work is done, whichever comes first. I am committed to being home for my brother’s wedding, and hoping to be back so we can head down to The Borgata in Atlantic City a few nights before. Anyway, please keep my and my family in your prayers, as it’s hard to be apart.
I didn’t even have time on this trip to get Thomas his Mothra toy. I’m a lousy father.