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What have we done today, we went to the Tsukiji Fish Market to have some freshly prepared Sushi for breakfast, I dont think that Lorna enjoyed the raw fish eggs or conger eel that much, said it had a very salty taste. We then went on to the Ham Rikyu Teien Garden, which was quite peaceful and had Japanes tea in a traditional tea house, before going on the river boat to Asasuka, which has a lot of craft shops selling the usual nic-nacs, before going to the Senso-ji temple.
We walked back along the river past all of the poor homeless people living in cardboard boxes covered in tarpaulin to keep them dry (could this be us in years to come, hope not). We stopped at Ryogoku or Sumo town, only to find they have an opening match tomorrow lasting from 11am to 5pm and guess what, we is off to see it. Now we have never seen a Sumo match, but should be fun watching two big blokes with nappies grappling (bit like most British boardrooms methinks).
The train system and tubes were again expertly navigated by the Mrs (hats off to you Mrs Allan for a fantastic sterling job on the entire journey).
We finished off the day eating at a Japanese restaurant and ordering in Japanese (as best we could), before buying our Narita Express train tickets for Monday's return journey to the UK.
Las update will probably be tomorrow after the fat blokes fight.
We caught the Nozomi Shinkansen from Kyoto to Tokyo yesterday and oh my what a speed it went at and you didn't even feel it sway or vibrate, GNER you suck big time. The journey took a little over 2 hours 20 mins arriving at the exact appointed time (again British Rail, GNER or whatever you want to call yourselves, take note). These trains leave every 5 minutes and transport approx 1600 people across the country, why the hell cant GNER????????
Anyway rant overwith, we arrived into Tokyo and walked to hotel after asking for directions. The hotel here is tiny in comparison to Kyoto, but still very nice and it has one of those wonderful bum warming, washing, analysing toilet seats that just rock (bidet, jetwash, anti-fart noises, Craig is in his element).
So what of Tokyo, really just like any other large city, noisey, loud and full, except with millions of Neon signs and wonderful food smells. We say the worlds funkiest crossing that has 8 separate crossings going around and across the road at the same time. The Sony building has some nice gadgets, but so so expensive. Food is relatively cheap here if you find the little noodle bars.
So today we went to Akhibara or Electric City, to see what bargains could be had, sorry should be renamed Kackibara, since it is full of PCWorld and Dixon-a-like stores with UK based prices. From there we went up to Shinjuku to the International Aikido Federation to watch them practice, very impressive. And now we are in the pleasure district of Shinjuku (Higashi), looking for a train out to Tokyo central to find something nice to eat.
What's left to do, if the rain stops, we still have Mount Fuji to climb and the Imperial Palace, Tsukiji Fish Market and Sumo Town all to see before Monday when we fly back to England.
All told we prefer Kyoto to Tokyo, it's prettier, more regal and gentle in its approach.
We visited Ryoan-Ji Zen garden which is so beautiful and peaceful. It has 15 rocks placed in the perfectly combed sand, in such a position that you cannot see all of them at the same time. We also met a group of school children from Tokyo, who insisted on having their photo taken with us (I really should not have told them that we were Brad and Angelina).
Then on to the Kyomizu-dera Temple with the Otowa waterfall, which is reputed to have rejuvinating powers if you drink from it (20 minutes later and 3 gallons downed, I now have the body of a 20 year old (mmmm and he wants it back).
So Kyoto is a very beautiful city that we will leave tomorrow for Tokyo, riding on the Nozomi Shinkansen (Burret Traino). We have really enjoyed it here in a place where bikes out number people onfoot by about 10 to 1 and where even I look trendy fashion wise (if you saw some of the outfits oh my gosh, leg warmers in black, shoes in gold, rara skirts and spangle tops).
Right bullet train here we come, oh and yes Lorna has bought herself a Kimono after bartering with the woman in Japanese.
Next we walked (miles and miles I hasten to add) to the Philosophers Path, an old Kyoto trail that meanders alongside a canal (not I might add the English version of a canal, you know dirty water and shopping trolleys - but clear fresh flowing water but quite shallow). We visited a Temple called Ginkaku-ji which was established as a private garden in something like 885 and eventually converted into a Temple later. This was our first Zen garden, and very pretty but rather small and not as grand as the initial views first promised - but a nice shady respite from the very hot sun.
So, on to wander around Gion (old Kyoto area where Geisha still survive). I dragged Craig round for a rather long time trying to locate a particular street which the guidebook had suggested you could "still get a sense of this floating world (of pleasure quarters) where many of the lovely wooden buildings still function as exclusive teahouses with geisha holding court" and "best after dark when red lanterns hang outside each secretive doorway". We found the street, but found it nothing like this description so we headed for food instead.
Walking into a street called Pontocho (which we highly recommend for the experience itself) this is where there are lots of formal Japanese restaurants, all very private and secluded and mainly all in Japanese and highly priced. We decided to experience at least one formal dining experience and throwing caution to the wind picked a pretty looking place called IROHA. As we entered a tiny corridor of softly lit flagstones we were invited to remove our shoes and step up onto the Tatami mats to enter the dining area. We were shown to our own private dining room complete with floor cushions to kneel at the table with and a low table. Our door was closed behind us and we were surrounded by beautiful Japanese paper screens and in our own space (very spaceous too). Our server slid the door open and presented the menu (in Japanese with basic translation- ie instead of squiggly writing it said things like Sukiyaki or Mizudaki). Trusty Japanese phrase book in hand we set about ordering and amusing our server with our terrible attempts at Japanese.
So, 5 mins later we had ordered Sukiyaki which is beef, Tofu, vegetables served with raw egg dip (scrummy, if I do say so), rice, Japanese tea - oh and we ordered Saki for good measure!
The meal was presented to us totally raw and cooked in front of us by our fantastic server who tried to teach us some basic Japanese words.
I think we were both rather impressed at how the food tasted, the whole experience of dining Japanese style and the beautiful surroundings.
Well where do we start, yesterday we had Dim Sum in Tung Chung Airport (Hong Kong), very tasty and nice, before we boarded the 3hr 40min flight to Osaka Kansai Aiport. On the flight we didnt fancy food (due to stuffing ourselves on Dim Sum) instead we elected to drink the bar dry of red wine whilst watching Ultraviolet on the movie channel (sorry folks but this film is dire, the acting sucks and the story sucks too, take Blade, cross it with Aeon Flux and Equilibrium, even Milla Jovavich cant rescue it, but the action is good).
Clearing immigration and customs took seconds in comparison to the UK and the US (why are we so inneficient in the west?), then on to the bus to the Hotel Kanku Hineno Station in Kansai, which is a Travel Lodge, but clean and friendly. The room is small as is the washroom, but the toilet, now there is a prize worthy of taking home, complete with heated bum spray and bidet (Craig used it 6 times in the night and most people could hear him giggling whilst in there).
And today we took the express train from Kansai Airport to Kyoto at a total cost of 33GBP for two of us. Now British Rail or GNER or whatever you call yourselves, take note - the station is immaculate, people vacuum the escalators, the train arrives ontime, they then clean the train with an army the size of outer mongolia, ALL of the seats then change to face the direction of travel and best of all, its a pleasure to ride a train here.
So out of the station we (well Craig thought it was a good idea) decided to walk to the Kyoto Brighton Hotel (approx 3 miles), complete with Army Green Beret backpacks on, and 300 meters in Lorna convinced him to catch the tube (after collapsing under the weight and heat).
The Kyoto Brighton is fantastic, 110GBP per night for a superb suite (all booked through Expedia), complete with a wooshy bum wash toilet and if thats not the tops, a heated seat!!! The service second to none, some poor young girl was given the task of wheeling our 30lb rucksacks to the room and Craig even tried to jump on the trolly for a ride as well.
What next, well 2.5 days to explore Kyoto (Palaces, gardens and fantastic scenery) before we head on to Tokyo.
A big hi to Roger and Nancy and all the goats. Also to Helmut the super fit cyclist currently doing a 3000miles cycle from Alaska.
- Went to Wong Tai Sin Temple, where people were celebrating and praying to their respective deities (Buddha, Confucious and many more)
- Had more coffee and cake in Starbucks
- Went up the worlds longest escalator (or collection of)
- Went through the Botanical gardens
- Went into the worlds 3rd tallest building (the IFC2)
- Finally went up the Peak for a meal.
We last went up there 7 years ago as friends and came away as much, much more. Now we are man and wife, friends, lovers and equals in life on an adventure.
So to celebrate we drank beer (Asahi) and then a bottle of wine, accompanied by Thai and Chinese food (yummy). Shame the clouds were in since you couldn't see all of the harbour, but hey that didn't spoil it.
One final trip across to Kowloon on the Star Ferry and a last look back at the Hong Kong skyline all lit up, fantastic.
And today on to Kansai airport, Japan here we come. Credit card take note, Craig is heading for Electronics heaven (Akibara).
Bye for now.
We decided to go shopping for the day into the Technology zone of Mong Kok, about a 5 min walk from the hotel - little did we realise exactly how WET this would get us. We spent an inordinate amount of time sheltering along with the locals under shop fronts watching torrents of rain pour fron the sky, the roofs, down the streets and oh yes, into our trainers! It seemed to cause great amusement when we decided to enact the scene from singing in the rain, complete with brolly....
So, we shopped quite a bit really, interspersed with a coffee or two - and although we were rather wet we fully enjoyed the day.
Later on we wandered back to the hotel, dried out and then walked down into Kowloon onto Nathan Road (seemed like we walked miles) in search of a restaurant we liked the look of. Eventually we settled on the Pink Salmon - a very nice and friendly restaurant serving (you guessed it) Pink Salmon specialities along with other sea food and meats. A very nice evening (oh and dry too...)
Back at the hotel later we watched the weather report. Turns out the weather was defined as a Code Red storm 2 inches in half an hour fell on Hong Kong destroying roads and flooding some houses up to waist level....seems we were lucky to just have wet trainers and socks really.
So today we are hoping the trainers will dry out while we do our final day of sightseeing.
So far we have been exploring different parts of Hong Kong that we never saw in previous trips here. Kowloon, with it's hectic streets, neon and sometimes interesting smells, is a mix of styles and cultures, very interesting.
Yesterday we decided to be adventurous and picked a Chinese hairdresser to cut our hairs - ok, so Craig's was a simple shave of the head (no english required), but mine was a restyle, with a simple "cut short" request and lots of hand actions....turned out ok if I do say so myself!
The weather here is very hot and humid (94% humidity yesterday apparently, and boy can we tell), but we have rain storms, which are very refreshing, but oh the umbrellas at eye level make for painful walking.
We did a walking tour of Kowloon yesterday (note to women with prominent boobs - if you wear a tight fitting top and they show - well you'll get chinese men stopping in front of you and drooling, making kissing noises, walking into walls, falling off pavements - and I ain't no Sam Fox in this department either). So, amusements aside, we visited the cinema to see X- Men 3 - fab film, good action, then frequented the posh Pizza Hut again.
I also dragged Craig around the Jade Market (interesting but nothing I wanted to buy) and Temple Street Night Market - the guide book says it's atmospheric and culture absorbing, but we found it rather like wandering around Leeds Market with a torch - oh and they have tonnes of stalls selling dildos and goodness knows what those other things were.... - Ann Summers beware, competition!
My ankle is still wrapped in a pretty bandage but is recovering nicely (despite having walked about 6 miles yesterday.
So, whats in store for today then?? Well, I'm dragging Craig up to see the Bird Garden, Flower Market and a huge temple in Northern Kowloon, passing of course computer shops to bribe him into wanting to see more crap!
So long for now.
Well we have had a rare old wander around Kowloon down Nathan Road to see Chung King Mansions which has cheap "backpackers" accomodation, oh my god.
In Vegas you get the flyer hander outers flapping leaflets to attract your attention for hot night clubs, here you get blokes chasing you down the street trying to sell you "cheap copy watch" or "nice tailor suit" or Lorna gets the "sexy lady blouse", hence the reason that her ankle is now all swollen due to running away a lot.
Its been a really nice day just ambling, on the MTR (London Underground, why cant you be as clean and helpful) and the Star Ferry. We almost went in to a couple of shops that appealed, one called LUKFOOK and the other called HOT FANNI, but I was disappointed because one was a jewellers and the other sold food, booo.
We finished today off by going to see the Da Vinci Code (with Chinese subtitles) and I have to say what a pile of crap!!! Tom Hanks, learn how to act please. Liked the book, hated the film, quite easily a made for TV Channel 4 special.
So, last night we decided to use the fab MTR system (clean posh subway to the rest of you) to traverse the city and avoid the more seedy areas of Kowloon. We visited the Posh Pacific Place a westeners paradise of expensive shops and restaurants, grabbed some good western food and trailed off up Victoria Peak to remind ourselves of our last visit - spectacular as always!!
We also went inside the Bank Of China tower, where DLA are housed and where we set up the network and the telephone system (ah brings back fond memories) to the viewing area on floor 43 - a cool place to go up.
Today we are going to explore a bit of Kowloon and who knows what else. Unofortunately muppet here (Lorna this time!) has managed to sprain my foot/ankle or whatever so walking is not so fun at the moment - but I'm sure a nice cool beer along the way will help no end!
A word of advice to anyone planning to visit HK. If you can take out a small mortgage before arrival and book into a hotel on the Hong Kong island side - do it, far posher and probably more fun in the long run.
On to Kowloon and adventures then....