The French Connection

Three days to go and we are off to the middle east and 6 months in France. Our house swap with Valerie and Francois Dalsace has been gathering momentum since October last year.

On Sunday the family arrived from France (via Singapore) a bit jet lagged still. We had a 'friends and family' gathering for drinks and nibbles that day and yesterday and today have been orientating everyone: bank account, phone, computers & emails, Education Queensland, flights to Cairns, Southbank and the city, City Cat and bus experiences.

No advance with our French sadly, but time will tell.

Tomorrow we are off for lunch with Peter & Justine and then Thursday they fly to Cairns while I go to see Dad for the last time. His house is now unconditional.

That gives Jenny and me tomorrow evening and Friday to make sure we have EVERYTHING done for our 6 months away. Arrrggghhhhnnnn!

Last Day

It had to come, our last day - cold, wet and miserable. We hightailed it to the Museum of Emerging Science in Odaiba.  Getting there was almost half the fun - a really funky little driverless train with BIG windows (Yurikomome Line) takes you across the harbour via the rainbow bridge into this all new development with amazing buildings.

We got into the Museum out of the cold and wet and had a ball.  Best was ASIMO seen here all cut off top and bottom, because I have yet to master the video to stills conversion. (Jenny ended up shooting 90% video.) An amazing little robot that makes one really think hard about what the future holds.

By the time we got out the rain was easing and we took a great ferry up the Sumida R. to Asakusa and saw the big lantern at the Karimon? Gate, tacky Nakamise dori - the tourist trash street and made our way into the back streets of Asakusa which were much, much more interesting. 

Then it was Kappa Bashi Dori - the culinary street: mind boggling cooking and eating stuff from plastic food to taiyaki makers (which Jenny bought) to make japanese waffles.

Finally a subway to the hotel and a train to the airport.  Just to add drama we were off loaded in the middle of nowhere just as we had settled into our reserved seats and with lots of information in Japanese (not useful to us) left to our own devices.  Another commuter train came along (standing room only) but going to the airport it said - so we got on and arrived 40 mins late.  Just in time to check in and board leaving Bev to wait for her direct flight.

We had to cool our heals in Cairns for 5 hrs and didn't get in till 1pm - but nice to be home.  The cat was starved for company and made me sit in a chair all afternoon - naughty girl.

That's it folks!!

Shopping at last!

Here we are in Ginza (Tokyo) outside the prestigious store on Wako corner at the heart of Ginza.  Minimalist window design - for the average person seeing things in the window would only lead to temptations which cannot be realised.

Freezing cold with a little wind, despite the appearence of sunshine.

Today we started at the Tsukiji Fish Markets a freneticly paced place which requires full attention not to be knocked down and turned into sashimi.

We were to go to the Kabuki for interest, but the queues were too daunting, so Jenny went on a long train trip on her own to Kofu to buy Inden wear from the source. Meanwhile the geriatrics tottered off to Ueno Park and the Museums.  We got into the National Science Museum free by showing our passports as over 65s.  Good value.

Jenny returned refreshed and we went out to dine a  great Italian restaurant and retired to our rooms with chocolate.

Tomorrow is the last day and a flight at 8 or 9pm.  It's nearly over.

Fuji-san

Today was a day of travel on all modes of transport around Hakone, the tourist zone around Mt Fuji near Tokyo.

The day dawned bright and clear and cold.  Jenny - san was well prepared, Fuji - san was blanketed too, in snow.

We travelled by suburban train, Shinkansen, local train, bus, shank's pony (along the old Tokaido road), Pirate Ship, Gondola over a Volcano, Cable trolley down a mountain, tiny local rail car, local train, Shinkansen and suburban train.  

But we saw tiny mountain towns, Fuji clear against the blue sky (later covered with cloud), Lake  Ashi, sulphur jets in an old caldera and lots of people.  

We got back about 4PM tired, and very cold (except for Jenny -san who moved around in a down tent).  A great day.

Winter!

Well winter has come to the rest of Japan it seems.  Yesterday Jenny and I slipped off early to see Fushimi-Inari just near Kyoto with its thousands of vermillion tori leading all over the hillside (Bev stayed and nursed here tiring feet).  It was brisk.

Then we caught up with Bev and took a bus to the golden pavilion which never ceases to blow one away.  On to Ryoangi which must have something, but what is it?  Very Zen.

We caught the end of the Kimono parade at Nishijin Textiles and lunched at the oldest soba restaurant in Japan established in 1452 - that's before any of us were born! It is said to be the Emperor's favourite and he goes there when in Kyoto.  I guess we are in good company.

Then a tour of Nijo the shogun's palace built much later in the 1620s.  It is impressive.

When Jenny and I finally got back to Kyoto station it was snowing. And this morning when we left it was snowing - and between Kyoto and Nagoya it was blanketed in white.  We saw Fuji-san well because by the time we approached Tokyo the sky was blue - and so were we when we got out of the cosy train.  Brr.

A pretty quite time in Tokyo this afternoon, but we did manage to show Bev the lights at Wako Corner Ginza - iconic.

Tomorrow a tour around Fuji-san and more chills I expect. 

Pearls to Pizza

Not such a memorable day.

Our plans were foiled by discovering - predawn- that the Kintetsu line does not accept JR passes.

Change of plans and our journey was longer and more difficult than we thought - and some.

Not to worry, we made it to Mikimoto's island and paid handsomely to go in his shop  -Hmm! - but didn't buy any pearls.

Then a train and walk and walk, to see the famed Mother and child rocks. Nice, skies were blue, pretty little spot, but way out of the way.

Then a wild ride on a bus through outer nowhere to a suburban traffic jam where we joined the other 10s of thousands going to Naiku THE most sacred shrine in Japan.  Her we walked and walked and we walked in the crowds and found ourselves eventuall at the foot of the stairs to the shrine, but a couple of thousand were before us on the steps.  It was 3PM and we had a 4 hour return trip to Kyoto.

So we started back walking.  We made it back and by 7.30 were having a decadent pasta/pizza/beer meal.  What a day.

Peace and pancakes.

Today saw us train to Kurashiki, a small town not far from Okayama.  It is cute.

We then left for Hiroshima and arrived to have some famous pancakes "okinomiyaki"? at the station.  Supposedly a Hiroshima speciality.

Then a trolley car to the Peace Dome - very sobering and quite moving.

Finally we trained and ferried to Miyajima - an island off the coast with the famous red Tori in the water.