Back in the USA--Final Day in Los Angeles

Monday, July 6, 2014

En Route Home: Shanghai-Los Angeles

We organized a taxi and were up and away, the next morning and flew from Pudong to Los Angeles—a 13 hour flight that surprisingly went quickly as we watched The Wolf of Wall Street and All is Lost (both of which we enjoyed immensely).

 Last Day in Los Angeles:     

In Los Angeles, we checked into the Radisson Airport hotel which was just 5 minutes away. The free shuttle bus dropped us off there and we tried hard to catch a much-needed nap before Chriselle arrived to spend the day with us. Alas, neither one of us could fall asleep easily.

            An hour later, she was with us. We dressed and she drove us to the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena as we thought we’d have enough energy to take it in. However, I have to say that although its collection is superb, 45 minutes into our visit, I was staggering with jetlag and had to call a halt to it.

            Chriselle then drove us to her place where we had a fabulous reunion with her dogs, Ferris and Herky and then fell fast asleep for a couple of hours. Robert got home at 7. 30 when we dressed again and got ready for our dinner appointment and an early birthday celebration for me at Osteria Mozza, Mario Battali’s restaurant in Los Angeles. We had ourselves a truly amazing meal with a sampler of mozzarella and buratta cheese, a lovely Valipocelli red wine, lamb chops, goat-cheese filled ravioli, spaghetti with sea urchin and hangar steak—not to mention the amazing desserts of Nancy Silverton whose cioccolato (a dense chocolate cake) and almond tart were the final touches of gastronomic greatness that ended our evening and indeed our holiday.

            Robert and Chriselle dropped us back to the Radisson Hotel for a good night’s sleep before our early morning flight, the next morning, on American Airlines, and then it was all over. We were finally home at Southport at about 11 pm after I had spent my entire birthday airborne.    

 Conclusion:

            Our travels had come to an end—and exciting though they were, it was not a moment too soon. Both Llew and I were footsore and exhausted and although we had been deeply enlightened and fascinated by the Far East, we had probably bitten off more than we could chew. We were ready to sleep in our own bed and bathe in our own bath tub again.  

                

Shanghai Sightseeing Seemingly on Skates

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Shanghai Sightseeing Seemingly on Skates

            With just one more day to see Shanghai, we knew we had to sight see on roller skates. So we lost no time rising and showering after an incredibly comfortable night, to descend to the fifth floor Dining Hall where a buffet breakfast came with the cost of our room.

 Feasting like Kings at Breakfast:

            The fifth floor Dining Hall was beautifully appointed and soon we were seated at a table for two. The buffet was grand and contained all the fixin’s of an English, French, American and Chinese repast. There was a variety of juices, cereals, yoghurt, dried fruit and nuts, fried and boiled eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, baked beans, corn on the cob, plus Chinese Noodles and Tofu with Vegetables. Croissants, Muffins and Apple Turnovers warmed in the ovens. Coffee was presented at table and our meal was rounded off with fresh fruit. Needless to say, we were so stuffed, we decided that our next meal would be dinner.

 Heading to Pudong:

            By this point, we had decided to try out the Shanghai subway system. Having mastered subway systems all over the world, we had little doubt that when equipped with a map, we would find our way to our destination. Taking instructions from the reception staff, we easily found the Cha Yong Road subway station near our hotel and buying tickets from the efficient dispensing machines at the station, we set off for Pudong—this time hoping to get up close and personal to the impressive skyscraper commercial city that we had viewed across the river last night.

            Being that it was a Sunday, it seemed that everyone had the same idea. Once again, we were struck by the hordes and I mean crowds of Shanghainese who had turned up, entire families in tow, to make merry at their most remarkable landmarks. Almost everyone wished to climb the Pearl Orient Tower and the queues outside for tickets were extensive. We had never intended to do so, but we did take many pictures of the newly-emergent Shanghai skyline and we did walk along the beautiful glass walkways that connect the buildings. Overlooking the city from one of these vantage points makes you think you are in a sci-fi flick—flyovers and traffic whizz past you, concrete and glass winks at you from towering skyscrapers, massive advertisement hoardings urge you to buy into a fancy lifestyle which the Chinese are clearly heeding.

 A Kitschy Ride on the Bund Sightseeing Tunnel:

     Having covered Pudong on foot, our next port of call was Nanjing Road, which lies across the river. But since we needed to get to the opposite bank, we decided to take a very strange and innovative form of transport that goes by the name of The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel. Basically, it is an underground tunnel that goes under the river to deposit passengers on the opposite side. But, because this is China and because they are innovative and love technology with a passion, what you are treated to as you sail under the river in a fibre glass capsule is a laser sound and light show that is kitschy in the extreme. Lights in concentric circles drape the sides of the tunnel as weird noises play on a sound system. There are funny figures that wave at you like so many dark scarecrows and curtains suddenly appear to stop the passage of the vehicle, but part ways just in time. It is a great form of entertainment for kids, As adults, I would suggest that visitors do it only because it is so unusual an experience and it is unlikely you will do this sort of thing anywhere else. Within ten minutes, our $10 ride ended and we alighted on the Bund, ready to start our long trek down Nanjing Road which was super crowded—again, all of Shanghai seemed to have come out to play and to enjoy the warm sunshine that flooded the day.

            A walk along Nanjing Road offers many interesting sights: there are large department stores that vie with smaller Mom and Pop operations to lure tourists within. Solid colonial era buildings grant a distinctive dignity to this area. There are massive neon-lit hoardings everywhere and shoppers galore flexing their new financial muscles. Eventually, you get to People’s Square and People’s Park—once the venue of the fabulous Shanghai Race Course where large sums of money were won and lost and the glamour of Old Shanghai made it the haunt of money-ed businessman. The Communist Revolution, of course, put paid to such decadence and the Racecourse was converted to the People’s Park which is today a meeting point for all of society: elderly men gather in groups to play chess, others play cards, women walk babies in strollers, children hop and skip around light-heartedly, young lovers hold hands and admire the neat flower beds. It is a great place for people-watching and I was struck by how happy the Chinese seem, how totally un-deprived of anything (which is what I had expected them to be). They are very obviously enjoying their new economic prosperity. That said, they did not have the elegance and fashion-consciousness that is so obvious among Japanese women.

 A Visit to the Chinese Anglican Cathedral:

            Arriving outside of the People’s Park, we spied the red brick structure that was obviously a church—it turned out to be the Anglican Cathedral and since it was a Sunday and we wished to attend service, we decided to pop in and take a look. What we saw was a crowded church with a Chinese minister at the lectern giving a sermon in Chinese that was videotaped and relayed to large crowds gathered outside. Protocol was strict and our water bottles and Starbucks coffee was taken away from us and kept aside before we entered. Lack of comprehension did not allow us to stay long but it was interesting just to catch a glimpse of the proceedings. Inside, the cathedral was devoid of any of the iconography we associate with Christianity. Instead, it was a plain building that could have been a community hall.

 Heading to the French Concession:

            Having had our fill of Shanghai’s City Center on a busy Sunday, we hopped on to the subway system to make our way to an area of the city that is known as the French Concession. DK Eyewitness Guide presents an interesting walking 90-minute tour of the area and we decided to take it. The area gets its name from the fact that once the  Western colonial regimes began trading with China in the 19^th century, they sought certain trading ‘concessions’ that enabled them to carry out business. The French decided not to join and formed their own neighborhood which enjoyed its own concessions. They pretended they were still on French soil and created a miniature city rife with the trappings of Paris—plane trees line each street and avenue, interesting cottages and balconied bungalows were occupied essentially by French colonists, shops sprang up with decidedly French merchandise (a boulangerie, a fromagerie, a patisserie, etc), many of which still stand.

 Visiting the Home of Chou En-Lai:

Our walk took us past two interesting homes, one of which we had the good fortune to enter. One was the home of Chou En-Lai, a modern visionary who worked very closely with Mao Zedong to engineer the Chinese Revolution based on his principles of Communist Socialism. The other was the home of Sun Yat-Sen, the contemporary philosopher and reformist who rejected Communism and became a defector. He emigrated to the USA and is a graduate of St. John’s University in Queens, New York, from where I earned my doctorate. The East Asian Studies Department at St. John’s is named after him and is financed by money from his Foundation. I was, therefore, keen to visit his home; but by the time we reached it, it had closed for the day.

 Chou En-Lai’s home, however, is beautifully maintained. High security is also maintained at the gates. Entry is free and we were able to tour the home and read captions in Chinese and English that provided information about the secret meetings held at this venue in defiance of KMT directives. The sparse furnishings and belongings of the man and the company he kept gave a good indication of the personal sacrifices he undertook to build his dream society. In the last room on the ground floor is an exhibition of photographs documenting his secret meetings with leading international politicians of the time. There were also pictures of his later years. Overall, this was a wonderful and most unexpected visit and we were glad we had the opportunity to see this home and garden.

            Our visit to the French Concession ended at the St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church and then the Cathay Theater with its Art Deco design. Overall, it had taken us to a part of Shanghai that was very different from the rest of it and it was certainly worth poking around it.

 Return to the Old City:

With some daylight left, we decided to return to the YuYuan Gardens to enter the Huxinting Tea Room and get an idea of its interior décor. We are so pleased we did because twilight had fallen on the city and the lights came on bringing an enchanted softness to the area. The crowds had thinned out somewhat and we were able to get some last minute souvenir shopping done (jasmine flower tea buds, magnets, postcards, etc.). We did make it to the Tea Room and were simply delighted by the period furniture within and the soft lighting of the pagoda shaped lamps.

 

Back to the Hotel for Dinner:

            Then, fairly fainting with fatigue, we jumped onto the Metro and returned to our hotel. All along the way, we gasped at the marvel that is the Shanghai subway system with its vastness, its marble floors, its spotlessness, its neatly organized signage (in English and Chinese) and the manner in which it is being maintained. For pennies, one can ride a world-class commuter system that is so much cheaper than taxis (although they are extremely inexpensive too) and brings the visitor in close contact with the local people.

            We had absolutely no energy for anything other than a meal in our hotel Dining Hall. Besides, it was the Wimbledon Men’s Final match (with Federer playing Djokovic) and Llew was keen to catch it. The Dining Hall was the best bet as we had it to ourselves and could request the waitress to switch on the match channel—which she willingly did.

            Then over a dish of Fried Rice with Beef and Broad Noodles with Mixed Vegetables and China’s wonderful Tsinghao Beer, we had ourselves a great last meal. Weary with fatigue, we returned to our room for a long sleep as we had to awake, wolf down breakfast and leave for Pudong airport, the next morning for our return home.

 

 

 

 

In China Finally! Sashaying Around Shanghai

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Tokyo-Shanghai

Sashaying Around Shanghai, China

 The Narita Express train (easily accessible from Tokyo’s Main Station) whisked up off to Narita airport at. 7 15 am. It is a modern, sleek and efficient service and although the distance covered is great, the speed is so enormous that one arrives at Narita Airport within the hour. Our Japan Rail Passes were valid for travel on this line—which saved us a neat buck or two.

 Flying to China on China Eastern Airlines:

            The flight from Tokyo to Shanghai took about two and a half hours. Check-in was peaceful but already we could see a visible difference in the manner in which the Japanese handle business and service tasks (with quiet and extremely polite efficiency) and the way the Chinese do it (brusque, lacking smiles or finesse and much less efficient). We knew we were going to miss Japanese culture and work ethic after more than two weeks of being spoiled by their kind professionalism.

            Service aboard the aircraft was nothing to rave about either but there was an impressive level of efficiency at Pudong International Airport in Shanghai where we landed to go through Immigration formalities. That done, we left the airport terminal in search of the Airport Bus No. 2 (as instructed by the folks at the NYU faculty accommodation in Pudong where we would be staying). We found the bus stop easily enough and ten minutes later, were on our way after purchasing a ticket for 22 yuan each on the bus. And that was when our first impressions of Shanghai greeted us.

            Shanghai is clearly a city on the move and on the rise. A network of soaring flyover highways connect Pudong airport with the city center enabling traffic to move swiftly past concrete jungles that are mushrooming up quicker than you can say “Chop Suey” (which, incidentally, we did not find on any menu in China!). Cranes are everywhere, high-rise buildings reach for the skies in close clusters that form gated communities for the nouveau riche of this economically galloping society. What is marvelous is that while the population is burgeoning and youngsters are flocking into the urban metropolitan cities (Shanghai, Beijing) seeking employment and advancement opportunities, the infrastructure (roads, highways, bridges, universities) is keeping up magnificently with them so that they are taking for granted an extraordinary quality of life of which its nearest rival, India, can only dream. I was completely smitten by its attitude and its accomplishment.

            About forty minutes later, we were deposited at the bus terminal near Jing’An Temple, a beautiful gilded confection of pagoda roofs, columned terraces and wide walkways that made up one of the city’s landmark places of worship. No doubt, once upon a time, it buzzed with devotees—today, all I saw were tourists clicking pictures as China’s religious fervor has been suppressed by Communism. From the bus terminal, we found a taxi (plying in droves outside in the busy shopping complexes that included high-end names such as Armani, Zara, Gap, etc. For 20 yuan, we were dropped off, ten minutes later, at our accommodation, the Oakwood Residence, which is where Visiting NYU Faculty stay when on teaching assignments at NYU—Shanghai. It was they who had recommended this place to us—and we were wowed by these classy service apartments!

            A concierge on the ground floor helped us with our baggage and directed us to a fifth floor Receptionist who swiftly checked us in, handed us keys, a map of the city and instructions for taking a cab to start seeing the city center. Five minutes later, we were entering our beautiful studio apartment on the 20^th floor with its gorgeous wide balcony that offered stunning views of the city’s Pudong area. We gasped at the superbly-appointed efficiency kitchen, the swanky bathroom and wonderfully comfortable bed. Llew switched on the giant TV to catch a Wimbledon preview in English—after more than two weeks of Japanese TV, it was wonderful to be able to understand what was being said.

 Off to the Old City:

            But, much as we would have loved to linger in our five-star accommodations (such a luxury after the handkerchief-size rooms we had endured in Japan), we got ready to leave for the taxi ride to the “Old City” which is constructed around the YuYuan Gardens, a famous landmark in the city center. We reached there within a half hour and made our way to the elaborately curved Chinese pagoda rooflines that we could see from the main road (Renmin Road). Once we got there, it was like being in Chinese Disneyland. The attempt to reconstruct Shanghai as it looked two hundred years ago when men roamed around in pyjamas wearing long pigtails and conical straw hats, has resulted in a wonderland that completely floors the visitor. Built entirely of timber early in the 20^th century within the walls of what is referred to as the Old City, this space is a star attraction today as golden dragons and giant gilded lions decorate the structures.

            For the next one hour, we roamed around in a maze of narrow streets lined with modern shops selling jewelry, jade, souvenirs, tea, painted scroll wall-hangings, etc. and a variety of food items upon which the Chinese were just falling. The place was crowded as entire Chinese families had zeroed in on the area for an evening out. We found local delicacies being devoured and we could not resist purchasing long skewered, batter-fried crispy soft shell crab that is a seasonal delicacy that the Chinese adore. It was sprinkled over with a spice powder that made the entire dish delicious and Llew and I who shared a skewer with me thought it a very good buy indeed.

            More meandering around the area led us deeper and deeper into the heart of the Old City towards the Huxinting Tea Room, a temple-like pagoda-ed structure that you can enter for a cup of traditional Chinese tea. Because it was mobbed, we avoided it and bustled around through the outskirts of the walled city with the idea of wending our way towards the city’s next attraction, the Bund.

 Strolling Along the Bund:

              Arriving at the Bund meant leaving Old 18^th century Shanghai behind and entering into the 19^th century where, under British colonial control, a modern European quarter was created on the banks of the Huangpo River that slices the city in half. Think Marine Lines in Bombay with the ferocity of the Arabian City on the one hand and the row of Art Deco residential buildings across the busy thoroughfare. Well, the Bund is a similar creation. Only instead of the Arabian City, there is the placid river flowing along and instead of the residential buildings, there are solid, colonial, commercial buildings (mainly banks and financial edifices) that had made Shanghai (after London and Hongkong), one of the richest cities in the world.

            Arriving at the Bund also gives visitors their first glimpse of 21^st century Shanghai which sits astride the Huangpo on the opposite bank in what has come to be known as Pudong. What was once swampland and later the heart of the Chinese underworld with its brothels, bars and gangster activity, today shows evidence of the miraculous resurrection of a Communist country that is determined to stake its place in the developed world as a power to reckon with. Its mindset is reflected in the towering skyscrapers that crowd Pudong, most noticeable of which is the Orient Pearl and TV Tower that resembles the Seattle Needle but is much more creatively illuminated. Every few seconds, its lighting is programmed to turn a different color—so that no two pictures of the tower at night can be exactly the same. Yes, it does offer an Observation Deck and getting up there is high on the list of the Chinese who visit from other parts of the country; but its neighbors are just as impressive—the Jin Mao Tower, designed by a firm of Chicago architects, the World Financial Building, etc. Just as in London where cheese graters, gherkins and walkie-talkies are rapidly transforming the modern skyline or Dubai where the rate of growth of the skyscraper city is so rampant that the skyline changes every week, so too here, the impact is awesome. Neon advertisements run along the facades of the buildings as slow junks ferry passengers along the river for dinner cruises.

            But by this point in time, it began to rain and being sans our brollys, we were grateful to take shelter on the Bund under a giant umbrella put up by a salesman. Soon rainwater pooled on the sidewalks and the lights of the buildings, so beautifully illuminated on the Bund periphery were reflected softly as to create a magical effect while we walked by each one of them taking in their Victorian solidity or Art Deco delicacy. As we moved along, we were part of the great crowds of local Chinese enjoying the wet summer evening, their enthusiasm none the worse for the general dampness in the air. If China is the world’s most populous country, it was definitely evident this evening as thousands surged forward and back in this busy quarter.

            Being instructed to enter the Fairmont Peace Hotel, we did just that and admired its Art Deco ambience. Recently refurbished at a great cost, the building scintillates with five-star charm. In a long gallery, referred to as the Peace Photography Museum, we saw pictures of the original hotel’s founder, Sir Victor Sassoon, with leading lights of his time: Charlie Chaplain, Noel Coward, even later politicians of the Revolution such as Chou El-Lai and Mao Zedong. It was a nice photo capsule of the life and times that the hotel had seen.

Night Time on Nanjing Road:

            Back out on the Bund, we decided to go out in search of some dinner and were swept, once again, by the momentum of the crowds to Nanjing Road which is the busiest thoroughfare of the city. Today, the road dazzles, especially at night, with the over-sized neon signs of designer clothiers such as Versace and Ralph Lauren who are catering to the money-ed Chinese consumer with his love for all things Western. Malls rise up at every street corner. Their garish neon signs announce food offerings through pictures of restaurants to be found in their food courts. Unfortunately, much of it is in Chinese and virtually no one on the streets can communicate in English. Going only by instinct, we found a place on the 7^th floor of a mall—we don’t know the name of the mall or the restaurant. All we know is that it exhibited pictures of what Llew called “recognizable Chinese food” at very reasonable prices and so in we were.

            We found ourselves in a massive restaurant with at least 300 covers but most of the tables were empty as the Chinese end their dinners early. It was about 9. 00 pm when we sat down to eat—late by Chinese standards. Still, we were very warmly welcomed by the sweet girlish wait staff who couldn’t speak or understand English but were eager to please. They seated us, presented us with a packet of wet wipes, poured us Chinese warm green tea into tiny cups and presented us with the extensive menu, all the dishes of which had accompanying pictures.

            It did not take us long to order Chinese Cabbage (Bok Choy) with Garlic and Chilli Peppers and a Dish of Stir-Fried Duck with Onions and Black Pepper. We also ordered one small bowl of steamed rice. Our dishes arrived within ten minutes and left us awed—they were so scrumptious. For the next hour, we took our time savoring the two courses, washing it down with green tea and then helping ourselves to some more as the portions served were huge. And when our bill arrived, we were stunned by how little we had paid for such a good meal. We were also stunned that we were charged extra for the tea and for the packets of wet wipes only one of which we had actually used!

            It was difficult to find a cab back to our hotel after our dinner as most merry-makers had the same objective. But soon we were in one of them and wending homeward. Our hotel staff had presented us with cards which were printed in Chinese that said, “Please take me back home to the Oakwood Residence”. The cabbies read these printed cards and took us home with no difficulty. Needless to say, we were grateful for our glamorous facilities, our steaming showers and our air-conditioned room and we fell asleep exhausted, quite charmed by Shanghai and the first impression it had made on us.            

 

 

 

Still Totally Transfixed by Tokyo

Friday, July 4, 2014

Tokyo

Still Totally Transfixed by Tokyo

 Although our hotel is ideally located (right opposite Tokyo’s Main Station), it is tiny, its attached bathroom so minuscule that the two of us cannot stand inside at the same time. Still, with Llew showering in the morning and me at night, we managed somehow to get ourselves organized for an early-morning excursion to, of all places, the local Fish Market.

 Off to the Tshujiki Fish Market:

            Tokyo’s Fish Market is a huge tourist attraction for two reasons: the early morning tuna auctions that take place at 5. 30 are a most exciting spectacle—however, they involve arriving by 3. 30 am, taking a number and hoping to fall within the 120 places that are allotted to visitors. If you do not make the cut, you can still stay for the opening of the wholesale buying which begins at 9. 30 am. We left home at about 8. 30, arrived near the Fish Market to find large numbers of tourists heading in the same direction. Although too late for the auction, they were there for the second reason the venue is so popular: Sushi Brunch at the Fish Market based on the delicious fresh catch of that same morning. Needless to say, we found the place dirty and wished to get out as quickly as we could. Plus, Llew, who is not a fish eater, was not going to join me in eating sushi for brunch—so he whisked himself off for a saunter around the premises while I ate a solitary meal at a small place that was filled with locals eating bowls of rice with fresh sashimi (raw fish) topping them. I settled for the set sushi platter and have to say that it was supremely delicious—the fish was as soft as butter and deeply flavorful.

 Visit to the Meiji Jinju Shrine:

            Yes, it was time to visit yet another shrine and Meiji Jinju is the most important one in all Japan as it serves as the private shrine of the emperor and his family. We had pretty much mastered the art of using the subway system by this stage as the temple was far away. It was a drizzly day and we were grateful for our umbrellas. However, the temple is nothing to rave about—apart from its associations with the Meiji emperors who brought great prosperity to Japan in the Pre-World War I period (the memorials for the popular emperor and his consort are here), there is really nothing by way of architecture in this space and we were rather disappointed in having hiked up to this part of town.

            It was time to turn our sights on to something different—and we headed next to the very north of the city to the area known as Ueno.

 Exploring Ueno and Museum City:

            Ueno is kind of like Museum City in Tokyo—home of the most important museums from the Fine Arts one to the Museum of Natural History which is a child’s delight. The guide book said that if we had the time for just one, we should make it the Tokyo National Museum that contained a capsule of the history and culture of the country through the ages. And that was what we did. Again, we were stunned by the hordes of folks heading to the museums—and these were not tourists, mind you, but local Japanese folk who are clearly deeply culture-conscious and patronize such institutions on a regular basis.

 A Visit to Tokyo National Museum:

            Had we the time to explore Tokyo National Museum at our leisure, no doubt we’d have enjoyed it more. As it turned out, we used our guide books to pick out the highlights and ended up spending about two hours reviewing Japan’s classical contribution to the world. And so we traipsed from one gallery to the next, starting on the top floor and making our way down. We saw ancient sculpture (a great deal of Buddhas and Bodhisatavas) such as the ones we had seen at Nara and Uji and then moved on to the galleries that showcase the county’s artistic creations in the form of ceramics, metalwork, lacquerware, jade carvings, etc. Finally, we ended our visit with a look at the treasures of Horyu-Ji Temple which are located in a special modern building.

            Now having been to Horyu-Ji Temple ourselves, only a few days previously, it was of special interest to us to see this marvelous collections of Buddha statues as well as a large number of archeological items found on this site—that go back about 1000 years. Again, by this stage, we were seriously afflicted by tourist-fatigue and decided to sit somewhere, away from Ueno and its buzz, so as to rest our feet.

 Viewing Tokyo From A Lofty Vantage Point:

            And, so we rode the subway once again to the commercial heart of the city in order to tick off the next item on our To-Do List for the day: a visit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which is actually the seat of national administration.

            Built by Japan’s renowned architect Tange Kenzo (who also designed the Cenotaph at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima), this building is composed of twin towers that sit on a lofty base. They rise far above the city of Tokyo providing stunning views—on a clear day, one can actually see Mount Fuji from the observation deck on the 44^th floor. Of course, I was keen to see this building as an example of the kind of contemporary futuristic architecture that one now finds in many modern world cities (such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai), but what was more, was that one could gain grand views of the city for free!

            Arriving there just before dusk on a very cloudy day did not do much for the views we hoped to receive; but it did give us a very graphic idea of the mushrooming of this urban metropolis and of its essential design aesthetic. Clearly, the kind of skyscrapers going up in these concrete jungles are not just unappealing boxes. As architects vie with each other to produce eye-popping buildings, new skylines are emerging that are also artistically appealing—and that is what we noticed about Tokyo from the heights of hundreds of feet above the ground to which we were whisked in a high-speed elevator. It felt a little bit like the visits we had made to the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, many years ago or visiting the Burj Khalifa in Abu Dhabi, the world’s tallest building.

 Back to Takashimaya for Some Shopping:

            With just hours to go before our departure from Tokyo, I felt the need to return to Takashimaya (we had visited and shopped at its Kyoto branch earlier in the week), the famous department store, to pick up a few more gifts. This gave us the opportunity to see East and West Shinjuki which is the heart of a busy commercial center. Crowds of folks were picking their way on public transport to get home at the end of the day and we were swept along in the sheer frenzy of their energy.  We soon found the store and picked up a few more gifts—mainly by way of silk scarves and bags—and then spent some time in its awesome food department. Once again we were dazzled by the unique wrapping and display skills of the Japanese and were tempted by a number of samplers generously handed out to us: shumai dumplings, rice crackers, frozen mango and melon treats, little jellies, etc. It was a nice introduction to the kind of items Japanese folks buy as gifts.

 Back to our Hotel for a Rest—then the Tokyo Tower:

            By this time, we were exhausted and a rest was urgently called for. We made our way back to our hotel and rested for a bit, then showered and set out on yet another mission: a Visit to the famous Tokyo Tower which is an exact (if slightly shorter) replica of Paris’ Eiffel Tower. Lit up brilliantly at night, this edifice towers above the city and can be spied on the subway routes as they whisk people about the city.

            We quickly found our way there as I was keen to get some pictures. As night had fallen over the city, we were fortunate enough to find the tower in all its illuminated splendor—and it was quite wonderful indeed. We reached there at 9. 45 and since the tower was closed to visitors at 10. 00 pm, all we managed to do was enter the building to get an idea of the lighting up close and personal. But it was certainly worth the late-evening excursion.

What a lovely walk it was, on our last night in Japan, breathing in the cool clear night air, watching the city’s youngsters have a great time at local eateries and amusement arcades and passing up an atmospheric Buddhist temple whose roof lines contrasted strangely with the modern metallic lines of the Tokyo Tower! We loved the city, were delighted with its helpful, polite, clean and organized people and could easily see ourselves happily living in this part of the world.

            Needless to say, we were deeply fatigued by the time we crawled into bed at about 11.00 pm. With our packing done, we set alarms for our departure from Japan on the morrow, and our arrival at our next destination—Shanghai in China.  

Until then, sayonara! 

Totally Smitten by Tokyo

Totally Smitten by Tokyo

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Fabulous Sighting of Fujisan:

            So, as hoped, the Mountain God was benevolent this morning and, as soon as I awoke, at 6. 30 am in Michael’s Hotel at Mount Fuji, I rushed to the window to see if the cloud cover over Japan’s tallest mountain had lifted. And guess what? It had! There is stood, Mount Fuji, is all its brilliant, snow-streaked glory, as we gazed upon it transfixed. Needless to say, we took loads of pictures, then washed, dressed and got ourselves ready for our long trek to Tokyo—our objectives in getting all the way to Fuji Five Lakes fully vindicated.

 A Far Less Arduous Journey to Tokyo:

            Getting to Tokyo from Mount Fuji was far more pleasant than getting to Mount Fuji from Kyoto—and also less expensive as we were able to use Japan Rail passes most of the way. We caught a local commuter (Fujityo) train line (at a cost of 970 yen each) from Gekkouji station for the 45 minutes ride to Otsuki, during which we had fabulous views of Fujisan—much to our delight. Once we reached Otsuki, I raced to the Chinese bakery outside to pick up almond croissants and coffees as we had gone without breakfast. Procuring reserved seats through our Japan Rail Passes, we found ourselves on a fairly good train line—although it wasn’t the Shinkansen. I was able to blog on the train and bring my journal up to date, and, two hours later, we were pulling into Tokyo Station, already feeling quite dazzled by Japan’s capital city.

 Checking into Hotel Heimat:

            Thanks to an old friend from Bombay, Vivek Pinto, who now resides in Tokyo and who had arranged accommodation for us through his Japanese wife, Hisako, we found ourselves checking into a really convenient hotel called Hotel Heimat right opposite Tokyo Station—it could not have been better located. Since check-in time was 3. 00 pm and we had arrived at 11.00 am, we stashed our baggage in the storage room and went out to discover Japan’s capital. And what a fabulous journey of discovery it turned out to be! We simply loved it, from the get go.

Looking for the Tourist Information Office:

            But first things first: the hotel did not have maps in English, so off we went across the street to the Japan Tourist Bureau to pick up maps in order to get oriented. While I had photocopied material from my travel guide books, I hadn’t found the time to read them adequately before setting out on our sightseeing mission. Hence, we had no choice but to wing it. Based on our location, it appeared as if the Imperial Palace was our nearest bet—and so off we set in its direction.

 Marunoushi and the Imperial Palace East Gardens:

            In order to get to the Imperial Palace, we had to trek across Marunoushi, a wonderfully commercial area that reminded us of New York’s Financial District. We crossed the beautifully laid out grid of streets after catching an admiring glimpse of Tokyo’s Main Station--a lovely red brick Victorian structure that reminded us of Melbourne’s Flinders Station (except that Flinders is a warm yellow while this was auburn).

            Although the Imperial Palace is not open to the public, it is worth heading towards the grand, sprawling park in which it is located—the lungs of the city of Tokyo. It is a vast green expanse that allows residents to get away from urbanity and immerse themselves in nature. A short walk across a broad water-filled moat brought us to the gates of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace where a large number of visitors were heading. Once past the main gates, we were given an admission pass each (to be returned upon exit).

            The East Gardens are set in the property once owned by the powerful Shogun T…gawa whose bastion was guarded by dozens of samurai who functioned from out of a building called a Bansho. As we proceeded deeper and deeper into the gardens, we passed by solid, towering stone walls that were deeply impressive. But, on the other side, was the softness of a typical Japanese water garden with flowering water iris, loads of azalea bushes and low maple trees that would, undoubtedly, be very special at certain times of year. Even when not in flower, the entire layout of the garden that was started during the Edo Period, i.e, over two hundred years ago, was truly delightful with bamboo fencing, charming bridges, a small waterfall, stone lanterns, etc. We lingered a long while in this space, then found a shady bench on which to plan out the next part of our exploration of this city.

 Lunch on Ramen Street:

            Ramen Street is located in the basement of Tokyo Station and is highly touted by Lonely Planet as the place to go for really great Japanese-style noodles. Well, we did get there as hunger pangs made their presence felt urgently. We could not say where we were nor what we ate (as everything was written in Japanese) but we chose our dishes at an automated vending machine, paid for them with cash that we fed into the machine—thus, no money changed human hands! We had joined a long line of locals waiting patiently at the door and figured that since the place was so popular, it probably was good.

            And we guessed right! It was absolutely fabulous! A lunge mound of thick noodles arrived in a separate bowl together with a thick, coconut-milk like broth filled with pork, fish and mushrooms. We ate heartily as we listening to the slurping of fellow-diners all around us. At a neighboring table, we were joined by an American couple named Brad and Sarah with whom we entered into conversation. They gave us tips on how to prepare for an excursion to the Tshujiki Fish Market to view the daily auction of tuna.

 Ginza—The Beating Heart of Tokyo:

            Many moons ago, when I was still a teenager in Bombay, I had read an article in National Geographic magazine about Tokyo’s Ginza that carried the visual feast of brilliant pictures that had made me feel like dropping everything and visiting the area. Well, I only had to wait for four odd decades before I was able to bring reality to my yearnings. Using a walking tour that appears in the DK Eyewitness Guide, Llew and I found our way on foot to this most colorful part of the city that contains a bunch of upscale stores including the very classy Parisian establishment, Printemps. Of course, I was thrilled, as I loved all things French. And how elated I felt when I found a lovely classy hat such as I have seen the elegant Japanese women wearing. I am not entirely sure that I will have the chance to wear it myself but at $25, it made a worthy souvenir of my stay in Japan and I was pleased to pick one up.

            Out rambles in the Ginza continued with ducks in and out of stores such as the super-expensive Mikimoto (home of the world’s finest pearls), Matsuya and Mitsukoshi (very luxurious Japanese department stores in which the shoppers dress just to shop!). It was great to people-watch and I did a great deal of it. I am absolutely charmed by the elegance and style of Japanese women that reminds me very much of the kind of sophistication one sees in Paris. At all times, they are simply superbly turned out, their outfits marvelously color-coordinated, their bags and shoes totally trendy. We stepped into a Starbucks for an iced café mocha, the half an hour, continued our rambles in the midst of a very busy afternoon with folks to-ing and fron-ing as they went about the serious business of shopping. Japan is evidently prosperous and there is no sign of poverty anywhere, not even a homeless person anywhere to be seen. If there is one country that seems to have wiped out poverty, this is it.

 Back to the Hotel for a Nap and Rest:

            Having been on our feet for most of the day, we felt the need for a nap and rest. So, testing our Japan Rail Passes for use on the local Tokyo subway system, we were little to discover that they overlapped. Seekign the station nearest us, we found our way back home in about ten minutes—that’s how well situated our hotel is. Without minutes, I was asleep while Llew pottered with his smart phone. It was about 7. 30 pmn that we set out again—this time to discover Tokyo by night. And what a magical place it is!

 Tokyo By Night:

After dark, Tokyo scintillates. And I mean, seriously. The entire city is lit up brighter than Las Vegas.  Imagine New York’s Times Square or London’s Piccadilly Circus with their spectacular neon lights, their changing billboards, their hordes of people scurrying about—and there you have it. All of Tokyo is like a circus after night falls.

            Using our guide books, we headed on the subway line for Shibuya where the world’s most famous crossing exists. We were instructed, once again, to bag a seat at Starbucks which is head above their heads. Each time the lights changed, hundreds of them surged forward like so many ants (from our perspective) hurrying to their next destination which lights winked and blinked all around them. It really was a stupendous sight.

            After about half an hour of watching this fascinating, orchestrated surge of human movement, we took a walking tour throuogh the area known as Central Gai with its hundreds, no thousands, of young folks (high school and college age, who frequent the slot and pachinko machines in the brightly-lit amusement arcades and karaoke bars that make up this area. Record shops, boutiques, eateries, catering to their special needs cram this area and make viewing the rabble of humanity a fantastic sight. The drizzle did not dampen our spirits as it cooled the place down for Tokyo, like Kyoto, is awfully humid and it can be uncomfortable staying outdoors, even after the sun has set.

 Back To Our Hotel:

            By 10 pm, we were flagging and decided to pick our steps back home. It was been a superb introduction to a city that appeared to be constantly on steroids—but it truly was love at first sight.

 Until tomorrow, sayonara   

 

  

            

             

Discovering Mount Fuji and Its Environs

 Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Mount Fuji and Its Environs 

            Today would have been a most disappointing day but for three occurrences that redeemed it at the very end of the day.

            We awoke, as usual, about 6. 30 am, made our way to the Dining Hall of the Hotel Via Inn by 7. 00 am for our last breakfast in this most comfortable of lodgings. The reception staff had been extremely kind to us and despite having almost non-existent English had managed to communicate adequately with us and meet our every need. After breakfasting on ham and cheese bread, croissants with marmalade and butter, corn soup, salad and cocktail sausages, we said our goodbyes and thank-yous to the staff who had made our home away from home in Kyoto such a pleasant experience for over ten days. And then we were off.

 Arrival at Kyoto Main Station:

            We took the subway down two stations south to Kyoto Main Station from where we used our Japan Rail Passes to procure reserved seats on the Shinkansen (bullet) train headed for Tokyo. We were instructed to get off at Odawara (which was about two hours away on the super express bullet trains that simply zip across the country at astounding speeds—Amtrak can learn a thing or two about promptness, courtesy and general efficiency from this amazing system. Hats off to the Japanese!

            We found our platform easily enough and boarded our train for Tokyo. The journey was extremely comfortable, but it was once we got to Odawara that the dreariness began. From Odawara (where we waited about 20 minutes for a connection), we took a train to Mishima (also Japan Rail, also using our Passes). Once we alighted at Mishima, we had no option but to take a bus to climb the mountains. The bus took us as far as Gotemba, about 45 minutes away (a journey that cost us about 600 yen each). From Gotemba, we connected to another bus (after a wait of a half hour) that cost us about 1,140 yen each and took us to Fuji-yoshida. The bus journey was wearying as it was slow and painful and offered nothing by way of scenery or local color.

At Fuji-yoshida, where we arrived at about 2. 00 pm, we had to take a taxi to our lodgings for the night—a very modest Western-style hostel called Michael’s (obtained through Lonely Planet). It is run by an American called Michael Castella who is married to a Japanese woman called Kasuko. Michael also runs an American-style Pub and Café at the base of his hostel that serves $13 burgers! The Tourist Information Center at Fuji-yoshida informed us that the walk to Michael’s would take us twenty minutes—with baggage (even though it was minimal baggage), it would be impossible to reach on foot—so we hailed a taxi and reached there for 1000 yen (about $10)—a very well-spent tenner! Basically, it was a long-drawn out, tiring journey from Kyoto that put us off the beaten track completely and cost us about $25 each in addition to the cost of our Japan Rail Passes. Mind you, throughout the journey, although mountains loomed all around us, there was not a sign of Mount Fuji that we had traveled so far to see.

            Just as soon as we were checked by a sweet Japanese girl called May into Michael’s where we were given a private room with showers and toilets down the hallway, we hired the cab again to take us to Kawaguchi-Ko Station where sightseeing buses were available to take us around Mount Fuji.

 Touring Mount Fuji and “Fuji Five Lakes”:

            After making a brief detour at the bank to exchange some dollars for yen (because almost no one accepts credit card in Japan, apart from the hotels), we arrived at the Kawaguchi-Ko train station where the Green Line Sightseeing Bus would be leaving in ten minutes to take us for a driving tour around the lakes.

            So here’s the beef: Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano based on a towering mountain that rises 3776 meters above sea level and is, therefore, often obscured by clouds. Therefore, chances of catching a glimpse of it are rare--as was the case today. We could not see it at all and I felt shattered. It was a terribly overcast day which meant that there were, at best, remote opportunities for sighting. Mount Fuji is ringed by five beautiful lakes. The only way you can appreciate the scenic beauty of this area is by driving around the region. Since we had no car at our disposal, we were left with no option but to take the sightseeing bus. Since the second-last one of the day left at 3. 35 (the last one left at 4. 35), we raced to the bus-stand to board it and off we went.

 A Sightseeing Drive about Fuji Five Lakes:

                The bus drive took two hours. We did not get off anywhere as we had very little energy left for exploration after our day-long travels to get to this spot and there was only one more bus which would arrive after a whole hour to take us back—so overall, the bus tour was a bit of a loss for us. It would have been a good deal (at 13,000 yen each) had we boarded it in the morning and stayed in the area for 2 days (as the bus ticket is valid for 48 hours).

            Still, we made the most of our brief stop here and took in the scenic beauty of the two lakes through which we drove: Lake Kawaguchi and Lake Saiko. As the bus curved around the banks of the lakes, made detours into the cypress and cedar clad forests and made stops at museums, shrines, herbal centers, Bat Caves and Lava Caves to pick up passengers, we got a very good sense of the scenic attractions of this place with its boating, kayaking, fishing, water-skiing and other offerings. In many ways, we were constantly reminded of Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand and the other glorious drives we had taken as we had scoured the South Island, two years ago. But there was still nary a sighting of Mount Fuji for Llew although I do think I saw one side of its conical shape as we had turned a corner.

 Early Dinner of Hotoh:

            By the time we got off the sightseeing bus, two hours later at Kawaguchiko Station, we were starving (as we had contented ourselves with granola bars for lunch). Lonely Planet had recommended that we try a local dish called Hotoh—a miso soup with mushrooms and butternut squash and thick udon noodles served in a steaming iron pot at the table. It was about 5. 30 pm and we found a very nice restaurant right opposite the station where we decided to try the local delicacy. As luck would have it, the restaurant was located right opposite the gigantic mass of Mount Fuji which, somewhat obligingly, decided to reveal itself to us in slow stages as we ate! Cloud cover from the conical crater lifted and in about ten minutes, we were able to see Japan’s most iconic sight. How thrilled we were! We raced around to the window and left the restaurant, after placing our order, to take pictures of the mountain and, quite suddenly, I felt as if our laborious excursion to Fujisan (as the mountain is known in Japan) became worthwhile.    

            And then the hotoh arrived—and it was absolutely delicious! The broth was extremely flavorful and the amount of additions to the soup made it a hearty stew and enough for the two of us to feast on. Twenty minutes later, we were replete and decided to go on to the next item on our agenda—a soak in one of the volcanic hot springs at the base of Mount Fuji in a traditional Japanese pastime known as ‘Onsen”. We had already experienced it at the Buddhist monastery in Koyasan but that had been a religious ritual—we decided to try out this secular traditional activity at a commercially-run onsen.

 Back on the Train to our Hotel and Off for Onsen:

            We found a train, soon enough, that took us very cheaply back to our hostel from Kawaguchi Station (our station was three stops away and was called Gekkouji). Once at the hotel, at the Reception Desk, we met a very sweet American lad called Nate, who recommended an Onsen place and called a cab to take us there—it cost us 1,000 yen to get there (please note that there is no local transport in this area and wherever a location lies beyond a walking radius, one needs to cab it out).

 Onsen and After:

            The cab driver took us directly to our commercial baths and once inside, we were quickly shown the drill. The Baths are gender-segregated. Llew and I found lockers to stash our belongings, got keys which we wore around our wrists (so as not to lose them). Then, we showered and bathed thoroughly so as to clean our bodies completely and then entered the onsen. This place offered two kinds: indoor ones featuring three different temperatures of water—cool, warm and hot (like in the ancient Roman baths). And outdoor ones—that on a clear day—actually overlook Mount Fuji. The outdoor pool is like a giant hot tub surrounded by volcanic rocks and beautifully landscaped Japanese gardens. I was enchanted.

            For the next one hour, I gave myself up entirely to the sheer pleasure of an outdoor hot soak in a steaming bath without a stitch on my body. But for the towel that we had rented (for 300 yen each), you carry nothing into the pool. I soaked for about ten minutes, then emerged in the cold night air, cooled off and then dipped myself in the hot pool again. Japanese women chattered away all around me. One tried to make friends with me. She conveyed to me the certainty that I would sleep well tonight after my hot soak—she was right! And so it went on and on. In and out and in and out for the next half hour I went. I was suspended in a state of bliss so relaxing, so completely liberating that I felt as if I were floating on Cloud Nine. Certainly this was a major redeeming factor in our day.

 Melon Ice-Cream Before Bed:

            It turned out, when I was reunited with Llew, that he had enjoyed the onsen just as much as I had. He too had opted for the outdoor bathing experience in the male section. When I met him on the wooden slat bench outside, he handed me a warming cup of green tea as the onsen does tend to make you feel dehydrated. Overall, it had been a marvelous experience and we were so glad we did it.

            Then, spying a McDonalds just a block away, we entered it looking for dessert. I chose the Melon Shake (which the Korean immigrants of New York introduced to the world) and, boy, was it great! The cold ice-cream, thick and sweet, made the perfect foil to the steaming onsen. About fifteen minutes later, the staff at McDonald’s called us a cab and in ten minutes we were back in our hotel.

 End of a Mixed Sort of Day:

            So, at the end of the day, the glimpsing of Mount Fuji, albeit hazily with its streaks of snow running down the conical sides, the delicious bowl of hotoh and the heavenly soak in the onsen, had certainly redeemed the day for us.

Would we recommend this excursion to anyone? I’d say Not Unless You Intend To Climb Mount Fuji—which most visitors come to do. If all you are seeking is a glimpse, then perhaps the height of summer, when cloud cover is rare, might be a better time.

            We sank into our bunk beds quite gratefully at the end of the day and looked forward to a relaxed start tomorrow as we make our way to Tokyo—and perhaps a better sighting of Fuji Yama.

Until then, sayonara