I'm A Travelling Man...

Alright, I'm a travelling woman, but that's not the title. Anyway Jeff and I drove out of Sun City on Saturday morning and headed through Georgia to Tennessee. Passed throught some beautiful areas that we can visit another time. Spent the night at a Big W (Walmart) in Murfreesboro and today we drove past Nashville, a corner of Kentucky and north through Illinois to St. Louis. Seeing the arch across the Mississippi is still an amazing sight for me.

Tonight we are at the Lazy Day Campground in Montgomery City, MO and tomorrow we will head west to Kansas City and then north to Manitoba, Canada. We expect to spend a week getting to Dawson Creek, the beginning of the Alaska Highway, where our trek starts. We need to be there on June 21st for orientation.

We're Moving On Up...

Well we have moved. Jeff and I have lived in the same area all our lives and in our home on Hudson Drive for 29 years. But now we live in Bluffton, South Carolina and everything is new to us. We finished packing right after we returned from Japan and the van took our stuff away the next Monday. On Friday we received our stuff at the new house and started unpacking. There is so much to do and there is a steady stream of workmen and landscapers in and out of the house. Our car knows the way to Lowe's by itself as there is always something else we need.

After a few days we return to Yardley and spend a pleasant few days saying goodbye to everyone and everything we know. We had Broadway tickets with a small group to see Mary Poppins and we just loved the show. We celebrated Jeff's 60th birthday with a small dinner party with our closest friends and it was a good chance to say farewell. My Mah Jongg group had a goodbye dinner for me and I am sad to leave those gals who I enjoyed seeing every Thursday night.

Jeff and Ziggy left in the RV on Tuesday and I hung around until the weekend so I could attend my nephew Jon Liff's graduation from the University of Delaware. I enjoyed spending a few days with my sister Carol, Jon, his sister Sharon, and brother Larry and his friend Laura.

I woke up at 5am and drove all day Sunday arriving in Sun City around 5pm. I was so excited to be at the new house and finally get settled. More work and unpacking and finally we got everything put away and all our pictures hung. It actually looks wonderful! Later that week our friends Jan & Harvey came down and became our first house guests. We also attended a block party for our street and met many of our new neighbors.

Now that we are settled, we are leaving again for our summer trek. It sounds a little crazy, but the Alaska trip is a dream come true and the house will be there when we return in the end of August. So we pack up the RV which we decided to call Harvey, the RV, and we set off on Saturday morning for our Alaskan adventure.

Home, Sweet Home?

I have officially made the switch. I now live in South Carolina. I changed my "Home" settings in my cell phone, GPS, Accuweather, and a bunch of other places. It was a really strange feeling.

Judy will be down after Carol's son Jon's graduation from Delaware on Saturday. Then it will be official. (No - we still haven't sold the house in Yardley, but that's another story!)

I came down with Ziggy in the RV (which we call IRV). We had been living in IRV for the past 2 weeks in our driveway in Yardley. I decided to have IRV serviced, so I headed over to the dealer. Ah, the best laid plans. I had been watching TV and forgotten to put down the antenna! I understand that this is something that happens at least once to every RVer. Anyway, I made it about a mile when there was a tremendous crash from the roof. The antenna had snagged an overhead wire and was now hanging above the road.

All praises to Media Camping Center! They not only replaced the antenna that day (luckily I had not damaged the roof), but also did all the service I had planned on. We were back in the driveway that night.

So here we are. I am working with some contractors. Judy will be here in a few days. Then we will transfer our car registrations, get South Carolina drivers' licenses and register to vote (remember that SC has a VERY important early primary). The it will be truly official. We will be South Carolina citizens.

Wanna buy a house in Yardley? Great price!

Bye Bye Birdie

Tuesday morning Jeff and I woke leisurely and had breakfast on the top floor restaurant with great views of the city of Kyoto. It is surrounded by mountains. We took the shuttle to the train station which is the largest in Japan. Many floors with department stores, restaurants and a Café du Monde, direct from New Orleans. Now we are on our own and have to deal with our luggage. We had bought Japan Rail Passes at home and now we exchange them for the week long pass. We board a Shinkasen (bullet train) where we have reserved seats in the rear. The only place to store large suitcases is behind the rear seat and we are lucky that there is space. Between cars of the train is an attendant who sells food and helps you board. She took my heavy suitcase and stored it for me. And remember that there is no tipping in Japan so they are nice to you anyway and even bow and smile while providing a service.

A 15 minute ride takes us to Osaka and we change to a subway to take us near the hotel which is atop another train station. A man helped me with my suitcase on steps and directs us to hotel.
Swissotel is very chic and we are on the 30th floor with sweeping views of the city. There are pajamas and a chaise lounge in the room and I plan to stay there all night. First we settle in and talk to the concierge to make a plan. We take the subway to Osaka Castle which is situated high atop Osaka Park. The whole complex is huge and we walk through a flower market area to a large fountain. Then we trudge down a road to a very high set of stairs which we climb and then we walk and walk until we can see the castle grounds. We pass groves of cherry and plum trees and azaleas starting to bloom in reds, purples and white.
I ate fried dumplings with octopus and vegetables in a brown sauce. Jeff had donburi with pork and soup. We entered the castle and went to observatory on 8th floor. Great views. Walk down through exhibits.
We took asmall train down to the park entrance and walked to subway. Back at hotel to collapse and later went downstairs to Takashimaya deprtment store to buy prepared food which we ate in the room. Fell asleep on lounge in hotel pajamas. Great night's sleep.

Wednesday we woke in Osaka and had a rain day to see the city. We decided to go to the aquarium and took the subway. First we took a ride on one of the world's largest ferris wheels with great views of the city and harbor. Next we had lunch which consisted of vegetable pancakes cooked on a grill in our table. It was mostly shredded cabbage - I liked it and Jeff did not. The aquarium was very good and beautiful displays. Afterwards we had beignets and hot chocolate at a Cafe du Monde (there are several in Japan).

Back at the hotel we waited for Brian to arrive and decided to take an early train to Hiroshima in the morning.

Hiroshima is a small city in the south of Japan and it has been completely rebuilt since the bombing which ended WWII. I was surprised that people actually want to live there, but found it to be a thriving area which we enjoyed visiting.

After checking in to the hotel we took a local train and then a ferry to Miyamjima Island. This turned out to be a beautiful, restful trip. The island is lush and tranquil. First stop along the coast we walked to a Shinto shrine with a famous Torii gate which stands in the water. Unfortunately they were doing repair work so there was scaffolding and we were there at low tide so there was just mud, but you get the idea. The temple was large and we meandered the grounds. Then we walked in a park working our way up the hillside to a cable car. Up to the top and then to a gondola which took us to a lookout high atop the island. We looked out to the Sea of Japan and many small islands. Definitely worth the trip and walking.

Later we shopped along the main street and then returned to Hiroshima. That night we enjoyed the noght life in town and had dinner at a chic restaurant. Next day was devoted to visiting the Peace Park in downston Hiroshima. This is under the spot where the bomb actually detonated and there are several memorials as well as one building which survived the blast and has been left as a grim reminder. At the children's memorial we were lucky to see a group of school children making a presentation and hear then singing. We spent more time in the museum which has wxcellent displays about the war, the bombing and the aftermath. The whole experience was very moving and the three of us said kaddish at the main "centograph" memorial where all the names of the dead are buried.

That night we took the train back to Tokyo and stayed with Brian at his place in Shibuya-ku. He has a gorgous three bedroom, 2 1/2 bath apartment in a swanky area.

Now it is Saturday and we walked around Brian's neighborhood and visited the Meiji Shrine which is walking distance from his apartment. Everything is so clean and organized here. Hundreds of people cross the street at major intersections, but it is done so effortlessly and courteously. We had lunch at an American style place and enjoyed some down time. For dinner Brian took us to a lovely hibachi restaurnat near Roppongi. This is nothing like a Beni Hana where the chef puts on a show. This is truly elegant with scrumptious food. The shrimp we had for appetizers was alive and wiggling when put on the grill. A little macabre, but delicious. Later we walked around this part of town and then went home for some TV and relaxing.

Sunday is our last day and we are pooped. Jeff chose to stay on the couch while Brian and I opted to visit Ueno Park and the Tokyo Zoo. Again I am amazed by the sheer numbers of people and their politeness. Even the zoo is immaculate and there was a maintenance worker actually scraping gum off the sidewalks.

Our last dinner was tankatsu which is fried pork of many varieties. They also have shrimp and veggies so we all enjoyed. Monday morning was a work day so we all woke early and left together. Brian headed for the subway and Jeff and I got a cab to the train station. There we transferred to a train to Narita Airport and our flight home. We arrived at JFK on Monday morning, an hour before we left and had jet lag for the next week.

This was such an amazing trip. Best of all was seeing Brian, but experiencing another culture is so fascinating. We have so many wonderful memories and I can't wait to go back again and see more of Japan and other countries in Asia.

Monday Morning

Monday in Kyoto
We returned to the Royal Rhiga Hotel and left our bags. This was a free day and we had many things planned. First we headed to the Imperial Palace to take the English tour at 10am. You have to present yourself at their office with your passport to gain entrance and there was a large crowd. Unfortunately the tour wasn't great. You are not allowed to go inside any of the buildings even though the palace is empty and never used. So we trekked around and saw the buildings and beautiful gardens, but I wouldn't recommend this site.

Next we took the train to Nara to spend a peaceful afternoon in this ancient capital city. This was one of the best places we saw. A beautiful little city with large open spaces, parks and tame deer everywhere. The deer are considered to be messengers from G-d and a protected species. We did buy deer food and found them to be adorable, but a little pushy. One guy gave me a nip on the rear when I didn't get the food to him fast enough. All in all Jeff and I really enjoyed being with them as they followed us like puppies.

First stop was a huge Buddhist Temple complex with the world's largest cast bronze Buddha. He was huge! It was so impressive as you walked down this long path with beautiful gardens on each side. The building is very old and the largest wooden structure in the world. Inside was the Buddha with a bronze warrior on each side. Other interesting displays completed the scene. Next we walked up a hill to a Shinto Shrine complex which was peaceful and had great views. Our third site was a temple with thousands of stone lanterns. I know this is starting to sound mundane, but each place is more gorgeous than the next and the size of the buildings and gardens is awesome.

I have to write about the school kids. There were groups everywhere and are they cute. They all wear uniforms and look very neat compared to the US kids. They seem playful, but are disciplined and courteous. We got a big kick seeing them and they would often wave to us or practice a few words in English.

We ate some lunch by showing the waitress what we wanted by pointing to the plastic displays in the window. Wearily we walked back to the train station and rode home. Back in Kyoto our group of 7 went out for a farewell dinner at an Italian restaurant. We just had to have pizza and pasta.

In the morning everyone but us left for the airport and Jeff and I were on our own.

A Small Hotel...

Sunday at Gion Yoshiima Ryokan
This was one of our best days and we laughed through most of it. After settling in our room and getting comfortable in our robes we relaxed and read for a while. Now each hotel has its own robe made from a special fabric design and leather slippers. Inside we wore only our socks and special bathroom slippers kept inside that room. A small booklet explained all the customs for the Ryokan even how to tie the sash on our robe. I opted to wear the little jacket over the robe for warmth. Before dinner we were given a time to go to the bath. Even though we had a small wooden tub in our room, the downstairs bath was larger and could accomodate both of us. So we were led downstairs and again soaped up and showered before entering the tub. Let's say it was cozy, but the warm water felt good and the wooden tub had a lovely scent. After bathing we put on our robes and went back upstairs where our room had been set up for dinner. Susan & Barry joined us and we all sat uncomfortably on our legless chairs.

Our nine course dinner was brought in on trays and placed before us. There is no family style here and you end up with a zillion little plates in front of you. We had raw fish, steamed fish, relishes, and each comes with it's own dipping sauces. There were little straw baskets with tempura (fried prawns and veggies), rice, soup and noodles. Fresh fruit was the dessert with more to come at the tea ceremony. Each course was delicately put in front of us and we really had no idea of much of what we tried to eat. The funniest part was that Jeff & Barry didn't quite fit in their robes and spent a great deal of time getting comfortable and adjusting themselves for coverage. You don't wear anything under the robe, but Jeff did wear underwear or this site would be X rated.

After dinner we were summoned to the tea house. We were led to the garden and the inn's owner gave us a summary of what was to come. The funny part was that he had lived in New York for many years and not only knew Trenton, but said that he remembered our Trenton Makes, the World Takes bridge. His son then took over and we entered the garden and walked to the small tea house. But, to our horror, instead of using the door he slipped open a small panel in the side wall and asked us to crawl inside. You can see the panel behind Jeff in the photos above and it is quite small. You step on a rock outside and then crawl in and around to your place where you are supposed to sit on your knees. I was first so I had a bird's eye view of the others and it was a riot. Sure you can laugh at us, but imagine being naked under a robe and crawling on your knees. It's hard to keep the thing closed and getting into a comfortable position and acting serious about the ceremony is more than we could handle. But, after lots of shifting we found ourselves drinking green tea and eating a finger size piece of bean paste fudge which we cut and served ourselves with a toothpick. I'm still chuckling just thinking about it.

Afterwards he allowed us to leave through the shogi screen door because even he couldn't imagine sheparding us back out the side panel. We then visited their small museum and finally made our way back upstairs. We were allowed to go outside (in the robes) and take a walk, but we declined. Our room had been transformed into a bedroom with large mattresses and quilts on the floor. Once we got down there we slept well and got ready to eat again in the morning.

Our attendant came in and stowed away the bed stuff and brought back the table and chairs. We have opted for a Western style breakfast and had juice, eggs and bacon, toast and coffee/tea. Then we dressed and headed downstairs to retrieve our shoes and go back to the hotel. They gave us parting gifts and called a cab. Two of the front desk women stood at attention as we got into the cab and bowed as we drove away. They were probably laughing at us as much as we did.

What a wonderful experience!

Judy

Sitting On Top Of The World

Friday
I wake at 4am and check my e-mail and write a little. Now it is 5:15am and I wonder if I’ll ever get back to a normal sleep routine. It’s starting to get light outside and I can see miles and miles of buildings. There are tall skyscrapers in the cosmopolitan centers and smaller buildings and apartment houses spread out. Brian says the Japanese are obsessed with new things and there is construction going on everywhere. I am impressed by how neat and clean it is here. The people are all dressed well and the young women are so chic. One style here is over the knee dark stockings with a short skirt. They wear high heels with this ensemble and some substitute dressy long shorts for the skirt. We’ve seen many young school children alone on the subways and they wear uniforms. I’ve seen a few women in kimonos. Men on the subways are mostly young and wearing dark suits with good shoes and messenger type bags. Everyone reads while they are riding or listen to an ipod or push buttons on their phone (probably playing a game). Very few people speak on their phones in public which would be welcome in the US. Also no one eats on the subways or while walking on the street.

After breakfast we board a bus to Mt. Fuji and the resort area of Hakone.
Our first sight of the mountain is beautiful with the perfectly shaped cone top covered in snow. We had lunch at a hotel and then rode to Mt. Fuji's 5th station where summer hikers start their climb to the top. It is the dream of all Japanese to ascend to the summit of Mt. Fuji once in their life. Today it is very windy and we visit a Shinto shrine and take refuge from the wind in a gift shop. Back down the winding road to a lake near Hakone. We took a short ride on a catamaran ferry and then on to the hotel. Our room was comfortable and we put on robes and slippers and went to the public baths. The baths are fed by onsen or natural springs. Men and women are separate and there were lockers for all your clothes and belongings. After you are naked with only a small hand towel to cover yourself you proceed to the washing area. Here you sit on small stools and use the provided soaps and shampoos to clean yourself. Once you are clean you can enter the inside or outdoor baths to soak and relax. Later we dressed and our group met for a buffet dinner at one of the hotel restaurants.

Saturday
In the morning I walked in the beautiful gardens and then we left for Kyoto. We took a van to the train station and a bullet train (Shinkansen)to Kyoto. The Kyoto train and bus station is the largest in Japan and it is immense. Besides being a transportation hub it has six floors of shopping including a department store and a floor of restaurants. The hotel shuttle bus drove us to the Royal Rhiga Hotel around the corner. We had a tiny room with nice amenities and another electronic toilet. This one had a fan built in and a button which activated a flushing sound in case you made embarrassing noises. We immediately ventured off in a cab with Susan & Barry to the Philosopher’s Walk. We got off in a busy area and walked up a narrow street with open shops and food stalls on both sides. At the top of hill was the Silver Pavilion. The grounds are beautiful with large sand sculptures. Some cherry trees and azaleas were in bloom. Water trickling and great views from high walkways made this like paradise even though the temple building was never painted silver and remained brown wood. Later we walked along the canal and visited two Shinto shrines. There were little craft shops along the way and many people out for a stroll. I took a photo of a woman dressed in a kimono and we saw some beautiful houses. Afterwards we took a cab to the Gion area. Our driver showed us the museum area and Chion Temple where they filmed The Last Samurai. We passed under a very large orange Torii (Tor–e–e) Gate which means a Shinto Shrine and not a Buddhist Temple which usually has red paint and a purple drape.

Walking around Gion we saw Geisha’s coming in cabs to work. Many women were wearing kimonos and wooden clogs. We made our way to “restaurant street” and found a traditional tempura place. Sat at tables – they did have floor seating areas – and had a tempura set. This is a full course meal with sashimi, sweets, salad, tempura, rice, soup and fruit dessert. The guys had Shabu Shabu which was thin slices of meat cooked in a pot of boiling water in the center of the table. There was a huge plate of veggies added to the water and rice cakes. We are getting very good at eating with chopsticks. Most places have no napkins, but do give you a washcloth to clean your hands before the meal. Most Japanese carry their own hanky to wipe their mouth. Afterward we walked down a main shopping street with fan shops, candy and prepared foods.

Sunday
Breakfast included at the hotel was a buffet. Our group went on a half day tour of Kyoto. First stop was Nijo Castle (Nijo-jo), home of the Shogun. Very impressive grounds and gardens. Inside we took off our shoes and visited reception rooms with gorgeous wood carvings and silk painted wall hangings. Saw rooms where generals visited and wives met and they had mannequins in period dress.

Next was a Buddhist Temple with lots of lanterns which are dedicated by individuals. Inside there were many areas to pray. You make a donation – 5 yen – ring a bell to attract attention, clap two times, bow and pray. Students come here to pray for success on exams and new parents bring their baby to pray for good life. They are all brought here by the new father’s parents. There are also places to buy fortunes and good luck charms. The Japanese seem to be very superstitious. If you don't like your fortune you can tie it to a metal rack so there is no down side.

Third stop was the Golden Pavilion. Wow! A gorgeous setting with lakes and gardens and tea houses. The Golden Pavilion has gold gilt paint and just gleams. It sits in the middle of a pond with exquisite landscaping, rocks, waterfalls and trees of every shape, color and texture. We walked around the grounds and then to the Kyoto Handicrafts Center. I bought two small jewelry cases and 8 chopstick holders. They are male & female mallard ducks.

Now the adventure begins as we (Susan & Barry) take a cab to our Ryokan (traditional inn) in the Gion District. The cab driver was not familiar with our address and I had to say it in Japanese. Finally he found the street and actually got out of the cab to direct us. The cabs are so clean and have doily headrests and seat covers. The left rear door opens and closes automatically. You cannot get out on the right side in traffic. The drivers wear suits and some wear white gloves.

So we walk down the street and Barry finds the sign. We are able to leave our overnight bags and take off to have lunch. We ate at a coffee shop where we were the only ones not Japanese. I had a shrimp au gratin which I enjoyed. Looking out the window many women were strolling in kimonos. Traditionally each girl comes of age at 20 and her parents buy her a kimono which costs at least $3000. So I can understand why they want to wear it occasionally. After eating we walked around the small streets while Jeff took a nap lying on the riverbank.

We arrived back at the Gion Hishoyima Ryokan and were shown to our rooms. Of course you take your shoes off and leave them at the door and change into slippers. We were on the second floor and entered into a small hallway where you leave your slippers and walk around in special socks that separate your big toe from the rest of your toes. The sink and shower room are on the right and a western style toilet on the left. The toilet room has another pair of slippers inside and a small sink for washing your hands. The large room had tatami mats covering the floor and a cabinet for our things on one wall. There was a black lacquer low table with two legless chairs. Beyond that was a small veranda with shogi screens and a table with two chairs. Also a small dressing area and this looked out to a garden.
My next section will describe the bath, dinner and tea ceremony.

Judy