Monday, August 30, 2004
What-O-Miyaki?
Phill : Whilst in Hiroshima, we were further delighted by the variety and taste of Japanese food. We went to a building full of "mini-restaurants" serving Okonomiyaki, and the local variant Hiroshima-yaki. These are places that share a common building and it's services, and each has an area with a huge metal hot-plate that you sit at. You pick your fillings and toppings, and they cook in front of you a sort of crepe-based-egg-roofed-veg-meat-and-noodle-filled thing. It's kind of hard to describe, but very delicious to eat. So much so, that we went back for more the next day!
We wanted to take a ferry out to see one of Japan's "postcard" sights, a floating temple, but all boats were shut down ready for the oncoming Typhoon. The Southern Island of Kyushu had been hit by Typhoon 17 or 18 this year, killing 5 people and injuring 200 others. Luckily for us, it was heading North, as Kyushu was our next destination. We went to the Peace Park and it's Museum, tried to find a bar recommended in LP (again with no luck, that book's starting to really irritate me), and ended up drinking beers in our hotel room whilst watching Ronin (an American film, set in France about Russians and Irish people) in Japanese!
Apart from that, I got my first batch of photo's put onto a CD and mailed back to the UK (available online very soon). We did this in torrential rain, under a lot of confusion at the post office, which lead to us leaving our LP Japan there, and not discovering that it was missing for a few hours. Whilst one part of me was glad to be rid of the out-of-date thing, we needed it for the less tourist oriented parts of the trip ahead - like the next few days! - so Ren ran back in the morning, and under mixed feelings from me, retrieved it.
We wanted to take a ferry out to see one of Japan's "postcard" sights, a floating temple, but all boats were shut down ready for the oncoming Typhoon. The Southern Island of Kyushu had been hit by Typhoon 17 or 18 this year, killing 5 people and injuring 200 others. Luckily for us, it was heading North, as Kyushu was our next destination. We went to the Peace Park and it's Museum, tried to find a bar recommended in LP (again with no luck, that book's starting to really irritate me), and ended up drinking beers in our hotel room whilst watching Ronin (an American film, set in France about Russians and Irish people) in Japanese!
Apart from that, I got my first batch of photo's put onto a CD and mailed back to the UK (available online very soon). We did this in torrential rain, under a lot of confusion at the post office, which lead to us leaving our LP Japan there, and not discovering that it was missing for a few hours. Whilst one part of me was glad to be rid of the out-of-date thing, we needed it for the less tourist oriented parts of the trip ahead - like the next few days! - so Ren ran back in the morning, and under mixed feelings from me, retrieved it.
Sunday, August 29, 2004
Hiroshima (Phill)
Phill : This topic needs a seperate post on it's own. We spent two days in Hiromshima which we'll talk about in another entry.
When you arrive in this thriving, lively city, it reinforces just how easy it is to never think about what happened here... and then you visit Peace Memorial Park, with it's A-Bomb Dome and Museum. In films a decade or so ago, we often were presented with images of Nuclear destruction (such as in T2), and I think we often find ourselves thinking "Wouldn't it be terrible". It's really shameful to realise that it has happened, and that our countries were responsible. I'm pretty sure that the average British bloke in the pub of around my age has the assumption that "America did it". I also know that many people justify it against the unexpected bombing of Pearl Harbor (putting all conspiracy theories aside). I was shocked at a few letters donated by our Allied governments to the museum - I guess snippets of History were glossed over at school. The decision to bomb was made by the UK as well as USA. Churchill signed that order too, and we helped select the targets. The bombing was made without warning, and against cities that had specifically been designated "no-air raid" zones - so that we could "better measure the effects of the new weapon". I won't turn this into a history lesson for those as uneducated as I was, but the callousness was disgusting. I'm not so naive as to debate on whether the bombing was worth it to end the war, but you can't help but wonder if a pre-warned bombing accompanied by the threat of a following bombing with an unspecified time and date wouldn't have caused Japanese surrender just as quickly?
What is also so humbling, is the fact that the people of Hiroshima never speak of revenge, that they calmly admit that Japan was commiting it's own atrocities, and that the whole slant of the memorials is towards achieving peace. They even constantly refer to the event as the "Disaster", when we all know that it should be called a massacre.
I don't think I will ever forget these facts - that on Aug 6th 1945, at 8:15AM, the first ever atomic bomb was dropped without warning, killing over 200,000 people, with tens of thousands of others still struggling with after-effects and birth defects.
When you arrive in this thriving, lively city, it reinforces just how easy it is to never think about what happened here... and then you visit Peace Memorial Park, with it's A-Bomb Dome and Museum. In films a decade or so ago, we often were presented with images of Nuclear destruction (such as in T2), and I think we often find ourselves thinking "Wouldn't it be terrible". It's really shameful to realise that it has happened, and that our countries were responsible. I'm pretty sure that the average British bloke in the pub of around my age has the assumption that "America did it". I also know that many people justify it against the unexpected bombing of Pearl Harbor (putting all conspiracy theories aside). I was shocked at a few letters donated by our Allied governments to the museum - I guess snippets of History were glossed over at school. The decision to bomb was made by the UK as well as USA. Churchill signed that order too, and we helped select the targets. The bombing was made without warning, and against cities that had specifically been designated "no-air raid" zones - so that we could "better measure the effects of the new weapon". I won't turn this into a history lesson for those as uneducated as I was, but the callousness was disgusting. I'm not so naive as to debate on whether the bombing was worth it to end the war, but you can't help but wonder if a pre-warned bombing accompanied by the threat of a following bombing with an unspecified time and date wouldn't have caused Japanese surrender just as quickly?
What is also so humbling, is the fact that the people of Hiroshima never speak of revenge, that they calmly admit that Japan was commiting it's own atrocities, and that the whole slant of the memorials is towards achieving peace. They even constantly refer to the event as the "Disaster", when we all know that it should be called a massacre.
I don't think I will ever forget these facts - that on Aug 6th 1945, at 8:15AM, the first ever atomic bomb was dropped without warning, killing over 200,000 people, with tens of thousands of others still struggling with after-effects and birth defects.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
No Birds, No Beach, but lots to see
Phill : We're quickly learning that guide-books are no substitute for local info. I know it seems obvious, but when you turn up on the 28th Aug in Hikone for the amusing Birdman Contest "held every last weekend in August", only to find out that Lonely Planet should've printed every last weekend in July, you still get annoyed. Still we got to climb around Hikone Castle, which made up for both the absent Birdmen, and the fact that the "beach" was some grass, then some dirt, then a big lake. Heh heh. Anyway what was really cool, was that coming further from the big cities, we got to see some of Japan's thriving wildlife. There were turtles happily swimming about in the river next to us that ran through the town centre, and part of the castle had a Japanese garden. Even though we only had time to breeze through it, the tranquility is palpable.
Friday, August 27, 2004
Kyoto Visitor's Guide
Phill : This post is named after the excellent, free Kyoto Visitor's Guide (KVG) without which our time in Kyoto would never have been so cool. If you're ever there, and it's still in print, get one! After arriving at "Kyoto Cheapest Inn" (a snip at $62/night!), we quickly headed out, and after realising our chances of getting an English menu nearby were slim, we ate at this little "cafe" where we were never really sure if the oldish-man was opening up or closing-shop. He was so nice, which for the Japanese means he was actually physically running around the place to make sure we were happy. He spoke no English, and we still spoke only a handful of Japanese words, but we had a great time, and were very amused when he drew cute little pictures of what we'd eaten for a language-free receipt. We then headed down crazy dark back-alleys, which feel safer than anywhere else I've been so far in my life to try and find a shrine we'd picked out from the KVG. Thanks to the brilliant KVG map, we found it and got to see a traditional O-bon festival. August is the month that the Japanese believe that dead-spirits wander the Earth, and they hold dances and festivals to help the spirits along their way. Having so many travelling friends and being around so many travellers, there's something really special about being in a place where you're the only Westerners, and also witnessing something that's part of local-life, not a show for the tourists.
Our 2nd day in Kyoto was spent at the nearby Nijo Castle. It's everything you'd expect from a Japanese castle, and you can easily imagine Samurai guards pacing around the wooden veranda. Nightingale Hall with it's deliberately sqeaking floorboards was a testimony to their ingenuity, and I know lots of people back home (like Iain Russell) that should seriosuly come here one day.
That evening, we wandered the impressively huge (10 storey) Kyoto station, then took dinner in a rooftop beer-garden at Kyoto Tower... again, the only Gaijin around.
Our 3rd day in Kyoto, although marred by a rest-preiod brought on by a calf-injury I've aquired, was equally superb. A cosy sake bar for ten, with an English-speaking owner - a man with very fine tastes - was a perfect end to a day. We learned so much about this misunderstood rice-wine, and had an evening of relative luxury tasting many different types of sake, thanks to the money we'd saved elsewhere in our budget. For the n-th time, we almost wished that tipping was a part of the culture here, as the service is constantly outstanding.
Our 2nd day in Kyoto was spent at the nearby Nijo Castle. It's everything you'd expect from a Japanese castle, and you can easily imagine Samurai guards pacing around the wooden veranda. Nightingale Hall with it's deliberately sqeaking floorboards was a testimony to their ingenuity, and I know lots of people back home (like Iain Russell) that should seriosuly come here one day.
That evening, we wandered the impressively huge (10 storey) Kyoto station, then took dinner in a rooftop beer-garden at Kyoto Tower... again, the only Gaijin around.
Our 3rd day in Kyoto, although marred by a rest-preiod brought on by a calf-injury I've aquired, was equally superb. A cosy sake bar for ten, with an English-speaking owner - a man with very fine tastes - was a perfect end to a day. We learned so much about this misunderstood rice-wine, and had an evening of relative luxury tasting many different types of sake, thanks to the money we'd saved elsewhere in our budget. For the n-th time, we almost wished that tipping was a part of the culture here, as the service is constantly outstanding.
Sunday, August 22, 2004
Contrast
Phill : The 21st of August began with a horrible fright for Renee, that later was very funny for me. She woke up, in an understandable panic, because she couldn't focus out of one eye. Having had the laser-treatment before we left, it was a stressful moment, until I realised that I couldn't see out of one-eye either. As many of you may know, after a night of drinking, or even just a bad-night's-sleep, you sometimes get a dry or sticky eye that's a bit blurry until you wake-up properly. I figured that it could be this and told her to go back to sleep for a bit - and yup, it was just that. What was funny to me though, was that because the world always looked that blurred to Ren upon waking, she had never experienced it before!
Anyway, we spent the rest of the day in the Tokyo bay area, crossing the picturesque rainbow bridge to the beach where they have their very own mini-Statue of Liberty! We were going to go to the Fuji TV obsevatory, but something was going on for a TV-show called Adventure Kingdom. Until you've been in a Tokyo fan-frenzy, you have no idea just how out-of-it you can feel. It really was one of those "Lost in Translation" moments, so we just scurried off to the Toyota showroom and the local Amusement Arcade. Well, that didn't help much either. I mean, there are the usual games and stuff that makes sense to us, but the one where you walk on a converyor belt holding a dog-lead, or the endless Pachinko ball-bearing gambling-games that are so undemanding that they have cartoons showing on a background screen just had us speechless.
It's at this point that I must digress into a side-note on Japanese culture. People here are seriously, seriously nice. Their language seems structured to make it difficult not to be polite at all times, and complete strangers regularly ask you if they can help you. Coming from China, we were always looking for the "catch", but here, they're just really genuine. Everything is spotlessly-clean, easy to navigate and they are meticulous in everything they do and make. I could go on forever, but you have to see it for yourself really. Here's the example in hand...
When watching some bizarre game that was a cross between a coin^waterfall, a video-game and some sort of wheel-of-fortune, a Japanese man came and asked us if we wanted his tokens for the game. He and his son were going home, and had no use for them he claimed (although I'm sure he could've swapped them for some sort of prize). After a polite refusal, we graciously accepted a huge trough of tokens, and had a great time trying to figure out how "Fortune Orb" worked. How nice was that!?
Oh, and it's true what they say about Japanese vending machines, they're everwhere, unvandalised, and sell some very interesting items for grown-ups.
Day 3 in Tokyo took us to Harajuku where I wanted to go and see the Coz-Play-Zaku - another thing difficult to describe. In short, bullied teenagers indulge in costume escapism by congregating in one place, dressed in outfits ranging from Gothic-vampires to naughty cartoon nurses. They revel in the attention, and actively participate in posing for the cameras of the large number of tourists and journalists there.
A two minute walk and we were back in the traditional Japan at the beautifully serene Temple in Yoyoggi park. The contrast was sharply palpable, and it's one that seems to run through the whole country and it's people.
A quick visit to Electric Town (Akihabara), the discount electronics district, then onto Asakusa where the glass-of-beer-like Asahi HQ building contrasts the many old-style Japanese shops and restaurants. It was here that we realised that homeless people do actually exist, they just don't beg or bother you, or flock to tourists.
That night we splashed-out and ate Sukiyaki - a meal that you kind of cook for yourself at the table - Oishii Des! (Delicious!)
Anyway, we spent the rest of the day in the Tokyo bay area, crossing the picturesque rainbow bridge to the beach where they have their very own mini-Statue of Liberty! We were going to go to the Fuji TV obsevatory, but something was going on for a TV-show called Adventure Kingdom. Until you've been in a Tokyo fan-frenzy, you have no idea just how out-of-it you can feel. It really was one of those "Lost in Translation" moments, so we just scurried off to the Toyota showroom and the local Amusement Arcade. Well, that didn't help much either. I mean, there are the usual games and stuff that makes sense to us, but the one where you walk on a converyor belt holding a dog-lead, or the endless Pachinko ball-bearing gambling-games that are so undemanding that they have cartoons showing on a background screen just had us speechless.
It's at this point that I must digress into a side-note on Japanese culture. People here are seriously, seriously nice. Their language seems structured to make it difficult not to be polite at all times, and complete strangers regularly ask you if they can help you. Coming from China, we were always looking for the "catch", but here, they're just really genuine. Everything is spotlessly-clean, easy to navigate and they are meticulous in everything they do and make. I could go on forever, but you have to see it for yourself really. Here's the example in hand...
When watching some bizarre game that was a cross between a coin^waterfall, a video-game and some sort of wheel-of-fortune, a Japanese man came and asked us if we wanted his tokens for the game. He and his son were going home, and had no use for them he claimed (although I'm sure he could've swapped them for some sort of prize). After a polite refusal, we graciously accepted a huge trough of tokens, and had a great time trying to figure out how "Fortune Orb" worked. How nice was that!?
Oh, and it's true what they say about Japanese vending machines, they're everwhere, unvandalised, and sell some very interesting items for grown-ups.
Day 3 in Tokyo took us to Harajuku where I wanted to go and see the Coz-Play-Zaku - another thing difficult to describe. In short, bullied teenagers indulge in costume escapism by congregating in one place, dressed in outfits ranging from Gothic-vampires to naughty cartoon nurses. They revel in the attention, and actively participate in posing for the cameras of the large number of tourists and journalists there.
A two minute walk and we were back in the traditional Japan at the beautifully serene Temple in Yoyoggi park. The contrast was sharply palpable, and it's one that seems to run through the whole country and it's people.
A quick visit to Electric Town (Akihabara), the discount electronics district, then onto Asakusa where the glass-of-beer-like Asahi HQ building contrasts the many old-style Japanese shops and restaurants. It was here that we realised that homeless people do actually exist, they just don't beg or bother you, or flock to tourists.
That night we splashed-out and ate Sukiyaki - a meal that you kind of cook for yourself at the table - Oishii Des! (Delicious!)
Saturday, August 21, 2004
The Land of the Very Hot Rising Sun
Phill : We didn't really have specific plans for Tokyo, so we just kinda started working our-way around the rail-line that circles the inner city, starting with Shibuya. This place is the haert of youth-culture in Japan, and is certainly a place to see their eccentricities. The place is simply full of idols! Cartoon characters grace as many shops and adverts as they are attached to people's phones and clothes. It's a great place for just wandering around and feeling that great difference between our nations. We grabbed bento (lunch boxes) with some of the finest sushi I've ever eaten, especially for just 5 dollars, and ate it in one of the many parks around the city.
If we'd thought it was hot when we left the hotel, where I'd actually physically staggered when the humidity hit me, then 12 noon was going to show me just how hot it really gets here. I suppose it's the humidity, but something just makes it feel so much hotter here. At the time of writing, I've actually followed the local example, and taken to carrying a bandana around, just for wiping my brow!
We later went to Shinjuku, considered by some to be the current heart of Tokyo, which I've learnt depends on what you're into. We spent a little time getting lost in it's overwhelmingly neon-lit streets, before we came across a weird underground street to the Metropolitan Government Office. This incredible twin-towered building has free observatories on the top floor from which you can truly appreciate the size and denstity of the city, with it's 12 million residents (in the inner city alone)!
That evening we met up with a University friend of Ren's, a Canadian called Jeff. He very kindly took us out for drinks in Roppongi (Gaijin-town), with drinks sitting around $10 a pop, plus cover charge plus a taxi home you quickly realise that Tokyo really is the most expensive city in the world. Coming from London, I hope you all realise just how scary that is!
If we'd thought it was hot when we left the hotel, where I'd actually physically staggered when the humidity hit me, then 12 noon was going to show me just how hot it really gets here. I suppose it's the humidity, but something just makes it feel so much hotter here. At the time of writing, I've actually followed the local example, and taken to carrying a bandana around, just for wiping my brow!
We later went to Shinjuku, considered by some to be the current heart of Tokyo, which I've learnt depends on what you're into. We spent a little time getting lost in it's overwhelmingly neon-lit streets, before we came across a weird underground street to the Metropolitan Government Office. This incredible twin-towered building has free observatories on the top floor from which you can truly appreciate the size and denstity of the city, with it's 12 million residents (in the inner city alone)!
That evening we met up with a University friend of Ren's, a Canadian called Jeff. He very kindly took us out for drinks in Roppongi (Gaijin-town), with drinks sitting around $10 a pop, plus cover charge plus a taxi home you quickly realise that Tokyo really is the most expensive city in the world. Coming from London, I hope you all realise just how scary that is!
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Pictures from before we left
There are some pictures from the USA from before we set off on the trip, one general set from Detroit and Tennessee (and a few from Wales):
USA
The others are by the Twins from our day at Cedar Point:
Cedar Point
USA
The others are by the Twins from our day at Cedar Point:
Cedar Point
A Day Out With Bob
Tuesday I felt well enough to leave the hotel for a bit, so we headed off to the Temple of Heaven. This is a lovely series of buildings in a park right in the middle of Beijing, where the Emperors used to come and worship Heaven. It was a fantastic relief from the hussle and bussle of the city... it was immaculately kept, and apart from the occasional tour group, it was mostly quiet and peaceful. We just found our own way around, rather than take an audio tour - although we just remembered to tell you that if you`re ever in the Forbidden City, take the audio tour... it`s by Roger Moore and strangely amusing!
Another evening bed-ridden, and then up early for our postponed trip to the Great Wall. To cut a long story short, and it was in no way our fault, after 3 hours on a bus - we realised we had been put on the wrong one. We ended up at Simatai instead of Badaling, and despite causing a fair bit of confusion with numbers at various points we really did get lucky. Simatai was breathtaking. It`s a section of the Wall that hasn`t undergone the Tourist Restoration, like the sections that we`re all used to seeing in pictures. For the young and healthy (ish) it involves a 3+ hour hike up sections that get to about 70 degrees steep at points, including 1.5 metre wide sections with a 500m drop on either side (and no handrail or parapets). You can see for MILES up there and we can`t wait to upload some photo`s. There was only one thing that spoilt it, and that was Bob.
Even at this sparsely "populated" section, there are people selling tourist tat... but these ones have a captive audience... and they know where you`re going! Yup, you basically get one per group, and they follow you all the way up the wall trying to get you to buy books, hats, "I climbed the wall" T-shirts, etc. After a while, they stop talking, and just follow you hoping that you`ll give them money to go away (I think). You get tempted, as it kind of spoils "the moment" a little, but then good old stubbornness kicks back in. Now those of you that have seen "The Last Samurai" might be familiar with Bob - the guard that silently follows Tom Cruise everywhere. We had our Bob. We even adapted the movie-dialogue from that section ("So, is there a Mr Bob? Because you know, you`re a good-looking woman") - well, it kept us from pushing her off!
She gave up when we got to the steepest bit - or maybe it was when I rather assertively told her that "I will never buy a book from you". Perhaps a little too strong, especially coupled with the unversal sweeping hand-gesture for "never"... I can still hear her timidly saying "postcards?" as we climbed on up, alone at last.
Another evening bed-ridden, and then up early for our postponed trip to the Great Wall. To cut a long story short, and it was in no way our fault, after 3 hours on a bus - we realised we had been put on the wrong one. We ended up at Simatai instead of Badaling, and despite causing a fair bit of confusion with numbers at various points we really did get lucky. Simatai was breathtaking. It`s a section of the Wall that hasn`t undergone the Tourist Restoration, like the sections that we`re all used to seeing in pictures. For the young and healthy (ish) it involves a 3+ hour hike up sections that get to about 70 degrees steep at points, including 1.5 metre wide sections with a 500m drop on either side (and no handrail or parapets). You can see for MILES up there and we can`t wait to upload some photo`s. There was only one thing that spoilt it, and that was Bob.
Even at this sparsely "populated" section, there are people selling tourist tat... but these ones have a captive audience... and they know where you`re going! Yup, you basically get one per group, and they follow you all the way up the wall trying to get you to buy books, hats, "I climbed the wall" T-shirts, etc. After a while, they stop talking, and just follow you hoping that you`ll give them money to go away (I think). You get tempted, as it kind of spoils "the moment" a little, but then good old stubbornness kicks back in. Now those of you that have seen "The Last Samurai" might be familiar with Bob - the guard that silently follows Tom Cruise everywhere. We had our Bob. We even adapted the movie-dialogue from that section ("So, is there a Mr Bob? Because you know, you`re a good-looking woman") - well, it kept us from pushing her off!
She gave up when we got to the steepest bit - or maybe it was when I rather assertively told her that "I will never buy a book from you". Perhaps a little too strong, especially coupled with the unversal sweeping hand-gesture for "never"... I can still hear her timidly saying "postcards?" as we climbed on up, alone at last.
Monday, August 16, 2004
The Inevitable Illness
Saturday night and Sunday consisted of a few things gone wrong - although the more we travel, the more we realise that it mainly consists of things going wrong until you develop this strangely warped sense of humour about it all. Saturday night we wandered around trying to find a restaurant highly recommended by Lonely Planet (LP from now on) called "Old Beijing Noodle King". We have been doing a lot of walking, as neither of us mind, but after two hours not finding this place, we gave up and ate somewhere else. Sunday morning we bump into the only people in the world that we know in China, as Pieter and Barbara (from the Trans-Sib) turn up in our hotel foyer as theirs was dirty and unhelpful - how strange! We ran off fairly quickly though to book our trp to the Great Wall at Badaling for Monday, and then to a Hotel just around the corner, which LP said had a Kung Fu show at lunchtime - they haven`t had that show for over a year!
So, we headed off to an internet cafe to update the blog, and a pretty uninteresting day... well it was fun to go to a Chinese mall, but it doesn`t make interesting reading. So, in a spooky coincidence, P&B had eaten the night before at Old Noodle King, and it was so good that they offered to share a cab and show us where it was. You can imagine our irritation when it turned out to be the biggest and brightest restaurant that we walked straight past during our 2 hour hunt for it. Thank you LP for not telling us that "you can`t miss it", or "it`s the GLOWING BRIGHT building on the corner of streets x and y" or even just mentioning that the name is written in Kanji, so it`s not called "Old Beijing Noodle King" at all! Grrrrrrr! Anyway, we had a fantastic time there, they announce you as you enter, and the waiters shout welcome and for you to come to their section. Suberb service, cheap food and great with it.
I`d already been a little ill before Noodle King, so I was glad when I came down with a common travelling ailment the next day that I couldn`t hold Noodle King to blame - it would`ve spoilt the memory... although the spicy peanuts might:ve been a mistake anyway. :-O
A day spent in bed with Renee forcing me to eat soup, and take my medicine. Although I was grateful for the result, it was with a wry smile that I thanked P&B for the Apricot flavoured rehydrating salts, and the charcoal tablets (you read that correctly!) that they kindly donated.
That night our Dutch friends came back from their trip to the Wall at Simatai - a trip that took about 7 hours (double) - because the ancient bus they provided broke down so many times. The driver eventually flagged down other tour buses on the Expressway and "hitched" them lifts!!! We had delayed our trip until I was better, and so we hoped we would not have the same problems... little did we know what lay ahead.
So, we headed off to an internet cafe to update the blog, and a pretty uninteresting day... well it was fun to go to a Chinese mall, but it doesn`t make interesting reading. So, in a spooky coincidence, P&B had eaten the night before at Old Noodle King, and it was so good that they offered to share a cab and show us where it was. You can imagine our irritation when it turned out to be the biggest and brightest restaurant that we walked straight past during our 2 hour hunt for it. Thank you LP for not telling us that "you can`t miss it", or "it`s the GLOWING BRIGHT building on the corner of streets x and y" or even just mentioning that the name is written in Kanji, so it`s not called "Old Beijing Noodle King" at all! Grrrrrrr! Anyway, we had a fantastic time there, they announce you as you enter, and the waiters shout welcome and for you to come to their section. Suberb service, cheap food and great with it.
I`d already been a little ill before Noodle King, so I was glad when I came down with a common travelling ailment the next day that I couldn`t hold Noodle King to blame - it would`ve spoilt the memory... although the spicy peanuts might:ve been a mistake anyway. :-O
A day spent in bed with Renee forcing me to eat soup, and take my medicine. Although I was grateful for the result, it was with a wry smile that I thanked P&B for the Apricot flavoured rehydrating salts, and the charcoal tablets (you read that correctly!) that they kindly donated.
That night our Dutch friends came back from their trip to the Wall at Simatai - a trip that took about 7 hours (double) - because the ancient bus they provided broke down so many times. The driver eventually flagged down other tour buses on the Expressway and "hitched" them lifts!!! We had delayed our trip until I was better, and so we hoped we would not have the same problems... little did we know what lay ahead.
Saturday, August 14, 2004
Beijing Duck
The difference in China also extended to the train. The new restaurant was packed, and everybody (even the Russians!) seemed livelier. Thanks to the new time zone, we arrived in Beijing (formerly Peking) after just 2 hours sleep.
Even at 5:20am, the station is surrounded by touts for hotels, cabs, and so on. We're finally getting into this budget thing though, and head straight for the Metro. A complicated affair, with 3 whole lines, we managed to get straight to our stop, then found that no-one (even a hotel about 2 blocks away) had heard of the address of our hostel. Our Lonely Planet map was rubbish, and we gave up and took a cab once we got thoroughly lost after 2 hours walking with our packs. Two dollars and 10 minutes later we get to the rather extravagant looking Far East Hotel, which whilst being in a slum, is really quite nice. Mind you, it'd be hard to find anywhere in Beijing that isn't slum-like.
They very kindly let us put our bags in our room, even though it wasn't "ready", so that we could go out and wander the city. We took in the main sights of Beijing - Mao's Mauseleum, Tiannemen Square and The Forbidden City - all interesting, and some breath-taking. As we are staying down a hutong, we didn't really feel the need to pay for a tour of one, and have wandered the many narrow alleyways in our locale, where the Chinese sit by the light of advertising boards and play mah-jong and cards into the night.
A warning to travellers - "no" here, doesn't mean "no". It seems to mean, "yes please, if you lower the price". If you really want something, I suggest walking past whilst saying "No, I really don't want that" and laughing each time they drop the price. Then, when they get to 1/4 of the first price, turn around and take it!
Sunburn from the intense sunshine, duck for dinner, and nice, cold, cheap beer.
Even at 5:20am, the station is surrounded by touts for hotels, cabs, and so on. We're finally getting into this budget thing though, and head straight for the Metro. A complicated affair, with 3 whole lines, we managed to get straight to our stop, then found that no-one (even a hotel about 2 blocks away) had heard of the address of our hostel. Our Lonely Planet map was rubbish, and we gave up and took a cab once we got thoroughly lost after 2 hours walking with our packs. Two dollars and 10 minutes later we get to the rather extravagant looking Far East Hotel, which whilst being in a slum, is really quite nice. Mind you, it'd be hard to find anywhere in Beijing that isn't slum-like.
They very kindly let us put our bags in our room, even though it wasn't "ready", so that we could go out and wander the city. We took in the main sights of Beijing - Mao's Mauseleum, Tiannemen Square and The Forbidden City - all interesting, and some breath-taking. As we are staying down a hutong, we didn't really feel the need to pay for a tour of one, and have wandered the many narrow alleyways in our locale, where the Chinese sit by the light of advertising boards and play mah-jong and cards into the night.
A warning to travellers - "no" here, doesn't mean "no". It seems to mean, "yes please, if you lower the price". If you really want something, I suggest walking past whilst saying "No, I really don't want that" and laughing each time they drop the price. Then, when they get to 1/4 of the first price, turn around and take it!
Sunburn from the intense sunshine, duck for dinner, and nice, cold, cheap beer.
Thursday, August 12, 2004
Bored at the Borders
We had our last meal in the Pectopah (Russian for Restaurant), and obtained proof of the Russian disposition by taking a photo with our waitress for the last week. Even with a camera pointed at her, no smile. Just about everyone agrees, Moscow girls, are slim, tall and beautiful - but someone suggested they must have some problem with their facial muscles.
The border was a real experience. It took 6 hours on the Russian side, with endless passport/visa checks, bag searches, cabin searches, declaration forms, etc, etc. They were none too friendly about it either. Then we had to wait while the trains enormous Russian wheels were changed for little Chinese ones. As a Western Capitalist Pig, I was stunned to find that no-one had opened a restaurant/shop/bar in one of the many buildings nearby - they would make a fortune. It seems that Russia becoming Democratic doesn't change generations of non-enterprising people. Perhaps a little harsh of me, but we were hungry and thirsty and there for some time. We managed to change our Rubles to Yuan, which was a relief, as we had loads left and proceeded by train, 12km across a no-man's-land to Chinese customs.
Wow, what a difference. They might as well have had a sign saying "Look how much better we are than them". The station, landscape and people all seem to make a special effort and create a huge contrast. The passport officials laughing and smiling, no bag-searches, etc. Also, despite still being rigidly communist, the people are completely enterprising here. You can't move for someone trying to sell you something - from the minute we crossed the border.
Incidentally, that's where we learned our first lesson in haggling - where we paid 3 times the going price for something!
The scenery changes almost instantly, to inhabited wetlands, all very much tamed and cared for.
It is now that we discover that throughout the trip, Pieter and Barbara (our Dutch pals) have been nicknaming the Chinese people. I hope to publish this list at some point, but to give you an idea, we were quite annoyed and amused when "Fat-ass Chinese" moved to standing with his backside facing our cabin, and "Kaka Chinois" beat me to the toilet at 2am - again! I guess you had to be there. ;-)
The border was a real experience. It took 6 hours on the Russian side, with endless passport/visa checks, bag searches, cabin searches, declaration forms, etc, etc. They were none too friendly about it either. Then we had to wait while the trains enormous Russian wheels were changed for little Chinese ones. As a Western Capitalist Pig, I was stunned to find that no-one had opened a restaurant/shop/bar in one of the many buildings nearby - they would make a fortune. It seems that Russia becoming Democratic doesn't change generations of non-enterprising people. Perhaps a little harsh of me, but we were hungry and thirsty and there for some time. We managed to change our Rubles to Yuan, which was a relief, as we had loads left and proceeded by train, 12km across a no-man's-land to Chinese customs.
Wow, what a difference. They might as well have had a sign saying "Look how much better we are than them". The station, landscape and people all seem to make a special effort and create a huge contrast. The passport officials laughing and smiling, no bag-searches, etc. Also, despite still being rigidly communist, the people are completely enterprising here. You can't move for someone trying to sell you something - from the minute we crossed the border.
Incidentally, that's where we learned our first lesson in haggling - where we paid 3 times the going price for something!
The scenery changes almost instantly, to inhabited wetlands, all very much tamed and cared for.
It is now that we discover that throughout the trip, Pieter and Barbara (our Dutch pals) have been nicknaming the Chinese people. I hope to publish this list at some point, but to give you an idea, we were quite annoyed and amused when "Fat-ass Chinese" moved to standing with his backside facing our cabin, and "Kaka Chinois" beat me to the toilet at 2am - again! I guess you had to be there. ;-)
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
And here come the Belgians!!!
We had discovered the night before, that a pair of Belgians took a Vodka apperetif at noon every day. They invited us along... so "when in Rome"...
Oh my god! Eight of us cramped into a 4-bed cabin, 3 Belgians, 2 Dutch, 1 American, Scot, and Taff. We didn't just have an apperetif - we got paralytic! In just a few hours, Comrade Bernard (excuse the English spelling) was toasting all the Communist leaders throughout history... before he prompty passed out into an irreversible coma. The rest of us who "weren't so bad" - realised that we couldn't walk when we tried to return back to our cabin, and then also all, yes ALL promptly passed out. Some made it to dinner (but too late for food, damn that Moscow time thing!), some slept in corridors, others (me) woke up after 8 hours sleep at 3am, and then couldn't get back to sleep because it's really +5 hours local time and the sun is streaming in through the window!
Still, despite Ren making use of another Lufthansa sick-bag we got to see Lake Baikal, the most fantastic scenery of the whole trip - one quarter of the whole Earth's fresh-water.
Dinner, Hair-of-the-Dog, bed!
Oh my god! Eight of us cramped into a 4-bed cabin, 3 Belgians, 2 Dutch, 1 American, Scot, and Taff. We didn't just have an apperetif - we got paralytic! In just a few hours, Comrade Bernard (excuse the English spelling) was toasting all the Communist leaders throughout history... before he prompty passed out into an irreversible coma. The rest of us who "weren't so bad" - realised that we couldn't walk when we tried to return back to our cabin, and then also all, yes ALL promptly passed out. Some made it to dinner (but too late for food, damn that Moscow time thing!), some slept in corridors, others (me) woke up after 8 hours sleep at 3am, and then couldn't get back to sleep because it's really +5 hours local time and the sun is streaming in through the window!
Still, despite Ren making use of another Lufthansa sick-bag we got to see Lake Baikal, the most fantastic scenery of the whole trip - one quarter of the whole Earth's fresh-water.
Dinner, Hair-of-the-Dog, bed!
Monday, August 09, 2004
Cabin Fever
The train was in many ways much better than expected. The toilet was always clean, even if dumping the waste down an angled chute onto the tracks meant that some smells lingered on. The cabins were clean, fairly comfy and spacious. After eating in the strangely deserted restaurant car, and buying instant noodles from various station vendors along the way, we quickly realised that we had far too many rubles on us. With the strange leftover communists laws (like not taking any currency out of the country, and having to declare every "dollar" of foreign currency brought in and out) we weren't sure if we would get the chance to change it to something else. So we started stocking up on foods, and splashing out on the beers at dinner. When a bottle of beer is about a dollar though, it's tough!
As time went on - Moscow time that is, because despite having 7 time zones, all trains and trains stations in Russia stay on Moscow time!!! - we got talking to a lovely Dutch couple. Isn't that veird!? (couldn't resist that joke) At last we had someone that we could communicate with, which made the trip a lot more enjoyable.
The journey is a strange mix - you get to see so much contrast between fantastic marble stations one night, and people living in shanty towns the next. The countryside changes so slowly, from silver-birch forests, to rolling hills, to flat plains, to steppes, to lakes. It truly is a vast open space, with few signs of human habitation.
On the 9th we were introduced to what happens when you don't get back on the train in time... it just leaves without you! Sure, they keep the doors open, but you have to run and leap on, dragging small children with you! It was a real bonding moment for all the passengers as everyone that ran for it (50+) had a great laugh about it... afterwards!
As time went on - Moscow time that is, because despite having 7 time zones, all trains and trains stations in Russia stay on Moscow time!!! - we got talking to a lovely Dutch couple. Isn't that veird!? (couldn't resist that joke) At last we had someone that we could communicate with, which made the trip a lot more enjoyable.
The journey is a strange mix - you get to see so much contrast between fantastic marble stations one night, and people living in shanty towns the next. The countryside changes so slowly, from silver-birch forests, to rolling hills, to flat plains, to steppes, to lakes. It truly is a vast open space, with few signs of human habitation.
On the 9th we were introduced to what happens when you don't get back on the train in time... it just leaves without you! Sure, they keep the doors open, but you have to run and leap on, dragging small children with you! It was a real bonding moment for all the passengers as everyone that ran for it (50+) had a great laugh about it... afterwards!
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Mockba
Thanks to all for coming to see us off at the airport, it was really lovely. Well... after the longest check-in line in the world, we got on our Lufthansa flight to Moscow via Frankfurt. I think somebody drank a little too much of the wine last night, because within seconds of take off, Ren was happily talking into her sick bag - fantastic start! Arriving in Moscow we took the easy way out and got a cab to our hotel - which is a good thing, because even with a copy of the Cyrillic alphabet, there is NO WAY we could've managed the buses and Metro system on that first day. Still, our accom was already paid for here, so technically, it's outside of our budget. ;-)
First impressions of Russia, were also our lasting ones - unfriendliness. You feel bad saying it, but it's true. The people here just simply don't want to help... or smile... ever! Even people to whom you are giving money for something, just aren't bothered. I guess they must think us to be smiling idiots!
So after a taxi ride (during which the first song on the radio was "Rah-rah-Rasputin" - hee hee) we arrived at hotel Rossiya - the biggest, and ugliest, in Russia (a guide told us that it used to be "in the world"). There, the staff are... yup... equally unfriendly. They send us to a room on the 5th floor, which doesn't exist - the lift wont stop there, and the doors from the staircase are locked and chained and bolted! When we explain this to them, they simply wander off. The next receptionist actually tried to give us directions, and was rather annoyed when we followed them, and still couldn't find it. Just about when Ren was about to dive over the counter and throttle her, she finally gave us one of the many diagrams of the hotel that they have behind the counter, and show us that we're in a different wing - THANK YOU!!!
Walking around showed us that Moscow is not designed for English-speaking tourists, so we at dinner in an empty restaurant, then went to bed.
The next day was much better. After a bit of wandering to get our bearings, we were overwhelmed with the sheer scale of things here. The buidings are simply HUGE and our hotel was opposite the Kremlin. We took a general tour of the city, which was amazing - and gave us a real insight into how politics and architecture (of all things) are inseperable in Russia. Highlights included Red Square, St Basil's Cathederal, Bolshoi Theatre, and the Seven Sisters.
Our second day in Russia was dominated by the fact that our train tickets were not at reception as the tour operator claimed they would be. You can imagine the help we received at reception! It got so bad, that we gave up and went on a tour of the Kremlin and the Armoury Museum, then came back to sort it out. Three different reception desks and a lot of false leads later, one of them was helpful enough to let us use a phone to call our tour operator. We arranged to meet them, and pick up the tickets that they still had (?) later that day. So, after mastering the Metro, we went to the local lunatic asylum (otherwise known as Yaroslevsky Station), where we finally got our train.
First impressions of Russia, were also our lasting ones - unfriendliness. You feel bad saying it, but it's true. The people here just simply don't want to help... or smile... ever! Even people to whom you are giving money for something, just aren't bothered. I guess they must think us to be smiling idiots!
So after a taxi ride (during which the first song on the radio was "Rah-rah-Rasputin" - hee hee) we arrived at hotel Rossiya - the biggest, and ugliest, in Russia (a guide told us that it used to be "in the world"). There, the staff are... yup... equally unfriendly. They send us to a room on the 5th floor, which doesn't exist - the lift wont stop there, and the doors from the staircase are locked and chained and bolted! When we explain this to them, they simply wander off. The next receptionist actually tried to give us directions, and was rather annoyed when we followed them, and still couldn't find it. Just about when Ren was about to dive over the counter and throttle her, she finally gave us one of the many diagrams of the hotel that they have behind the counter, and show us that we're in a different wing - THANK YOU!!!
Walking around showed us that Moscow is not designed for English-speaking tourists, so we at dinner in an empty restaurant, then went to bed.
The next day was much better. After a bit of wandering to get our bearings, we were overwhelmed with the sheer scale of things here. The buidings are simply HUGE and our hotel was opposite the Kremlin. We took a general tour of the city, which was amazing - and gave us a real insight into how politics and architecture (of all things) are inseperable in Russia. Highlights included Red Square, St Basil's Cathederal, Bolshoi Theatre, and the Seven Sisters.
Our second day in Russia was dominated by the fact that our train tickets were not at reception as the tour operator claimed they would be. You can imagine the help we received at reception! It got so bad, that we gave up and went on a tour of the Kremlin and the Armoury Museum, then came back to sort it out. Three different reception desks and a lot of false leads later, one of them was helpful enough to let us use a phone to call our tour operator. We arranged to meet them, and pick up the tickets that they still had (?) later that day. So, after mastering the Metro, we went to the local lunatic asylum (otherwise known as Yaroslevsky Station), where we finally got our train.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
London for the last time
After scrounging lifts from Wales to Rich O's in Kingston, and then from there to Mayfield Lodge, we got to hang out and do some more sorting. A quiet night in for a change, which was cool. Wow, what a difference having a woman in the house makes - Ben must be delighted at the increase in overall tidiness. Tuesday (03/08) was anything but quiet! Both Ren and I ran around like headless chickens for the day sorting out everything from Mortgages and Sim cards, to immunisations and shopping. Once finished though, we managed to stop by Leicester Sq for some impromptu drinks. To those of you that sent apologies for not making it - don't worry about it, it was pretty spontaneous. The night ended with a really lovely walk home over Waterloo Bridge, where we got to admire the lights and sights of the City one last time.
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Back in Blighty
Cedar Point really is extreme! The Top Thrill Dragster completely pushes the limits of what we can currently acheive so much so that it breaks down on a very frequent basis. Luckily for us though, just like last year, we managed to get on before it stopped running. Go there, ride it, it's superb!
When Rich, Steve & Paul arrived they were pretty exhausted and weren't up for anything at the end of their 21 hour journey - so we decided to stay at Ren's folks for an extra day. In order to cram in as much as possible, we ate a huge "Mediterranean" lunch, tourned the Family Business, and drank beers in the hot-tub. In the evening we squeezed good food, good rock/metal music, good drinks-service and exotic dancing - all into one venue!
The next two days we spent fairly laid back in Wisconsin, partly because of the 8 hour road-trip, partly because of a group-hangover, and partly because poor Steve spent half the day puking from the previous night's excess. ;-)
Good food, great Martinis (American-speak for short Cocktails), and great company. Now back in Wales, saying goodbye to my folks, and exchanging suitcases for rucksacks. My Mam managed to do her usual wonderful trick of preparing enough food to feed 500, which made it even nicer to get to see them before we left.
When Rich, Steve & Paul arrived they were pretty exhausted and weren't up for anything at the end of their 21 hour journey - so we decided to stay at Ren's folks for an extra day. In order to cram in as much as possible, we ate a huge "Mediterranean" lunch, tourned the Family Business, and drank beers in the hot-tub. In the evening we squeezed good food, good rock/metal music, good drinks-service and exotic dancing - all into one venue!
The next two days we spent fairly laid back in Wisconsin, partly because of the 8 hour road-trip, partly because of a group-hangover, and partly because poor Steve spent half the day puking from the previous night's excess. ;-)
Good food, great Martinis (American-speak for short Cocktails), and great company. Now back in Wales, saying goodbye to my folks, and exchanging suitcases for rucksacks. My Mam managed to do her usual wonderful trick of preparing enough food to feed 500, which made it even nicer to get to see them before we left.
