February 2012
2 posts
January 2012
1 post
November 2011
1 post
September 2011
2 posts
August 2011
2 posts
June 2011
2 posts
May 2011
1 post
April 2011
1 post
March 2011
1 post
February 2011
2 posts
January 2011
4 posts
December 2010
1 post
January 2010
2 posts
September 2009
7 posts
June 2009
4 posts
Wheels down in Seattle
Ninety minutes left in sabbatical travel ‘09. Five months ago I was writing a similar post on the flight to New Zealand, pondering the trip ahead, excited but also more than a little nervous. Today, with reentry into the USA minutes away, I think back to the question asked of me time and time again, a question that has given me pause. “You must be having the time of your life?”...
Taiwan part 1...
Today marks two weeks in Taiwan. Time does fly when you are having fun. With Aunt Nora from Taiwan and Cousin Bjorn currently in Tapei, Taiwan has long been on my list of countries to visit, making it a great place to wrap up my trip. After visiting six countries and as a result experiencing a little travel fatigue, a person can only absorb so much, I’ve enjoyed a relaxing somewhat...
Japan
I admit it. I’ve been a bad blogger. With each passing day my “update” post becomes more daunting. Before touching on Taiwan, a couple things I missed from my last week in Japan. On the way back down to Tokyo from Hokkaido I spent a couple nights in Fuji-Yoshida, a small town at the base of Mt. Fuji. Given that it was a good month before the start of the Fuji climbing season,...
Goodbye Japan...
The time has come, time to pack my already overweight backpack and leave Japan. I’m finding it a little hard to leave, actually. In the case of New Zealand, my other sabbatical favorite, I was eager to move on to the next country. Japan, on the other hand, there is so much yet to see. I guess I’ll save it for next time. Next time I will study Japanese beforehand, my ten word...
May 2009
10 posts
Hokkaido
Has it really been ten days since I’ve posted an update? Not a case of building suspense, more a matter of limited time and internet access. A ten day rehash may prove a bit tedious and strain my memory, so I’ll focus on the highlights.
My last stop in Honshu was Matsumoto, a small city known for it’s historic wood castle, not far from the begining of the Tateyama Kurobe...
Osaka, Nara, Takayama, and Kamikochi
The night before leaving Kyoto I had dinner with Tomonori, his parents, and his great aunt. We had a big meal of sushi, a tasty tofu dish, Japanese beer, and a special dessert only served on May 5th, Kids Day. More accurately boys day, given they traditionally receive presents on 5/5; girls on 3/3. The evening was topped off by a mini piano recital by Mrs. Shimizu. The whole family was so very...
Kyoto
Where to start? Kyoto was the capital of Japan until 1868, making it in many ways the cultural capital of Japan, complete with 13 UNESCO World Heritage sites. Despite the fact I’ve spent eight days, my feet and daily appetite for temple touring has allowed me to view 7 of the 13, have to save some for next time.
First a little bit about where I’ve been staying. Mr....
April 2009
14 posts
Tokyo - page 2
The rest of the story…
I had the opportunity on Friday to attend a baseball game at the Tokyo Dome, the hometown Yamiuri Giants vs. the Chunichi Dragons. The Tokyo dome reminded me in many ways of the HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis, complete with an inflated roof. It being a Friday night, there was a festive end of week vibe for the 6pm game. I arrived at the park without tickets and was...
Tokyo Part 1
I’ve been having a blast in Tokyo. It’s only been six days, but I’ve
made use of every available minute. Rebuilding the chronology would
prove difficult, instead a list of activities.
Each day has taken roughly the same form. I generally have breakfast with
Mr. Nakagawa, followed by a glass of his favorite beverage, grape juice mixed
with milk, a Japanese take on a...
Rented Mobile
My cell doesn’t work in japan, so I rented one. Testing out blog post from cell, an exercise in patience and spelling. Now I can join the cell phone obsessed Tokyo commuters, staring at my phone. If it works, given slow data entry on keypad, may need to write travel haiku.
Koh Samui, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur
As it turns out my little detour proved to be unnecessary, order has since been restored to Bangkok. Without benefit of a crystal ball or insight into Thai political protestor mentality, better safe than sorry.
My last couple days in Koh Samui were quite relaxed, spent time on the beach and in pursuit of fresh seafood. Before leaving Thailand I was determined to give one local bar munchy food...
Exit Stage Left...
An odd situation, while Bangkok escalates into chaos, people celebrate Thai New Year on Koh Pha Ngan like all is good with the world. While there may be shots fired in the capital, the blasts on this island signal fireworks.
With a return trip to Bangkok planned for Friday and a follow on flight to Tokyo booked for Monday, I’ve been mulling my options. Should I stay or should I go now? ...
Koh Samui
I haven’t checked, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Samui means “land of rain” in Thai. Part of the reason I picked the east coast vs. the west, was due to it being the coast least likely to suffer April rains. By the looks of it, both coasts are getting an early deluge. Oh well.
Thanks to agoda.com, I’ve been staying at a really nice beach side resort. Between...
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is a relaxed town at the foot of the mountains located approximately 125 km south of the Myanmar border. As the second largest city in Thailand it’s population is only 250K, compared to 8M in Bangkok. The result, predictably, is a much more comfortable feel. Chiang Mai has a storied history as a political, religious and cultural hub dating back to the 13th century,...