Dateline: 2016 June 5th Osaka, Kyoto, Japan, Hong Kong
A new culture, not Probiotic, and home
Our quick in
tro to Japan
The last one was of a journey back to the familiar, this is a trip of exploration
Its 21st: we say our
goodbyes and train into Sydney airport for our CP Overnight to HK, still
consider our upgrade from cattle class to be semi luxury a good deal,
not much sleep this time though.
Arriving in HK @ 5:10am, local
and so dead we can't find any immigration desk that's open any time
soon, but eventually transit through and circle over to check in at
China Eastern. Pretty rinky dink outfit, slumming in economy this time.
Another tough time at HK airport for the missus catching up on kipping.
After another two 2 hour flights, one in which we think the missus got
next seasons flu, with the delights of Chinese on board food, hmmm, at
least its not con-gee.
This trip to Osaka is via Shanghai airport. Supposedly modern, but definitely concepts of the 60s or even before, and shades of Mao lurking in the arrivals check in. No scanner for transit boarding pass, just a sheet of paper, and a pencil, no abacus though..
Its
not just the passenger set up that's chaos. Boxes of stock for the duty
frees are all over the terminal floor being hand counted, there are
several flight announcements given by ladies using a loudhailer. Yes,
really. The waste bins double as spittoons, or is it the spittoons
double as waste bins?
More
importantly, we did in fact need to know how Japanese public transit
and features works. Here, at each station, there are underground exits
in the endless passages, numbers from 1 to maybe 30 or more on big
signs, find the number and easy. Come out and you're home, literally. We
were. It's simple when you know what you have to do
The
battles for Shogunate's title in the 1603 final war is all documented
in folding screens of incredible detail: Thousands of fighters and
flighters. describing battles, commanders, individually recognisable.
Lots of heads (graphic details here) taken, followed by an incredible
rout, the ensuing mass rape and pillage: it's well worth the effort, the
research that is. I almost expect the description on the cards to read
Tokugawa Ieyasu ("Toranaga") and Hideyoshi ("Ishido")
On the way back to the
pad, we decided to go across the street, so we head down where a sign
points to the subway. What a total surprise!
Now we know why so few people are around. Beneath the road, and, here, between stations, in fact as it turned out, also in lots of places, there's huge subterranean areas and walkways, some like this one, running between stations, massive subterranean shopping areas, almost small cities this one running at least 400 metres, 2 - 4 shops wide, all under a 3 lane road.
We''ve done about 4 hours of walking, about 9kms, not bad for new knees I think, so thankfully collapse
More
great city planning? On the pavements there are yellow tiles,
everywhere. They have different profiles meaning different things for
the white stick tappers brigade. They branch off to buildings and
special places like subway and toilets. Smart eh?
Getting
around on public transit is so simple, effective and cheap. Not just
logical, almost intuitive. Here, buses, trains, everything electronic,
tickets, entrances, busses. Ticket machines with fairly simple
instructions, often in English too. For buses, you get on in the middle,
out at the front, pay on leaving with card, ticket or cash; fixed
amount at about $2.75.
I think of the piece of paper for a transfer on TTC, that's still the standard after 50+ years.
Our ever thoughtful Airbnb host has reminded us several times that check out is by 10am, so off to Kyoto, sorta early
Google maps (I think I've bored you lot with details before) telling us how easy it is, can't believe it. Its about 80km, and costs about $7. OK, we board subway, out, cross platform to train, 5 stops, trek around building, and in our place by 11:15, less than 2 hours start to finish
Simple or what? AND! You can do this every 20 minutes, now imagine that every train is packed . Such is transit here. As advised, super impressed with new high tech transit app.
In
the actual palace, there's audience rooms for diplomats, courtiers,
family as the rooms get smaller toward the back. Screens of animals,
pines, seasons. very artsy, and rather austere
All the floors passages are "nightingale" construction, floors that squeak when anyone walks on them, including ninja's I guess
Beautiful Japanese gardens which you can only look at, but lots of crowds and no seating except for rocks. The gardens are very well designed and there's a board displaying which flowers and shrubs bloom at which time of the year.
For some reason, we miss out on restaurant in our meanderings, again, so we get takeout from department store. At least I can just point. An interesting selection
Dump luggage, squat for green tea on tatamis mats (and successfully get up off the floor after), and book up our bath (as in Ryokan)
No,
the missus couldn't bend her knees to get out, so don't get in. In all,
a slightly more sophisticated tubful than what I used to have back in
my council house days. Glad Kayla recommended all of this, it's all such
a new experience
To Shanghai, and finally, our last redoubt before Toronto, Hong Kong.
In the coffee shop, I asked for the wifi login, "login through your Facebook account" he tells me. He looks at me as some penniless wretch when I tell him I don't have one
A new culture, not Probiotic, and home
Our quick in
tro to Japan
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| Ryokan, down town Kyoto. Fantastically central so great for touring and especially great Sushi Pretty downmarket bathhouse and getting up off of the floor was almost impossible Up market next time maybe..... |
In
which I accept that I've grown too old for the rigours of my hard
traveling backpack enabled days, and accept, sort of, that I'm more
suited to easier travel pursuits in less demanding locales. This being
written in a coffee shop in Hong Kong, which is hard work in which to be
a tourist.
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| Even with premium economy it don't come easy anymore HK airport, very early local time |
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| Hey folks. It's NOT easy finding your Airbnb in Japan. Everything is totally alien, and nobody speaks English here. Our 36th floor apartment |
An Aide Memoire: aka, god! I do ramble on here. Only the brave or very bored venture further!!
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| Bicycles and lots of racks everywhere |
So,
we are leaving Oz. I must admit I prefer the challenges of the outback,
but we had to finish off Taz before we repeat our travels from our
glory days in 2010 and head back to the wilds....... Next year? Any
other grey takers?
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| Osaka Castle Donjon, I believe |
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I know, but I've read about this place so much. Now its not just a dream anymore |
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| Inside the castle, with Donjon as popularised in Shogun by James Clavell one of my all time favourite books |
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| The castle was built by the local warlords, all bringing huge rocks with their chops on them |
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| The "Donjon" as in Osaka castle Not how I had imagined it from the novel. Oh Well |
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| A small piece of the battlements |
This trip to Osaka is via Shanghai airport. Supposedly modern, but definitely concepts of the 60s or even before, and shades of Mao lurking in the arrivals check in. No scanner for transit boarding pass, just a sheet of paper, and a pencil, no abacus though..
We meander through back
alleys and warrens, no direction signed or much in the way of where to
go are given. A stamp here, a grunt there, and we are somehow in the
International departures terminal. About 10 duty free shops, one cafe,
one Starbucks and a pizza palace, Chinese style
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| As captured in "Shogun" the route of the defenders, in sometimes horrifying details (like heads strewn around, raped and raping ladies etc etc) |
Both flights make it.
But Japanese immigration needs an address AND a phone number contact,
just in case we turn out to be terrorists I guess, anyway, "Airbnb"
eventually works and with a "Must have next time", we're out to the ATM
and Japanese public transit
I've assumed we arrive at Osaka airport, but its not, this is KIX. There's 2 airports here, we land at Kansai, so all my plans for transport to our digs are crap . This one on a totally different transit line. Luckily, we have great directions from our host, but we're severely knackered, so all bets are off
I've assumed we arrive at Osaka airport, but its not, this is KIX. There's 2 airports here, we land at Kansai, so all my plans for transport to our digs are crap . This one on a totally different transit line. Luckily, we have great directions from our host, but we're severely knackered, so all bets are off
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| Part of the moat around the castle |
Airbnb
needs you to be somewhat savvy and work out how to find the places,
typically, there's no huge sign saying "hotel Airbnb" over the buildings.
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| We all read Shogun in Nairobi when I was 31, so I've been waiting 37 years to come here |
The room is small but good quality and very effective. It's Sleep of the dead, my urologist will be very happy to hear that
Monday,
another work day at the tourist factory begins. We discover our
apartment has a great balcony and some views of the river, but enough of
this frivolous stuff, this is a serious tourist discovering day: we're
off to Osaka castle. Pausing only to fire up our Google mapping, we're
off.
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| The castle was destroyed by earthquake, and the Donjon, like most structures in Japan, burns down quite regularly |
The streets are amazingly clean, often
freshly washed, only one fag butt seen in several Kms of walking.
We ask ourselves, where everyone is, the river bank has a pleasant flowers and bushes walkway all along it, but it's deserted as are the streets. We find out why later that evening when we take to the subway at rush hour.
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| Finally, we depart |
We ask ourselves, where everyone is, the river bank has a pleasant flowers and bushes walkway all along it, but it's deserted as are the streets. We find out why later that evening when we take to the subway at rush hour.
Osaka Castle is straight out of Clavell
Most of it (Shogun that is to the uninitiated) is true, well, except for a few poetic licences like the "bad" guy actually died 5 years before the final battle took place in the book, and actually, he wasn't such a bad guy anyway. But the final Shogun (Ieyasu, aka "Toranaga"), was involved in a huge killing fest of his (Hideyoshi, aka "Ishido") sons army. Its a bloody good read either way
Most of it (Shogun that is to the uninitiated) is true, well, except for a few poetic licences like the "bad" guy actually died 5 years before the final battle took place in the book, and actually, he wasn't such a bad guy anyway. But the final Shogun (Ieyasu, aka "Toranaga"), was involved in a huge killing fest of his (Hideyoshi, aka "Ishido") sons army. Its a bloody good read either way
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| A lovely riverside cafe for snacks and relax. It was lovely The staff chased after us with some small change we forgot |
So photo fantastic, can't get enough and hardly a tourist in sight. Lots of school kids and handy food stalls
The
sheer immensity of it, massive rocks for the outer wall, 3 walls 2
moats, paranoid rulers hereabouts, sounds like they needed to be. The
defences are incredible. In all, 106.7 hectares. Compare that to its
contemporary, the Tower of London at 4.2 hectares and you get some idea.
Inside
the actual castle building, now a museum, there's piles of stuff about
the building of the original castle in the 1580's in the now rebuilt
castle, (based on a contemporary ink painting), in great detail. Quite a
bit of the assassinations and treachery of the time and consequences of
such (eg, perpetrator and family boiled in oil for an unsuccessful
attempt) are here, albeit copies of originals
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| The drain covers are quite renown for their art |
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| It appears that everyone is different and comes from a special dedicated foundry |
Just
too late for cherry blossom by maybe a week, but it's a fantastic sunny
summer day, strong breeze, perfect for lots of walking around and
ogling the sheer magnificence of it all
This is a great leap back into photography, even if it's all on my phone (smart)
This is a great leap back into photography, even if it's all on my phone (smart)
Down
into the subway to Namba as the sun sets, and find a market warren of
street level shops. I explore for an hour till I find us a likely
candidate.
I ask the waitress for her
recommendations, she brings a pile of sashimi, oh dear, some lovely
flavours, but we need more, so we head off to a ramen kitchen, fantastic
piece of pig belly, fatty bits are incredibly tasty, and fatty. Really,
beauty and the beast
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| We (I?) indulge in a beer as the salarymen head home |
Now we know why so few people are around. Beneath the road, and, here, between stations, in fact as it turned out, also in lots of places, there's huge subterranean areas and walkways, some like this one, running between stations, massive subterranean shopping areas, almost small cities this one running at least 400 metres, 2 - 4 shops wide, all under a 3 lane road.
We''ve done about 4 hours of walking, about 9kms, not bad for new knees I think, so thankfully collapse
Next
morning, it's a relaxing coffee on the banks of the river. Its a Gucci
crowd here, toy dogs, fully accessorised, and cooling water spraying
fans to add some droplets to the surrounding foliage. Its very artistic,
cooling and quite effective. A prelude to wandering around old and new
Osaka, heading to the train station, on foot.
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| Melanie, our Toronto neighbour has recommended "Okinomiaki" as a local speciality. This is a specialist kitchen. It's great! |
The manhole covers are more than utilitarian, just another touch that makes you think cities do not need to be drab
So
many bicycles parked on the sidewalk, masses of them on many roads and
pedestrian areas, same as cars in car crazy
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| Kyoto, the Royal Palace entrance |
environments. Here, there's a
thriving sub culture of easy transport and places built to encourage it
(is John Tory listening?). Even bicycle locking parks abound at 200¥
(About $2.50) a day for commuters are all over. Also, no spandex crowd,
and most bikes are cheap single speed, often with front baskets. Very
practical in fact. This might also be a major factor in the physique of
the locals, hardly anyone overweight, let alone North American levels of
obesity anywhere.
There's very little vehicle traffic, mainly buses and taxis plus utility vans and a few personal cars
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| Kyoto, the Royal Palace gardens |
Osaka
station building is immense, hardly Paddington, very modern and again,
full of shops. More walking to Umeda sky building for what's billed as
the Hanging gardens, our final destination today. Hanging gardens is no
such thing more a city view, but not a 5* attraction. There's some smog,
but it's not noticeable breathing it
Obviously,
Osaka has and has had very smart city planners and, huge budgets
available, but it certainly does show what can be done.
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| The park is pretty big, and we get a grand tour of the palace |
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| Apparently,a famous "stone carving" in the palace grounds |
I think of the piece of paper for a transfer on TTC, that's still the standard after 50+ years.
Once
again we ask where Toronto is, 30 years of no increase in taxes, its so
noticeably sub standard once you travel. Our mayor calls a news
conference to tell the world you can buy subway tickets with a credit
card now. Mind you, Japan has the largest debt to GDP of any western
country, 240%, I think Canada's is about 40%
I label the Toronto problem of still living in the 70's as a poverty of expectations
There is no graffiti, dog crap, litter, its really amazing. Maybe to our western ideas of "civilised society".
What is the other side of such law abiding?
Well,
we did see a car pull up at a crossing with what looked like a granny
and grandson, his pants were open and she appeared to be assisting the
young man with some exercises.... Too fast for me, granny that is.
There is also the "salaryman" diktat: after work, this maybe after 7:00, all the men in a department go out to "bond" with each other, they are often seen in bars and restaurants. All in their identical dark blue suits. The boss is the loudest one who smokes too much (oh yes, lots of smoking in restaurants), and is always laughing and chugging saki
There is also the "salaryman" diktat: after work, this maybe after 7:00, all the men in a department go out to "bond" with each other, they are often seen in bars and restaurants. All in their identical dark blue suits. The boss is the loudest one who smokes too much (oh yes, lots of smoking in restaurants), and is always laughing and chugging saki
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| The royal bridge over one of the ornamental pools |
Again,
lots of walking, get the missus back in action, semi quaint narrow
streets, hardly any one in public places, but the shops and inner areas,
the interiors and subterranean shopping areas, like the station, are
packed.
There are a few major streets, and
many more minor single lane alleys really. On either side, there's a
white line that act as safe zones for the bikers and walkers. Actually,
there are walking zones on all streets. Hardly any cars, and they must
give way to us.
Oh yes, free public WiFi all over the place. Hello Toronto?
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| Schoolkids are a constant feature here, and they all want photos of you with then |
So,
to continue: with only a coffee so far (which is excellent everywhere),
at 3:30, we are desperate for food. The standard appears to be food
courts which are hidden in office buildings and offer a staggering
number of options, usually, an entire floor. Taiwanese dim sum is our
choice, then beer in the forecourt, which is almost deserted
A lazy day
Kayla
has told us we have to try Okonomiyaki. It is an Osaka specialty. It's
certainly fun to watch being made, and actually very tasty too
Fantastic experience, food? Pretty good
Walk back 3.5 hrs today
Fantastic experience, food? Pretty good
Walk back 3.5 hrs today
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| So advanced. Textured pathways and even sounds for the blind, just about everywhere |
Google maps (I think I've bored you lot with details before) telling us how easy it is, can't believe it. Its about 80km, and costs about $7. OK, we board subway, out, cross platform to train, 5 stops, trek around building, and in our place by 11:15, less than 2 hours start to finish
Simple or what? AND! You can do this every 20 minutes, now imagine that every train is packed . Such is transit here. As advised, super impressed with new high tech transit app.
Early in, we're in central Kyoto, so off to Nijo-jo palace by 12:30
Ieyasu built it in 1603, just after all the heads, rapes and butchery, as above. Not as immense as Osaka castle, but esthetic beauty in excess not many of the original buildings left,
Shoes off, walking stick wiped and cleansed
Ieyasu built it in 1603, just after all the heads, rapes and butchery, as above. Not as immense as Osaka castle, but esthetic beauty in excess not many of the original buildings left,
Shoes off, walking stick wiped and cleansed
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| Nijo-jo palace, another Ieyasu built royal hangout. Lots of tourists, and the inevitable crowd control |
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| Waiting for the bus Somehow, these are all carved wood and accurately tell you how long each bus is going to be. Incredible |
All the floors passages are "nightingale" construction, floors that squeak when anyone walks on them, including ninja's I guess
Beautiful Japanese gardens which you can only look at, but lots of crowds and no seating except for rocks. The gardens are very well designed and there's a board displaying which flowers and shrubs bloom at which time of the year.
For some reason, we miss out on restaurant in our meanderings, again, so we get takeout from department store. At least I can just point. An interesting selection
In
our new abode we get to grips with a real Japanese Toilet, amusing, you
plug it in, comes with instructions, its multi purpose, not sure how
you get it to work, not sure I need some of the options. Lots of ways to
irrigate and jet, well several parts of one's body, and of course, the
seat is heated, it was always hot. I couldn't work it out at all. My
peasant upbringing perhaps
Checking my emails
during a night bog break, forgot there was a step down and end up on
the floor wrapped around the bench. Could have been much worse, only
dueling scars and bruises. Certainly a broken bone would not have been
unexpected. Al Hamdu lilla. A warning perhaps that medical outside of
Canada is not going to be free. Stay healthy!
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| Toilets in Japan are truly something totally new |
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| No, not a game console, your bog controller |
Thursday,
beaten but not broken, head to imperial palace, walking, about 3 km,
wandering around, its huge, but only as a park, mainly trees, not worth
much effort. We stumble upon the information office that tells us that
tours of all 5 palaces do take place, so we will book for main palace at
10 tomorrow
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| Fresh new knees are not the best option for a Ryokan |
Subway to Kyoto station, again,
huge beyond my brain to cope, well, no, not really. Literally can't see
the end of the shops underground. Just massive and again, like nothing
I've seen before Japan
Walk to a "special
food" place as per missus, Buddhist temples here and there. Arrive and
its full. We find a back street cafe place for dinner
Small,
but full of salarymen. Smoking, big time and we try different stuff,
overall, a great experience, then walk back in the rain. We stink of
fag smoke: remember the 80s?
27th
Up, sorta early for the imperial palace. Even time for coffee before we leave, still amazed at the amount of shops under ground, not just a single level, multiple levels. Fast subway to palace, a bit late with a knee replacement in tow
Up, sorta early for the imperial palace. Even time for coffee before we leave, still amazed at the amount of shops under ground, not just a single level, multiple levels. Fast subway to palace, a bit late with a knee replacement in tow
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| Still quaintly 16th century? |
The Imperial Palace
is fascinating, hasn't actually been used for a while, and obviously,
not used for anything like a royal ceremony. Apparently, George H bush,
QE2 recently reviewed the place
We get to see how roofs are made here: Japanese cedar "has lots of oil, so waterproofing qualities" miniscule pegging, huge quantities of said, "25 years to replace, after 30 years it needs replacement". Question; how often does the palace burn down? Oh, quite often. A guide book illustrate the problem "whenever it burns down, its rebuilt"
Really? OK
Take a break by the cafe, there's a huge never ending surge of school kids, happy to try English and take photos with us. We had 4 accostatiions in about an hour while we chatted to an Australian couple doing a similar self managed trek.
The wife has just had knee upgrades, but hers was via stem cell injections, not slicing. I remember seeing something about it on Sydney TV when we were there. So any one looking for new knee's, hang on a bit, the days of the knife and hammer may soon be over.
More chatting and I mention how easy everything is for travel now compared to 1975 (my date of departure from UK). He tells me how they keep getting lost. Poirquoi? (in Australian) Says I
So, I asked to see his mapping technology . Well, far be it for me to judge, (who, Me?), but they are using iPhone technology, he shows me the maps Apple have, and I don't wonder that they get lost. They're terrible. I showed him how easy my map and directions process is, and hence how easy traveling in new environments is. I'm not certain he comprehends what I'm saying though, but I recommended he upgrades to something more effective (no, I didn't say what that should be)
We get to see how roofs are made here: Japanese cedar "has lots of oil, so waterproofing qualities" miniscule pegging, huge quantities of said, "25 years to replace, after 30 years it needs replacement". Question; how often does the palace burn down? Oh, quite often. A guide book illustrate the problem "whenever it burns down, its rebuilt"
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| Quite a familiar sight in old Kyoto |
Really? OK
Take a break by the cafe, there's a huge never ending surge of school kids, happy to try English and take photos with us. We had 4 accostatiions in about an hour while we chatted to an Australian couple doing a similar self managed trek.
The wife has just had knee upgrades, but hers was via stem cell injections, not slicing. I remember seeing something about it on Sydney TV when we were there. So any one looking for new knee's, hang on a bit, the days of the knife and hammer may soon be over.
More chatting and I mention how easy everything is for travel now compared to 1975 (my date of departure from UK). He tells me how they keep getting lost. Poirquoi? (in Australian) Says I
So, I asked to see his mapping technology . Well, far be it for me to judge, (who, Me?), but they are using iPhone technology, he shows me the maps Apple have, and I don't wonder that they get lost. They're terrible. I showed him how easy my map and directions process is, and hence how easy traveling in new environments is. I'm not certain he comprehends what I'm saying though, but I recommended he upgrades to something more effective (no, I didn't say what that should be)
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| Ancient and modern. Old city, Kyoto |
Snigger!
Bus to Golden pavilion, just for a change, a Buddhist temple, this one supposedly with actual bits of Mr Buddha in it.
Its
rampant, full of school kids and tourist! like being trapped in a Hajj
stampede. 3 security guards to direct the masses just at the first
viewing point. Never seen so many tourists and kids in one place before
Later, after the masses have buggered off, I take another trip after
hordes have dispersed and I'm the, last out Better photo-ops as the sun
goes down
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| No, the locals do actually wear these as normal day clothes |
Bus back to our 'hood and try for Japanese version of tapas again
Nothing too familiar, I actually finished the chicken gizzards, (I think thats what they were?), but the barbecued chicken hearts, and barbecued chicken skin fat balls were outside of my comfort zone. Ended up back at the basement department store for current buns. Definitely the best food of the evening
Nothing too familiar, I actually finished the chicken gizzards, (I think thats what they were?), but the barbecued chicken hearts, and barbecued chicken skin fat balls were outside of my comfort zone. Ended up back at the basement department store for current buns. Definitely the best food of the evening
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| Typical Kyoto street scene |
I search for some more
cash, lots of ATM's don't like my card here and head off to the station
to check out how to buy tickets to airport Sunday. All the instructions
are in Japanese only! Yikes. thankfully, a helpful lady arrives and I
end up with the exact tickets all the way to KIX from the station
master. Thoroughly Japanese helpfulness. From central Kyoto to KIX,
maybe 100Kms for about $14. I'll take it!
Saturday,
our last full day in Japan. Kayla Has recommended we stay at a Ryokan
in old Kyoto easy enough, we have one a quick walk from the end of the
bus route. It dates from about 1900, an old inn. A 6 tatamis room for
those in the know , and we get our own robes
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| I've found a pretty down market Ryokan in old Kyoto. It worked as an introduction. Your correspondent modelling the current Kyoto tourist fashion |
Dump luggage, squat for green tea on tatamis mats (and successfully get up off the floor after), and book up our bath (as in Ryokan)
Out to old Kyoto
Fascinating
that it's still so preserved but Japan seems to do that. After a while
you get used to all the kimonos. A wonderful balance of old and new,
nothing appears to be cheap or ill considered, not just here but
everywhere
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| Well, we didn't pay enough for luxury did we? Just what am I playing with? |
The Ryokan bath, is a huge tub of
hot (spring?) water at the perfect temperature. As you get in, it's like
time is not moving, but ends all too soon, something of zen in this
tubbing? I can certainly understand why Blackthorn in Shogun was so
enamored by them, but then again, he did have a house full of servants, a
master masseuse on hand, various concubines and ladies of the willow
world available to assist in his every need
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| The end of our quick investigation of Japan. Time to catch a bus |
Had a recommendation for
fish from the lady at reception, and after waiting for an hour to get
in, turned out to be the best sushi ever (duh! you say), and probably in
my top 10 of ever meals
Now, did I mention
how easy it is to travel with a smartphone? No? Well, journeys are a
cinch, only problem being that you need to map the intended route before
you leave your net place as I didn't bother getting a SIM here - Wifi
too easy, so, getting to Kansai (not Osaka) airport was just about
keeping track of the g-plan. It really does take the stress out of
traveling
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| Comes with helpful instructions |
To Shanghai, and finally, our last redoubt before Toronto, Hong Kong.
Our
Airbnb place is not really as salubrious as I'd hoped, but we have our
place so, it's good enough. As long as the A/C does't crap out
Fantastic mango and "grass jelly" smoothies end the day in the cafe in our building
It's
pretty hot next day, (33 feels like 37), but we brave it anyway.
Finding coffee becomes a marathon, yes even with my g-maps its really
hard. I know, try congee you say. But again, just getting where you
want to be is a big production.
I think
(probably again) that I would have loved the dynamism here in my 20's or
30's, but now, hmmmm, hard work, especially on the missus knees and
inflated ankles
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Even walking in Hong Kong is difficult with few places to relax. Just outside the Hong Kong museum |
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| Now this is my kind a guy |
Unless you have a car or taxi, just getting around is a pain. Even from one side of the road to the other can take 15 minutes as there's fencing stopping you everywhere. Certainly not well thought out for anything except vehicles, maybe not even that. Often the streets are blocked with railings, so it's off to the left or right, or back to an underpass. I remember last time on the island pissed me off, and Kowloon does not disappoint today. Unlike Japan, pedestrians are an unwanted extra here.
Passenger walkways are often suspended above ground, slapped together and amble all sorts of directions you don't want
It's brash, dirty and cockroaches scuttle around the pavement in front of you
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| We take the tourist bus and see everything that is the island. Its ok I guess |
Kowloon, just like Hong Kong is really hard work, even with g-map at the ready. Its hot too, did I mention that?
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| There are actually several rather attractive parks on the island. This is one in the centre |
Culture shock
In the coffee shop, I asked for the wifi login, "login through your Facebook account" he tells me. He looks at me as some penniless wretch when I tell him I don't have one
Its the Hong
Kong Museum of History for us. Hard slog around the pedestrian
oppressive roads. The Museum is incredible. Huge diorama's, intensely
detailed exhibits about just about everything concerning Hong Kong, from
400,000,000 years back up to the reclaiming by China. It's all here,
even actual original period shops. Movies, in about 8 locations about
piles of stuff.
Students hangout for dinner,
and back, via Kowloon Park.
Showers all round, and my poor stinky hat
finally gets a wash. Exhausting
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| View of Hong Kong and harbour from Kowloon |
Last full
day, and I'm on my own, missus hacking, and I'm outahere. Again, it
takes an hour to find the (different), coffee shop, then a trek via
ferry across to Central and the HK park, Aviary, Botanical Gardens. Even
hotter today, 30 feels like 40. It's dripping weather. So, back,
shower, and Dim Sum on the ground floor of the building here. Tomorrow
is another big day
And so it was, 16 hours of CP flying, and we're home.
I got the early beta version of next winters flu, (it's a bugger), probably from the missus just as we returned on the 1st, so we're out of the public view for a while
I got the early beta version of next winters flu, (it's a bugger), probably from the missus just as we returned on the 1st, so we're out of the public view for a while
Still
contagious, so keep the rush of invitation for bbqs and other non
specific entertainments till next weekend or later, but don't leave it
too late!
So we're back to revel in OHIP supplied services, then a summer of house fixings
Good work team!From Your Correspondent