September 2, 2010
Pictures from Yoyogi Park in Harujuku, Tokyo
One of the first things we saw in Tokyo was this scene in Yoyogi Park on our way to the Sunday flea market. There were way more hula hoops than people and I couldn't tell if these women wanted attention or not. Unlike some other Yoyogi park performers, they were pretty far removed from the path (we had to zoom way in for this pic).
Right next to the flea market we saw some bboys practicing and they were obviously happy for the attention. Interestingly, they never passed around a hat for money like I think most street performers do in America. They were there for fun.
August 31, 2010
Visiting Croatia: Beautiful and Damned literary / movie tourism
Currently in film production is the "Beautiful And Damned," based on the book by one of the greatest American novelists, F. Scott Fitzgerald. This is the story of Fitzgerald and Zelda, his problematic wife, as seen in the characters of Anthony Patch and Gloria. They are two of the "Beautiful People," a part of the uninhibited class who entertained, traveled, and indulged in every frivolity and excess of life in the early 1900's. The well known British actress Keira Knightley as Zelda and Leonardo Di Caprio as Scott (if rumors are correct) should do a masterful job in portraying the intensity, the genius, and often harsh reality that characterize Fitzgerald's writing. Although few other details are available, the anticipated release date is some time in 2011.
Scenes are being filmed in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and at the Opatija resort on the Adriatic Sea. There are just under a million people in Zagreb, once a familiar stop for the Orient Express, offering travelers a variety of things to see and do. Divided into Upper and Lower Towns, visitors will find an interesting contrast between the two. Below the hilly streets of old buildings, bars, and cafes, the Lower Town features more hotels, wider and pedestrian only streets, and a nice stretch of park grounds in the center, similar to Central Park, known as the Green Horseshoe.
Accommodations: Most hotels cater to business travelers; however, vacationers can find more luxurious places to stay. The Regent Esplanade and the Hotel Sheraton, both near the train station, offer 5-star amenities and prices to match. The Hotel Westin, part of the Starwood chain, has accommodations and facilities to please most tourists in an excellent location for sightseeing. Guest Rooms & Suites: $200 and up. For comfort and convenience, the Hotel Arcotel Allegra is near the train station, with rooms averaging $140, the Aristos by the airport, and there are several other good, but less expensive hotels in and around Zagreb.
Things to Do: Not far from the train station, travelers will enjoy the pleasant surroundings of the Botanical Gardens. Here you'll find a large area of trees, shrubs, a formal English garden, two ponds, and four rock gardens with over 10,000 native species of plants.
Hours: 1 Apr - 1 Nov, 7 days a week, 9am to 2:30pm Mon & Tues; open to 6pm the rest of the week. Admission is free.
Attractions: Highly recommended by art aficionados is the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters located in the old Academy of Science and Art palace, built in 1880. The Gallery on the 2nd floor of this Italian Renaissance palace opened to the public in November 1884 and features works by Bellini, Carpeaux, and Bruegel. The original 284 pieces created by Austrian, German, Dutch, French, and Flemish artists were donated by the Museum's founder, J.J. Strossmayer. Since then, the artwork in the Gallery has increased through the years to over 784 from individual and collector donations. In addition, there are over 4,000 exhibits of paintings, sculpture, and graphics with collections from Uzorinac, Csikos, and the contemporary art of Sebalj. On permanent display in the Gallery are 254, and the rest kept in storage or at other establishments in Croatia. One of the most interesting pieces in the Museum is the Baska stone slab of Croatia's ancient Glagolitic script, displayed in the atrium of the Gallery.
Hours: Tues - Sun, 10am to 1pm, & 5 to 7pm.
Admission: $5 - students & groups, $10 - adults.
Visitors will find fine examples of Croatian culture in folk costumes, tools, and handicrafts in the Ethnographic Museum. You can explore the Archaeological Museum, with its displays of artifacts and the oldest coin collection in Europe. Mimara Museum houses collections of the Far East, archaeology, and the European old masters (restoration, however, is not great, so authenticity has been questioned.)
Restaurants: Very reasonable, with lunch around $5 and a 3-course meal with wine about $15 to $20. Worth mentioning are the Boban for pasta, the Dubravkin Put for fresh seafood, and the popular Kaptolska Klet for traditional cuisine and friendly service.
(Note: Much of the information on museum and restaurant websites is in Croatian.)
Nightlife in Zagreb is inexpensive entertainment, popular from September to June, before the summer when travelers leave the city for the coast. There are bars, dance clubs, pubs, and live music in both the Upper and Lower towns.
Transportation in Zagreb: Besides walking, trams or buses are an option; taxis are usually too expensive. The best way to see Zagreb is by the tourist train, which is free and runs every hour from 9:30am to 7:30pm.
Opatija, a popular tourist spot on the Bay of Kvamer about 125 miles from Zagreb, was also chosen for scenes in the Beautiful And Damned. Easily accessible by car, train, or plane from several major cities in central Europe, Opatija is about 7 miles by bus from Rijeka, with connections to other cities and ferries to Italy. The mild climate, beaches, and gardens of this Adriatic Sea resort have lured travelers since the mid-1800's and the time of Austrian emperors. Besides people watching, sunbathing, water activities, and strolling along Opatija's boardwalk, the 8-mile Lungomare, the town offers an open-air summer theater of comedy, drama, and music, carnivals, and festivals throughout the year. Numerous business, sports, and cultural events are held here, as well as conventions on health and wellness therapy.
Attractions: Among the interesting 19th century buildings still standing is the Villa Angiolina, built in 1844 by a wealthy merchant and later changed into a hotel. As the railroad brought more travelers to the area, other hotels soon followed such as the Hotel Kvarner and the Hotel Imperial. Other attractions include the Maiden with the Seagull by Zvonko Car, overlooking the sea, and The Fountain - Helios and Selena by the Austrian sculptor Rathautsky in 1889 located near the Church of St Jakov on the grounds of an old Benedictine monastery. Opatija even has its own Walk of Fame, with 32 stars for prestigious artists, scientists, and athletes.
Accommodations: There are numerous hotels in the center of town and by the sea including the Hotel Ambassador with rooms and suites from $125 to $400, and the popular Grand Hotel Adriatic, with a casino, fully equipped spa, tennis courts, and convention facilities. Sample packages are reasonably priced at $135 p/p for double room, 4 hours daily at the spa, morning workouts, buffet breakfast and dinner, as well as entrance to the casino and hotel beach. Other hotels include the Bristol and the older Hotels Kvarner and Imperial. Visitors will find a good selection of villas, a few apartments, and hostels for budget travelers in and around Opatija.
Restaurants: Travelers can indulge in a wide variety of excellent seafood, Croatian dishes, Italian and Mediterranean specialties, wild game, and a fine selection of wine at Opatija restaurants. Many of these such as Bevanda, with its unique champagne, vodka, and caviar bar, Ika, Mali Raj, and the Yacht Club have open terraces and wonderful views of the sea. Smaller cafes offer less expensive pizza and pasta.
Entertainment: The Hemmingway Bar next to Angiolina Park is probably the most popular spot for nightlife in Opatija. Since many places close before midnight and drinking laws are strict, this is a good choice for after dark entertainment. Partygoers can find a few other places near the harbor, but Opatija is more about relaxation and leisure fun than the big party scene this Riviera resort might suggest.
Visiting Croatia is something you may not have considered before, but it does offer travelers something different in vacation destinations.
Sharon L Slayton
August 30, 2010
Tokyo day 7: shopping in Shibuya and figuring out the damage
We checked out of the hotel, asked them to look after our luggage, and walked a few minutes to the Shibuya shopping area. We started at Shibuya 109, the place we ended at last night, because my wife had to exchange something that was a bit damaged. Luckily we had no problem but many places in Tokyo have signs that say no refunds or exchanges which I find very weird. Anyway, you want to check your things carefully before leaving the store.
After that we went to Shibuya 109 2 (for men) which is actually mostly for women. The top 3 floors have some interesting men's fashion but most of it is kind of expensive. I had decided the night before that I should get a cool little man bag because my fanny pack was just not cool enough for Tokyo and looked extremely touristy. Plus it was designed for hiking.
I did find a little half-backpack thing for about 3,000 yen but my wife made me wait to see if we found something better.
We did find something better in the next place, some department store that had a couple of Takeo Kikuchi shops among other things. Better but also about 8,000 yen. I guess that's the price I pay to look a little bit cooler. I also got a Takeo Kikuchi shirt, another 8,000 yen or so making it by far the most I've ever paid for a shirt.
The last thing we did in Tokyo was get lunch in some food building with a different restaurant on each floor. My wife had sashimi but I was getting a bit tired of raw fish and went for the steak. We both enjoyed our meals. I had briefly thought about getting some Kobe beef or something while in Japan but when I went online to find a good recommendation the prices (someone said $100 for 100 grams) changed my mind.
Well the real last thing we did was go to Grom near Scrumble for some excellent gelatto. I personally loved the milk and mint flavor - some of the best ice cream I've ever had.
And that was it. A bus from the hotel to the airport and a short flight later we were back in Seoul heading to the vet to pick up our dogs (one of whom had, according to a text message we got from the vet, started to get a little depressed while in the kennel. Everyone is fine now though!
All in all, it was a good vacation and a pretty good experience of one of the world's most famous cities. It wasn't cheap but it wasn't any more expensive than traveling around Europe if you ask me. We used miles for the flights but estimate that the hotel was about $1,500 while food was about $400-500 (figure about $10-15 each for lunch and dinner, $5 each for a cold noodle breakfast at 7-11, and lots of snacks). Public transportation was under $50 as we walked a lot and never took a taxi. Plus flying into Haneda instead of Narita helped as Haneda is much closer to Tokyo. The bike tour was about $250 (125 each). Taxis to and from Gimpo airport in Seoul were $20 each way and the kennel was about $35 a night.
August 29, 2010
Tokyo Day 6: Shinjuku Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building & Friday night fashion in Harujuku and Shibuya 109
We first went to Shinjuku. It was another late start so we wanted lunch right away. We headed to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building where they have a cafeteria on the 32nd floor (mentioned years ago on this site). You buy your ticket from a machine and then hand it to the right people to get your lunch in about 2 minutes. If you're looking for a food bargain in Tokyo, this may be it. It's not gourmet or anything but you can get very full for 700 yen or so.
In the same building they have 2 observation towers. You take a different elevator to each and from the 45th floor you do get a nice view of Tokyo. It's free so that's a nice bonus.
We then walked to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden but we arrived after 4:00 and since they close at 4:30 no one else was allowed in. We then walked to Harujuku but I wouldn't do this again - it was a very boring walk on Meji Dori to get there.
Harujuku itself early Friday night was pretty busy and there were some Harujuku girls walking down the main street in front of the station. We tried a crepe - a must according to my wife's guidebook. We got chocolate ice cream, banana, whip cream, and chocolate syrup. How can you go wrong? My wife mentioned that it was better than the crepe we had in Paris but that was some kind of blueberry jelly or something so of course this Tokyo ice cream dessert crepe.
Anyway, I got bored of trying to pick out the people making fashion statements from the people dressed normally so we headed back to Shibuya for sushi, the same place we went on day 2.
Then we went to Shibuya 109, a shopping mall for women's fashion. If you want to see some exciting fashion, this place may be better than Harujuku. You won't have the cosplay costumes but on Friday night lots of young women dress their best and come to Shibuya 109 to find more clothes. The women working in the Shibuya 109 shops often dress in the wildest outfits possible from the clothes in their store. The customers are pretty dressed up too. My wife ended up buying some Tokyo punk stuff on the 5th floor from Tutuya. If you don't want to dress like a punk it's still worth checking out the workers' fashion.
Then it was back to the hotel, picking up breakfast at 7-11 along the way. When we got back to the room we started packing for the next day would be our last in Tokyo.
Reflecting on the vacation we didn't really feel we needed to do anything on the last day. We certainly didn't do everything in Tokyo but we did everything on the short lists of things to do we had made and felt we had a pretty comprehensive Tokyo experience. I don't want to say I know Tokyo but I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what the city is like.
August 27, 2010
Tokyo Day 5: Sensoji Temple in Asakusa and Castle Street in Daikanyama
Another late start so we got to Asakusa around 12:30 and headed toward Sensoji Temple. We stopped to buy some kimonos. I got two modern-style kimonos (not the traditional wedding kimonos that use 50 yards of fabric that you roll up around the waist) and my wife got two kimono-style shirts. All the stuff we bought was used which we think saved us a ton of money. Kimonos were between 1,000 and 5,000 yen and the shirts were similar I think. We spent about 5,000 total - say $60. I feel like I got a bargain.
There's a very touristy street leading to the temple which we took later but the place we went to was on a normal street and the other customers we saw were Japanese. They also had kimonos on this street but I'll recommend my place - it just seems more authentic (though of course I know nothing about kimonos so I can't tell which ones are actually better). The name is Tansu-ya Asakusa Ten.
Sensoji Temple was interesting though it didn't give me a feeling of tranquility (usually one of my favorite things about visiting a temple). No one who wasn't a member of the temple was allowed in to pray because of some special ceremony but we spent a good hour there looking at the main temple and then walking around the grounds.
After that we walked along the touristy street (we really appreciated that it was covered as the sun is hot in Tokyo). There were more kimono stores and my wife got some shoes to go with her stuff.
My wife hadn't had tempura in Tokyo up to this point so we stopped for some and split a lunch box for about 2100 yen that included some tempura, some rice, a piece of cold chicken omlette, 2 big pieces of marinated radish (we think), a cup of salty miso soup, and some big green beans that tasted much better than any green bean I've ever had. It was very good.
We left Asakusa on the subway and went to Ebisu Station. From there we walked to Daikanyama, specifically looking Castle Street. We eventually found it, a cute little shopping street with some interesting shops. We were amazed at how empty it was.
From there we walked back to Shibuya. It was fairly uneventful but at one mall we did find a store selling little doggy wedding dresses and tuxedoes. We didn't see prices on these but I'm guessing they were more than the regular doggy outfits that cost hundreds of dollars each.
In Shibuya we went to a franchise called CocoCurry which some people on our bike tour had recommended. It was pretty good. We got 3/10 in terms of spiciness and it was plenty spicy. We had originally asked for 5 thinking that middle meant mild but the waiter warned us (luckily!).
That was about it for day 5 in Tokyo.
August 26, 2010
Tokyo Day 4: Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum, Ueno Ameyoko Market
We got off to another late start. It's vacation and we have time so no need to rush - we didn't even set an alarm clock. We left the hotel around noon and got back around 11:00 PM. We spent all day in the Ueno area.
First we walked through the park,\ to reach Tokyo National Museum. It's interesting traveling with a Korean guide book because Korea and Japan have something of a contentious history. So in the park there's a statue of some guy (maybe Saigo Takomori) with his dog but our book says to skip that statue because this guy was behind an invasion of Korea in 1592. In Japan he's a hero but in Korea he's a villain.
Anyway we made it to the museum and spent about 4 hours there, skipping the special exhibit. This is probably the only museum we'll be doing in Tokyo but it's a good one and I recommend it. You get to see 3 different buildings full of stuff (though the second floor of one is for special exhibits). You want to spend most of your time in the first building, 2 floors of Japanese art. They have comfy chairs all over so take your time, especially if it's too hot to be wandering around outside.
Back outside around 4:30 or so we saw Ueno Park's shrine and temple thought the temple was closed so we barely saw anything there. There's also the Great Buddha of Ueno.
Outside Ueno Park we went to Ameyoko Market. This is a shopping area with a different feel from the trendy stores in Shibuya - more like discount stores I guess. Some second hand stuff but also some new expensive stuff.
After dinner at Yoshinoya (a franchise where you get some meat to put on top of your rice), we got massages. They didn't speak much English but they did say we weren't getting Shiatsu massages exactly. Whatever it was, it was 3,250 yean for 60 minutes while the hotel is 7,200 so I still haven't gotten a shiatsu massage in Japan but this one was OK. Well every massage is good but this one was softer than I'm used to.
After that we got some Japanese ramen - they really know how to make a meal out of it. I've gone out for Ramen in Korea but it's thought of more as a cheap fill-me-up there. In Japan they can really make it a nice meal.
And that's about it for day 4.
Tokyo Day 3: bike tour, Ginza bakeries, Shinjuku yakitori
Today we did the Tokyo Great Cycling Tour, the #1 rated thing to do in Tokyo on Tripadvisor. It seems everyone gives it 5/5 but if I get around to doing it I think I'll do 4/5 (good, not great) while my wife was thinking 2 or 3 would be about right.
We did see some cool stuff including the fish market, Tokyo Bay and beach, a temple, a shrine, and the emperor's property. That took from 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM and the guide guessed we covered 25 kilometers on the bikes. Some of the riding was a bit stressful (I've never ridden in a city before) because you find yourself on streets with cars that might hit you or on sidewalks with pedestrians you might hit.
I may get around to doing a fuller review in the future. After that we went to Ginza where we checked out a couple of bakeries. We got some leaf cookies that are supposed to be 240 layers or something. My wife loved them. We also tried some roll things with various stuff inside them including red bean in one, white bean in another, and mango / custard in another. Very good stuff. Plus there were some shops.
Then we came back to the room for showers and out to Shinjuku for dinner. We found a yakitori street and felt ripped off for the first time when our check came out to 600 yen too much. Apparently they give each person a little bowl of peas (still in the pods) when you sit down and charge 300 each. I guess it's a kind of cover charge but I'm not sure how it works (like if natives refuse the peas and save money).
The yakitori was an experience though. We got this chicken sampler thing but only one stick tasted like chicken. One was chicken skin. One was probably liver but I generally avoid liver so I'm not really sure. The other 2? Not sure I want to know. We also tried this fried fermented soy bean on a stick stuff. Interesting but not delicious.
And that was day 3. That night I slept for 9 hours and my wife for 10.
August 24, 2010
Tokyo Day 2: Shibuya from Mos Burger to Starbucks above Scrumple Intersection to sushi
We woke up at 5:30 AM on our second day in Tokyo because the hotel gym costs over $20 after 6:30. So we worked out and then ate breakfast which we had bought the night before at 7-11 (the hotel breakfast is $40/person or so). For me that meant yogurt, and cold noodles - it was good enough.
Then what was supposed to be a short nap ended with us waking up at 11:00 or 11:30 and leaving the hotel around noon. The only problem with that is that from noon to 4 or so Tokyo is very hot and sunny.
For lunch we went to Mos Burger, a Japanese fast food place. It was interesting to see a different style of fast food and the taste was OK.
After that we went to some shops. The second hand shops and Tower Records I found pretty interesting. The department stores my wife wanted to go to were sometimes filled with interesting Japanese stores but other times just the normal designer brands you see everywhere. There were some Vertu cell phones that had diamonds and stuff but I wasn't going to lay out $10,000 for a new phone.
Wealso stopped for a bit at what I guess is the busiest intersection in the world, Scrumble Intersection by Shibuya Station. There's a Starbucks overlooking the place but you have to wait for a seat by the window. We did and enjoyed watching the people for a while, including a few of the young women wearing crazy outfits that Japan is famous for.
Dinner was sushi again but a different place. This one was less crowded and didn't rush you (no 7 plates in 30 minutes rule). The types of sushi they had were a bit different too but I'd say about as good as the one from the previous night. Each plate was 120 yen although they said they had more expensive ones (I didn't see any).
Eventually we'll have to go to a museum or a temple or something but for now just walking around Shibuya is pretty interesting. Actually tomorrow is a cycling tour that includes a couple of shrines, a temple, a fish market, Tokyo Bay, and the emperor's house.
August 23, 2010
Tokyo Day 1: Harujuku & Shibuya
So far Tokyo has been great.
It's very interesting to just walk around and people watch. Our first day we checked into the hotel and then went to Yoyogi Park in Harujuku for the flea market. That was mostly done by the time we arrived but I managed to buy a Japanese style shirt and pants set.
We also saw some young Elvis impersonators dancing, some Hoolahoop girls, some bboys, and a live concert that had attracted a decent and fairly energetic (especially considering the sun and heat) crowd.
We also saw a few "Harujuku girls" but it was pretty hot so most of them probably stayed home or opted for normal shorts and T-shirt ensembles.
Then we slowly walked back to Shibuya station, 1 stop away, where our hotel is. That took hours as we stopped at a few shops and made a few wrong turns. Back in the Shibuya area we got some sushi from a place recommended in my wife's Korean guidebook "Enjoy Tokyo" - it took us an hour to find the place so I'm not offering directions. Each person had to eat 7 plates in 30 minutes or less and each plate was 120 yen. I'm no expert but I do eat sushi occasionally and this seemed like good quality and certainly not as expensive as I expected Tokyo sushi to be. Shikijihonten might be the English spelling.
Then next to Shibuya Station we went to the statue of Hachiko (spelling may be off) which was a Japanese movie remade by Hollywood starring Richard Gere. The movie is based on a true story of an amazingly loyal dog who has his own statue now. He used to come to Shibuya every day to meet his master. When his master didn't come home one day (he died) the dog kept waiting for his owner. Eventually his family moved with the dog but he escaped and moved into Shibuya Station permanently as I understand the story. I haven't seen either movie...
After that it was more walking around Shibuya and doing a little shopping.
August 21, 2010
Leaving for Japan in a few hours
So I'm learning an early flight can really mess up your schedule. I napped from around 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM and am hoping to get another couple hours from 12:30 to 2:30 AM. Then we eat, walk the dogs, take them to the vet where they stay for the next week, come back home, call a taxi, and head to the airport where we hope to arrive around 6:00 AM.
Then for the next week, when I blog, I'll be blogging from Tokyo. The hotel, Cerulean Tower Tokyu in Shibuya will cost us plenty but the Asiana flight we used miles for so that's a bit of money saved. Actually the hotel offered me an industry rate (sometimes I don't bother asking or get the "you're just a blogger" but some people think I'm a real travel writer) but it was still cheaper to book on hotels.com thanks to a 30% discount on stays of 5 nights or more and a 10% coupon. I think it still came to over $200 a night but hopefully it'll be worth it.