Insects and Elmer the safety elephant

We went to the night market last evening. On our way out the door we saw two orange lights in the sky, as if Mars and his new-found twin decided to visit Earth and oversee our night out. Or maybe it was a couple of airplanes, but the lights weren't moving. I later learned that these orange dots in the black sky were floating lanterns being lit and released from the beach. When we first arrived at the market we were welcomed by the aroma emanating from closely packed food stalls, presenting all manner of homemade foodstuffs for sale. The area was packed with tourists mainly. While listening to the guitarist sing Bob Marley and Paul Simon tunes, we ordered a few appetizers for our stroll. I do enjoy Thai food which offers a lot of variety, but I do crave other foods now and then. Tonight I went for the pizza while Catheleen stayed traditional and had the Pad Thai

One lady I met was selling varieties of insects, and I suppose I must have stayed at her stall too long since she asked me if I would like to try. I thought she was offering me a sample bug but instead she filled a small bag with a smorgasbord of insects and handed it to me. I didn't have the heart to to say no, so I paid for my grasshoppers, grubs, and I'm not sure what, and tried one of each. They didn't have much taste other than the salt and flavouring she added, but I couldn't get over the fact that I was eating crunchy bugs. Catheleen called my aversion yet another first world problem - she wisely declined to join me. I quickly made the purchase of a bottle of water a top priority.

I was accosted along the way by a tailor who talked me up and thought I needed an Armani suit. I declined as politely as I could, given his insistence and the fact it was a long wait before he let go of my hand. I appreciate that you can probably buy a quality suit here at a good price, but I didn't want to think that far ahead. I was already overdressed wearing a short sleeved shirt with buttons, given flip flops, bathing suits and tie-dye are the standard dress code around here.

The street was closed to traffic which made for a pleasant walk amongst the many stalls and restaurants. I had a good chuckle when a saw a couple of Japanese girls laughing and cowering in a corner when a dog became interested in their satay sticks. The dog looked harmless enough but the girls didn't seem to know what to do. I walked on by assuming they would either summon the courage to soldier on or pay off the pooch with a bribe.

At the resort pool today (same place as yesterday), I couldn't help but overhear a young man complain to his girlfriend about his haircut. He ended up with a buzz cut with the remaining hair on the back of his neck shaped like a V. He wasn't happy, much to the amusement of his girlfriend. I was a bit amused too but also concerned - I will have to get a haircut too at some point on this trip or I'll end up looking like John.

I've been meaning to mention the egregious safety violations in this country. Utility poles with enough wires attached helter-skelter to look like noodles in a bowl. Workers opening traps in the floor without any warning of a potential death trap below. I saw a father today jump off from one pool to a lower one over a concrete waterfall, with his son following behind. Minimal adherence to rules of the road. Locals riding motorcycles and scooters on the sidewalk without helmets, sometimes with children on the front, back or both. I saw one guy with a baby attached to his chest in a sling of sorts. I understand that motorcycles are often the only affordable means of transport for many Thais, but some of the tourists here are just off their rocker. I guess I'm turning into Elmer the safety elephant. So ends my diatribe.

Here is my bag of bugs. Yummy.

Sacred banyan trees and super heroes

We all slept in late this morning after a long travel day yesterday. I woke up to find the kids trying to manage an adolescent grey tabby that tried desperately to enter our condo. This was the same cat that visited us last evening and did make it into our living room briefly before I laid down the law - the cat stays outside and no feeding him. The kids seemed to comply, at least when I'm around.

Perhaps it was the couches, cushions and indoor-meets-outdoor feel that lured us in, but we did enjoy the Fisherman's House restaurant on the tourist strip. They made great banana pancakes, which seems to be a favourite here, and the coffee menu ran on for pages. We'll be back. I noticed a small sign at the restaurant that said "You look even more beautiful when you smile." I think that sums up the tone here in this tourist haven. People from around the world come here, partly I'm sure because the locals are genuinely friendly and accommodating. The only thing left to do here is just smile back and enjoy.

Later in the morning we went for a stroll down the sandy beach past restaurants, massage spas and resorts. With us all in bathing suits and me in my flip-flops (standard issue in Thailand), we were looking for a place to spend time on the beach, but we didn't notice a specific public beach area. We discovered that the beach strip is available to all but the beach chairs are reserved for the resort guests. Catheleen solved our problem by renting a couple of pool-side chairs at the Bandara Resort & Spa. We were a bit confused at first by the vouchers we had to purchase for a small fee, and even more puzzled when the bar tender asked us to bring the vouchers with us when we ordered from the pool bar. It turned out the vouchers weren't so much to rent a couple of chairs but were to purchase a minimum amount of food and drinks from the pool bar. So we ordered our drinks and enjoyed a day in paradise pool-side. While at the pool I admired a huge banyan tree nearby, with garlands of flowers and enough bands of ribbon fabric wrapped around the tree trunk to make a rainbow of sorts. I understand many Thai people consider these banyan trees sacred, either because Buddha sat under a banyan tree or due to beliefs in animist spirits.

On the beach I noticed an entrepreneurial family had set up a barbecue, brought in by a small boat which was holding the supplies nearby. So we enjoyed a picnic on the beach with barbecued corn on the cob, chicken satay, spring rolls and papaya salad. A dog was quietly lying nearby and John eventually pet him and fed him some chicken when I wasn't looking. When another dog same along John's new friend took off and barked and growled at the interloper, who turned tail and went back where he came from. Our local dog then came back and sat quietly down near us again. I guess there's only room for one canine beggar on each slice of the beach. Later in the day I watched the family clean up and clear out. They packed up everything into a small blue wooden boat and walked it along the shore through the shallow water. Nothing was left for the dog.

On the beach I saw the usual sea-side pursuits like wind surfing, banana boats pulled along by jet skis, and people just enjoying the warm water with the island of Koh Pha-Ngan in the distance. What we didn't expect was someone rising ten feet out of the water like a super hero with jets of water coming out of his feet. Whoever was hooked up to this contraption took a while to get adept at it, first falling this way and that a few times. Once he learned how to control the flow, he would shoot out of the water and hover above, attached by a tube to a jet ski that provided the thrust. I'm not sure what skill he was learning from this thing, but it certainly looked like fun.

Here's me next to the banyan tree.

Alms giving and beer sales

Our train from Bangkok last night ran south along Thailand's peninsula en route to the coast, across from Koh Samui, which was our final destination on this leg of our journey. We could have taken the plane but we wanted to re-live the overnight train experience we had on our first visit to Thailand. On the train we had a couple of small private cabins where we were served a good meal and where the steward later converted our seating area into bunk beds. While an interesting experience, I'm not sure anyone had a truly restful sleep as the train bumped and clattered along from stop to stop throughout the night. I was almost fooled again as I was on this same train trip years ago when I thought there was only a squat toilet on the car - Thai-style. The kids were kind enough to inform me that there was also a western style toilet around the corner. A squat style toilet is not your friend on a moving train.

We arrived in Suratthani before dawn where we had to wait a few hours before catching the ferry to Koh Samui. At dawn I went for a walk around the town to stretch my legs. Around the corner I saw a lady get off her motorcycle to give alms to a monk, who was walking barefoot and carrying an urn. She took off her sandals, touched the bag of food to her forehead, and passed the alms to the monk, who put the food in his container. She then bowed her head and held her hands together at her face like she was praying, while the monk quietly said or perhaps chanted a few words. As I continued walking I watched a man get off his motorcycle and do much the same thing for another monk. In this case the alms giver provided the monk a bag of food, and also placed a 7-11 Big Gulp container on the ground and filled it with drinking water. He then kneeled and bowed while the monk intoned a few words. I understand alms giving is intended to show respect, earn merit, practice altruism, and help the faithful stay connected with their Buddhist community. It was very interesting and peaceful to see this in action.

The ferry ride over was uneventful, other than the fact that there is a ferry now. Last time Catheleen and I made the crossing in the late '90's it was by speed boat with other travellers, sitting on our backpacks. Today it was with luggage on wheels and kids in tow. Things never stay the same for long it seems. We arrived at our condo on the island of Koh Samui and explored our surroundings. There is a kilometre long tourist strip with beaches and restaurants along a section of the north coast. I imagine we'll be spending the next few days relaxing and taking it easy here - at least that's my plan. I'm okay with the cities but I much prefer the smaller towns.

In the late afternoon John had worn me down enough that I agreed to go with him to the mall. He's been looking for a wall adapter for his video game player which he hasn't been able to charge, and he hasn't given up yet. He assured me that he had asked Siri where that nearest mall was and was told it way only 94 meters away. I had my doubts (this is a small town) but I agreed to go with him. It turns out he was off by a bit and the mall was really 94 kilometres away. I tried to explain to him that this is what we call a first world problem but it went in one ear and out the other. His only thought was that Siri is not being accurate if it thinks a mall 94 kilometres away is near.

As we headed back after a visit down the strip with rain clouds fast approaching, I stopped in at the convenience store to buy some beer, but without success. The sign said that alcohol sales were restricted today due to an "Important Buddhist Holy Day". It hadn't hampered Catheleen and me from ordering beer with lunch. I gather there is a distinction.

Here's a view from the ferry on a hazy day.

Leaving Bangkok on the overnight train

Another wake up call by the local wildlife on this early morning. I don't know what the creature was, but it sounded off at dawn like a whiffle ball being whipped around at increasing speed, followed by brief silence and a squeak. Repeat three or four times. The first time it happened it startled me out of bed - I thought something was happening in our room. But I think it was outside and just very loud. Nobody else had heard it - they all thought I was crazy.

We don't let the kids pet the dogs for the most part, many of which are languishing about to stay cool from the heat of the day. John and Elizabeth are more interested in the cats, which are harder to spot, and the kids always seem to be on the lookout for felines. Some of them are missing parts of tails, maybe because there are so many motorcycles zooming about on the street and sidewalks, and sometimes the kids spot mother with kittens. But for the most part they appear to be reasonably well taken care of, as we see most of the cats near the businesses and residences we pass on the street. The laundry lady was entertained when the kids fawned over her two cats when we dropped off our laundry. She was taking pictures - I suppose we were the tourist attraction. Last night Elizabeth's seat was taken by the local cat at the restaurant when she went off to the washroom. We didn't have the heart to shoo it away, or perhaps we didn't have the courage in case the cat happened to be the stubborn type. So we finished the meal with a friend. I like cats too but I can't help but harp that the kids should try to keep their hands clean and free of cat fur at least while we eat.

As we took a taxi to the train station in heavy traffic, I had the opportunity to talk with the driver. He was a young man who spoke some English, which he had learned from his customers. He was from a small village and came to Bangkok to work, as do most of the men from his town. His wife worked in a Bangkok factory which made bags of sorts, and their kids lived with their grandparents in their home town. He would work in Bangkok for a month at a time and then go home for a week. I asked him if life was good and he seemed to indicate it was. I wonder if his story is typical.

We arrived at the train station early and spent part of the afternoon in Chinatown, where the kids found their first geocache in Asia. We also saw shark fin soup for sale in a number of places, which was sad to see since I understand this practice is hard on the shark population. We also visited a quiet Buddhist temple with some beautiful gardens and fountains. The kids tried to make an offering of incense sticks at the temple but were instructed to always burn three sticks at a time, which they did. I later learned that this is done so practitioners remember Buddha, his teachings, and the community of Buddhists. The monk who instructed us gave the kids a fanta pop each. It was a nice quiet oasis stop in the city. Speaking of monks, they seem to be everywhere. I understand they often start their day by collecting alms of food at dawn from the locals. As we sat at the train station waiting for our overnight train to the coast near Koh Samui, I noticed there was a separate seating area for monks and novices. They were all in orange robes with shaved heads and everyone seemed to treat them with respect.

On our way out of Bangkok on the overnight train, I saw various people living in simple, almost squalid conditions along the track. Strangely, at least to me, every other person was on their smart phone. No matter how rich or poor, it seems everyone is on their device these days, no matter where you go. As the train rumbled through Bangkok at slow speed, seemingly forever, we passed all manner of markets - we even saw a festival close to the tracks with bouncy castles for the kids. There was also construction of what seemed to me to be support pillars for a sky train. It ran on for miles along side the train tracks. There were workers at most of the piers, which were spaced out every one to two hundred feet. I wonder how many people were working on this huge project - there must be hundreds or perhaps thousands of workers.

Aquariums, durians and scoops of happiness

Yesterday evening Catheleen took the kids for a massage - Thai-style. I've never been a big fan of massages and I find the Thai version is my least favourite, based on the torture I received at the hands and feet of a masseuse many years ago. These massages involve a lot of stretching, pummelling, and cracking. Think chiropractor meets personal trainer. Catheleen's plan was to just get a foot or a head massage for the kids while she enjoyed the full body treatment. But something was lost in translation and while she started her massage on a table she looked over to see Elizabeth and John getting their full treatments next to her. Elizabeth seemed to be ticklish, John needed to take a break half way through to go to the bathroom, and only Catheleen was stood upon. But otherwise the kids and Catheleen claimed to have enjoyed the massage. I was suspect though when Catheleen said post-massage that she could be sore tomorrow. 

In the early morning I tried a new coffee stand, and the coffee lady attempted to make a cappuccino with some success. At her stand she also had ice cream for sale with the tag line "scoops of happiness". This works for me - I'll be back later for a few scoops. Compare to yesterday where we tried a couple of iced drinks. Mine was called Roselle juice and the sign said it "relieves phlegm in the throat, fatigue, expectorate, digestion and blood distribution". Not exactly scoops of happiness but I tried it and it tasted pretty good - a bit like grapes perhaps. Can't bear witness to the purported health benefits though.

Today we took the sky train to visit the Siam Ocean World aquarium, which is reported to be the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia. We've been to Thailand twice before, once every decade or so. Every time we come I see that the country has developed a little bit more. Like the new airport we viewed upon arrival, the new sky train is a nice addition which wasn't here last time. Not quite as well organized as Tokyo's subways, but not bad. After a short trip on the train we arrived at one swanky mall, with the aquarium on the lower level. The aquarium was world class with some amazing exhibits. One of my favourite exihibits was watching the sharks swim overhead while scuba divers fed some of them with fish on metal sticks. I'm not sure if this was a necessary way to feed these sharks or whether this was entertainment. Perhaps a bit of both.

Afterwards we explored the mall. What a contrast to the street, where it's quite clear the standard of living is not that high by western standards. In this mall you would think you were in some high end shopping area in a wealthy country. There were even Bentley and Rolls Royce cars for sale on the top level. We tempered ourselves with a few pastries in the food court.

It's durian season and I see them everywhere. On the outside the fruit is tan coloured and around the size of a large melon, and it has big intimidating spikes - you could probably use these things as a weapon like the spiked metal ball on a mace. On the inside there is a small amount of yellow filling. Catheleen picked some up at the market the other night. She tasted it and used sommelier terms like custard, butter, cream, ambrosia, and savoury onion. I tasted it and preferred descriptions like smelly, stinky, and awful. Supporting my case were signs at the train station specifically banning durian and other strong smelling items. The kids were not impressed either. After some complaints, Catheleen finished off the offending remainders from the fridge.

Bangkok unhinged

Thailand is part of the developing world so it's easy to focus on the negatives - too crowded, too disorganized, too poor. But we've been to Bangkok a couple of times before so we know what to expect, and we wouldn't have come back if we were focused on the down side. Rather I think Thailand is just too special to avoid if travelling to this part of the world. The food is on par with the best cuisines, the people are friendly and welcoming, and it's just a unique place so different from the West. The kids seem to be focusing on the positive too for the most part. Case in point, John and Elizabeth ordered green curry and rice for breakfast. Way too hard core for me but they seemed to enjoy it.

The first thing I always notice when I come here is the Thai's reverence for their King and royal family. There are pictures of the royal family everywhere - some covering whole sides of skyscrapers. The monks in orange robes are also a striking site which always remind me we are in Thailand - only difference this time is some of the monks are on their smart phones.

Our afternoon activity today consisted of a visit to the Grand Palace, which is one of the main attractions in the city. Bangkok is a huge city and we've learned that using the water taxis along the Chao Phraya river is an efficient and scenic way to get around.

At the water taxi barge we visited the pet hog, a full sized black pig with his own food bowl - it is definitely a pet. Elizabeth was surprised and offended to see a hog as a pet. I suppose she was experiencing a little culture shock. On our way across the ferry to the other side of the river we were delayed for quite awhile as a number of massive river barges passed by. They consisted of a half dozen or more barges strung together, each around 100 feet long, pulled along by one or two tug boats. On the other side we hopped onto the river taxi which took us down the river to the palace. Along the way the traffic was thick with boats of all descriptions going up and down the river. I started to notice that all the long tail boats (another iconic image of Thailand) had garlands of flowers tied to their bows. These were the same flowers we saw at the flower market last night. I understand these garlands are used to provide good luck and protection and honour the spirits of the water.

At the palace Catheleen brought sarongs for everyone to wear since our legs needed to be covered to enter. But after seeing John wrapped in a sarong I just couldn't do that to him or me - it was just embarrassing. I confirmed my awkwardness when I asked a lady official if I could wear a sarong - she just looked at me sideways and said they were for ladies. So I signed out pants for us guys, we purchased our tickets with one hour to spare before closing, and then, much to our chagrin, we watched the sky open up in a torrent of rain which lasted the better part of an hour.

This is where Catheleen and Elizabeth, the intrepid travellers, parted ways from John and me. There were two factions at play here. Catheleen and Elizabeth fell into the enthusiast camp who were willing to get soaked through if necessary to see something special they may never get the chance to see again. John and I fell into the heal dragger camp who would just rather not get too wet if we could avoid it. So Catheleen and Elizabeth had their adventure seeing the sights. They also watched people's shoes wash away along the rush of water flowing down the street from where the temple goers had removed their shoes. I was just happy to watch the thick crowds of people go to and from the palace in various stages of sopping wetness. At least the rain cooled things down nicely for awhile.

Our adventure continued as we swarmed onto the water taxi for the return journey, swept along with the crowd from a moving pier onto a moving boat on a choppy river. I'm quite surprised the kids put up with all this since it was a bit extreme, even for Catheleen and me. But they seem to pretty easy going so far. Another day, another adventure.

Next stop - Thailand

It's our first day in Bangkok and we're settling into our new surroundings at a privately owned condo. I'm relatively adventurous when it comes to lunch and dinner, but not so much for breakfast. I was disheartened as I made my way to the street early this morning with John and first spied a street vendor cooking whole fish - for the breakfast crowd presumably. I next went into the local convenience store to find that the coffee on offer consisted of hot water with packs of instant Nescafé. This wouldn't do. But I felt better later on when Catheleen and I strolled a while down the street to find a bakery serving banana bread and coconut flavoured treats, and a street vendor who made us fresh coffee with her espresso machine. Problem solved for breakfast.

We enjoyed the morning pool-side along the Chao Phraya river. The kids skipped their Woboba balls across the pool, and Catheleen and I watched the boats pass to and fro along this slow moving river. In the afternoon we walked around to the local water taxi launch and park to check out our surroundings. The locals at the park were playing sports unknown to me. Young men were playing a vigorous game of volleyball using a small ball and their feet only, and executing over-the-head spike shots. Some older gentlemen were playing a game where they stand in a circle and use their feet and elbows to keep the ball off the ground while trying to get the ball in a net about eight feet in the air. At the end of the park the ladies were engaged in stretching and some form of calisthenics.

In the evening the kids wanted to stay put in the cool condo so Catheleen and I ventured out via water taxi on the river to the flower market. This wholesale flower market stretches for blocks in all directions and is a remarkable spectacle for the eyes. It's also more pleasant for the nose than the fish market in Japan we visited recently. A lot of the flowers are assembled in colourful displays and strands, and much of it is sold off for use in temples and shines.

Here's a picture of Catheleen at the flower market.

Reflections on Japan

On yesterday's bullet train back to Tokyo the train was nearly full, so we needed to split up to get seats. John sat between two business men with Elizabeth sitting one row back. Catheleen and I were further back. I guess John and Elizabeth made an impression since the business men struck up a conversation with John, much to his embarrassment, with Elizabeth piping in to correct his responses. They fed him chips and wanted to know where he was from and his age, etc. One man showed him pictures of his daughter and said John's sister is pretty too, no? John's response was "Meh" which got a good laugh from them.

On our way back via the subway from the train station, we needed to cross paths with a seemingly endless sea of commuters at least ten people abreast, all packed in like a parade. We just walked directly across this traffic without so much as a break in stride, all without bumping into anyone. It's amazing to me, in this largest city in the world, that so many people can get around efficiently, all without running into each other.

Catheleen and the kids went to the shopping district this morning while I cooled my heels at the hotel. For lunch I went back to the first restaurant we visited upon our arrival and enjoyed the same meal - pork on rice, miso soup and salad. It's almost like I was a local taking in some comfort food.

So on our last day in Japan, with lunch over, it's a time for reflection. I wasn't big on the thought of coming to Japan, truth be told. My preconception of Japan and Tokyo in particular was that it's too different, too inaccessible to tourists, too expensive. I would say now that these preconceptions are all wrong - Japan is accessible and interesting, and things cost about what they would in a large Western city. While English is not well spoken here, you can still get by well enough. You don't even need to know what you're ordering at a restaurant - just point at a picture. It's all tasty even if you're not sure what you've ordered until you taste it.

What struck me most about Japan were more the similarities than the differences. The Japanese seem to have the same standard of living as the West, and they seem to value the same things in broad strokes. People go about their business caring for their kids, making a living, spending time with friends, enjoying life. It reinforces the point (to me at least) that we are all basically the same, and we should all make every effort to get along - be it locally or internationally. That's my plug for world peace by the way.

As for some differences, these seem minor to me but just for fun I'll list a few I've observed: driving on the left, no tipping, taxes included, poorly branded soft drinks, tiny restaurants holding a half dozen patrons, queuing up for the latest trendy chocolate store, no smoking in the streets but smoking allowed in restaurants, tissue boxes under the restaurant tables, seat belts on buses, Buddhist monks blessing BMWs for 50,000 yen a pop, perhaps excessive use of skin whitening products and cartoon characters, and public access to the best toilets I've ever used.


Sayonara!

Mount Fuji and bullet trains

I'm not a big fan of organized tours in general. You're always being shuttled and corralled along on tight intervals, and this tour was no exception. However I was encouraged as the elderly and heavy-set tourists started to slowly lumber onto our bus - clearly there would be no hiking or undue walking today. After a few days of strolling around Tokyo streets and riding the subway standing much of the time, I would enjoy the relative rest and relaxation of this sightseeing tour. As the guide started the trip by singing the praises of the driver in a heavy accent while the air conditioning kicked in, I readied myself for the day ahead with WIFI on the bus and tour ads on the monitor above. Our guide even attempted to sing a song that presumably all Japanese know - I'm glad this didn't lead to Karaoke for all comers. Actually the guide was very good and provided some interesting information along the way. She even had us make miniature origami warrior helmets along one stretch of road.

Unfortunately due to the clouds and fog we didn't actually see much of Mount Fuji, that iconic volcano that towers above Japan and can be seen from Tokyo. But we did get a chance to tour a souvenir shop at the base of the mountain where we could buy cans of fresh Fuji mountain air among other quality items. The Japanese-style lunch was very good, which consisted of a large number of small items, some of which were unknown to us. John actually tried the tuna sushi and seemed to like it - he called it jelly fish. I don't think marketing is in his future.

A favourite part of the tour was a boat ride along Lake Ashi and then the Gondola to the top of a hill overlooking the lake, while viewing parts of Mount Fuji in the distance. The clouds would come and go with such frequency that one minute we were enshrouded in whiteness and the next minute we had a clear view of the lake below.

The tour ended with a ride on the Shinkansen bullet train to downtown Tokyo. While we were waiting at the station these demons whipped by, shaped like white plane fuselages chained together. The kids boarded with some trepidation. Strangely the train was number 666, but the ride was smooth and surreal. I don't know what speed we were going but it seemed faster than a plane taking off. Very cool!

Here's a picture of the kids at the base of Mount Fuji ... at a poster.

Pokemon and Sweat Water

I'm told there are more vending machines here than anywhere else. At one vending machine I meant to purchase water but purchased Pocari Sweat instead. The bottle says this is a "healthy beverage that smoothly supplements the lost water and electrolytes during perspiration." I'm not making this up - somebody in the marketing department needs to be fired or I'm missing something. It tasted pretty good by the way so I bought some more for me and the kids. 

This is one orderly country. The trains run like clockwork and everything is very efficient and uniform. Kind of gets on your nerves after a while. Like when you need to shift to the left every time you go up an escalator to let others pass, or when you see the business men all off to work wearing the same white short-sleeved dress shirt. I do appreciate the architecture and infrastructure though as we get around. Makes the journey part of the fun.

We took a mono-rail through the city and across the Rainbow Bridge to the Odaiba district, which is an academic and technology park built out into the harbour. I always enjoy the science and technology museums and the one in Odaiba called Miraikan is no exception. In the International Space Station exhibit we watched the live feed of the docking of a Soyuz rocket that launched this morning. I also liked the robot and android exhibits - the Japanese seem to be on the cutting edge of this technology. There was one android that was realistic enough to be a bit creepy. People were also wandering around the museum on these Segways that you sit on and move using your body weight rather than with your hands. And the kids liked the Pokemon exhibit with all things Pokemon.

Fish market and gadgets

This morning we visited the Tsukiji Fish Market, which is reportedly the largest fish market in the world. We missed the early morning rush when the catch comes in and is sold off, but we did walk through the market and saw hundreds of varieties of fish and seafood, some being cut up and packaged for transport to who knows where. I learned it was not a good idea to get too close while fish heads were being lopped off lest some spray comes your way. Definitely not the place to wear your best clothes.

On the street along the way I ate what we dubbed an eggcycle, which was an omelet on a stick, and then Catheleen and I tried these large scallops which were shucked and fried up for us on the spot with blow torches, and then served with soya sauce in the half shell. Yummy.

Later in the morning we visited the Sony building. We started off in a theatre watching the Foo Fighters sing a few songs on an ultra high definition TV which must have been a 15 foot by 10 foot screen. I would need a bigger house to fit this monster TV. I assume it was for promotional purposes only, but it was still pretty cool. We next visited all the floors to look and play with all the latest gadgets.

Here I am eating my eggcycle.

Tokyo on a work day

Here's some impressions on our second day in Tokyo on another hot humid day on a work day - yesterday was a holiday here. It seemed strangely quiet as we headed on our way to a local café while the locals made their way to work. People here seem to be soft spoken, at least in public. Most of the ladies were walking with sun umbrellas, and some were wearing masks to either protect themselves or others from colds I'm told. There is almost no smoking around and smoking is prohibited on the street - I would like to see that in Canada. I haven't seen many foreigners here. I'm told foreigners come in the spring for the cherry blossoms and the fall for the autumn leaves. The city streets are clean with no litter yet it's rare to spot any garbage cans. Apparently people bring their garbage home with them.

The subway is the best way to get around, as is often the case in large cities. We have yet to be on a packed train with the official pushers cramming us on. However we did see women-only cars for use during rush hour, which seems related.

We visited the Imperial Palace grounds in the morning and we spent the afternoon in a shopping complex, mainly to avoid the heat. John noted it seems strange that most of the fashion ads are with western models. I know next to nothing about fashion, but it seems that the higher-end fashion ads and brands are drawn from the west, although the teenage girls seem to do their own thing. Right now their fashion seems to be short princess dresses, platform shoes and socks. Quite odd but interesting.

Here's a rare family picture as we walked around outside the Imperial Palace grounds - do we look hot? We are.

First impressions of Tokyo

Here we are on our first day in Japan. We've found the food here is tasty enough - we're just not always sure what we're eating. Adds to the surprise. I often get up first in the morning while everyone else is still sleeping - usually because I'm hungry and am looking for a snack. As John and I exited a shop early this morning I passed three teenage boys dressed similarly in muscle shirts, shorts and sandals - they were each fanning themselves with large black fans. Not exactly a cool apparel perhaps for teenage boys in Canada but who knows what the fashion is here.

We did a walking tour this morning around some parts of Tokyo, including a Shinto shrine and Buddhist temple. The guide noted that most Japanese are fairly flexible when it comes to religion and subscribe to both Shinto and Buddhist traditions. Shrines are often used for happy occasions and temples for somber occasions. As many Japanese brides like to marry in western-style wedding dresses in churches, the saying goes you are born Shinto, are married Christian, and die Buddhist.

As it is a hot and humid day today, we took it easy for the afternoon and went out for dinner in the evening when it was cooler. Here is a picture of John at the temple gathering smoke intended to cure ailments. I'm not sure what ailments he has - sore thumbs from playing too many video games?

Next stop - Japan

I don't want to spend a lot of time talking about washrooms, but I do want to mention one I visited this morning in Nelson Park on our last morning in Vancouver. The facility opened a metal door that seemed to belong on a sci-fi movie set, and greeted me with a one person bathroom that had gone though some kind of wash cycle from floor to ceiling. Even the sink was automated as it provided my hands a soap, water and a dryer sequence like they were travelling through a car wash. You can't make this stuff up.

So as we land in Tokyo and make our way to our hotel in the Shinjuku district through brightly lit neighbourhoods, I wonder what we'll experience abroad over the coming months. I don't know, but I'm sure it will be a hoot.

West Coast Quirk

As we passed another weed shop this morning after breakfast on our way to Granville Island, I was finding the west coast lifestyle noticeably different from the rest of Canada. Perhaps quirky would be a fitting description. In the Granville Island Market, I sipped lychee bubble tea while listening to Ralph the former physics major play '40 tunes on his ukulele. I spied a skull and crossbones flag flying on a sailboat nearby in the harbour - is that even allowed? We next spotted an intriguing poster, but sadly we didn't have time to take in a Zen workshop with Martin entitled "Rolling Down A Grassy Hill".

Rather than going Zen, we spent the afternoon with my Uncle Robert, who's been living here in West Vancouver since the '60's. When I visit Robert we always seem to walk through Stanley Park and then go for dinner at our favorite Singapore restaurant. It was a nice last evening spent with family.

By the way, here is Elizabeth showing off her muscle man moves over breakfast while feigning "Oh, is there gum on my shoe?" Maybe she's caught the west coast quirk.

En route to downtown Vancouver

I often see things in the early morning that I don't see any other time. As I ran around the corner in Stocking Creek Trail this morning, I came face to face with an owl, sitting on the railing of a bridge spanning a creek. I must have come within five feet of this majestic bird as it took off with its wide wing span flapping, staring directly at me with its big eyes. I wonder how a mouse must feel with this harbinger of doom swooping down from above.

We took the ferry back to Vancouver and we're now staying at a downtown hotel for a couple nights before we head for Japan. John is the driver behind the geocaching we've been doing lately. The kids search for stuff and Catheleen and I get some walks in, often in some scenic places off the beaten track - win-win. Today we went to a few sights including a stroll along Canada Place, where we watched the float planes come and go. Here John found a cache in red that was hard to spot, hiding in plain sight.

Apple picking at Grandma's

What a beautiful backyard with various apple trees, flower gardens and vegetable gardens. The place requires a lot of upkeep but on a day like today it must seem worth it. Here Elizabeth is picking apples with Catheleen's help

The tide is always a consideration when doing activities along the shore. It's also just fun to pay attention to the tide tables. Catheleen and the kids went for a hike along the shore at low tide and walked for some distance while watching the fishermen bring in the crab catch. Maybe we'll get out for another walk tomorrow, around noon in concert with the low tide again.

Tidal pools and forests

If you like looking at trees, mountains, and the ocean then Vancouver Island is a good place to go. Besides the logging industry, it does seem to run at a slower pace, at least around where we are staying near Ladysmith. Our hosts Barb and Jim kept us busy today as we travelled along logging roads with trips to old growth forests along the way to Port Renfrew. There we spent the afternoon climbing along the rocky shoreline, peering in tidal pools looking for unusual sea life on an ebbing tide. We did see some brightly coloured sea urchins and anemones. Jim was a good source of info since he's from the area. He was kind enough to point out the edible berries along the way which were new to us - salmon berries and huckleberries.

We also drove along a dry riverbed. I understand that there was so little snow last winter and rain this spring that the rivers and creeks are running very low. It will be hard going for the salmon this year as they try to make their way up the rivers to their spawning grounds. 

Next stop - Vancouver Island

I do like all the gadgets we brought on our trip - they let us work and play just about anywhere. This morning we hung around a Starbucks in Abbotsford for a while - Catheleen did some on-line booking, the kids went off looking for a geocache, and I read a news site. It does have its downside though as we followed Siri's directions to three different George streets before we found the right place to drop off the car rental in downtown Vancouver. Made for a tight rendezvous with the ferry nearby in Horseshoe Bay with minutes to spare. Here's a picture of Elizabeth feeling the breeze on the crossing on the first sunny day in the area in a while.

Reminds me of running for the ferry heading for Victoria a few times in the late 80's after visiting with a friend and his family in North Vancouver on the weekend. Woe to he who missed the last ferry Sunday night and didn't make it back for roll call and Monday morning classes. We always seemed to make it though.

So we've made the crossing and now we're on the island near Nanaimo visiting my birth mother Barb, who I connected with a few years ago. We've already managed to pack in a few activities in Parksville including catching the end results of the sand-castle competition. Sort of like the ice sculpture competition at Winterlude in Ottawa but the artwork is browner.

Falls and White Rock

We started off our day with a visit to Bridal Falls.  The waterfall was nice but what I liked the most was the short hike through the forest. It's not like anywhere else I've been with its huge cedar trees covered in moss - reminds me of some kind of a cold jungle. We poked at the big slugs along the way and the kids made their way back and forth across the creek along fallen trees.

In the afternoon we headed for White Rock for lunch with relatives and some time along the ocean front- the kids made a geocache find near the beachfront, which they were quite excited about. Later we had a farewell dinner in Abbotsford with my parents. I like this picture with Catheleen and Elizabeth walking ahead while the train whizzes by along the White Rock shoreline. There's been talk for years about moving the tracks elsewhere which would be good, but for today we felt the rush of the train rolling by at close quarters.

We packed in a lot of activities for one day. We're going to have to slow down the pace over the next six months.

Selfie sticks and car rallies

After breakfast we decided to go for a constitutional around Mill Lake. I keep coming back to this pond - it's a nice oasis in the city, although you might think the geese aren't too happy that we keep getting in the way as they cross in packs here and there. Here's my first attempt using a selfie stick. Everyone had a good laugh as I asked which button to press to take the picture - turns out there is only one.

You never know what you're going to find along the way. Today was Car Rally day at the park. This car is one of my favorites - thanks to Elizabeth for modelling it. I wonder why there are so many enthusiasts out there devoting their time and money to one hobby or another. I have to say though as hobbies go, this one is pretty cool.

Sibling rivalry and wine

It's been great spending some time with my extended family. They are mostly in western Canada and I don't get out here to visit as often as I should. I went for a run this morning with my sister Bonnie and her husband John - middle two in the shot below. It was good to get out to help shake off the jet lag along with a lingering cold that's finally on the wane. We even managed to re-live some sibling rivalry over who could do the most push-ups - sadly I didn't prevail.

In the afternoon the kids went with their Grandfather for an activity while we visited a winery near Hope called Kermode Wild Berry Wines near Mission. The berries are picked by locals throughout B.C. After much taste testing we settled on the Himalayan Blackberry Merlot and a few others. Afterwards we went to the Blackberry Kitchen in the Fraser Valley Heritage Park. A nice afternoon spent with my sisters Bonnie and Christine, John and Catheleen reminiscing and enjoying the day.

First stop - Vancouver

We just arrived in a hot and dry Fraser Valley with some lingering smoke in the sky from all the forest fires in the province. We are here primarily to visit my family and do some sight seeing around Vancouver island. Besides me breaking a luggage handle en route, the flights here were uneventful. Last time we were in town a couple of years ago our car rental was upgraded to a muscle car, unbeknownst to me. The kids would call it "one sweet hot ride" and I have to admit I did like it with its roaring engine. Just a regular sedan for us this time round though.

For the next few days we'll be staying in Abbotsford on the outskirts of Vancouver. Brings back memories of childhood when I lived nearby in Chilliwack and visited Abbotsford on occasion to go to the movies or to attend the annual air show. The place is much more built up now.

The place does still smell the same though with huge lush trees and blackberry bushes growing everywhere. These bushes have big blackberries buried deep in huge thorny rambles. At least they seemed huge when I picked them as a child, paying the inevitable price with scratches on my arms every time I couldn't resist. And yes I did manage to scratch myself up today.

Here's Catheleen helping herself to a few.

Last day in Ottawa

I have to admit I wasn't the driving force behind this trip - that would be Catheleen, the intrepid traveler. I was more the reluctant heal dragger at first. I am truly looking forward to the adventures we'll have on this trip, but on this last day in Ottawa I'm thinking about all the comforts we'll be leaving behind.

So while the kids are having a visit with relatives I took Catheleen out for lunch today to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Catheleen suggested somewhere else since we'll be in Vietnam soon enough. But I insisted - I need some of my last comforts of Ottawa. I mean, where am I going to get #327 vermicelli with pork, beef and spring rolls like I do every time we go to the New Mee Fung? You might argue Vietnam would be a good place to look, but what if the vermicelli bowls there are all filled with chicken feet and who knows what? What are you supposed to do with chicken feet anyway - suck them or chew?

Anyway, lunch is over, I have happy belly, and I should start packing. How do you pack for six months anyway?  I'm just going to fill up a suitcase with some clothes and a few odds and ends - they've got more stuff in Asia right?


#327 - num!

Last preparations - time for reflection

The number one reaction I get from people when I explain ours plans is what a great experience it will be for the kids. I agree, but I can't say that was the main or only reason to go - it should be a great experience and break for all of us.

As we leave Canada at the best time of the year, I wonder what could be better than here. Perhaps nowhere, but I doesn't hurt to take some time to confirm that. Reminds me of a saying every time we come back from a trip - it's nice to go away but it's nice to come home.

Immunization time

At least we're near the gelato place for a post shot treat. The kids are making fun of how slow I'm typing this. Six months of this?