Shopping!

Today’s Activity – Shopping!
 
I only have one thing to share about shopping in Japan: After experiencing the level of customer service I received in stores today, it will be very difficult to be satisfied shopping anywhere else again.
 
Yes, it’s that excellent.
 
Or maybe their customer service is average and it just stands out as excellent when compared to the mediocre (at best) service we receive in the states.
 
Either way, I loved shopping in Japan. 
 
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Bullet Train to Hiroshima

Today is Wednesday.
 
Oh, I was NOT ready to leave Tokyo or the Conrad Hilton this morning! I didn’t even get to enjoy the spa!
 
Nevertheless, I packed up, had a wonderful breakfast overlooking the city and the bay, waved goodbye to my room and headed out.
 

 

Next stop was the Shinagawa Station where we boarded the Bullet Train to Hiroshima. I love traveling by train because I get to see more of the country. I tried to take in as much as I could as it was whizzing past me at 200 miles per hour! I would have taken pictures but I think it all would have been a blur. LOL. 
 
Japan is beautiful. It is mountainous and very green. All the houses are built close together (like the suburb areas outside of Chicago) and the cities are densely populated. Since very few flat areas exist, the hills and mountainsides are cultivated all the way to the top. They utilize vertical space as much as possible in the form of tall buildings and multi-level housing.
 
The people of Japan are absolutely precious. They are so polite and courteous and customer service is very important to them. For example . . . on the train, attendants come through every once-in-awhile with a service cart offering snacks and beverages (similar to the airlines). When the attendant comes to the end of a rail car, she pushes the cart through the door, turns to face the passengers, bows deeply and thanks them for the opportunity to serve them. She then moves on to the next car. How cool is that? This type of attitude prevails the entire country, especially the older generation.

After a four hour train ride, we arrived in Hiroshima. We caught a cab to the hotel, got settled and changed for dinner with Stan’s relatives. We had a wonderful evening with his family. Only one cousin spoke broken English but they all tried to make me feel welcome and did their best to communicate with me. I finally figured out I could use the translator app on my phone to communicate. Duh! I’m so glad I got to meet them all.

Another customer service story: When we were checking in to our hotel, a bell hop assisted us to our rooms. In the elevator, he identified himself as a trainee and apologized for not talking very much. When we got to my room, the card-key had apparently not been activated so the door wouldn’t open. He was mortified. He apologized and apologized. I felt so sorry for him. All my assurances could not alleviate his embarrassment. He dropped Stan’s bags off in Stan’s room, bowed, and ran downstairs to correct the problem with my key. After a few minutes he returned with the card-key and thankfully, it worked. He carried my bags in, asked if I had any questions, and when he handed me the key, he bowed deeply and in a bowed position humbly apologized again. Bless his heart. The idea that he failed to deliver less than stellar customer service was embarrassing to him. He was shocked when he received a tip from Stan.


Wow. America could take a few lessons – myself included.

Here are a few videos I had a chance to upload while on the train . . .

Remember the famous Shibuya Crossing from a previous post? I took two videos – one from the window at Starbucks, and one from ground level. Notice the guy who runs out to the middle of the crosswalk and stands there with his hands out. What was that all about? LOL.

Shibuya Crossing from Starbucks window.

Shibuya Crossing at eye level.


Tomorrow – Hiroshima.

P.S. By-the-way, I finally got to see Mount Fuji from the train! Although it was a distance away, it is an imposing and impressive figure on the landscape. So glad I got to see it!

 
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Mount Fuji – NOT

The first thing I did when I woke up this morning was reach over and push the button that opened my drapes!  Nice! I laid in bed and enjoyed the view of the harbor from my 30th floor vantage point! Ahhh. A girl could get used to this!
 
Stan and I had a nice (but quick) breakfast in the dining room and then we hopped on a tour bus for a guided tour to Mount Fuji.
 
I love guided tours because you learn so much about the area that you may have otherwise missed. As we drove through the city on our way out of town, our guide pointed out local landmarks, gave brief history lessons, and shared humorous and interesting facts about the local customs, culture,  dietary habits, and persons of interest.
 
Once outside the city we got to see the beautiful countryside which is densely wooded  and mountainous. There are little towns and farming communities tucked up against the mountains and fall colors are beginning to pepper the landscape.
 
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan at 12,389 ft. It is classified as an active volcano but it hasn’t erupted since 1707-08. Mount Fuji’s exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well known symbol of Japan and Mount Fuji is one of Japan’s  three “Holy Mountains”.
 
This photo of Mount Fuji is beautiful and I wish I had taken it today. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy and rainy and we couldn’t see the summit . . . or anything else for that matter.  Instead, this is what we saw:
 
 
 
Oh well. The drive to the 5th station was lovely and I did get to hold a piece of lava rock from Mount Fuji in my hand.
 
Our tour also included a short ferry ride on Lake Ashinoko followed by a tram ride to the summit of Mount Hakone.
 

 
Apparently summits were not in the plan for me today because the tram ride was a NO GO. When Stan and I arrived at the loading area for the stand-and-ride tram, it was absolutely packed full of people standing earlobe-to-earlobe! I couldn’t believe how tight they were all shoved inside that tram. The ride was 7 minutes to the top and I didn’t think I would be able to handle being sandwiched in there with all those people so I refused to board. We wanted to wait for the next tram, but the operator said the next one would be just as full. We decided to sit it out. It was overcast and rainy and visibility was low anyway so I didn’t push the issue.
 
Our last adventure for the day was riding back to Tokyo on the Bullet Train. Wow! That thing is fast. I think it travels 200+ miles per hour. You get where you’re going in a hurry!  While we were waiting for our train, another Bullet Train came through the station. I’m sure the conductor slowed down a bit so the air blast wouldn’t blow everyone off the platform, but still, look how fast this thing travels:
 



Tomorrow we leave Tokyo and travel to Hiroshima. I better get to bed! It’s late!

 

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Shiodome – Moving East

Monday was a moving day.
 
Moving day means I have to pack up all my stuff, schlep it, and transfer to a new hotel. I’m usually not ready to switch locations but I always look forward to seeing what’s next.
 
I dislike the packing part. My stuff seems to expand and get heavier every time I re-pack it. How does that work? And Stan dislikes the schlepping part because he ends up carrying not only his stuff, but some of mine as well! LOL.

Breakfast at the hotel before moving to east side of Tokyo.

 

Anywho, we arrived at our next destination which was the Conrad Hilton on the east side of Tokyo! Yes indeedy-heedy! This is a luxury skyscraper hotel in the heart of the business district where all the beautiful people are. The hotel is an interesting blend of contemporary luxury with a touch of traditional Japanese culture. Our rooms were on the bay side; the view was beautiful.

Room at the Conrad Hilton, Tokyo

Lounge at the Conrad Hilton, Tokyo

 
We spent the afternoon in Asakusa, a neighboring city. Our goal was to find a specific spice shop so Stan could buy a gift for a friend. After that, we walked around the area and checked out the local vendors and street market.

 

Stan found his spice store.

Rickshaw

 

At the end of the street we visited another shrine and I ran into three ladies dressed in traditional kimono.  They were so polite when I asked them if I could take a picture with them. The fabric on these kimonos was exquisite. The photo does not do justice.

Sensoji Temple

After a long day of walking, I decided to stay in and catch up on the blog. Here is the view I got to enjoy for the evening. Beautiful!



 

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Shinjuku, Japan

I’ll start off by saying that 11+ hours on an airplane is a very long time – even in First Class!
 
Our first travel day(s) started off at 4:00 AM. We had to be at LAX early for our first leg from Los Angeles to San Jose, California. I managed to get through security with all my baggies of liquids (which never ceases to amaze Stan) and we were off.
 
We had a three hour lay-over in San Jose which was spent very comfortably in the Premier Lounge. (God bless Stan and his gold card!)

At about 1:30 pm we finally boarded the airplane for our flight to Tokyo and before we left the ground I was transported to a whole new world. The Japanese flight attendants were so polite, so respectful, and started and ended every interaction with a bow. They went out of their way to ensure my comfort throughout the entire flight and by the time the flight was over, I wanted to grab my flight attendant and squeeze her precious self!
 
I wanted to, but I didn’t.
 
The long flight time was spent catching up on movies (since I had my own personal TV monitor) – four movies to be exact – and we were served two meals along the way.  Still, with all the luxury, it is very difficult to stay put for 11 hours. I felt sorry for the people in coach who were crammed in tight spaces and were probably bored silly. I was very ready to disembark by the time the plane landed.
 
It took quite awhile to retrieve luggage, ship a package ahead to our next destination, purchase rail passes and get organized but we finally hopped on the train for a 45 minute ride to the city. Once in Tokyo, we walked a few blocks to the hotel, checked-in, grabbed a quick bite and CRASHED. We had been up for about 26 hours by then and I was exhausted.
 
My room at the Hilton, Tokyo.
 
 
 
DAY TWO – SUNDAY
 
Our hotel is located in Shinjuku, the heart of the downtown government / business district. This part of Tokyo has a “big city USA” vibe and I feel right at home.  We got a late start on Sunday morning so we decided to walk around, see the sites and keep it simple. 
 
View from my hotel window on the 28th floor.
 
 
Tokyo has an amazing, mind-boggling  subway network that includes I don’t know how many stations all connected by under-ground walkways that are like shopping malls. It’s crazy! Thankfully, my tour guide is experienced and knowledgeable so all I had to do was try to keep up . . . and I DO mean KEEP UP. Stan lost me once and I had no idea where he was. I stopped for a second to look at a billboard and when I turned around, he was gone! I decided to stay put and let him come find me – which he did. Ha! Ha!
 
Subway network.
 
 
We are where?

Times Square, Tokyo

 

 
Shibuya Station was our next destination. It’s a shopping and entertainment area where all the young people hang out. It’s high energy, noisy, and fun. The buildings are covered in brightly colored signage and on the day we were there, it was crowded and bustling.
 

This lovely costume was in the window
of a dance apparel shop.
 

You know the clothing store, Free People?
This is their van. Cute, huh?
 

Prominent landmark of Shibuya is this intersection.
It gets flooded by pedestrians when the crossing
light turns green. It is a popular movie film spot.
 

Next stop was the Meiji Jingu shrine.  The shrine is located in a forest that covers 175 acres. All of the trees (about 120,000) were donated by people from all parts of Japan when the shrine was established in the 1920’s.  The shrine was built to honor Emperor Meiji after his death in 1912 for his role in the Meiji Restoration. Here are some photos I took along the way. 


 



 

 
 
 
Visitors wash their hands before entering.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spider web!
 
This picture is blurry but I liked the bridge so I included it.


,Th
 
After our visit to the shrine, we hopped on the subway and headed back to the hotel to get ready for the evening’s activities. I took a few shots of the architecture in the downtown area near the hotel.

Cocoon Building

Notice how they drive on the incorrect side of the road?


Back at the hotel we had a quick dinner, changed, and headed out again to the (ah-hem) posh area of Aoyama for the Dave Koz concert. Blue Note Tokyo is a cousin to the famous Blue Note New York club. It only holds 300 people so seating is up close and personal. It was awesome. Dave always puts on a good show and now I can say I’ve seen him in three cities.
 
 

Dave Koz, Blue Note Jazz Club, Tokyo, Japan
 
 
 
It was a jammed packed day and by the time I got back to the hotel I was ready to be off my feet. As much as we saw, we only scratched the surface.

(PS – To enlarge the photos, click on one and slideshow mode will launch.)
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And We’re Off . . . To Asia

As I write this, Stan and I are sitting in the airport lounge in San Jose, California awaiting our connecting flight to Tokyo, Japan! In a mere 11 hrs. / 5 min., my long-time desire to experience Asia will become a reality. How cool is that?
 
For Stan, this trip is a repeat performance as he has relatives in Japan and has been there many times over the years. It is my good fortune to have an experienced tour guide who is familiar with the area, understands the culture, and speaks the language. It is also comforting to know that Stan’s family is in the area and we will be in good hands if the need arises. (I don’t expect anything to go wrong, but this thought will bring comfort to my mother who is a professional worrier.)
 
Stan just reminded me that his most valuable contribution will be that he will make sure I don’t accidentally or unknowingly EAT anything I’m not supposed to! Ha! Ha!
 
 

Looking at the center of Japan, our travels will take us to Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka and Kyoto. First on the agenda – Dave Koz concert on Sunday night in Tokyo. Awesome!
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What Limits My Life?

Recently, our church was studying a passage in
Revelation.  Our pastor was inviting us to
experience the throne room of Heaven (as described by John) and familiarizing
us with some of the protocol of Heaven.  Later
I went back and re-visited that section of scripture and meditated a little
more deeply on the scene. 

One of the things that caught my attention was this:

I, John, your brother and
companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in
Jesus, was on the island
of Patmos because of
the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Rev 1:9

Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean
Sea which, in John’s day, was used by the Romans as a place of exile.
According to John, he was exiled to this isolated location for preaching the
gospel of Christ.
In the natural John was about as “shut-down” as a person can
be. He was a prisoner. He was cut-off from all resources, his support group,
and his liberties as a citizen.  It would
have been perfectly normal for him to experience all the distressing emotions a
person would feel in his circumstances – discouragement, disillusionment, depression,
physical pain, frustration, etc.

But the scripture says that John was in the Spirit.

On the Lord’s
Day I was in the Spirit [rapt in His power], and I heard behind me a
loud voice like a trumpet . . . Rev 1:10

John was in the Spirit. What
does that mean? 
According to the dictionary, John
was cognitively communing, enjoying, fellowshipping, abiding, and dwelling
within God.
Wow. Let that sink in for a
moment.
Although John was physically
stuck on an island in exile, in the Spirit he was actively experiencing the
presence of God. His circumstances could not hinder him from accessing the
highest place of Glory.
As the story unfolds, John sees
Jesus in His resurrected, glorified state. 
The Lord introduces himself and tells John to write down the messages He
wants to impart to the seven churches.  After
all the letters are dictated, John is invited to come to Heaven.

After this I looked, and there
before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard
speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show
you what must take place after this.” Rev 4:1
As I meditated, I realized that John didn’t say, “I can’t,
Lord. I’m a political prisoner. I’m stuck on the island of Patmos.
I have to show up tomorrow for roll-call!”
John HEARD the voice of the Lord and he RESPONDED.  The Lord began to show me that so often in my
life the voice of the Holy Spirit beckons me into the presence of God but sometimes
I can’t hear His voice. When I allow the circumstances of life to shut me down –
when I allow grief, sorrow, separation, difficulties, or fear to drown out the
voice of the Holy Spirit – I limit my ability to hear His voice and respond.

The choice is mine.  Like John, my circumstances do not have the power to limit my life. Thank
God!  I can dwell in the presence of God any time I hear and am willing
to respond to His voice regardless of what is going on in / around me. It is so
encouraging to me that although John was on the island of Patmos,
in the Spirit he was given the climax message of the church concerning the Last
Days and the Second Coming of Christ!
What will God be able to do in me when I am tuned in to His
voice, hear His invitation to come into His presence, and respond?
I don’t know, but I’m excited to find out.
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Guard Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23
I have read this verse countless times before. Although I can’t remember specifically, I want to believe I have at least thought about its meaning at some point along the way.

The truth is, I can’t remember.

How is it possible that I have made it this far along life’s journey without understanding the severity of this warning? 

“Above all else, guard your heart . . .”

Above all else?  That’s pretty strong language. I am certain I have put many, many priorities above guarding my heart. You know, important things like making sure all my files are neatly labled in the same font size, or making absolutely certain there are no expired items in my pantry.

Sigh.

Today I went before the Lord and asked Him about this heart thing. I needed to know why such a high importance was placed on guarding my heart. What is my heart, anyway?  How do I guard it? What does it mean that my heart is the wellspring of life?

It turns out, my heart is key. My heart is the core of who I am. It is the source of my love, my creativity, my strength, my convictions, my personality, and my beliefs. My heart is ME – the wellspring of my life; the essence of my existence. My heart is “command central”. It is vital. No wonder the scripture urges me to guard it with vigilance.

Well that explains a lot.

When my heart (the core of who I am) becomes infected, contaminated, injured, broken, deceived, damaged, or worse – destroyed – I cease to be ME. And since I am created in God’s image, I cease to be a reflection of God’s own heart. It is tragic. Hence, the warning.

Jesus put it this way, “For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean’. ” Mark 7:21-23.

He could have gone on to add depression, insecurity, fear, shame, rejection, resentment, abandonment, and anxiety to the list. Because let’s be honest, aren’t those evils so often found in our un-guarded hearts as well?

On the other hand, good things (treasures) come from the heart too: Love, hope, truth, confidence, compassion,  dreams, talents, values and potential. No wonder Solomon says the heart is the wellspring of life – it is the place from which the essence of my life flows. Good or bad, success or failure – it all comes from what is going on inside.

It is apparent I have a lot of work to do. Realizing I must vigilantly guard my heart is only the first step. The next step is uprooting all the harmful lies I have allowed to be planted in my heart. Lies about myself, lies about God, lies about my past, present and future.

A divine cleansing. Reclaiming my heart. Actively replacing all the negative with the truth of God’s Word. Embracing His love for me and allowing it to take root in my heart. Walking in it. Living it. Experiencing it every day.

It’s do-able. And I’m starting now.


 

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God Bless America!

For the past month I have been in the enviable position of touring parts of Europe with my friend Stan. It was a wonderful trip and I will cherish the memories for many years to come. Every girl should be as blessed as I am to have a friend such as Stan!
I must admit that returning to my routine and responsibilities has been tough. Just getting my days and nights straightened out has been a challenge! But now, everything seems to be falling back into place and I am trying to wrap my head around my remaining goals (and challenges) for the balance of the year.
My final thoughts are about coming home . . .
I am so THANKFUL for America and I am so blessed to have been born and raised in this great country of ours.
I appreciate our Constitution which (for now, still) guarantees me life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I am thankful for my right of free speech, the right to peacefully assemble and to protest. I appreciate that I can move freely from state to state and enjoy all this great country has to offer.
I am thankful for our prospertiy as a nation and God’s divine protection of it’s citizens.
I am thankful for the faith that this country was founded upon and that (for now) I am free to worship God without fear of consequences.
I am thankful for the military, police officers and fire fighters who sacrifice so much to defend and protect our freedoms with so little reward or personal gain. Such individuals are (sadly) a dying breed and I appreciate them so much.
May God have mercy on our nation. May our hearts be turned to Him in true worship and thanksgiving, and may God bless America.

God Bless America – Irving Berlin


While the storm clouds gather far across the sea, 
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free. 
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, 
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer: 
 God bless America, land that I love, 
Stand beside her and guide her 
Through the night with a light from above. 
From the mountains, to the prairies, 
To the oceans white with foam, 
God bless America, 
My home sweet home. 
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Last Night in Europe

In my last post I mentioned that we had just arrived in London. We were there Friday night through this morning (Monday, July 16th). 

Unfortunately, I had a debilitating migraine Saturday and Sunday and spent both days in my hotel room! It was no fun! Thankfully, Stan was able to go sight-seeing on his own and seemed to have a nice weekend.

This morning we took a train to Heathrow Airport and flew back to Germany – our original starting point. Tomorrow we fly back to the states. 

It has been a wonderful trip and I am so glad I had the opportunity to come! Stan did such a great job making all the arrangements and navigating us all over the place. I am blessed beyond measure!

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