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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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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London, England

Wow! Everything is in English again. I can actually turn on the TV and understand what is being said. 

So . . .

This morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then I spent the morning packing, paying bills and getting ready. After lunch, we took a taxi to the train station and processed our way through security and customs. We bid France ‘Adieu’ and we were off to England.

I really enjoyed the train ride. I got to see some of the French countryside which consisted mostly of farmland from what I could see. It was really pretty. We crossed the English Channel and arrived in London after about 2-1/2 hours. 

BTW – I’m happy to be able to say I have ridden a high-speed Eurostar passenger train through the longest undersea portion of any tunnel in the world. It’s very dark in there! According to Wikipedia, in 1996 the American Society of Civil Engineers identified the tunnel as one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. Cool!

We are staying at a really neat hotel – The St. Pancras Renaissance. The original building was constructed in the 1870’s and used to be the Midland Grand Hotel. It closed in 1935 because its utilities were outdated and it was too costly to maintain. Between 2004-2011 the building was renovated into a new hotel with private apartments on the upper floors. If you are ever in London, this is the place to stay.

St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel.


Our plan tonight is to have dinner, and then I am going to go downstairs and take advantage of the spa facilities. Tomorrow we sight-see!

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Paris, Continued

Ever have one of those days? Yeah, me too. Today was one of them.

The morning was overcast and rainy but that’s okay because most of our sight-seeing was indoors. I had a hard time getting up because I was awake until 2:00 AM writing this blog. I’m having way too much fun recording the details of our trip. I’m just sayin . . .

We had breakfast at the hotel and then headed out for Paris, Part II.

Good morning!

Stan is so great about figuring out where we’re going and how to get there. He navigates the subways, trains, and walking around the city like a pro. Look at how crowded the subway is in the morning!

Our first stop was The Louvre Museum. The museum is housed in the Louvre Palace which was the official residence for all the kings that ruled France prior to the French Revolution. In 1682, King Louis XIV chose to move his household to the Palace of Versailles leaving the Louvre as a place to display the royal collection and permitting the palace to be used as a residence for artists. After the Revolution, the National Assembly decreed that the Louvre should be used as a museum to display the nation’s masterpieces. It’s a long and very interesting story but time does not permit the retelling of it all.

The Louvre.


Visiting The Louvre is like a two-for-one. Not only are the exhibitions, paintings, sculptures and artifacts worth seeing; the palace itself is embellished in the extreme french style and beautiful in itself. Now, I must confess I do not know very much about art so many of the pieces were somewhat lost on me. However . . . I was in awe at the opportunity to stand before Leonardo Da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa! 

The Mona Lisa.

The Mona Lisa.

I enjoyed visiting the museum but it was very crowded and I could not figure out how to get my audio guide headphones to work. I missed out on the commentary of the palace and the exhibitions and after a few hours I was frustrated. (Note: this is not the only tantrum I will throw today; there’s more.)  Below are some of the interesting or beautiful pieces I was able to shoot. 

Ceiling in one of the rooms.
Venus of Milo.
Napoleon crowns his wife Josephine as Empress.

Madame Raymond de Verninac
by Louis David in 1798

Doorway embellishments in the palace.

Stan took these photos of some of the rooms on display of the royal apartments in the Louvre. I believe these are from Napoleon’s era.

Table for forty.
Fine, as long as I’m not doing the dishes!

The crown jewels.

I want a chair with a big “H” on it!

So, before leaving the Louvre, we stopped for lunch at the food court.

After lunch, before we left for our next adventure, I headed to the Ladies Room. Ya’ll . . . I had to pay 1.50 euro to use the facilities! Can you believe that? Geez! (Tantrum #2.)

Okay.

We hopped on the train and headed to the out-skirts of Paris to the Palace of Versailles. I am sorry I did not get more pictures of the exterior, but as you can see it was cloudy and rainy and I did not feel like walking around outside.

Walking toward the palace.
Palace of Versailles.
Notice the gates of gold.

Here’s the story: In 1575 Albert de Gondi invited Louis XIII on several hunting trips in the forests surrounding Versailles. The king loved the area so much he decided to construct a hunting lodge in 1624. Thus were the humble beginnings of this great palace. 

Over the years, Louis XIII’s successor, Louis XIV expanded the original structure into one of the largest palaces in the world. There were four building campaigns between 1664 – 1697.  

In 1678 he decided to make Versailles his permanent residence and he eventually moved the court from the Louvre to Versailles.

Louis XV and Louis XVI made more changes to the palace and the gardens in the 1700’s.

Sadly, in 1789 during the French Revolution, the palace fell into the hands of the Republic. Louis XVI was arrested and Versailles was sealed. I read that the furnishings of the palace were sold in auctions and only certain items were consigned to be part of the collection of a museum. Mirrors were assigned by the finance ministry for payment of debts of the Republic and draperies, upholstery, and fringes were confiscated and sent to the mint to recoup the gold and silver used in their manufacture.

In the 1800’s, after all the upheaval, Napoleon came on the scene and everything changed again. As far as I can tell though, the palace was never restored to it’s former beauty or returned to it’s prominent status.  It’s such a shame that all the grandeur has been lost or faded. I found the palace to be in a serious state of disrepair.

Overall, I’m glad I got to visit the palace but it was not a good experience. There were throngs of people crammed into very tight spaces – no crowd control whatsoever. It was difficult to see the items of interest and impossible to take a decent picture. By the time we left I had been pushed, shoved. stepped-on, and stepped-in-front-of. I finally lost my patience and told Stan I was ready to leave. (Tantrum #3.) 

Bless his heart. When we finally made our way out, he took a few shots of the garden and we left.

Like I said, I was having one of those days!

The day ended on a good note. On the train ride back to Paris, we met some really fun people from Southern California. Two couples and their children are vacationing together and we all started talking and sharing stories. We were laughing so loudly, I’m sure the rest of the passengers were glad when we got off the train. I didn’t get their names, but I am so thankful to have enjoyed their company!

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Embellishments On Top of Embellishments

The name of the game in Paris is, “Embellishments On Top of Embellishments”. This city seems to adhere to the “more is better” philosophy. It actually suits me just fine!

The morning was overcast and a little cool. Lucky for me I packed a jacket! We navigated the subway system and our first stop was the Fragonard Musee du Parfum (Museum of Perfume). We took a quick walk through the perfume exhibits which explained the history of perfume manufacturing and got to sniff samples of common ingredients used to create scents. After the tour, we went to the boutique where I had fun trying on LOTS of perfumes and happily walked out with five of my favorites. Woo! Hoo! I smell pretty!

Next stop was the not-to-be-believed, oh my goodness, unbelievable, you gotta be kidding, Opera House. Seeing the Opera House was worth coming to Paris for. I would plan a special trip just to see this building. The Palais Garnier was built on the orders of Napoleon, III. The project for an opera house was put out to competition and the contract was won by Charles Garnier, an unknown 35 year old architect. How’s that for a career break of a lifetime? It was built from 1860 to 1875. There is no way I can possibly describe the opulence, the Baroque architecture, the history, and the “grand-ness” of it all. You just have to visit Paris and see it for yourself.

The Palais Garnier Opera House.

The Grand Staircase.
Ceiling above the Grand Staircase.
Tragedy on the left, Comedy on the right.

Performance Hall, Paris Opera House

Our tour guide told us that Palais Garnier is the original setting  of my favorite opera, “Phantom of the Opera”. In answer to a question about the chandelier falling, he said in 1896, one of the chandelier counter-weighs fell on a concierge tragically killing her. In addition, members of the theater claimed to have heard strange sounds from the basement and maze-like corridors, thus refusing to enter these parts of the building. The Phantom’s box is said to be No. 5.

Performance Hall Ceiling and Chandelier.
Napolean, III’s Box on the end.
The Phantom’s Box next to it.

Peeking in Box 5

The Grand Foyer certainly lives up to it’s name! I gasped when I walked through the door. There is so much detail in this room, I could not take it all in. The magnificent ceiling painted by Paul Baudry portrays themes from the history of music – biblical scenes are portrayed on one side, and mythological on the other side. Every square foot of this room is embellished. It is unbelievable.

The Grand Foyer

H.A. lying down on the floor to get a shot!
That’s determination!

Getting a shot of the ceiling.


The ceiling in the Grand Foyer.



Before taking a lunch break, Stan took a short video of the streets of Paris from the terrace of the Opera House. You can experience some of the hustle and bustle.


Streets of Paris. Notice there are seven intersections!



Typical Paris street lamp.

After lunch, we hopped on a subway and then a commuter train across the Seine to the Musee d’ Orsay. This museum building was originally a railway station. By 1939 the station’s short platforms had become unsuitable for the longer trains that were in use. It was almost demolished in 1970 but through a series of events it was renovated and turned into a museum in 1986. There are about 2000 paintings, 600 sculptures and other works of art from the period 1848 – 1914. I was privileged to see works of Degas, Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Manet, etc. We had headphones that allowed us to hear the background and artistic points of many of the popular works which added so much to the experience of viewing them. What a great afternoon! I could have easily spent a full day there. Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed.

Museum d’ Orsay

Museum d’ Orsay

Our final stop for the day was the Arc de Triomphe (Triumphal Arch) – one of the most famous monuments in Paris. The Arc honors those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. All the French victories and generals who fought are inscribed on it’s inner and outer surfaces. Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from World War I. It’s design was inspired by the Roman Arch of Titus. 

An interesting fact I learned today: Three weeks after the Paris victory parade in 1919, Charles Godefroy flew his Nieuport biplane through it! My grandmother would have been 10 years old at the time.

Arc de Triomphe, Paris, France.

Arc de Triomphe

Generals’ names inscribed on the surface.

Effeil Tower in the distance.
Oh . . . there is so much that I am leaving out. There just isn’t time to record it all. The history fascinates me and I am having so much fun learning about the places we have visited. Tomorrow is another full day. I better get to bed. I had a hard time getting up this morning.

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