Tokyo!

We decided to spend a few days in the heart of Japan, Tokyo! Our accommodation; The Tokyu inn was in the heart of Shibuya. A very central and trendy suburb of Tokyo and the famous scramble crossing was just around the corner. As we did not have a JR pass, it was very handy to all the sites. Every thing we wanted to visit was within walking distance or a couple of train stops away. The Meiji Shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji is surrounded by forest, a stark contrast to the modern landscape of the big city. Near by was the former imperial gardens that are now open to the public as park land. The Tokyo Metropolitan government building observation deck offered free, magnificent views of the city at sunset and also the majestic Mt Fuji. As you do in a big city, we just wandered around to soak up the atmosphere. Found some interesting streets; Drunkard Alley lined with small quaint bars and Cat Street that is a trendy area with shops selling upmarket, unique wares. We sang at a karaoke bar, enjoyed local food and beers.

All in all another successful holiday.

Arigatou gozaimasu   どうもありがとうございます。




Thanks to Bethany and Lachlan for the great night out and the tips about Shibuya.

Onsen Etiquette!

The term  温泉 aka  onsen means hot springs. As Japan is a volcanically active country, you can find thousands of onsens scattered along its length and breadth. The onsen were traditionally used for public bathing and now days play a central role in Japanese tourism. Onsen water is believed to have healing powers derived from its mineral content. The water is steaming but very cleansing and leaves you with a healthy, rosy glow. 

We chose to stay in a traditional Ryokan whilst visiting the lovely area of Hakone. Our tatami room boasted excellent views of Lake Ashi and the Torii gate. There were both indoor and outdoor onsen on the top floor with spectacular views to match.  

Our onsen was gender segregated. The noren or entry curtain, blue for otokos (boys) and red for onnas (girls) ensured you did not stray into wrong area. We were given kimonos, bath towels and little red shoes to use for our visit to the onsen. After entering through to correct door, you must remove your shoes before stepping into the change room. There you must remove all your clothing and modesty and place in the basket provided. You can only take your small wash cloth through with you into the bathing area. In the bathing area, you are required to soap up and shower off before entering the water. Your bath towel must never enter the onsen water, the idea is to balance it on your head whilst bathing. When you are finished bathing, you are expected to dry off with the bath towel before walking back through to the change room. Oh, yeah and no water angels or muff diving permitted. etiquette states that you must sit quietly and relax.

New airport Security rules!

In this day and age we all travel with at least on electronic device such as a mobile phone, tablet, e reader, laptop. digital camera or mp3 player. 

Extra security measures have been implemented due to concerns about a heightened terrorism threat to aviation, particularly concerning flights to, from or via the United States and United Kingdom. Electronic devices are being targeted by security as they have the potential to be concealed as hidden explosives. At present, the Terrorism Alert Level for Australia remains unchanged.

With the new airport security rules in USA and UK, you may be asked to turn on any electrical or battery-powered device to prove its functionality. If your device does not turn on, it may be confiscated and you denied boarding the plane.  Main airlines effected by these new rules include Qantas, Virgin, Emirates, Etihad, British, Delta and all carriers that fly to, from or via USA and UK.


Some important things to remember:

- Ensure all electronic devices have enough battery power to be turned on at security if requested.

- Security may request this at any airport, not just those traveling to and from or via USA/UK.
- Ensure devices are not completely drained of power whilst in transit or on plane.
- There are limited opportunities to recharge devices within airports.
- Devices that cannot be turned on at security may be confiscated or you may be denied boarding the plane.
- Any device that contains a lithium battery must be carried in carry on luggage.
-  Smart idea to keep all chargers in hand luggage with you.

 

Hakone Open Air Museum

She lies fallen in a pool, eyes closed as if dreaming of some utopia, as the tendrils  of ivy wrap around her head; a misshapen and ginormous woman, clutching her handbag and dressed by Daiso watches over a fallen comrade who lies legs akimbo as if they have surrended to the effects of an all night karaoke session. Warrior women gather in the central courtyard as a crescendo of sound generates from the jenka like wooden forest and giant carp stare upwards in expectation of a feed.  Near by a tower ascends to the sun emperor and whose interior resembles a kaleidoscope that dazzles and memorises.   At the top of the tower  a viewing platform provides the observer with a panorama of Picasso Pavilion and fields of artifacts.

Welcome to Hakone Open Air Museum a place where art meets nature.  Opened in 1969 it provides a permanent home for approximately 120 works from well known contemporary artists which stretches over 70,000 metres and blurs the lines between the elements and art.  There are no walls or protective glass, instead manicured gardens, forest and natural springs form the setting.  In fact, the setting itself becomes part of the magic and where else can you bathe your weary feet in an art work known as 'hot foot' surrounded by floating citrus and soak in your surroundings?

Bizarre travel requests!

Every traveler likes to get value for money but some try to get that extra mile. Here are some interesting travel requests.

A couple asked for a full refund for their two week honeymoon in the Maldives.  It rained one afternoon during the whole trip and they had been told it would be "sunny, day in and day out"
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A lady complained about her holiday to India "the food was too spicy and hardly anyone spoke English"

A thrillseeker, who booked a trip to universal studios in Florida asked for a full refund as "one of the rides was too scary"

A caller claiming to be the Queen requested a free first class ticket to Australia, then threatened the staff with jail for treason when they refused!

A person complained that the sand was not smooth enough on their Island resort holiday.

If you have to gaul to pull it off....word up to you!

Extract.  Words. Peter Woodman. Cairns Post.

Moto-Hakone

It's a rare experience wondering the streets of Moto-hakone watching the cloud cover engulf Lake Ashi and the feeling of being the only ones present in the township.  Strolling through the Torii gates, past the stone buddhas finding ourselves devoured by the Cedar Avenue that frames the Old Takaido Highway. You can easily imagine a ninja dissolving into the filtered light whilst the mighty old man cedar reaches skyward to provide a canopy of protection for both the walker and their assailants. There are so many lovely walks around the lake area that we lost track of time as we meandered. We wandered the grounds of The Hakone-Jingi Shrine and down to shrine's Torii gates standing proud in the waters of Lake Ashi; It is this view of these red gates that we enjoyed from our out door onsen.
   

The locals informed us that on a clear day the mighty Fuji can be seen towering over the township thus providing one of the most photogenic opportunities around.  Unfortunately, we had yet to see the elusive Fuji. Taking matters into our own hands, we jumped aboard the pirate sightseeing ship bound for the Hakone Ropeway to try and catch a glimpse.  On our way, we witnessed volcanic vapours escaping from vents carved out of the side of Mt Owakendi. As our capsule was invaded with the stench of sulphur (or Brad's rumbling stomach, both have a similar smell) we decided to disembark to explore.  Here we sampled the local delicacy of 'Black Eggs'. The kuro-tamago or black eggs can be purchased in bags of five. The eggs are just ordinary chook eggs but the shell turns black when boiled in the hot sulphur spring. Local tradition holds that for each black egg eaten, seven years is added to one's life. However, some say that eating more than two is not recommended.  Shame we ate all five. The eggs have a smokey flavour, an acquired taste just like a minke whale burger.

With still no sight of Fuji, we decided to make the journey back to our Ryokan via the Tozan cable car. Low and behold upon our return, we were rewarded with an amazing view of the majestic Fuji. Finally we could relax with a soak in the onsen and a cold Hakone Shichitou pilsner biru.
Kanpai!






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In the world kitchen....Bastille day!

Bonne Journee nationale!                                   Bastille Day is the name given in English speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on 14 July each year. As the Camino way is high on our bucket list; we have chosen a recipe that uses wine from the foothills of Pyrenees. 

PRUNE AND RAISIN TART

Ingredients

1/2 cup of jurancon wine

1/2 raisins

2 granny smith apples: peel, quarter and core.

300g pitted prunes

1 1/2 sheets of puff pastry

1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tsp water

Method

Soak raisins in wine for 3 hours.

Pre heat oven to 180 c. Place apples in saucepan with a tab of water and cook on a medium heat for 10 mins. Mash with a fork and set aside to cool. Finely chop prunes until almost a puree, add to raisins and wine then stir to combine. 

Line a flat baking tray with baking paper. Place 1 sheet of pastry on tip and cut out a 25 cm round discarding excess. Spread the apple puree over pastry leaving a 1 cm border. Carefully spread prune mix over apple. Brush pastry edge with a little egg. Cut the remaining pastry sheet into 5 mm wide strips and use to decorate tart in a crisscross pattern. Trim pastry so strips just touch the edge of the tart. Brush strips with egg. Bake for 30 minutes or until pastry is cooked. Reduce oven temp if pastry is browning too quickly.

Serve hot or cold.

BON APPETIT!

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Mt Fuji

Like a trail of fire flies they bobbed, glowing in the blackness, saddlebacking up the side of the mighty Fuji.  As one of the three holy mountains in Japan, this 3776 metre high stratovolcano that last announced its presence to the world in 1706 welcomes all who attempt to summit.  We were one of these fire flies, with our cyclops light eyes swaying from our forehead, who became part of the pilgrimage to the peak.  As we journeyed we encountered monks with conch shells bellowing, calling forth the dawn, youtube enthusiasts and selfie devotees waiting for the chance to upload to instagram, romantics celebrating the love of nature and each other, those with sad eyes who have trekked to farewell a loved one and others like us who live for adventure.

We stop at most of the stations to grab nourishment and a branded insignia that shows our height progression.  Our light joins with others and with each step we make our sojourn upwards.  Finally we stand at Fuji's peak awaiting the sun to break forth and celebrate a new beginning.  We watch as the sun crowns like a new born and then rise to its glory painting both of us with its glow.  A total silence descends, we stand in awe as we watch the rays caress the Kusushi-jina shrine with its Torii Gates aflame and like most digital natives we grab for our cameras to capture the moment.

Most people watch mother nature give birth to her sun and then happily descend earthward and thus miss the path less trodden by other trekkers.  The Ohachi-meguri circuit around the volcanic crater of Fuji is a little gem of a walk.  It rewards those die-hard trekkers with amazing views of the snow covered crater within, icicle caves and of an observation tower, that stands Colossus of Rhode like protecting those who tread its path.  This walk should take around an hour to complete, but then again with fatigue setting in, you wont get much change from two hours!

There is a famous saying about Fuji: 'He who climbs Mt. Fuji is a wise man, he who climbs it twice is a fool......  We are no fools!

Konnichiwa Lake Ashi!

Well, here we are in the land of the rising sun for our mid year sojourn. (have graduated to bi-yearly OS jaunts) . After landing in Tokyo , we bit the bullet and zoomed to Hakone. Our Ryokan "The Musashiya" is a lovely, traditional building set on the banks of Lake Ashi in Moto-Hakone. Upon arrival our lovely Nakai showed us to our lake view room, explained the why & wherefore whilst making us some traditional green tea.  

We spent the afternoon exploring our little lake port. Hakone is a mountainous district within view of the majestic Mount Fuji. (On a clear day) . Gorgeous lush forests surround the lake and we found ourselves just meandering before making our way back to brave the Onsen.

We donned our kimonos and little red, Dorothy shoes with trepidation then headed up to the fifth floor. The Japanese culture is very rigid, so we felt a little intimidated about entering the bath without making too many faux pas. Brad true to form; stripped off and was washing in the hand basin in the changing room. Men never read instructions first . (Watch out for Onsen rules, travel tip).  The idea is to strip and then go into bath area, where there is a line of hand showers; soap up, rinse off and then bob's your uncle.

Our communal, segregated baths are luxurous. There is huge baths overlooking Ashi and the Tori gate. The smaller outdoor baths were preferred choice. (same views) . Gosh, it is so invigorating! We are addicted. Your skin feels so clean and your body feels to refreshed.

The rooms are traditional tatami bedding that is set up each evening by our Nakai. Wondering if it is an age thing or are these futons just bloody uncomfortable?  Don't get us started on the rock hard pillows! Maybe that is why it is a good idea to start each day with an onsen.

Went on the lake cruise and up the cable car  yesterday, in hopes of catching a glimpse of the mountain. No luck, low lying cloud made visibility impossible. Dawn at 0430 hours; however, holds promise. A patch of blue! Heading off to enjoy in early morn with a soak in a hot bath.

Sayonara!

Fourth of July. Stars and stripes

As Aussies, we all love a public holiday. Any excuse, eh? Why not add 4th of July aka American Independence day to our hoard? After all, we follow our American allies into all sorts of situations.

Independence day is the celebration of America's declaration of independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain on July 4, 1776. It is a day for fun, carnivals, parades, picnics and fireworks among other things.

So lets all fly the Star Spangled Banner, eat hot dogs and raise your glass of  budweiser in honour of our American friends. Happy Independence day!

Word up to Eric, Rhonda, Greg, Eddie, Mardi and Ellie.