worldstallestpygmy

Hong Kong

I felt a need for a break, the airfares were something not to be ignored, so a few days in Hong Kong resulted.

Hong Kong is a great city from the night food markets where people stop to get ingredients for dinner on the way home, Victoria Peak on the peak tram, bright lights across the water and just the sheer number of people living so close to each other (althoughliving in Tokyo had certainly made moving around a densely populated city very very easy).

Clouds over Hong Kong

Busy harbour

Fish for dinner?

Duck in windows

Peak tram

Victoria Peak

Star ferry

Kowloon night line

Hong Kong night lights

7:23 PM | Category: Food, Out and about | 0 comments

Disneyland Easter

As the end of my time here in Japan looms large we had our last visit to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Sea. Both parks had managed to keep the Easter theme going for the whole month of April. As with all things Disney Easter was done very well. This tripwill be remembered for the lack of queues and the ease of getting around the parks (no queuing for longer than 20 minutes and getting to do everything we wanted on both days). The only concern was on Splash Mountain where the attendant walked me down the exitline, stopped the ride, and had me sit in the seat to ensure that I could fit in – fun and not in the least bit embarrassing. Poor Donald was explored by a young man and Mickey managing to get hens to do his bidding and have his head in the yoke.

6:29 PM | Category: Entertainment, Food, Living in Japan, Out and about | 0 comments

Hanami 2012

After not much reason to celebrate hanami in 2011 it was obvious that 2012 was the year to celebrate big time. A day wondering around Ueno park viewing the oddities of hanami along with the growing crowds (and the cherry blossoms) was spectacular. Japanese media report that over 80 people from the weekend were admitted to Tokyo hospitals with alcohol poisoning. There were a number of people in Ueno whose friends had laid them up in the safety position while they continued to drink in the afternoon sun.

4:31 PM | Category: Entertainment, festivals, Living in Japan | 0 comments

Beer vending machine

On a recent trip to China town in Yokohama one of the back streets revealed this hidden gem. A vending machine that has 1 lt cans available. What other country in the world would have this type of machine on the street available to all?

4:16 PM | Category: Living in Japan | 0 comments

Miyazaki

Miyazaki is located on the southeastern part of Kyushu Island with the Pacific Ocean on one side and surrounded by mountains on the other three sides ensuring that the prefecture has a mild to tropical climate most of the year around. I visited for work and managed to get a couple of dawn runs followed by a natural onsen. What a great way to start the day.

Dawn Day 1

Dawn Day 2

Dawn Patrol - Early morning fishing

Fishing boats getting ready for the day

Fishing boats on day 2

Miyazaki tea plantation

5:22 PM | Category: Living in Japan, Out and about | 0 comments

Roppongi arts night 2012

Roppongi arts night is a series of art installations from Roppongi Hills through to Roppongi Midtown. One night of art in a very busy section of Tokyo.

The major attraction of the 2012 show was 10 foot high balloon characters of a girl and her dog by Ms Yayoi Kasama.

Installations included blue balls.

A series of coloured crocodiles out the front of Banana republic.

Ladybird skittles behind Roppongi Midtown.

A giant Kokeshi doll inside Roppongi Midtown.

In the basement corridor of Roppongi Midtown – Satin drops – demanded attention.

And diamonds for the kids to play in.

6:18 PM | Category: Entertainment, festivals, Living in Japan, Out and about | 0 comments

The hard black

There are vending machines everywhere in Japan. Early in the morning I needed a coffee. I had to choose a differnt coffee I couldn't bring myself to get this one.

8:17 PM | Category: Living in Japan, Lost in translation | 0 comments

March trip to Australia

A quick trip back to Australia with a great sunrise on the plane and getting home as the floods continued to float debris down the lake.

8:15 PM | Category: visiting Australia | 0 comments

Tokyo reflections

A reflective day near Ginza.

4:43 PM | Category: Buildings, Living in Japan, Out and about | 0 comments

Edogawa boat races

Boat racing (or Kyotei) is one of 4 sports that Japanese are legally allowed to gamble on. There are 24 boat racing courses around Japan and 4 in the greater Tokyo area. One cold March afternoon I headed outto the boat race course at Edogawa to see what it’s all about. Boat racing stadiums consist of the 600 metre course with stadium style seating on one half of the course allowing punters to watch the entire race.

Youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJXzTa_XcLI&list=UUqWAFQwtHhG8n8wvFprYTPw&index=1&feature=plcp

The first thing you notice on the way into the boat racing stadium if the imposing statute overlooking the entrance (entrance price 100 yen into automatic gates) and the crowd. The crowd is dominated by oldermen, there’s not much in the way of a festive race meeting vibe and very few kids.

Races have 6 control boats and require the boats to go around the 600 metre course 3 times. Races are generally over in less than two minutes. Races start with a “flying start” where the boats run flat out at the start line with the aim of crossing the line within one second of the start time. Boats crossing the line either one second before, or one second after, the start time are scratched and bets on those boats are refunded.