Arrival in Tokyo - June 2 2007

The bus ride was, OK no leg space and no comfortable position to sleep for more than 1h straight. When we arrived in Tokyo we realized why some people told us GOOD LUCK when we told them we would arrive in Shinuku in the morning. This train station is HUGE it has over 20 platforms from different train companies and the maps (contrary to Osaka) are only written in Japanese so we have to know the symbols in advance. Our first task is to find out how to get to our hostel to drop off our bags (and especially Cody's because he is carrying ALL his luggage since he is going back to the states from Tokyo). I ask for instructions at the information booth but I hear platform 5 instead of platform 15 so we wait at the wrong platform for almost an hour. Then I go back and ask and this time I here JUU go (15). So we hop on the Yamanote line, probably the most popular line in Tokyo because it does a loop around the big neighborhoods of Tokyo and has frequent departures. The size of the stations and number of wagons (15) are astounding here compared to Osaka.

This is a hot day and we barely manage to make it at the hostel with all the heavy luggage. We drop everything in the room and take a power nap. When we wake up we are ready to take the train back to city center and properly visit Tokyo. During this very long walk we visit Shinjuku west, where the administrative buildings and huge high rise skyscrapers are. We also go down to Shibuya, the most busy intersection on earth (estimated 3 million pedestrians per day cross here). I take a great picture while people cross, that looks like there is a demonstration, but it is just many many people crossing the street.

We continue down to Yoyogi park and around the Harajuku area and in the Yoyogi park we encounter many young Japanese going crazy on their guitars, drums and mics... It was interesting to be in a nice park but from behind the trees hearing 10 different bands competing on decibels.

We tried to contact two American friends that are also visiting in Tokyo.. but no response until now.

Last Night in Osaka - June 1 2007

After spending the day with the host family taking care of packing everything, in my case preparing my luggage for Tokyo, Hong Kong and Thailand, we also sent packages home by boat because we had too much stuff. Maybe it would have been less expensive to bring extra on the plane and pay extra... It would also be faster because it will take two months to arrive at my door in Montreal.

After the last dinner with Cody and the family, we made our way with Charles, our French friend, to the bus terminal near Namba. I wish I had pictures of this evening, but I think I mistakenly deleted them. This evening was quite surreal in many ways. We first got there the three of us, 2 hours ahead of time not knowing what to do. So we did what we do best when we are together and there is time to kill: grabbed some beer in the nearest convenience store and chugged down a couple of Asahi for good memories in the crowded streets of Namba. We were expecting a Japanese friend, Keisuke to join us so we didn't wander off too far, but just out of nowhere we bumped into my Canadian friend Charles (another Charles) with his girlfriend from Nagoya and his mother visiting from Quebec. It was a great coincidence and we had a good chat about Japan in general and about Tokyo because that is where they were coming from and that is where Cody and I were heading. In the midst of the conversation, Keisuke called to say he had arrived in Namba and he arrived with a gift: Japanese cakes... good! we have a snack for the 8 hour bus ride.

Then we slowly made our way back to the bus terminal and now we were expecting more Japanese friends to come and tell us goodbye... Some where just coming back from their part-time job and others from dinners but they all hurried to make sure they could come and tell us goodbye before we leave. Ayumi arrived and shortly after, Misaki and Makiko. Our best Japanese friends from school. They all brought small gifts for us, and they accompanied us to the loading point at the bus terminal and told us goodbye. It was great though to spend a few minutes all together again before we leave for Tokyo.

When the bus left, Cody told me he still didn't realize that he might never see these great people again, and that we will never be all together ever again. He was right, but I tried not to get sentimental and thought ahead, thinking that at 6:30 am tomorrow we would be in one of the biggest cities ever in the most busy train station on Earth. Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Last Kyoto trip - May 31 2007

Carla, Cody and I visited Kyoto for the last time today... Sadly it was a cloudy day, but we still had fun and visited the most famous temple in Kyoto: the golden pavillon. The temple was of course gorgeous but it would have been more spectacular on a sunny day to see the reflection in the lake. There were many visitors from all over but especially grade schoolers going around interviewing strangers to practice their English I guess.

When we exited the gardens we noticed there was a traditional Japanese tea house where we could sip Japanese green tea with a traditional "golden pavillon" treat. We tried it and the tea was sumptuous but overly priced. I was a bit disappointed that this was not a tea ceremony, but just having tea with a little treat in a nice tea house.

We then left for a restaurant called "Bikkuri Donkii" or Surprised Donkey. This restaurant is American-far-west themed and well themed at that. Cody and I had seen another franchise of this restaurant in downtown Osaka and had always wanted to go there so when we saw there was one in Kyoto we took the opportunity to go. The was alright and not too expensive.. the best part about the restaurant is the ambiance and the decor.

That day I told goodbye to Carla and gave her a rendez-vous in Hong Kong in two weeks.

Tomorrow we will be packing up and spending time with the host family because it will be the last day Cody will be there.

Moving out - May 30 2007

Today I officially moved out from the school's dormitory and into Cody's host family home. It was not too emotional departing the dormitories and I cannot say I miss the "host mother" of the dormitories because she was starting to be very irritating and nervous because of so-called security problems because the units are getting emptied as the tenants are vacating.

I will miss though the big kitchen, my favorite room in the dorm that was practically all mine because not many people cooked in my unit. This is where I tried to make Japanese food: Gyuudon, Okonomiyaki, Nikujaga ect..

I will not necessarily miss my roommate, but I hope everything is fine with him because he will be on his own in Japan until August... I did exchange contact info with one person in my unit, Marcello, the Brazilian. I told him I might visit in the summer of 2008.. that will be the subject of my next blog...

Unexpected plan - May 28 2007

I still have not found a place to stay for my last month in Japan, so I decided to join two friends I met at University, Carla from Ecuador and Gadil from Mexico in Hong Kong and Thailand before I go back to Japan for a bit until I return to Canada.

It is quite rare I make decisions at the last minute like this, but I discussed about her trip a little bit and I realized that it would also be possible for me to visit a little bit more of Asia before I leave.

For the sake of learning more Japanese language and culture, I would have stayed longer in Japan, but because I have this golden opportunity to travel in Asia, I will go ahead and visit some of Japan's neighbors.

Goodbye Party - May 26 2007

Today Cody's host family organized a farewell party and his friends (gaijin and Japanese) were invited to spend some time in this nice cozy house and wonderful family. Once again the house became a "Thyphoon" like the host mother likes to say because of all the children screaming and running about, the adults having political and philosophical discussions with us, the students and our voices getting louder everytime we finish one beer. Of course I presented a couple of magic tricks although I did not feel like it at all at the beginning, but eventually the magician inside me awakened and at the end I didn't want to stop. Next week I will be moving temporarily at Cody's host family for 2 days before we both head off for Tokyo. We are leaving for Tokyo on the 1st of June.