Japan

Hi,

As I said in my last blog, we had a holiday here last week for Lunar New Year so myself and Neil headed to Japan for a break. Osaka in Japan to be exact. We flew out on the 2nd after a bit of a hiccup at the airport, we didn't realise we needed to get our passports stamped with re-entry visas so we were very tight making our flight, but we got it. It also caused problems with money later on in the week, but that is a long and draw-out story that was eventually resolved so I will not bore you with it now.

We had not booked any accomodation in Osaka, so when we arrived we caught the (futuristic) train into central Osaka and started looking. We knew there was a capsule hotel in an area called Shinsaibaishi (which has lots of shops, bars and restraunts) so we walked around trying to find it, and eventually discovered the place, much to our relief. I could spend a long time talking about the difference between a capsule hotel and a normal hotel, but instead I will provide this info:

A link to where we stayed: http://www.asahiplaza.co.jp/capcel/english.html

3 pictures:

Capsule C-184, my home for 6 nights. It had a TV, alarm, air-con and that was about it. You sleep in it, but nothing else. You store all your belongings in a locker downstairs.

A corridor of capsules. They tended to fill up the lower ones first and then the top ones if it got busy. It was busier during the week with businessmen who had missed the last train, or were too drunk/tired to make it home.

The outfit everybody wears at the hotel. Not the best, but everybody looks the same so you don't feel too stupid.

So after we checked into the hotel we headed out (as we did every night we were there!) to see what the nightlife of Osaka could offer. The answer: A lot, but at a price. There were lots of bars in the Shinsaibashi area, but prices were double what they are in Korea, so our money didn't go too far. Still, we had a good few nights, and an Irish couple from Incheon joined us for Wednesday and Thursday so that was great too. Also, Japanese girls are very pretty in general....though you never say that to Koreans!

Anyway, enough of that. On our first day we headed up to the other main area of Osaka, Umeda, and went up the Umeda Sky building. It is bizarre in that it is two skyscrapers joined at the top by 6 floors or so, with a big hole in the middle of the top deck. Here a couple of photos, one of the building and another of the view from the top.

On the second day we spent much of the day in Shinsaibaishi, due to money constraints, but that evening, after we'd sorted it out, we headed out to a "Sam and Dave's" (a chain of nightclubs in Japan) and danced the night away.

The next day we caught the subway down to the aquarium and IMAX near Osaka port (the aquarium is the worlds 2nd biggest, and the IMAX has the worlds biggest 3D screen.)

The aquarium was amazing. I went camera mental, and took hundreds of photos. They had so much, lots of fish obviously, but also 2 different species of otters, penguins, dolphins, seals, crocodiles, monkeys (??) ducks, jellyfish and lots more. My favourites were the dolphins and the otters, they were quality!

I also took a couple of videos. One of a funny seal, and the other of me wandering about. The main tank at the aquarium has a small Whale Shark (which was still massive) and lots of rays and other big sharks and fish. The tank itself is just huge. Very impressive.

After the aquarium we headed across to the IMAX and watched a 3D film about the deep sea. You wear these 3D glasses (see below) and headphones for the english narration. I was very impressed, it really does feel like you are in amongst the film (without getting wet)

I would say the aquarium and IMAX was probably my favourite day, I suppose I just love anything sea-related!

On the Wednesday we headed to a city about an hour by train from Osaka called Himeji, which has a huge castle that is recognised as Japan's finest. At one time it was the biggest in Asia. On the way there we also passed the world's longest suspension bridge (there are a lot of "biggest" or "longest" things in Japan)

Hijemi castle was pretty impressive, not quite the same as Edinburgh or Stirling but good nonetheless. We climbed up the inside up many steep wooden steps and got a good view from the top, although it was a bit cloudy/rainy. Here are a couple of photos from outside the castle.

We both look a bit angry, I think I was worried if the guy was using the camera right.

A close-up. It was quite big.

On our final full day we headed over to Kyoto, recognised as being the most beautiful city in Japan. The problem was, it is not too easy to see many of the temples that make it so beautiful, as they are not too close to the main train station and you need to catch a bus. For two hungover Scottish boys who are already overwhelmed enough by everything else in Japan, that was too much to ask. We had a good walk about, saw what we think was a real geisha (albeit very briefly) and then got the train back to Osaka. I will include a photo of the street we saw the geisha in, but unfortunatley I was not paparazzi-like to catch her.

And that was Japan. Overall, I was very impressed. It better than Korea in many ways (quality of most things, cleaner, girls, cars, Macdonalds choice) but also not so good (prices !!!!!, availability of ATM's that take foreign cards and people's attitude towards westerners). I really enjoyed going there for a holiday, but I am very happy to be working and living in Korea. But you never know.........!

So we flew back last friday and spent the weekend relaxing and settling back into Korea. Yesterday (Sunday) I took a wee trip back out to the airport island but went over to the Western beaches that are supposably very good in the summer. Being February, it was pretty quiet and cold, but I really enjoyed walking along the sand and being close to the sea. Here are a couple of photos from the beaches. I will definately be heading back out when it get s abit warmer, and who knows, the might even be a Korea Beach Party 2008!

A fishing boat and some dinghies at Eulwangi beach.

The Incheon Yachting Association clubhouse. Not exactly the Cowes Regatta.................... I saw one yacht.

The next few weeks are going to be pretty quiet, we are planning a trip back to the World Cup Stadium to watch FC Seoul play LA Galaxy (who David Beckam now plays for) at the beginning of March, and I may take a trip into Seoul next weekend to explore a bit more and have a look at the remains of Namdaemeun Gate, considered Korea's No.1 National Treasure, which was sadly burned down last night.

And on that happy note, it's 2:30am here and i'm going to bed. Goodnight!