Tokyo looked to be a city worth spending some time. I only had 26 hours on the ground so clearly didn't have anywhere near enough time to do it justice. I've always wanted to see Kyoto and some of the country side - I've had an interest in Japan ever since high school. We were waiting to take the kids when they finished 5th grade at their school in the city where they learned Japanese (and culture) - and then we moved to the 'burbs. I think I was saddest - although I guess truthfully my youngest was saddest to leave his best friend behind - he still doesn't have a "friend" at school (it is a VERY high bar for him). My oldest on the other hand has dozens of "friends" and loves the larger pool at the new school. (Well not so new at this point - almost 2 yrs now in this district). Back to my trip... I was for some reason surprised to see all the rice paddies and bamboo forests from the train on the way from the airport to Tokyo. Complete with the occasional single person tending to the field. Don't know why I was surprised - almost any city I've ever flown in/out of has had some fields of some sort around it (not SFO of course).

The company puts us up in excellent accommodations. I got to stay at the Park Hyatt in Shinjuku this trip. The film "Lost in Translation" was filmed here. I stayed at the Hilton Sydney next. They were quite a contrast to each other. Park H. was a study in calm oasis. Even the colors were very soothing - sea foam blue and black accents in the floors with the bedrooms and some warmer deep tones in the public zones. Check in is very civilized up on 40something floor - just you, the table, and the checking in person. There were maybe 3 or so tables. Then you are accompanied to your room by one of the nice ladies and shown the amenities. I truly couldn't think of anything I wanted that wasn't in my room - at least my bathroom. I had to take a tub bath - just 'cause. Purple salts! The Shangria-La in Beijing actually had more amenities at the desk in retrospect - tape, scissors etc. But I had a nail file at the Park. And PJs (although too huge for words). From my bed I could raise and lower the black out blinds - although I could do the same at the Hilton. The Hilton immediately struck me as so much hustle and bustle. I learned later that the elevator bank to our offices was actually in the ground floor lobby of the hotel. Different street address but same actual space. Can't believe no one told me!

My co-worked took me to a tofu place for lunch. There were about 5 meals to choose from - all in Japanese. The co-worked said the waitress recommended one of the mid-priced ones. I was happy to oblige. It was tofu 8 ways (I facebooked 7 ways but then realized after the fact that miso soup is soy based). So strictly speaking it isn't tofu but rather soy 8 ways. There wasn't a dish I wouldn't have again. It ranged from cold roasted soy soup to a soft tofu that was recommended to have by itself and then with warm fish broth and/or salt and sesame seeds. I can't figure out how they do the tempura tofu - the inside is so soft and the outside so crispy. There was tofu in salad with little soy crisps on top. Tofu sashimi. Tofu on rice. Soybeans in a little sweet white paste.

I would be happy to return to Tokyo although it was interesting visiting Sydney immediately afterward. Sydney is much more compact and easier to visit and see in a shorter trip. Tokyo is a vast city and has many districts with sets of high rises. I was quite impressed with the amount of foliage down at the street level and the hotel was next to a very large park.

I kept singing "Follow the yellow brick road" in my head as I wandered around. Almost all the sidewalks had a prominent yellow tile stripe down them - not quite in the middle. The tile was raised - in bands going the direction of the sidewalk mostly but changing to dots or something else at intersections. I asked my co-worker about them and he had no idea what I was even talking about! I was sort of sad to learn that it was just for handicap / visually impaired. There are quite a few bikers and I wasn't sure if it was the dividing line between walkers heading in different directions or perhaps bikes on one side. Nope. Still... "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" in Tokyo. It gets you everywhere (except in the park).

I had forgotten what a great city Sydney is. I was only there almost 2 days but happened to hit some great weather - mid-70s and sunny. I managed an evening walk the first night - just around the neighborhood. My hotel turned out to be in the same building as our office (convenient!). Also across the street from Queen Victoria something - a lovely 3 story shopping place that must have been an old building that was rehab-ed. Great old details etc. Some really nifty public spaces including the shopping ones like QV but also great outdoor spaces like Darling Harbour. The next morning I made sure to take the time for almost 2 hour walk. I headed west to the water at Darling Harbour then north to the bridge and Circular Quay and the Opera House then back south through the park back to the hotel and breakfast. I had some great light for a while. This shot is from near Circular Quay just before the sky clouded over. I have quite a few decent shots but nothing amazing. I tend to set out when I am traveling looking to photo document what I'm seeing in my mind to tell a story to people back home (who actually have little interest in looking at my photos - but no matter!). I had my trusty 10-22mm lens on the camera so most shots are like this altho I did have my 24-105 with me - which I finally pulled out near the end of my walk for the cockatoos.

We don't have cockatoos at home - at least not outside zoos or pet stores.

I could enjoy being rich. Work puts us up at very nice hotels. After using the heated toilet seat I poured myself a purple shower. I didn't bother to use the loofa although I did watch TV while bathing. I weighed myself after showering off. I have traditional Japanese PJs to wear - along with the ever present asian slippers (even United offers them). This is my first stay at a Park Hyatt - I'm sure it won't be my last. I haven't figured out any amenities that I want that aren't on offer. Even the ice bucket has ice already waiting for me. The room controls are right by my bed - including the mechanized shades.

But to back up - this is my first visit to Japan. I can't really justify many (any more?) visits as we don't have an office that is just our division - instead we just have 15-20 people who share in the main office. So nothing much for me to do. Shucks. I took the train in from the airport. It was about 80 min or so but much of the trip was above ground. To my surprise (for some reason) we passed field after field of what looked to me to be rice paddies. And a few bamboo forests waving high. Don't know why but it really tickled me to see. Even if from a passing train. Even saw a few solitary workers tending to their fields.

Just finished my very tasty room service. I was originally thinking I'd hit the hotel's Japanese restaurant but instead found something to my liking on the in-room menu. Chichen tatsuta-age (fried) with miso soup, rice, and some pickled veggies. All was very tasty. The chicken was probably the most tender I've ever had. One of the pickled veggies looked sort of like a black dill from the outside (that shape but not bumpy) but was purple inside. Yummy. Now off to wander around the hotel briefly before bed. Just about morning back home.

Forget to mention that I dropped iPhone getting out of car Fri. It went skidding across sidewalk on the glass. The glass is tough but nOt that tough. Bunch of scrapes on left side now. Think I can get it fixed next wk at work - I hope. Also feeling really bad for A. He had little sore at corner of mouth that has become big deep sore - every time he opens mouth it gets a bit bigger. Also something was munching on his arms and chest. I did kill a skeeter yest am. He has a welt on upper arm that was warm and about 1-1/2" diam yest - today it was easily 3" diam and warm. We got various meds at drugstore this am and I gave him antihistamine - but have him one yest too. I did tell him to ck I with the people on his field trip - I am sure they have 1st aid training. He was already surprisingly worried about he trip. But at least he has some gd sushi for lunch...Oh yeah - he's a bit prone to car sickness. Forgot to tell him to sit in front of bus.

Life today

On the bus to airport to head to Tokyo. I've wanted to go to Japan for a long time but sadly this will only be 26 hrs on the ground. Feeling sadder than usual heading off. Kids didn't seem to care I was leaving altho A was more wrapped up in his own 3 day Yosemite field trip. Dog will miss me. The car has a completely flat back tire (hence the bus). Poor P is left having to deal with it - plan is to remove it and take just the tire somewhere as it seems likely it has a hole. Out of state-er hit my car last week - I did hear Fri that was agreed completely her fault so we won't. E out deductible - but still have the hassle ahead. Last nite I decided to eliminate some gray in my hair. Let A pick out the color. Disaster. My hair is now horizontally striped. Vertical would be ok. But no. That's what I get for trying diff formula. In desperate need of hair cut too - it has been at least 6 months. My gal is in the city and I just dOnt get there much at the moment. My neck at base of skull has been really hurting this wk. so got ref to my assistants chiropractor. Unfortunately 30 mi from work. Went 2x. My low back feels great but still some lingering neck pain. My excellent boss left a wk ago Fri. Good for him but not necessarily for the rest of us. We'll see how it plays out. I put off this trip specifically so we could meet - and it didn't happen. I did get to say goodbye at 5:45 on the Friday. He gave me some patronizing advice which made me realize (again) how much he didn't actually know me or what I was up to. So I was really sad he was leaving and really annoyed at the same time. Hopefully I'll get to make some of he changes that should be made. I was getting him there. The good about moving my trip is I think weather will be better both places.