After a very long day traveling back from Beppu to Seoul, I left Korea on the 27th. Happily.
On the 25th, I woke up early and got the 4:00am train to Fukuoka City. The train wasn't a bullet train, but instead reminded me of one the Amtrak train I sometimes take from Chicago to Macomb, IL. It was hard to sleep in however, and so I gave up trying to snooze. Instead I planned my last 36 hours in Seoul. (And, as I am writing this retroactively, was key to such an amazing time in Hong Dae, near Hong Gik University.)
Once in Fukuoka City, I had to get to Hakata Port. I had three hours to do so, but thought it would be best to get going right away. I found the bus to Fukuoka City (the bus stop hidden next to a Starbucks), plus two new friends, both teaching English in Busan. Adam was from St. Louis, MO and Jacob was from somewhere in Germany. They had missed the hydrofoil ferry the day before because of weather, and were hoping to get back to Busan that day. They certainly earned the "good luck" by giving me a few quick tips on getting through customs.
There were 250 people waiting at the port, from the prior day's canceled ferries. But, I did have a reservation, and got on the 9:30am. I was happy to leave the packed port, but sad for my new friends, who would be waiting most of the day at best. The ferry ride this time was very bumpy. I have been on several small diving boats in the past that really beat this, but there are only 200 people on this ferry, and it still seemed small. After 3 hours we finally arrived in Busan.
Ahh, Korea! It felt like home!
In Busan I jumped on a shuttle bus to the train station and sat down. For about 90 cents the shuttle would take you to the train station. I was planning on taking the local subway train to the Bus station. A nice guy from Toronto joined on this short journey. He taught in Hiroshima, and was in Seoul to see some friends (and I suspect, gambling. He mentioned it several times.) So, we got off at the train station and he suggested I look at the cost of a train. It did save 2 hours of travel time. It was only $5 more, so I "splurged" for it. I could think of plenty of nice things to do in that two hours once I had this backpack stored somewhere. :)
Next... Adventures in Seoul!
Friday, February 29, 2008
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Last Day in Japan
Well, today is the last day in Japan.
I've spent the last two days in Beppu City, soaking in the onsen, getting a mud bath, and a little bit of shopping at the 100 yen shop. Yesterday, I spent the day with my dorm roommate in the onsen, for lunch, then coffee. Tomomi showed me where to go, how to do it and why. It's been a wonderfully relaxing few days that couldn't have come any sooner.
So tomorrow I'm taking off at 3:00am for the 2 hour Shinkansen out of Beppu City to Fukuoka, then waiting 3 hours and getting on the ferry to Busan. From Busan I will immediately take the bus to Seoul. Tomorrow night I will be in Seoul. I am meeting up with some of the Teaching Assistants from the DeliEnglish Camp for drinks and then I will spend the day in Hong-Dae, near Hong-gik University looking for a few more souvenirs. On Wednesday I will probably spend a half day in Seoul, but leave for the airport at about noon, for a 3:00pm flight to San Francisco.
Soon I will be back home! I'm so excited about getting home, back to the Rocky Mountains, back to my wonderful boyfriend, and back to my lovely condo. All the comforts of home...
I've spent the last two days in Beppu City, soaking in the onsen, getting a mud bath, and a little bit of shopping at the 100 yen shop. Yesterday, I spent the day with my dorm roommate in the onsen, for lunch, then coffee. Tomomi showed me where to go, how to do it and why. It's been a wonderfully relaxing few days that couldn't have come any sooner.
So tomorrow I'm taking off at 3:00am for the 2 hour Shinkansen out of Beppu City to Fukuoka, then waiting 3 hours and getting on the ferry to Busan. From Busan I will immediately take the bus to Seoul. Tomorrow night I will be in Seoul. I am meeting up with some of the Teaching Assistants from the DeliEnglish Camp for drinks and then I will spend the day in Hong-Dae, near Hong-gik University looking for a few more souvenirs. On Wednesday I will probably spend a half day in Seoul, but leave for the airport at about noon, for a 3:00pm flight to San Francisco.
Soon I will be back home! I'm so excited about getting home, back to the Rocky Mountains, back to my wonderful boyfriend, and back to my lovely condo. All the comforts of home...
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Hangin' in Hiroshima
What I’ve always known as a tragic place is now a gorgeous, modern city with a message. All of the cities I’ve been to in Japan have been well-kept neighborhoods, with brilliantly friendly people, and enough sights to keep the schedule full.
Anyhow, Hiroshima was lively, for sure. They’re drinking scene was in full-swing, but I was drinking tea on the particular night I was there. Even in a bar, I could feel the vibrant urban culture. So much for small town tranquility. Which is not to say that we (Americans) are forgiven for what we did to an entire city, nearly 63 years ago. Instead, most people who learned I was American calmly suggested that the US should stop making and testing nuclear weapons. But this isn’t my agenda. As any diplomatic person does, I see both sides to that story.
The Peace Park and Museum are an afternoon of history; the true and sometimes rough history of the WW where we did drop a bomb in Hiroshima and the graphic suffering of the people. However, there was just enough of the graphic details of the effects of radiation to get the point. No propoganda. The message the Museum and Park provide are that 6 countries, US, Russia, France, China, UK, and most recently, North Korea, need to stop using and testing nukes. A burning torch symbolizes this wish, burning in the Peace Park until the last warhead is safely destroyed.
With that said, I also visited the Miyajima Island, with the Torii Gates. Fantastic trip. When you are done playing with the deer that roam this island and interact, take a look at the small town, and fall in love with it. You'll see little ladies carving wood on the doorstep, deer tearing apart paper and eating it, seafood stacked on seafood for sale in steaming piles, little orange Torii gates to bring home and break in your suitcase, plus lots of cooking supplies ready to bring home. Seasonings, bottles of Saki, Shochu and wine line the streets begging to be part of your next late night.
Walk through all of this without spending a yen, and you’ll come to the Torii Gates. A wonderful eyeful of splendid orange paint, given as a blessing (and protection). Walk even more and you’ll find a trailhead to Mt. Misen. 1/8th of the way up and you’ll come to a ropeway that, for 1000 yen, will carry you to the top of the mountain. It’s pricey, but after climbing that mountain, it was all I could do to reach for that 1000 and relax on the way down. The trail was quiet, birds chirping to make it more perfect, and it was green the entire way up!
Absolutely lovely.
The JR Pass works on the ferry out, so that’s one cost you won’t need to worry about.
After all this I managed to find my way to the train station a bit early to get on to the next destination, Beppu City.
Anyhow, Hiroshima was lively, for sure. They’re drinking scene was in full-swing, but I was drinking tea on the particular night I was there. Even in a bar, I could feel the vibrant urban culture. So much for small town tranquility. Which is not to say that we (Americans) are forgiven for what we did to an entire city, nearly 63 years ago. Instead, most people who learned I was American calmly suggested that the US should stop making and testing nuclear weapons. But this isn’t my agenda. As any diplomatic person does, I see both sides to that story.
The Peace Park and Museum are an afternoon of history; the true and sometimes rough history of the WW where we did drop a bomb in Hiroshima and the graphic suffering of the people. However, there was just enough of the graphic details of the effects of radiation to get the point. No propoganda. The message the Museum and Park provide are that 6 countries, US, Russia, France, China, UK, and most recently, North Korea, need to stop using and testing nukes. A burning torch symbolizes this wish, burning in the Peace Park until the last warhead is safely destroyed.
With that said, I also visited the Miyajima Island, with the Torii Gates. Fantastic trip. When you are done playing with the deer that roam this island and interact, take a look at the small town, and fall in love with it. You'll see little ladies carving wood on the doorstep, deer tearing apart paper and eating it, seafood stacked on seafood for sale in steaming piles, little orange Torii gates to bring home and break in your suitcase, plus lots of cooking supplies ready to bring home. Seasonings, bottles of Saki, Shochu and wine line the streets begging to be part of your next late night.
Walk through all of this without spending a yen, and you’ll come to the Torii Gates. A wonderful eyeful of splendid orange paint, given as a blessing (and protection). Walk even more and you’ll find a trailhead to Mt. Misen. 1/8th of the way up and you’ll come to a ropeway that, for 1000 yen, will carry you to the top of the mountain. It’s pricey, but after climbing that mountain, it was all I could do to reach for that 1000 and relax on the way down. The trail was quiet, birds chirping to make it more perfect, and it was green the entire way up!
Absolutely lovely.
The JR Pass works on the ferry out, so that’s one cost you won’t need to worry about.
After all this I managed to find my way to the train station a bit early to get on to the next destination, Beppu City.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Leaving Tokyo
I left Tokyo today. It was hard to leave, because Tokyo was, for me, the perfect city. It’s fun, it’s clean (spotless in places) and the subways managed excellently, and even still the people in Tokyo are generally very sweet. Don’t even try to say that about New York City. Anyhow, it's hard to leave.
I’m headed to Hiroshima, on the bullet train. I will only be in Hiroshima for one night, and most of the day tomorrow to see the Peace Park, the A-Bomb Dome, the A-Bomb Museum, and Miyajima Gates. I’m staying at J-Hoppers from a recommendation from Claire and Jackie. Once I get some photos I’ll be posting those, too.
After Hiroshima, I will again board the bullet train for Beppu City, for 2 wonderful days of the hot springs. On Monday morning (very early) I will again board a train for Fukuoka, to take the ferry to Busan, South Korea, and immediately jump on a train bound for Seoul. After a day’s rest in Seoul, I finally board a plane to San Francisco, and then to Denver. I’m ready to come back home!
I’m headed to Hiroshima, on the bullet train. I will only be in Hiroshima for one night, and most of the day tomorrow to see the Peace Park, the A-Bomb Dome, the A-Bomb Museum, and Miyajima Gates. I’m staying at J-Hoppers from a recommendation from Claire and Jackie. Once I get some photos I’ll be posting those, too.
After Hiroshima, I will again board the bullet train for Beppu City, for 2 wonderful days of the hot springs. On Monday morning (very early) I will again board a train for Fukuoka, to take the ferry to Busan, South Korea, and immediately jump on a train bound for Seoul. After a day’s rest in Seoul, I finally board a plane to San Francisco, and then to Denver. I’m ready to come back home!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Internet Cafes in Tokyo - the new hotel?
On one of the nights, I spent the night in an Internet café! Don't freak out though. What you and I think of as Internet cafes in the US are far different from what an Internet café is in Tokyo. They are indeed dark, but they are for everyone, and particularly, they are for women who miss the last train and aren't allowed in capsule hotels. We scouted out several of these cafes, not so much to find a place to sleep, but to explore the cultural contrast. Me, Jackie, Claire and Kim all visited the local internet cafes for one-hour, two-hours, and even three-hours of time in these cafes where we all spent time writing email, on Facebook, and booking rooms at the next night's hostel.
The café I spent a night in was in downtown Shibuya (Gran Cyper Café), and Jackie and I both checked in at about 1:30am. The very helpful ladies charged us in advance for 6 hours of time. We are then sent to small cubicles with about 5 x 5 feet of floor space. The floor is raised, with a padded surface and something like a stadium seat pad with backing, and a small pillow. Your door is only 3 feet high flush with the top of your cube, and a 2ft gap at the bottom. The sections are separated into ladies only and general, so we picked the ladies only. For 6 hours of time in the cube, the flat rate is 1200 yen, or about $11.50. Not bad for a night’s sleep and time to check email (and post to blog!) Included in the fee is free coffee, juice, ice cream, tea, and various other machine-made hot drinks.
Sleeping in this café wasn’t easy, but not because I didn’t feel safe. It was too short. I had already seen who slept in the cubes next to me, only because I’m tall enough to glance over the doors of the cubes. Women in business suits working, girls with shopping bags who’d missed the last train at midnight, and one or two Harajuku girls. Not prostitutes, drug addicts or the like. It doesn't matter what you think of internet cafes in China, and the US. These places are for everyone willing, and they are definitely a second choice after a capsule hotel. After all, it’s not exactly the most comfortable place to stay.
As a note, we did find a capsule hotel that accepts women. Didn't make it though. Called "Capsule Inn" this place has an entire floor dedicated to women, and even conference rooms for women traveling and doing business.
You’re required to leave your shoes outside the cubicle, and from what I could tell, all of the 20 cubicles were full. It’s not luxury, but I saw exactly how it works perfectly for many women (and men) in Tokyo. It’s also expected that you will be sleeping and showering (yes, there are showers) so it’s all perfectly natural to look like you’ve just woken up.
In the morning, Jackie and I met in the lobby area for coffee, and left very early to go see the Tskuiji Fish Market. The best time to be at the market is 5-7am, so we were right on time.
As if there aren’t enough crazy, different things to do in Tokyo, that’s just one more.
The café I spent a night in was in downtown Shibuya (Gran Cyper Café), and Jackie and I both checked in at about 1:30am. The very helpful ladies charged us in advance for 6 hours of time. We are then sent to small cubicles with about 5 x 5 feet of floor space. The floor is raised, with a padded surface and something like a stadium seat pad with backing, and a small pillow. Your door is only 3 feet high flush with the top of your cube, and a 2ft gap at the bottom. The sections are separated into ladies only and general, so we picked the ladies only. For 6 hours of time in the cube, the flat rate is 1200 yen, or about $11.50. Not bad for a night’s sleep and time to check email (and post to blog!) Included in the fee is free coffee, juice, ice cream, tea, and various other machine-made hot drinks.
Sleeping in this café wasn’t easy, but not because I didn’t feel safe. It was too short. I had already seen who slept in the cubes next to me, only because I’m tall enough to glance over the doors of the cubes. Women in business suits working, girls with shopping bags who’d missed the last train at midnight, and one or two Harajuku girls. Not prostitutes, drug addicts or the like. It doesn't matter what you think of internet cafes in China, and the US. These places are for everyone willing, and they are definitely a second choice after a capsule hotel. After all, it’s not exactly the most comfortable place to stay.
As a note, we did find a capsule hotel that accepts women. Didn't make it though. Called "Capsule Inn" this place has an entire floor dedicated to women, and even conference rooms for women traveling and doing business.
You’re required to leave your shoes outside the cubicle, and from what I could tell, all of the 20 cubicles were full. It’s not luxury, but I saw exactly how it works perfectly for many women (and men) in Tokyo. It’s also expected that you will be sleeping and showering (yes, there are showers) so it’s all perfectly natural to look like you’ve just woken up.
In the morning, Jackie and I met in the lobby area for coffee, and left very early to go see the Tskuiji Fish Market. The best time to be at the market is 5-7am, so we were right on time.
As if there aren’t enough crazy, different things to do in Tokyo, that’s just one more.
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