MID LIFE AT THE OASIS

We’ve been exploring the great city of Kyoto now for 4 days and were treated to a brilliant blue-sky sunny day yesterday after a few days of solid rain. June is the rainy season here, so I guess we’ve been lucky so far to have missed most of it. Well, mostly…

SCHOOL GIRLS GETTING THIER PHOTO TAKEN AT GINKAKU JI IN THE RAIN

We biked all over the city and explored temples, alleys, parks, shrines, gardens and rode along two river pathways checking out the Sunday scene of relaxation, Japanese style.

WHAT? WE CAN’T RIDE OUR BIKES INTO THE TEMPLE!?

Now the Japanese certainly seem to be a fun-loving people, but their relaxation tends to take two major forms: shopping and artistic pursuits. The shopping streets, malls, and districts are always packed with people; everywhere and all the time. It is a sport that makes American material pursuits look like the minor leagues. It’s like it’s December 23rd every day.

CHERYL AND HER SUN UMBRELLA ON THE RIVER PATH – KYOTO

The other thing you can’t help but notice is just how many people here in Kyoto are painting, playing music, or creating other art outdoors. No lying around in the sun drinking beer – the Japanese are clearly doers. Saxophone, drum, flute, and violin players along just one stretch of river, loads of painters, writers, and calligraphers too. Even the kids are DOING things on their time off. It’s a very hip city once you get behind the facade of shops and busy streets.

EVEN THE HOMELESS HAVE THE TYPICAL JAPANESE PRIDE

I’m still mesmerized by how unique a culture it is in the world and I don’t see any signs of drastic changes on the horizon as the national psyche is little influenced by outside forces. As someone aptly said online “Other places like China and India are changing fast, but in 50 or even 500 years, Japan will still be Japan”

STREET IN KYOTO IMPROVED BY NEIGHBORS PLANTS

As for our psyches, well, let’s just say that there is definitely a strange separation and growing feeling of anticipation growing as our return home is only 4 days away! Even if you haven’t travelled for an extended period before, you probably know the feeling from the end of a great 2-week vacation. The last few days are often kind of strange as your mind starts to adapt to the fact that it will be back in familiar territory again soon. Well, multiply that feeling by about 20 and you may get an idea of what I’m feeling now. It’s a strange combination of excitement and anxiety. What will it feel like to be back in the USA? We are already getting some of the US CNN feeds here in Japan on TV and it has reminded us how narrow the focus is of most of the media and dare I day, residents of the great country. Now it may sound like all this travel has made me down on the USA, but that’s not true. In fact I appreciate so many things about our country even more such as clean water and air, free speech, diversity, and most of all, the laid back non judgemental attitude of most Americans towards things they don’t understand. We really are quite an accepting group that has only recently lost our way again in the world. I’m more resolved on my return to speak my mind and stand up for what I believe in politics and the world.

We are also reflecting on our trip and in fact just figured out that in the past year we have visited 20 countries, 12 states, 124 cities and towns, and slept in 154 different beds. Yikes! Now again that may sound crazy and hectic and on one level it is. But the trip has actually been blissfully laid-back and relaxing. We’ve always been able to see what we want, stay longer in a place, and do what really interests us nearly every day. It’s been a job for year, but an extremely rewarding and enlightening one. The other amazing thing is that I can remember and recall every single place we have visited in order and tell you what the city, sights, people and bedroom looked like. Don’t ask me what I did the past 10 years at my desk job, since I can only remember the big things there…most is a blur. Clearly travel to new places taps a different part of your mind that is unused by other activities. So when people ask if the trip is mind expanding? Well, yes it clearly is.

So we are getting on a Shinkansen to Takayama now and this may be the last entry until I touch the sweet ground at SFO and hug a burrito at 16th and Mission.

Bon Voyage -R

So on to Japan, the finale to our round the world trip and somewhere that we were both looking forward to for a long time. Of course the cliches about the Japanese are many, but I expected that like many places we have been, the culture would have strong influences from the Western world and English would be virtually everywhere. How unique can a culture be that is so engaged in the world, has a strong democracy, and has been prosperous for nearly a century, with a 2000 year history all containing evidence of advanced civilizations. But it`s not the same here…as the most striking thing about Japan so far is the fact that it is SO Japanese. What I mean is that the culture is really different.

STREET LIFE IN OSAKA…DOGS, BIKES, AND FASHION

So many places are emulating the “West”, but Japan plays by its own rules, its own music, food, and most significantly, its very distinct rules of social engagement. And the level of English is quite limited in places. It was a bit shocking at first, but starts to make more sense as we start to understand a bit of the Japanese mindset. They are a great civilization and don’t really need all the outside help that other countries do to succeed. Not that they won’t help as they are incredibly generous. But they don’t have to. Oh, and yes, they are some of the nicest and kindest people you will ever meet. Cheryl wants to adopt about half the Country and take them home with us. “Adorable, she says constantly” And they are.

So why do I love the Japanese (so far)….

1) THE CITIES…..Tokyo (and even Osaka) are stupendous achievements in human development. How 35 million people can live in a metropolitan area with little poverty, crime, or open space is a testament to their engineers, planners, but mostly, to a culture that puts the greater good above individual glory. It’s the only way it could work. The lights, streets, and scene in Tokyo is as amazing as I expected, but the most amazing thing to me was that it was such a pleasant city in places. It actually has an intimate feel on many of the streets and wonderful back alleys that are crammed with restaurants, shops, and a million other uses up to 10 floors (not to mention the thousands of high rises). It also is very human scaled and a delight to walk around as a pedestrian.

CHERYL IN THE GINZA DISTRICT..NOTICE THE LACK OF CARS

Clearly the easy and free movement of people on their feet has been thought out at every corner, since 99% of the people walk a lot every day to get to and from the trains and subways and everywhere they are going. China needs to study Tokyo a bit more as it overdevelops its cities.

2) THE ORDER….The Japanese are patient. Everyone stands left on the escalators…..the train station platforms have marked lines and people actually wait for everyone to get off the trains before boarding. Respect for elders is a given. Cars wait for all pedestrians to cross a crosswalk, and there is almost no jaywalking (except for us).

WALKERS ON THE RIGHT AND BIKES TO THE LEFT, PLEASE!

You can leave your bag and wallet on a table to save it and walk away…and it will be there when you return. We see people do this everywhere. Travelling alone on the train and want to go to the bathroom..just leave all your stuff and no worries. This really takes a lot of stress out of travelling here.

3) TRANSPORTATION Bicycles are used everywhere in every city and get the respect of all as they are a basic part of the transportation system. The old and the young ride side by side and everywhere, and there is no need for the helmets and gear that people think is required to safely ride a bike at 8 mph down a separated cyclepath or lane.

ORDER OUT OF CHAOS….ALWAYS

The trains are a joy to ride…always on time, comfortable, and the Shinkansen bullet trains get you from one end of the country to the other in hours at 250-300 kph. The shinkansen system just makes us cringe that the US hasn’t made any effort to build similar systems to link major cities in California, Texas, Florida, the Northeast (Acela?)

TOHOKU SHINKANSEN….GREATEST TRAIN SYSTEM IN THE WORLD

4) THE FOOD……The quality of the food here is top notch almost everywhere you go. The fresh seafood is some of the best that i have ever had and the street food is pretty tasty too. They take great pride in food and ingredients and you can taste this in the wonderful tofu, soba, vegetables, seafood and thousands of specialty foods that make each meal a surprise, but always good. And contrary to popular belief, the food is quite reasonable and certainly no more than SF or NY for prices. (Sure amazing meals can be had for $100, but the country abounds in great little neighborhood places where you can get tasty meals for 2 for $15-30. Even the train food is memorable as we were able to order fresh Sukiyaki (Soba wheat noodles that you dip in a soy-vegetable base mixed with a raw quail egg) on the train and it was delivered at a stop an hour later and brought to our seat 15 minutes after being boxed up! This was no AMTRAK microwaved sausage pucks.

PUB GRUB? I DON’T THINK SO…LOCAL WILD MUSHROOMS AND HOKKAIDO FARM TOFU

And there are microbreweries popping up all over the place with great beer and food as we had one of our most memorable meals at the Taisetsu Ji Brewery in the little touristed small city of Asahikawa on the Northern Island of Hokkaido.

5) THE COUNTRYSIDE…. The country is incredibly scenic and unique as the volcanic landscape, forests, temperate climate, and proximity to the ocean makes for great scenery around every bend in the train tracks.

MT. ASAHIDAKE IN HOKKAIDO – JUST ANOTHER AMAZING VOLCANO

You could clearly spend years here exploring the national parks, trails, and other natural wonders from North to South.

6) THE PEOPLE (you knew this was coming) Every interaction with every single person here has been positive…and trust me, in Japan, you have a lot of interactions with people when competing any activity or transaction. They take pride in their work and their country, no matter how insignificant the task may seem. They will make sure that you are satisfied and not stand still until they are sure that everything is o.k. WE have made new friends in one memorable day. A Japanese friend from San Francisco put us in contact with his cousin and his wife in Tokyo and they planned a fantastic trip up North to Towado-Ko (lake) and the incredibly scenic Oirase gorge.

TAKESHI, CHERYL, AND KAORU ON THE OIRASE VALLEY TRAIL

They arranged their schedules around ours, arranged for transport to and from the National Park, and insisted on paying for it all. We will repay them someday when they visit the US, but they have left a lasting impression on us with their kindness that we will take with us always.

FUN AT THE BUS STOP IN AOMORI PREFECTURE

And don’t fall for the cliche that the Japanese are uptight, as they are a fun-loving bunch and probably socialize more than most Westerners can handle. And that’s where a lot of the differences come up. Americans often try to avoid social interaction, while the Japanese prioritize it.

As for our travels, we are in the home stretch, but still have nearly two weeks to savor Japan before returning to the exciting next country called “California”. Sounds a bit scary, and I`m not sure if we even speak that language.

-Rich

Greetings Friends;

Before I devolve into the wonders of Japan, I’d like to briefly relay our last experience in China on the fantastic Shanghai Maglev Train on the way to the airport. It was a sort of must do for a transport junkie like myself. It is the fastest passenger train in the world and covers 20 km in about 8 minutes.

MAGLEV TRAIN COMING INTO THE STATION

There are just two stations and it looks like something out of Futurama, including the incredible banked turns at near full speed.

THE “VIEW” AS WE APPROACH TOP SPEED!!”

The amazing thing is that it takes 3 minutes to get up to speed and another 3 to slow down so you`re only at top speed of 431 kph (267 mph) for 2 minutes, but man, I tell you, if they could put such a thing between SF and LA, well, I might even look forward to going to LA.

YUP, 431 KPH!

You can watch the cars on the freeway as the train passes and they appear to be standing still (despite the Chinese penchant for speeds of 150 kph on the freeways!) It really is quite a rush, despite the fact it appears to have been mostly a waste of money in a country that could really use some more basic infrastructure and environmental improvements. And really no one needs to get to the airport in 8 minutes. 30 minutes would have been just fine. But man, it is SO FAST!!!!

China is so overwhelming that it almost feels like a dream. The skies of every city are filled cranes, there are new shops, roads, impressive buildings, and thousands of cars being added to the roads every day.

HERZOGS AND DE MUERON’S “BIRD’S NEST” OLYMPIC STADIUM

YEARS OF FOUL AIR A PRICE FOR THE NEW BEIJING OLYMPIC PARK

There are throngs of people everywhere, all the time. There is no escape, especially for a 6′-5″ gringo. Touts, staring, and pushy people can make a simple trip down the street exhausting given the wrong frame of mind. But of course, many people have new places to live and shop, new things to buy, and loads of new problems associated with the much revered gods of capitalism: Ford, Gucci, Adidas, Starbucks, and KFC. And it gets worse….

OPENING SOON….WAL-MART XI’AN

But the price is huge, as the air burns your eyes and gets in your lungs. Hundred of millions of people pay the price of this rapid development every time they breathe, every day. We will leave in two days. Is it worth it? Is there another way? Will the struggling rural masses be happier in new high-rise housing. Will they be happier driving to work, talking on their cell phones, and siting in traffic behind air-conditioned comfort. They seem pretty happy and its so hard to project our prosperous experience on people that have not had the opportunities to live with economic freedom. Everyone must figure out their own happiness, just as we are trying to in our lives. It feels like a cross between a giant experiment in mass urban living and a mardi-gras like orgy of new capitalists.

PING-PONG IN THE PARK – XI’AN

Even car parking is beginning to be a problem and while cycling along just one block in Beijing I saw a guy arguing with a parking officer about a ticket and two people shouting at each other after a fender bender….ahh makes me feel right at home back in the States. Welcome to high blood pressure and dealing with car mechanics.

So what about bikes? We have had the pleasure to bike in 4 or 5 cities in China and its still the best way to get around most places, but this is changing fast. Most larger roads in Shanghai have banned bikes and scooters and they are now forced onto small back streets to get around. Sounds nice right? But these back street routes have too many bikes and scooters, and the roads are interrupted every 4 blocks or so by the main massive roads where bikes mass up waiting for 5 minute long red lights to change. Things were better in Beijing where big (and often fully separated) bike lanes exist on almost every major road and of course, riding in the back alley Hutong neighborhoods is great on bikes.

HAPPY FLORAL DELIVERY – CHENG DU

Short of Scandinavian, it was probably the easiest city to cover serious ground on by bike, even without a bike map. And cover it we did. We rode everywhere. And the best thing to do in Xi’an. Rent bikes and ride around on top of the wall. No question, it was a blast….13 km high ring road for bikes.

ALL HAIL THE BICYCLE ON THE ANCIENT WALL OF XI’AN!!

So I dwell on the negative a bit eh….well the big Chinese cities have worn me down, but not broken my spirit. There is still a lot of wonderful old China around, and you can get smiles from all just walking through any old neighborhood off the normal tourist track. Get on a bike and the smiles multiply. Everyone biking seems pretty happy as you can comfortably ride side by side on most bike lanes and chat with your buddy on your commute home. Cyclists smile, laugh, and don’t seem to be in any rush.

GREAT BIKEWAYS IN BEIJING – YUP BIKES A LITTLE SMALL SIR

Car drivers we have encountered seem unhappy, almost everywhere. We’ve had some miserable taxi drivers and most drivers feel their right to the road entitles them to barge full speed at pedestrians, bikes, and the elderly in wheel chairs (saw a car honk aggressively at one today) Two nights ago I walked out the door of our apartment place in Shanghai and saw a black car smash a bike rider. She got up, brushed herself off and tried to spin her dented wheel, while the driver kept his window up and then just drove away after seeing that he actually didn’t kill her. As wonderful as the remaining bastions of bike culture are, the car thing here is ugly and depressing. Hopefully the government and society will try to change the drivers attitudes on killing and maiming other people. Don’t hold your breath…..wait, do hold your breath as the air is unfit for human consumption. Oh yeah, and every time you buy something, think about if you really need it, cause it’s production is probably is shortening peoples lives here via polluted air, water and disappearing resources. Do you really need it?

So China has been amazing, but makes you either fear or hope for the future…haven’t decided which yet?