Hong Kong and Japan

HONG KONG

Dana and I spent a day in Hong Kong catching up on good western food and the longest escalator in the world up to Victoria Peak. Dana and I, recent escalator connoisseurs, objected to the title. It was really the longest SERIES of escalators in the world. To it's credit, it saved us from climbing very steep mountains of urban density.

It was a very dense but very small city - an Asian San Francisco with a much more ostentatious display of architecture. Living conditions of some of the people were questionable, with a special exception made for those who inhabit the mansions on Victoria Peak. The way the hotel staff treated me, I felt like James Bond -- "I'll take my martini in my room and please turn down by 7 o'clock, thank you." In any case, it was an incredible place to explore and I couldn't help but feel there were hundreds of hidden bars, music venues, and restaurants around the city that only the locals would know of. I thought it would be most fun shared with friends (Scott especially thought Jeff, Lisa, Ivan, Nick, and Suzanne would enjoy).

JAPAN

• Words Learned: Konichiwa! Hai! Arigato! Onsen, Yakuta, sansai, rotemburo, shinkansen, shabu shabu.
• Tipping: None
• Cost: $$$$$
• Food: Delectable

Japan was amazing. I still can't get over the beauty of the mountains and the living breathing temples and culture in this ultra-modern country.

Dana and I started in Tokyo - a gigantic city unlike any I've ever been to. It was huge in that it was sprawling, but unlike other sprawling cities, this one had an unrivaled and thorough train and subway system. The downtown during the weekdays was pretty tame. Everyone above a certain age wore a suit. I mean EVERYONE. They weren't spectacular suits like Armani or anything, just plain black and blue suits. More like uniforms than anything.

The Japanese are sticklers for custom. It was at once awe-inspiring and frustrating. Awe-inspiring because of the living custom of Geisha (more on that later) and frustrating because English was rare outside of train ticket machines. Maps, signs, menus, everything was in Japanese Kanji - impossible to learn for a one-week stay. Thank goodness for picture menus.

Dana and I must have been a very funny site with our height, appearance, and huge backpacks. Everyone kind of giggled when we passed. I think a little of it was because the Japanese seem to pack very light when they travel, and we obviously don't.

We were lucky to find ourselves in a Japanese Ryokan - a Japanese style inn. The first place we stayed in the Asakusa area was jaw-droppingly awesome. The staff were very sweet and helped us adjust to the customs. The room had no standing furniture. Seats were small pillows, the table was low to the ground, and dressed with all the accouterments for green tea for two. There were two Japanese rice snacks on the table, a big tube of green tea, and boiling water at our disposal. There was a western style toilet equipped with a Toto washlet (be careful what button you press). and a separate room with wood floors that opened to a drain so you can both wash your hands, shower, and bathe in the adjacent bath if you were so inclined to waste water.

There was a lot more to the Ryokan; including the futon beds that roll up in the closet when you're not using them, the Onsen communal baths, and the rules of shoes to slippers to special toilet slippers. Unfortunately, I can't write them all down here and now.

Moving on...

We headed to Kyoto, home of Ryokan and Geisha. We downgraded in Ryokan, but enjoyed it all the same. Out on the town... Scratch that, into the town to hunt Geisha, we passed huge malls and small streets lined with hidden and exclusive tea houses marked with nothing but bamboo doors and a red lantern. We found a restaurant overlooking the river separating the more modern buildings with the decades old Japanese houses of the Gion district.

Satisfied with Tempura, we headed to a blues club (yes, a blues club) headed by a long-haired dispassionate youth who shared a love for hot jazz and Muddy Waters. On the way we spotted a couple Geisha headed to their tea house appointments. Dana was so giddy (Scott has never seen her so star-struck) she pulled out her camera immediately and started snapping photos at the now blinded Geisha.

Before we left, Dana tallied 9 more Geisha spottings and felt the burn of sore legs from walking from one gorgeous ancient temple to the next. We luckily stumbled into a restaurant specializing in a legendary Kyoto specialty, the Kaiseki cuisine. It's a collection of small plates of seasonal local dishes artfully presented.

I have to wrap up soon, but we headed into the mountains to visit Shirakawa'go. The houses there have layer upon layer of thatched roof to insulate and protect the A-framed house from the winter snows. This was the most beautiful part of our trip, and there's no justice here in my words. You'll have to take our word for it (and look at the pictures that we'll post).

Okay, Shinkansen (bullet train) = fast and convenient. Japanese baseball game = AMAZING (see pictures and I'll upload an audio clip of the constantly singing fans). It was incredible. I highly recommend, especially to Sandy, Paul, Susan, and Tom.

The Phillipines, or "how old are you?"

Highlights:

• Visiting our relatives in Angeles City
• Relaxing on the white sandy beaches of Boracay
• Gliding over green fields in an ultra-light airplane
• Visiting the great malls of Angeles City. A local passion...
• learning about the Filipino passion for Karaoke
• Watching thousands of huge (4-6 foot wingspan) fruit bats fly from the island of Boracay to the mainland at dusk every evening
• Meeting the warm, friendly and curious Filipino people who would often ask "How old are you" or "what's your religion?".

The main reason to visit the Philippines was to see our family- my step dad's brothers and sisters, his father and his partner, Riza. They live in Angeles City, which is an old American Air Base and still home to many foreigners. They have a lovely house, and were the most hospitable, generous hosts. We really enjoyed meeting Riza and the kids, who were so sweet and full of energy. We met the entire Manalese clan, including their 90 year old great grandmother, and cute baby cousins. We visited the SM Mall, which is an assault to the senses in many ways. The biggest shock to Scott and I was the large amount of armed guards present. Want a hamburger from the fast food joint Jollibee? Please walk past the large guard armed with a 12 gauge. Bags are also searched upon entering the mall, and there is definitely a feeling of personal security. This is a place where families have bodyguards, houses have security systems worthy of the Pentagon, and you slightly worry about being kidnapped.

Riza treated us to a trip to Boracay, a lovely island with beautiful white sandy beaches. We hung out on the beach, ate well and had a few drinks. Her friend also took us under his wing and he and his wife picked us up from the ferry, showed us around and were genial hosts to us the entire time we were there. They also treated us to a delicious lunch at their house where we felt very pampered.

We also had fun watching Filipino TV. It turns out there's not just 1 Karaoke station on TV, but at least 2! Turn on the TV, and sing along.... Scott's favorite channel was the 24 hour domino-castle building channel. It's pretty self-explanatory: a guy builds domino castles on this channel, sometimes around his friend's chair.

We had a slight culture shock here: both of us weren't so used to quick questions about our age from strangers. For instance, at the security X-ray machine in the airport, the attendant asked Scott: "How old are you?". It was also our very first exposure to bargaining, a skill which we are still trying to hone. Don't want to pay the amount quoted for the taxi, hotel room, dinner or drink? Bargain.

The highlight of our trip was definitely getting to know our family here and just hanging out with the kids.

Photos from the Philippines (Part Delawa)

Photos from Boracay (PI)

Photos from the Philippines (Angeles)

Photos from New Zealand