Can someone explain to me how one gets to come back to three days-worth of work for every day one is on vacation? I swear! I come back to a laptop that has been quarantined because it was not configured properly to accept updated software pushes. Seems like half my colleagues had the same issue. Thanks, IT geniuses! And then several of the systems I use have been offline. The net is that I've been working late and over the weekends since I've been back. On top of this, I've had to visit my Mom in memory care more times than planned because she has been "acting out" on a regular basis.
But, on to Japan ....
BLUF, it was an absolutely fabulous 10-day trip! We used my daughter's Spring Break as an excuse to go (and get extra parent points!) There is very little to complain about. The food is awesome. I've always been fascinated by the architecture and history. Samurais and ninjas and sumo! Oh my!
Some of the wonderful quirks include just how quiet the cities are. The Japanese are not loud; in fact, they go out of their way to be quiet. Bothering a neighbor is extremely poor form. The Japanese transportation system is incredibly efficient and clean. The Japanese do not litter. And, when on a train or subway or bus, it's incredibly quiet. The only people talking are foreign tourists. And the politeness is off the charts. Even the animals bow to you! More on that later. The country is a striking blend of architecture and nature, ancient and modern. I've never felt so calm among thousands of tourists in cities housing millions of people.
I think most people have tried (or are at least familiar with) sushi, ramen, Kobe steaks, etc. All of that exceeded our sky-high expectations. Absolutely delicious! What we weren't aware of is just how good Japanese baked good are. Their breads, pastries, cookies, etc. are highly underrated. And the marketing and packaging of their products is the cutest thing ever! It's like the marketers and the target audience are elementary-school-aged girls. Virtually every product - from food to souvenirs - is cute and tiny and probably has a cartoon character associated with it.
The trip was amazing. We were constantly in awe wherever we went, and we can't wait to go back. We visited Osaka, Nara (day trip), Kyoto and Tokyo.
Day 1 (9 March): We flew into Osaka and went straight to our room at a Japanese hotel just off the
Dontonbori district. We then immediately set out in search of our first authentic Japanese meal.
Dontonbori's main streets are along the canal with shops and restaurants and no shortage of large neon signs. It's a great place to walk, eat, and shop. And, of course, our first meal did not disappoint. It was delicious! We created our own sampler platter -
takoyaki (octopus dumplings), steak skewers,
okonomiyaki (kind of a pancake/omelet with shrimp), and salmon and tuna sashimi. It was a good overview of things to come.
By the time we were done eating and wandering the area, it was pushing midnight. We had to try to get our body clocks right with the local time as fast as possible, so we went back to our room for some forced sleep. We had daily packed schedules and wanted to check as may boxes as possible.
Quick note on the older Japanese accommodations. While we wanted to experience as much Japanese-ness as possible, their rooms are not designed for tall people. I did more than crack my head on the door frames; I close-lined myself a couple of times.
I wish I was a faster learner.
More to come ...
