Carly's Year in China and Japan

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18: On to Xian!

We were all four surprised at the power of Simply Sleep.  I expected to find three unhappy campers in the train car with me when my alarm went off at seven, but I was pleasantly surprised to hear that everyone had slept comfortably!  What a relief!  So, looking back, I definitely recommend the Z19 sleeper train from Beijing to Xian, if you can stomach the Beijing train station.

The Xian train station was even worse!  I am so glad that we didn’t have to spend much time there.  It was also incredibly confusing.  I had the address of our hotel in hand, but I had just assumed there would be some sort of taxi stand line: no such luck!  At the Xian station, you walk out into a sea of humanity filled with what seems like five hundred different taxi stands “organized” (that’s a stretch) by general area destination.  I had no idea what to do, but I had to keep calm so that Mom, O, and Chris would still think all was going along according to plan.  I stopped briefly to look at a map, and within 20 seconds, a Chinese lady had approached me (speaking English), asking if we wanted her taxi to take us to our hotel.  It seemed very suspect, but I showed her the hotel address and she knew it, and we agreed on the price of 20 kuai ($3) which I figured was worth a try.  I was really hoping that she wasn’t gonna scam us (I wrote down the decided price, on my Beijing roommate Kealey’s advice after her own Xian trip), and as we followed her through the Xian streets to her driver, Orran was asking me, “Um, can we just give her 20 kuai to leave us alone?”  I held out the faith, though, and sure enough, she got us there directly.  

We found out why she does this: she works for a tour company which markets to English and Italian speakers.  She offered to serve as our English-speaking tour guide at the terra cotta warriors exhibit, and we told her we’d think about it and give her a call if we wanted to do it.  No pressure.  It was fine!

We got into the Golden Throne hotel and were able to check in right away.  The workers there were a lot nicer than the front desk people at Botai in Beijing.  We unpacked and freshened up a little bit, and then after a little powwow, we decided to take up the girl on her offer.  

We left for the Terra Cotta Warriors in the afternoon after lunch at a KFC--the first Chinese fast food Orran Lee proclaimed edible.  We first went to a government-sponsored tourist shop which recreates the warriors and also sells lacquer furniture.  This was the fourth “government” tourist shop we’d seen (after the weavers, the jade, and the silk), and it was getting a little old, but this was the best of them all.  Orran Lee got a cool mini-warrior for his desk.

We spent the rest of the afternoon seeing the warriors.  There are three pavilions of them, and it is very impressive. In Pavilion One, we were amazed to see archaeologists at work restoring even more soldiers.  We took lots of pictures, saw the museum, and peaced.

O and Chris with the warriors

Orran Lee took this pic and then got frightened by it. ^  It's the huge warrior marionette that pranced across the rim of the Bird's Nest for the 2008 Olympic opening ceremony.

That evening, we were trying to find some dinner and went to a Chinese food court.  I wanted the fam to try hot pot, but Mom refused.  So, instead, we went to a sad little corner of the food court called “Pizza 19” which had illegally ripped off the cook character from “Rattatouie” as their logo.  

Completely done-zo at "Pizza 19" ^

We spent the evening walking through the Muslim quarter, which was great fun!  It was a night market (mostly food), and although we didn’t buy anything to eat, we all really enjoyed seeing the various treats available.  

We also saw people getting pick-pocketed, which was scary!

After a restful night at the Golden Throne, we woke up on THURSDAY, AUGUST 19 and had breakfast at the hotel (included in the price).  We played it pretty safe with mostly sweet potatoes, tofu, rice, and bread.  After that, we went to the giant supermarket across the street so that Orran Lee and Chris could see what Chinese supermarkets are like (Mom had already been with me the day before).  All were amazed to see cheerleaders in one section of the store performing a pom-pom dance on behalf of one of the products for sale--potato chips, I think.

Yaaay for chips!

We then took a taxi to the Xian airport; a warning: Xian city taxis are not required to drive that far, so they will offer you a flat rate.  Kealey told me that the going rate is around 150 kuai, and that’s what we were offered.  Again: write it down after you agree on it so that they don’t try to change it on you later!

The rest of the day was a downer: our plane from Xian to Guangzhou was delayed for so long that we weren’t able to do any of the cool stuff that my old Harvard buddy Michael had recommended (based on his summer of living there as a summer associate).  I was very bummed about that.  It was also very confusing to navigate 4 delays and 1 gate change (to a different floor of the airport) in a different language.

We didn’t get into Guangzhou until dark.

And that’s when I hit my low of the trip.  We were in a taxi taking us from the airport to hour hotel... and although the driver could understand my Mandarin, I absolutely could NOT understand his.  I think that must have been how Anne Marie Ozioli felt when she took her Connecticut accent to the depths of Blue Ridge Mountains and had dinner with my grandparents.  I could tell that the driver was speaking Mandarin (and NOT Canto), but I truly could not understand.  Then, he couldn’t find the hotel.  So, we called the number on the itinerary, and I couldn’t understand THEM, either!  We were sitting in a stopped cab, and I was repeating, flustered, into the cell phone borrowed from the cabbie: I do not understand you.  I do not understand you.  I do not know what to do.  After several minutes of this, they put on a worker who knew minimal English who told me that the hotel was “inside the subway station” and that I only need look for the “yellow pillow” near the exit.  So, we got out--luggage and all--thanked the driver for his help, and started trudging through the subway station.  The place has at least 30 exits.  I asked about 20 people, and finally, one nice fella took us to the door.  There was no “yellow pillow” in sight.  

It was bedtime by the time we got there, and I was spent.

On FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, we woke up and went down to give the (included) breakfast a try.  Unfortunately, it consisted of four giant bowls of hot, spicy noodles, which none of us could face at 7 in the morning.  We literally left the bowls steaming on the table and walked across the sidewalk to 7-11 for yogurts.

Mom decides against taking a bite ^

The only unplanned transit level of our itinerary still lay ahead of me: how to get from Guangzhou to Hong Kong.  Our hotel, fortunately, was right next to a train station.  I went to the “long distances” window, and they told me that Hong Kong qualified as “short distance,” so we found that one upstairs.  We all bought tickets for the next train to Hong Kong (got in right before they stopped selling them!), and we were rushed through customs and China departure.  I hadn’t expected that Hong Kong would be treated so completely as a different country (since it was officially handed back to China in 1997), but let me tell you: it felt awesome to hand in that China departure card.  Peace out, CHINA!

Instantly, we felt like we were being transported into a nicer land.  It felt like a clean, clean dream.  The train was comfortable and cool, and little train ladies carted by with quiet offerings of snacks and drinks.

First time in 2 months that I am not dreaming of bathing in a vat of Purell ^

In the time it took to reach Hong Kong, taxi to our hotel, and check in, we had all four fallen in love with the city.  

I can’t stop raving about Hong Kong.  Maybe it’s because it came as such an unexpected surprise after the terror of 2+ months in  dirty, busy, hot China, but even free from that comparison, I am sure that Hong Kong shines.  I had only added it to our itinerary, really, to claim that I had been there, and our schedule only allowed 24 hours there.  I had heard that Hong Kong was “great for shopping,” and since shopping is pretty low on my list of to-do’s, my interest in the city was not too piqued, but WOW. I cannot wait to go back.

We started the visit with a ride on the Star Ferry, which only costs 2 HKD, and we rode it directly to the old Victorian clock tower area. 

Loving the Hong Kong Ferry Tale ^

View from ferry ^

Pretty Mama ^

We walked straight to an old imperial-era hotel mom had heard about, the 1881 Heritage on Canton Road, and sat down on the plantation-style front porch for high tea.  And there we stayed.  We spent the next several hours shooting the breeze with port, tea, Carlsberg, and Cosmos as ceiling fans purred above us, guests lounged and laughed in the mahogany bar area, and calm maitres d’s in crisp, long white aprons encouraged us to relax with more refreshments.  It was heavenly.

For dinner, we went to Jimmy’s Kitchen, a famous restaurant which has been around for a long time.  We could hardly believe that we were able to indulge in FRESH SALAD and WATER FROM A PITCHER (to no-no’s in China).  We also enjoyed such show-stoppers as Fish and Chips (Orran Lee), Beef Wellington (Mom and Chris), and Mulligatawny soup (CB).  What a day!

On SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, we split up early in the morning, because I had a 2-legged flight, and they only had one afternoon flight.  The Hong Kong airport is not very easy to figure out, so I was glad that I allowed plenty of time.  I walked around, started by blog (Beijing entry), and killed time.  My first plane was delayed, and I was terrified that I would miss my connection in Shanghai and have no way to tell O, Mo, and Chris (who would be waiting in Japan), but fortunately, that flight had a delay, too.  One good thing about China Eastern Airlines: although they have a (clearly) pathetic delay thing going on, they DO give you a legitimate meal on every flight.

We reunited in Narita airport’s Terminal 2 arrivals area.  It was late, and the Narita Express had already closed for the day, so we caught the JR line 1 to Ueno, where we then changed to the Tokyo subway and got to Asakusa.  We found our hotel for the night--the Asakusa Riverside (a capsule hotel!!) directly.

Orran was in the WORST MOOD.  I couldn’t understand why he was so furious (because he’d known all along that a capsule hotel was in our itinerary), but when we got to check-in, he was very nearly refusing to stay there.  I did not have the strength to deal with that, so I just said: “ok, if you want to stay somewhere else, you take care of it” and marched off to my own capsule.

Now, I am familiar with the Riverside hotel, because it is where I spent my last night of my 2005 summer semester in Japan (after second year).  The hotel is just 3000 yen and has a fantastic (shared) bath on the top floor of the high-rise.  The view of the city from the patio by the bathrooms is spectacular, and I remember standing there after my bath back in 2005, looking out at the city and wondering when my eyes would be taking in that sight again.

And it was five years later: August 21, 2010.

In the morning (SUNDAY, AUGUST 22), I taught Mom and Chris the ropes of communal bathing in Japan, and Chris and I cemented our sisterly bond by braving it together. Mom went later.

We're close. ^

Sistah ^

The boys stay (and bathe) in different locations of the hotel, so it was at the check-out desk that we finally reunited with Orran Lee.  He was not happy and was convinced that he had caught a “capsule bug.”

We had breakfast on the curb outside a Family Mart, and then took our luggage to our “real” Tokyo hotel, the Horidome Villa. We sat drinking water and coffee in the lobby there for about half an hour so that they could let us into our rooms early.  We dropped off our stuff and headed out to the Ginza.  We shopped around the Matsuya, eyed the beautiful edible creations on the basement floor, walked by the Mikimoto pearl store, and then spent the rest of the day walking through the Imperial park, Harajuku, the Meiji Shrine complex, and Asakusa.  We had sushi for dinner at a Asakusa place, followed by delish taro soft serve.

Jos in Harajuku ^

On MONDAY, AUGUST 23, Orran Lee and Chris were not feeling well at all.  They stayed in the hotel all day while Mom and I took the JR to explore my new hometown: Yokohama!  We tried to find my new apartment (and failed), but we had a delish seafood lunch on a pier by the waterside.

The four of us reunited that evening for an excursion to the electronics district, Akihabara, where we perused the latest technology in computers and televisions (including a 3-d tv) and then had curry rice for dinner.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 24 -- REUNION WITH GARRETT DAY!  We rode the Shinkansen in the morning from Tokyo to Kyoto, and Garrett took off work to meet us outside of the Kyoto Station and then take us around.  He arrived with a bouquet of pink daisies for me!  I was so happy to see him; it had been 10 weeks!!!  That’s a LONG time.

We took our stuff to his house and he showed us his school, Rakuhoku.  We were about to eat our arms off for lunch, and every place we tried was closed, but we finally found a place around 3:30, where we had okonomiyaki.

After lunch, we took the city bus to the Golden Temple, Kinkaku-ji.

We spent the evening in the Ginza area, poking through a bunch of traditional shops and relishing some goro-goro sushi at an AWESOME restaurant Garrett recommended.

On WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, Garrett had to go to work, and the rest of us took it easy at Garretts and had lunch in an isakaya near his subway station, Matsugasaki.  It was fantastic: stir-fried veggies and shrimp for all four of us!

Next, we rode the subway down to Nijo and toured Nijo castle.

We met Garrett at Kyoto station around 5 pm and had green tea ice cream followed by dinner in Sanjo with plenty of drinks.

On AUGUST 26, we went to our final city: Nara.  We had originally planned to go to Kobe and then Nara, but the group persuaded me to change plans for the sake of our collective sanity.  Admittedly, the trip had been pretty jam-packed.

Creepy Nara mascot ^

We took the JR to Nara and found our ryokan with little difficulty.  It’s a fabulous little bed and breakfast called “Nakata” after the owner, Nakata-san, the nicest little fella in all of Japan.  He gave us a map of the area (which he warned us not to let the deer eat), and we spent the rest of the day walking around Nara, visiting temples and shrines.  The Kasuga shrine (and the walk up to it) was my favorite; it felt like magic was hanging in the trees!  The Todai-ji is of course VERY impressive, and we also enjoyed spending quality time with the friendly deer wandering around Nara.

For dinner, we had omlet-rice at a place with awesome fake-food displays out front.

Our sleep at the Nakata was very restful.  The rooms are Japanese-style with futon, and I was very glad that my family would get to have that Japanese-inn experience.

In the morning, we rode back to Kyoto station, and we had a couple of hours before the Shinkansen left to take O, Mo, and Chris back to Tokyo.  We were having lunch in a little train station cafe when two students approached Mom and asked her to check over a speech one of them had written for a speech contest (which is actually taking place in NOVEMBER--talk about preparation!)  Well, as you might imagine, Mom ATE THAT UP.  She was all over it, and within 10 minutes, word had gotten out that a real English teacher was correcting speeches, and we were slammed with about 10 of the guy’s classmates wielding speech drafts of their own.  So, Mom checked two, Chris did one, Orran Lee did one, and I did one.  Mine was about the “ambulance problem” in Japan. Orran’s was a timid, petite girl’s speech about natural odor versus perfume, and I was cracking up at the feigned interest he was able to muster up.

Before we knew it, it was time for their train to leave.  I walked them to the Shinkansen platform entrance, hugged them goodbye, and watched them go down the hallway to find their platform.  And then I stood there alone for a while, almost in disbelief that “THE TRIP” which we had been hyping up for MONTHS, was actually over.