Last day in Japan

Today is the last full day in Japan and the first full day in Tokyo that we have had this whole trip. Today was the day that we fulfilled the other dream of this trip, which was going to the Studio Ghibli museum (for those not in the know, this is the studio that Hayao Miyazaki who did films such as Princess Mononoke, Castle in the Sky, and Howell's moving castle (he is the Japanese Disney)). Surprisingly enough the tickets to this museum are extremely hard to get, so we had a friend who is living in Japan right now buy them for us before we came to make sure we could get in. Sometimes in trips expectations can ruin a good time, this was not one of those times. The museum is one of the best I have ever been too, that was not dedicated to fine arts. It is set up in a way that mixes museum and exploritorium, which is really fun. There is no set path to explore the exhibits, so one just gets lost and explores. The building itself was designed with his films in mind, which adds the the disneyland-esk experience. For Cuyler and I (who have seen most of the movies) we had an amazing time. I could go on, but I wont so that I do not bore.
After this, we went to Akihabara, which is where the nerds hang out for the most part. Thirteen year old me would have loved this place, but it was nice to see some of the crazy stuff they come up with. Explored the shops, and then headed to Ruppongi, which is where a lot of the foreigners hang out. There is a set of buildings there where people live, shop, and work, it is a building where you could live and work in and never leave the building. Cuyler and I looked around a bit, most of the shops were too expensive to even care, and then went to a cool restraunt for the last night. It is all fried stick food that comes in courses, hard to explain but very tasty, we enjoyed it much. Then it was back to the hostel to lift a couple of amber beverages with the locals and then head to bed.

American Car count: 14

No Cuyler did not kill me

Sorry all for not writing in a couple of days, it has been a long trek for the new year with lots of surprises along the way. Let me see where did we last leave off. Oh right, so Cuyler and I got to see the Gundam and were in Yokohama after looking for our hostel for an hour and a half. So December 31st, Cuyler and I went to land mark tower, which used to be the tallest building in the world, but then Taiwan beat them (I have seen that building as well) and we got a great view of Mt. Fuji which was great. Kicked it around Yokohama a little longer and then jetted back to Tokyo to get ready for the long night ahead.
For those of you who do not know, Cuyler and I pulled a Mac on New Year's eve, which is to say that we did not book a room for the night with the assumption that we would be out so late that it wouldn't be worth it and then we would be leaving the next day to go visit friends. Back in Tokyo we dropped out bags off at the station and headed off to Harujuku (yes like the girls that follow around Gwen (shit I have no idea how to spell her last name)) singer from NO Doubt. Got some ramen there and then went to Meiji-ji to see the beginning of the new year craziness. After this the sunset, and we sent to hangout in a coffee shop to conserve strength and get pumped for the night to come.
Around 10 we went over to Tokyo Tower (much like the Eiffel tower, but one meter taller, where there is a temple around the base that had all sorts of food vendors set up and activities. Hung out there and had a couple of beers and then waited for midnight. At midnight the crowd released over a thousand balloons with new years wishes on them and tokyo tower had a light show. We then went into the temple and preyed for the new year. Now it was like 12:30, time to drink more and stand by the giant fire they had built in the center. Apparently on New Year's you can get them to burn charms and other such things for good luck in the coming months. This fire saved our lives as it ended up being quit cold that night. The festivities didn't end till around 2, but when the fire went out Cuyler and I new it was time to hit the road. Walking away from the temple toward the train station, we see a starbucks, I said it would be a New Year's mirical if the Starbucks was and to some wonderous occasion it was open! Hung at there until three and then headed to the twenty-four hour McDonald's (it was super packed (and not just with white people)) and crashed there for an hour before heading to Tokyo Station to grab a train at 7:30 headed for Shingu.
Six hours later, much of that sleeping by both of us, and we were in Shingu to visit our friends from years past. Maiko and Ken and, for my mom and dad, Keito!!!!! I have lots to tell you guys about them once I get back. We spent the rest of new year's day catching up on how people have been and going to temples to bring in the new year.
Next day, more temples and resting from the long days of travel and staying up. Tried to go by and see our host family, but they were out of town for the new year, next time I guess. Shingu was the tonic we needed to push through the next two days and finish with a bang. We are now back in Tokyo, saw Akihabara and several other districts today as well as rode a giant Farris wheel that shows most of the Tokyo Skyline. More to come but it is late and tomorrow is another busy day.

American Car count: 14

It's a Gundam!!!

Today started early again, but at least this time we had bought an alarm clock so we new that we were on time. Japan, is basically the land of temples, and this is what we did again today. The first temple has over a thousand tori (the gates that stand at the entrance of every temple. So we hiked around there for a while and then caught a bus to the other really popular temple in Kyoto, where it began to rain. Then it was off to Shizuoka,which is where the main part of this trip comes in. There is a giant robot in this town on display and we finally got to see it. Thirteen year old me is so jealous right now. It was a kids dream come true and I am glad it happened. Then it was off to Yokohama where it took us far too long to find our hostel. Too tired to type a lot tonight, tomorrow is New Years and I will celebrate it before everyone, hope to right some tomorrow.

Morning's with no alarm clocks and other such events

There are nuances to travel, it is a skill, an art form, practiced by many, but mastered by few. As one has to remember skills once learned, so is the art of travel. There is a pace, a rhythm to the way the road feels on your skin. It is remembering how to take a shower while piling all your clothes on one hook so they don't get wet, washing underwear as you take a shower. Getting to your hostel after 36 hours of travel and having to make your own bed and not getting to tired to go get dinner. Mornings where you need to get up so you can catch a train, but having no alarm clock.
Woke up at 6:45, the perfect time for still making it to Tokyo station to catch the 8:00 train to Kyoto. One CC lemon, espresso, and chocolate danish later we are on the train to Kyoto. From Tokyo this is about the distance from SF to LA, but Japan knows the benefits of bullet trains and it only took three hours to get there (this should happen once the high speed rail is installed in California). We get into Kyoto around 11 and decide to have an early lunch so we can move for the rest of the day. Tonkatsu (pork cutlet), miso soup, rice, and cabbage salad. Very impressive restaurant and a hearty meal to keep us going. After this it was off to Tenryu-ji temple, which is on the outskirts of town and is about a 45min bus ride from Kyoto train station. This wouldn't be bad if it weren't for three things: the bus was super hot, Cuyler and I do not fit well in the seat made for two people, and there was a crazy man behind us who kept breathing in rhythm with the bus, humming, and preying to the toilet god(no joke). The conversation of the daY:
Cuyler: I think the guy behind us is crazy.
Me: Yeah he is, crazy is a universal language.
Get to Tenryu-ji and explore the temple and the grounds, which include a pretty impressive bamboo forest. Later on we were wondering around and fell upon monkey mountain, now some might as "what is that?" It is exactlly what it sounds like, it is a mountain with monkeys on it (140 to be precise). It is home to the snow monkey and they are all over the place, and the mountain has great views of the city.
After this it was onto the golden temple. I wont go into the details of this, it is a temple and it is gold.
Got to the new hostel, went out to get Okonomiyaki and then off to an Irish pub (oh YES!!!!) for a pint. All said and done it was a very productive day and looking forward to more tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow is the day that they reason for this whole trip will be revealed and it is marvelous. To yokohama!!!

American car sitings: 2

Making it

We have arrived. The flight from SFO to LAX was great, we got the seats next to the emergency exit, so extra leg room. Then got the same seats on the flight to Japan, which is good because Cuyler and I need all the extra room we can get. There isn't much to say about an 11 hour plane flight. You watch movies, you fall asleep, repeat too many times. The woman that was sitting next to Cuyler on the flight spilled her coke on herself within the first twenty minutes of the flight and then also spilled coffee at the first meal.
Finally, got to Narita and got to get smelled out by the police drug smelling dog who lingered to long for me to feel comfortable, but I was ruled out as being a drug smuggler. We get out of customs and into the train station where we are "randomly" selected to be interviewed by the police. They were stoked to find out I was an accountant and one even used the word "cool". It is great to be in a country that admires your work and where you can be cool for adding numbers all day (I think something was lost in the translation). Cuyler and I finally got to the train and then into Tokyo. First stop was scheduled to be a bar but we ended up running into this old temple in Asakura and the temple was Sensoji. We pulled little fortunes at the temple and I got the bad fortune (you will have a bad trip(no joke that is what it said)) but Cuyler got a good one so hopefully that off sets my bad luck. Off to finally get food and some beverage of the golden amber color.
It was after several beers that we decided it was time to track down where the hostel was,not the best idea. The map was not clear, and needless to say, why the hell are there two hostels in a two block radius with the word smile in the title. In the hostel, time to rest, tomorrow it is off to Kyoto and more adventures.

Japan Nine year reunion

So Cuyler and I have decided to back to Japan, which actually came about because they built a giant robot, took it down, and then we said if they ever put it up again we would go, well that time has come. We will be in Tokyo for New Years Eve which will be my third time in a foreign city for the new year, and the Japanese are super into New Year's so it should be exciting. We have decided to do the Mac special on New Year's eve by not getting a hotel room and just winging it, should be interesting...I am going to get a ton of red bull blog not sponsored by this). More to come!!!

Getting there and back

The fun of having a GPS that is broken, or that you think is broken, is that you get to go back to the car rental agency to try and get another one. We found out on Thursday that it was not the GPS that was broken, but the outlets in the car itself. Half-hour later and a new car (having to go get anther car was not on the books and set us back a bit) and of course, once we get the new car, the rental place says they don´t have a ticket for us to get the new car out of the parking lot...what?! That was another twenty minutes, but we finally got our pass, turn the car on, the check engine light comes on. Alex "No, we are not going back". We finally got on our way to San Miguel (yes Alex, I know I am not spelling it right), we drive down the road, stop at a gas station to check the water and oil levels, nothing out of the ordinary...so we just said screw it and kept going, oh to be young.
A couple hours later and we are in San Miguel, but it took us another hour to get from the enterance of town to the parking lot (true story), see there is this little event going on down here called, oh what was it, oh yeah, BICENTENIAL, that makes every place crazy. FInally get to the parking lot, get parked, it is now 4 in the afternoon and we are supposed to meet people back in Q-town for diner (yeah that didn´t happen). San Miguel has a really cool church, so we checked that out and then walked around the town to stumble upon a parade in the works. Seeing as we have nothing else to do, we hangout to see what it is going to be. Yeah it is a re-enactment of the independance movement and the revolution (good videos of my trip to Mexico). There were lots of running horses (some people fell off their horses and seeing as we were at the turn in the parade a couple hours got really close to breaking the parade line...hmmmmmm) and angery villagers yelling "Viva Mexico". After the parade we go back to Q-town (check engine light off now, yes!). For dinner Alex took me to this really good Torrta and tocos place, where we stuffed ourselves and then finally made it back to the hotel (more then twleve hours after we left).
The next day was our long day (what?!, yeah I know) and the day we most needed to GPS becuase we were driving south close to Mexico City to see the second biggest pyramid in Mexico. So we get on the right freeway to get south, turn the GPS on and get going to Tuatitichan (not spelled right either). Somewhere around Mexico City (it is 1230pm and Alex says we should get there by two thinking we might get lost a bit) the GPS apparently has a meltdown and we end up in the middle of random (I´m just going to say no where) Mexico subburb of Mexico City. We finally stop for directions and the man laughs becuase we are no where near where we need to be and even further from a real freeway (this is the point in the day where Nathaniel says he will scream if the GPS says one more word). Finally get back to a semi-big road to get back to a freeway, people are cutting us off from another lane and Alex says she needs something to throw at the next car that try´s to cut us off, true story. The next set of events invlove going down a one way in the wrong direction, looking at four lanes of oncoming traffic all headed at you, the correct direction we need to go, and Alex saying "don´t freak out for the next four seconds", Nathaniel covers his eyes and prey´s. Finally see signs for the pryamid and get there, it is now 330, and we have been in the car since 11 (think about that).
Got into the pyramid, it was pretty cool, but you have to walk a ways till you get to it, go through the courtyard and stuff (side note, earlier Alex and I note that it looks like it is going to rain in Q-town and niehter of us decide to bring a jacket or umbrella, I think you know where this is going). About halfway up the pyramid it starts to sprinkle, but then stops. No big deal, about three steps on the way down (these are not easy small steps) it starts to pour, that is not where you want to be thirty stories up on a thousand plus year old pyramid with it raining (oh yeah and Alex and I have both chosen sandels as our pyramid hiking shoes). We both made it down that´s all I can say.
Due to the rain and the wind, Alex catches a chill, so on the way back to Q-town she cranks the heat and I build up three layers of sweat as I drive (longest drive EVER!).
All said and done each day was an adventure, but it was a lot of fun and I got some great pictures. We are now in Toluca getting ready to head to the airport and fly back.

Chao!

P.S. This was writting on a system that highlights every word I wirte as being wrong, so I am sure there are lots of errors, deal with it.

Finally Internet

So I wanted to blog everyday that I was here, but with the Bicentenial going on there have been random shop times and many events going on that make that difficult. As I am sure people can guess we made it here and I have not been kidnapped by a drug cartel...yet. The plane ride was interesting, seeing as we were the very last row, Alex was chill about getting us on the plane and almost all of the overhead space was full, but we crammed our bags in and were seated right next to a baby (oh my luck), it was actually pretty good though and slept most of the time till the end. A stop over and three hour bus ride later and we finally got to Q-town.
That day we spent wandering around the town and then metting up with some of Alex´s freinds from school. The next day it was off to rent a car and go to a couple of close by towns. Now one would think with a car and a GPS system one could get anywhere, well guess again. The GPS needs to work, that is a crucial part of the plan. The car´s power outlets didnt work and half way to the town we wanted to go to it died...four times stopping to ask for directions and we finally made it to the town. Short visit and then back to Q-town to get ready for Bicentenial. It was pretty cool, lots of fireworks and the longest national anthem I have ever herd personally.
Notes on the trip: it is not smart to leave the windows open to the car while driving through the country as a wasp my fly in to your shirt and sting you...true story. Luckily this did not happen to me it happened to Alex, but all I herd was it hurts it hurts and her rubbing her back. I thought she was getting desert fever. But stopping off to the side of the road, yet there was a wasp. More to come.

Viva la Mexico!!!

So Alex has decided to kidnap me and steal me away to Mexico. Who is ready for tequila, cerveza, cuarto de baño, agua…alright we have exhausted Nathaniel’s Spanish words, this may be more difficult then first expected. Luckily I decided to bring a Spanish minor and former resident with me. As to where we are going and where we are going to be, I don’t know anything, this is my vacation (sue me).
So this is not completely true, we are going to a town called Querétaro, but I just call it Q-town. This is where Alex studied abroad for a year, so I assume that she has a pretty good knowledge of this area (but we will see). I will be posting more on an itinerary and what we will be doing on the day to day once we get there. Our flight leaves out of Oakland at 1:00 in the morning (oh good baby jesus (the j makes an h sound)). Then it is another smaller flight, and a bus ride till be get to Q-town. Let the vacation begin!

My crypt is bigger then your crypt

So today started out like every other American day, going to Starbucks (oh yeah!). I know your in Paris, there are cafes all over the place why got to Starbucks? Because when I order cafe in one of those I get a tiny shot glass of coffee for five dollars, for six you can at least get a decent sized portion of coffee at SB (this is a paid product placement). After breakfast we headed off to Jardin du Luxembourg and the Pantheon. The garden is very beautiful, though like Versailles I would think it even better in summer. I got to see the Pantheon last time, but didn't go/know you could go inside, the inside is sublime (many architecture students making sketches of the buildings unique features. In the crypt is where Hugo, Dumas, and Voltaire are now buried (to mention a few). It was at this time that the day started to take a turn for the worse (meaning the weather). Every day the forecast has been rain, but it only ends up just sprinkling in the afternoon, except for today when we wanted to do a lot of outdoor activities (Murphy's Law). To get out of the rain, the Musee de Orsay offered comfort and a good cappuccino (that was for you Alex). This museum has a huge collection of Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, and Rodin. It is often hard to enjoy such museums because of there sheer mass, so much artwork in such a little time, you have to put horse blinders on to not get sidetracked. For a side note, why do people feel it is acceptable/needed to take pictures with famous art? The people that have the six thousand dollar cameras that sit there clicking away at every Monet and Rodin, put the camera down! Unless you are an art history professor on sabbatical or an art photographer, just enjoy the art work and leave the picture taking to the professionals. After some lunch it was off to the Rodin museum to keep getting out of the rain, which the first thing they did when we got in was shove us back outside for the first part of the exhibit. Finally we ended at Napoleon's tomb, man that guy has the biggest ego ever! Who needs a gold domed building ten stories high to be there tomb? (a short man that's who). Tomorrow is Thanksgiving for you people back home, but we are off to London on the Chunnel.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Nathaniel out!

P.S. Happy Birthday Grandpa!