== Bernie's brain backup of April 2009 ==
-=== Negligent ===
+=== April 17th - Ghibli museum in Mitaka, Ginza ===
-I've neglected to updare this blog for a few months. Several things happened, including:
+{{http://localhost/wiki/Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/GhibliMuseum/00005.jpg|maxwidth=800}}
- * 2009 Jan: Visited the [[Pictures/vacation/EastCoast2008|East Coast]] with Silvia
- * 2009 Jan: Attended the [[Pictures/conf/XOCamp2009|XO Camp 2]]
- * 2009 Feb: Attended the [[Pictures/conf/Fosdem2009|Fosdem 2009]] with a few friends from Italy and SugarLabs colleagues
- * 2009 Feb: Visited [[Pictures/vacation/brussels_riga_stokholm_2009/|Brussels, Riga and Stockholm]] with Tommaso
- * 2009 Apr: Attended a meeting/miniconf in [[Pictures/conf/Bolzano2009|Bolzano]] with WalterBender
+The museum was actually a bit of a disappointment, but maybe just because I had my expectations so high.
+Cameras weren't allowed inside, so I only took [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/GhibliMuseum|few photos]].
-I am currently back in Florence, trying to find a way back in the US.
+In the afternoon, we walked around the shiny neighborhood of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginza|Ginza]].
+See the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Ginza|photos]].
+
+=== April 16th - Fish Market, Gardens, Tower of Tokyo, Temple ===
+
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Tsukiji_Fish_Market/00013.jpg | Tsukiji Fish Market |maxwidth=800}}
+
+We had a very intense day where we visited a lot of places all around central Tokyo:
+
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Tsukiji_Fish_Market | Tsukiji Fish Market]] ([[http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3021.html|Japan Guide]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Hama_Rikyu_Gardens | Hama Rikyu Gardens]] ([[http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3025.html||Japan Guide]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Zojoji | Zojo-ji Temple]] ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zojoji|Wikipedia]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Tokyo_Tower | Tokyo Tower]] ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Tower|Wikipedia]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Reiyukai_Temple | Reiyukai Temple]] ([[http://www.reiyukai.org/|official web site]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Imperial_Palace_Gardens | Imperial Palace Gardens]] ([[http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3017.html|Japan Guide]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Edo_Museum | Edo-Tokyo Museum]], which was already closed.
+ We'll try again when we come back to Tokyo ([[http://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/english | official web site]])
+
+NOTE: photos still being uploaded, gomen nasai!
+
+Seeing so many beautiful things at such a high frequency might make one's head spin.
+In fact, this evening I've been dangerously close to faint in an [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen | Onsen]],
+which was really scary because I had never lost consciousness before. I had walked all day with very little
+food and drink, which might have been part of the problem, but diving in thermal water for a long time has
+certainly triggered it. What a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin | gaijin]] who can't even take some
+hot water!
+
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Zojoji/1.00011.jpg | Zojo-ji temple (left), Tokyo Tower (center), Bernie (right) |maxwidth=800}}
+
+=== April 15th - Skyscrapers everywhere ===
+Compared to Tokyo, every other city I had visited would seem dirty, old, boring and disorganized.
+I can't find the words to describe my amazement walking around this amazing city full of wonders.
-=== Tue, April 14th - Tokyo ===
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Roppongi/TokyoMidtown/00023.jpg|Tokyo Midtown Gardenside seen from the Galleria building|maxwidth=800}}
+
+Photos for today:
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Shinjuku|Shinju-ku]] -- The district of the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Metropolitan_Government_Building|Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building]].
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Roppongi|Roppongi]] -- A rich district hosting modern art museums (Art Triangle) and night life ([[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roppongi|Wikipedia]])
+ * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Pachinko|Pachinko]] -- Popular Japanese slot machines
+
+**Update**: now finished uploading the photos
+
+=== April 14th - Arrival in Tokyo ===
+
+{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Sensoji_Temple/00081.jpg|The way to the Sensoji temple in Asakusa|maxwidth=800}}
I couldn't resist grabbing a super-cheap round trip to japan, a place I've always wanted
to visit. By "always", I mean: since when I was in kindergarten, watching great series
My dad accepted to accompany me in this trip even though he wasn't particularly fond of Japan. Until now, that is!
The first day was simply amazing, but I'm way to tired to tell a lot about it.
-The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo/Tuesday_April_14|photos and videos]] hopefully document it appropriately.
+The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo|many photos and videos]] that I'm still uploading will hopefully serve
+documenting this long day appropriately.
+
+NOTE: if you can't watch the videos embedded in the wiki, get yourself a recent browser featuring HTML5 or
+send me a patch adding support for old-style HTML video embedding.
+
+=== Negligent ===
-NOTE: if you can't watch the videos in the wiki, get a recent browser featuring HTML5 or send me a patch
-to add support for old-style HTML video embedding.
+Yes, I've neglected to update this blog for a few months. This isn't because I had nothing
+to talk about. In fact, these months were quite intense, with a lot of notable events, including:
+
+ * 2009 Jan: Visited the [[Pictures/vacation/EastCoast2008|East Coast]] with Silvia
+ * 2009 Jan: Attended the [[Pictures/conf/XOCamp2009|XO Camp 2]]
+ * 2009 Feb: Attended the [[Pictures/conf/Fosdem2009|Fosdem 2009]] with a few friends from Italy and SugarLabs colleagues
+ * 2009 Feb: Visited
+ [[Pictures/vacation/brussels_riga_stokholm_2009/Brussels | Brussels]],
+ [[Pictures/vacation/brussels_riga_stokholm_2009/Riga | Riga]] and
+ [[Pictures/vacation/brussels_riga_stokholm_2009 | Stockholm]] with Tommaso
+ * 2009 Mar: Organized a small revival of [[SystemShockBBS]] with a few original users
+ * 2009 Apr: Attended a meeting/miniconf in [[Pictures/conf/Bolzano2009|Bolzano]] with WalterBender
+
+I am currently back in Florence, trying to find a way back in the US.
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