X-Git-Url: https://codewiz.org/gitweb?p=wiki.git;a=blobdiff_plain;f=blog%2F2009%2FApril;h=b5fab868698f35cc12401128ea4bb5b33872d704;hp=ce725f07b431a8a59f41a64f3a11701b5439efea;hb=70ac380788df1d6e93c9396a1c29463a65d271fb;hpb=34331863034261b03a5325ccffcdb057eb0e3dab diff --git a/blog/2009/April b/blog/2009/April index ce725f0..b5fab86 100644 --- a/blog/2009/April +++ b/blog/2009/April @@ -1,27 +1,137 @@ == Bernie's brain backup of April 2009 == -Seeing beautiful things at such a high rate might make one's head spin. In fact, this evening I've been -angerously close to faint for real at 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. I'm such a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaijin gaijin]] who can't even take some hot water! +=== April 21th ==== -Photos for today: - * Will upload later -- gomen nasai +==== Great temples everywhere ==== + +Yesterday was rainy, but it didn't stop us from biking around and visiting quite a lot of stuff: + + * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ninnaji|Ninnaji temple]]; + * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ryoanji|Ryoanji temple]], with its puzzling rock zen garden; + * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kinkakuji|Kinkakuji temple]] (aka golden temple); + * the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/NijojoCastle|Nijojo castle]], which is actually two castles for the price of one; + * a quick tour of the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/KyotoDowntown|Kyoto downtown]]; + * the [[http://www.kyotomm.com/international/english/|International Manga Museum]] was closed already. Grrr.... + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kinkakuji/00012.jpg|the golden temple of Kinkakuji|maxwidth=800}} + +==== x264 goodness ==== + +I re-encoded all videos from MJPEG, the crappy native format of my Canon camera, to x264 (aka MPEG4). +Firefox 3.1/3.5 still doesn't grok it with the ##video## tag, but I didn't have a +[[http://theora.org/|Theora]] encoder installed. + +=== April 20th === + +==== Best hostel ever ==== + +The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/UtanoHostel|Utano hostel]] in Kyoto would rival many +five star hotels I've seen. Sorry I couldn't take any photos in the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onsen | Onsen]]. + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/UtanoHostel/00005.jpg|the hostel provides a traditional goan too|maxwidth=800}} + +==== Impressive station ==== + +The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/ShinKyoto|Kyoto station]] is an impressive modern building, +worth a visit by itself. + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/ShinKyoto/00015.jpg|Anime characters by Osamu Tezuka!|maxwidth=640}} + +==== Shinkansen tour ==== + +In a jounery report, the details of transportation are usually left out as uninteresting. +Except if one takes the fastest train in the world! We took the +[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T%C5%8Dkaid%C5%8D_Shinkansen|Tokaido Shinkansen]] line from Odawara to Kyoto, +riding on a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/700_Series_Shinkansen|700-series]] train for the +[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikari_%28Shinkansen%29|Hikari]] service (not the faster +[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nozomi_%28train%29|Nozomi]], but still very impressive). + +The ticket cost a whopping 11240 yen per person, and I'm not even getting a +[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_Express_999|machine body]] with it! ;-) + +See [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Shinkansen|the the photos]] and don't miss the +[[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Shinkansen/00009-x264.avi|pass-through]] and the +[[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Shinkansen/00011-x264.avi|on-board]] videos. + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Shinkansen/00006.jpg|Shinkansen|maxwidth=800}} + + +=== April 19th - Hakone day 2 === + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hakone/FujiSanBernieSan.jpg|The Fuji-san (left) with Bernie-san (right)|maxwidth=1024}} + +We took the suggested touristic itinerary around the Hakone mountains which employs all sorts +of transportation means: bus, cable train, rope way, cruise boat and bus again. -=== April 15th - Roppongi === +Along the way, we could see the volcanic sulfuric vents and pools, the Ashi lake with its breathtaking +view of the Fuji-san, the ancient cedar avenue, the old post, the detached palace gardens and the +beautiful [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinto_shrine|shinto jinja shrine]] of with its +[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torii|torii]] diving in the lake. -Compared to Tokyo, every other city I had visited before would seem dirty, old, boring and disorganized. +Of course, I took plenty of [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hakone/Trip|photos of the Hakone trip]]. + +=== April 18th - Hakone === + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hakone/Hostel/00008.jpg|Our japanese style room at the Senkyoro YH|maxwidth=1024}} + +We arrived in a small town near [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hakone,_Kanagawa|Hakone]]. I'll publish photos later. + +**Update**: [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hakone|photos of the hostel]] are now available. + + +=== April 17th - Ghibli museum in Mitaka, Ginza === + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/GhibliMuseum/00005.jpg|Robot from the ancient city of Laputa|maxwidth=800}} + +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]]. + +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. -Photos for today (upload in progress, please be patient): +{{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/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/SensojiTemple/00081.jpg|The way to the Sensoji temple in Asakusa|maxwidth=800}} +{{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