From: bernie Date: Mon, 11 May 2009 17:42:04 +0000 (+0200) Subject: Edit page blog/2009/04 X-Git-Url: https://codewiz.org/gitweb?p=wiki.git;a=commitdiff_plain;h=83e54ccc73100024f37337d27661fab3c82b0661;hp=9cfb5192436949407cf723efbb33b7808d9d2230 Edit page blog/2009/04 --- diff --git a/blog/2009/04 b/blog/2009/04 index 7b5c01c..b16766c 100644 --- a/blog/2009/04 +++ b/blog/2009/04 @@ -1,16 +1,111 @@ == Bernie's brain dump as of April 2009 == +=== April 30th: Departure === + +==== My father's photos ==== + +Throughout our journey, my father also took [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto|plenty of shots]] +with his video camera. + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto/Tokyo/Ueno_Zoo/00214.jpg|Traditional wind socks for the children's day|maxwidth=640}} + +==== How to spend 8 hours in Paris ==== + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto/Paris/00216.jpg|The Louvre gallery as seen from across the Seine|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright}} + +Our flight from Narita arrived at Charles de Gaulle at 4AM, and the connecting +flight to Florence was at 1PM. Could we spend all this time sitting in the terminal? + +No way! The battery of my camera was dead, but my father took some photos of [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto/Paris]]. + +For the first time in my life, I had a really bad impression of Paris. Coming from Tokyo, +any place would seem very dirty, but in this case the garbage was real, abundant, +and smelled intensely of alcohol, urine and vomit. Perhaps April 30th was a special "drunk men day"? + +==== GEEK UPDATE: A productive flight ==== + +On the flight back to Europe, I spent some time hacking on [[GeekiGeeki]] to add little goodies such as + + * a grid view for photos; + * automatic generation of human-readable link tags from wiki URLs; + * a common parser for argument lists such as "foo|bar=1|baz=3"; + * the ability to specify css style for links and inline objects, which I'm using to produce + floating thumbnails on the side of pages without resorting to HTML + +These new features will make my wiki markup even lighter than before. +Moreover, these additions actually resulted in further //simplification// +of the codebase rather than code bloat. Way to go! + +{{{ +git diff --stat v3.0..HEAD geekigeeki.py +geekigeeki.py | 709 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------------- +1 files changed, 352 insertions(+), 357 deletions(-) +}}} + +If you notice any regressions in the output, please report them to me. +I'm hoping to release 4.0 soon. + +Tags: [[tags/stuff_that_matters]] [[tags/!bloat]] [[tags/as_simple_as_possible]] [[tags/but_no_simpler]] + + +==== One last day in Tokyo ==== + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Edo_Museum/00007.jpg|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright|The huge pavilion of the Edo Museum}} + +We gathered all our left energies for a //tour de force// of a bunch of touristic +locations highly recommended in our guide: + + * The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Edo_Museum]], along with a wonderful + temporary special exhibition of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka]]. + * The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Ameyoko]] markets + * The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Ueno_Zoo]] + * The Narita airport :-( + +=== April 29th: Back to Tokyo === + +==== Hostel ==== + +After one last tour of the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/town]], we left from Nikko in +with a low-cost private line (2h40, but only 1100 Yen all the way to Asakusa). + +We had just one evening and half of the next day to spend in Tokyo, so we quickly dropped +our luggage to the [[http://www.tokyo-ih.jp/en/index.html|Tokyo International Youth Hostel]], +a sort of nazi camp with a great view on the 18th floor of a high-rise building in Iidabashi. + +==== Akihabara ==== + +Because there was a strict curfew at 11PM, we had to take the metro during the rush +hour ([[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/metro|photos and videos]]) to reach +the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara|Electric Town]] ([[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Akihabara|photos]]). + === April 28th === -The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko|first batch of photos from Nikko]] are now online. +==== Guided tour ==== + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/waterfalls_tour/00038.jpg|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright|The Yutaki Waterfalls}} + +Pictures of our day-long [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/waterfalls_tour]] are now online. +Our friendly guide, the Buddhist monk whose name I forgot, answered many of our pending questions +about Japanese traditions and religion. Hiking through these sacred mountains and woods was an +enjoyable experience. + +TODO: assemble a good video from all the scenes I took along the way + +==== Nikko Temple Area ==== +In the afternoon, we went to visit the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/world_heritage_site]]. +One would expect to grow bored of Shinto and Buddhist temples after seeing many of them +all over Japan, but visiting the Nikko temple area was once again an extraordinary experience. +And I could finally spot a few [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miko]]s too! + +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/world_heritage_site/00096.jpg|maxwidth=640}} === April 27th === ==== Afternoon: travel to Nikko ==== Nikko is in an adjacent valley east of Nagano on the Japanese alps. Unfortunately, no train lines -and busses connect them directly, so we had to take an expensive -- yet very fast -- Shinkansen -detour all the way down to Saitama and then up again. +and buses connect them directly, so we had to take an expensive -- yet very fast -- Shinkansen +detour all the way down to Saitama and then northbound again. Once at the station, we immediately realized it was a good deal, after all. This mountain town overflows with temples, world heritage sites and statues of Buddah @@ -33,7 +128,7 @@ guided hiking tour with the monks, which sounds really cool. **UPDATE**: ouch! -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/00026.jpg|Ouch!|maxwidth=640}} +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/Nikko_Park_Lodge/00026.jpg|Ouch!|maxwidth=640}} ==== Morning: Zenko-ji ==== @@ -97,14 +192,14 @@ In the evening, we headed to [[http://wikitravel.org/en/Nagano|Nagano]], a city === April 24th -- over 1 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megametre|megameter]] by train ==== +{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima/00085.jpg|The A-Bomb peace memorial near the epicenter|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright}} + **UPDATE**: the report for [[blog/2009/April#kyoto-higashiyama|April 21st]] is now available! We left our comfortable hostel in Kyoto early in the morning for a second Shinkansen ride of 360Km, this time on the faster [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nozomi_%28train%29|Nozomi]]. The one-way ticket was "just" 10,250円, equivalent to $105 or €80. -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima/00085.jpg|The A-Bomb peace memorial near the epicenter|maxwidth=480}} - Unlike Kyoto, there aren't many sites of historic interest in Hiroshima because, quite unsurprisingly, every building in the city center is at most 64 years old. With [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Peace_Memorial|one notable exception]]. diff --git a/blog/2009/April b/blog/2009/April deleted file mode 100644 index 425865c..0000000 --- a/blog/2009/April +++ /dev/null @@ -1,476 +0,0 @@ -== Bernie's brain dump as of April 2009 == - -=== April 30th: Departure === - -==== My father's photos ==== - -Throughout our journey, my father also took [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto|plenty of shots]] -with his video camera. - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto/Tokyo/Ueno_Zoo/00214.jpg|Traditional wind socks for the children's day|maxwidth=640}} - -==== How to spend 8 hours in Paris ==== - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto/Paris/00216.jpg|The Louvre gallery as seen from across the Seine|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright}} - -Our flight from Narita arrived at Charles de Gaulle at 4AM, and the connecting -flight to Florence was at 1PM. Could we spend all this time sitting in the terminal? - -No way! My camera's battery was gone, but my father took some photos of [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/From_Alberto/Paris]]. - -For the first time in my life, I had a really bad impression of Paris. Coming from Tokyo, -any place would seem very dirty, but in this case the garbage was real, abundant, -and smelled intensely of alcohol, urine and vomit. Perhaps April 30th was a special "drunk men day"? - -==== GEEK UPDATE: A productive flight ==== - -On the flight back to Europe, I spent some time hacking on [[GeekiGeeki]] to add little goodies such as - - * a grid view for photos; - * automatic generation of human-readable link tags from wiki URLs; - * a common parser for argument lists such as "foo|bar=1|baz=3"; - * the ability to specify css style for links and inline objects, which I'm using to produce - floating thumbnails on the side of pages without resorting to HTML - -These new features will make my wiki markup even lighter than before. -Moreover, these additions actually resulted in further //simplification// -of the codebase rather than code bloat. Way to go! - -{{{ -git diff --stat v3.0..HEAD geekigeeki.py -geekigeeki.py | 709 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------------------------- -1 files changed, 352 insertions(+), 357 deletions(-) -}}} - -If you notice any regressions in the output, please report them to me. -I'm hoping to release 4.0 soon. - -Tags: [[tags/stuff_that_matters]] [[tags/!bloat]] [[tags/as_simple_as_possible]] [[tags/but_no_simpler]] - - -==== One last day in Tokyo ==== - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Edo_Museum/00007.jpg|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright|The huge pavilion of the Edo Museum}} - -We gathered all our left energies for a //tour de force// of a bunch of touristic -locations highly recommended in our guide: - - * The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Edo_Museum]], along with a wonderful - temporary special exhibition of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osamu_Tezuka]]. - * The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Ameyoko]] markets - * The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Ueno_Zoo]] - * The Narita airport :-( - -=== April 29th: Back to Tokyo === - -==== Hostel ==== - -After one last tour of the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/town]], we left from Nikko in -with a low-cost private line (2h40, but only 1100 Yen all the way to Asakusa). - -We had just one evening and half of the next day to spend in Tokyo, so we quickly dropped -our luggage to the [[http://www.tokyo-ih.jp/en/index.html|Tokyo International Youth Hostel]], -a sort of nazi camp with a great view on the 18th floor of a high-rise building in Iidabashi. - -==== Akihabara ==== - -Because there was a strict curfew at 11PM, we had to take the metro during the rush -hour ([[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/metro|photos and videos]]) to reach -the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara|Electric Town]] ([[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Tokyo_Again/Akihabara|photos]]). - -=== April 28th === - -==== Guided tour ==== - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/waterfalls_tour/00038.jpg|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright|The Yutaki Waterfalls}} - -Pictures of our day-long [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/waterfalls_tour]] are now online. -Our friendly guide, the Buddhist monk whose name I forgot, answered many of our pending questions -about Japanese traditions and religion. Hiking through these sacred mountains and woods was an -enjoyable experience. - -TODO: assemble a good video from all the scenes I took along the way - -==== Nikko Temple Area ==== -In the afternoon, we went to visit the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/world_heritage_site]]. -One would expect to grow bored of Shinto and Buddhist temples after seeing many of them -all over Japan, but visiting the Nikko temple area was once again an extraordinary experience. -And I could finally spot a few [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miko]]s too! - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/world_heritage_site/00096.jpg|maxwidth=640}} - -=== April 27th === - -==== Afternoon: travel to Nikko ==== - -Nikko is in an adjacent valley east of Nagano on the Japanese alps. Unfortunately, no train lines -and buses connect them directly, so we had to take an expensive -- yet very fast -- Shinkansen -detour all the way down to Saitama and then northbound again. - -Once at the station, we immediately realized it was a good deal, after all. -This mountain town overflows with temples, world heritage sites and statues of Buddah -spread in an extremely beautiful natural environment with many great falls, ancient woods -and hot springs where even wild monkeys take an onsen. - -Our [[http://www.nikkoparklodge.com/|hostel]] is ran by Zen monks and serves an unforgettable -vegan dinner with seit. In the evening, we exchanged excited stories with a family of Italian tourists from Milan who had -chosen to travel by car rather than by train to save money and gather access to places unreachable -by public transport. Quite a smart idea for groups of 3-4 people who aren't afraid of driving -on the left. - -Surprisingly, one of the monks speaks perfect English. He told us that he lived in California -for some time. An explanation worthy of the plot of a very bad 007 movie, where locals -always happen to speak English somehow, saving James from the embarrassing need of resorting -to silly gestures in order to get his stupid Vodka Martini the way he likes it. - -Tomorrow, of course after our morning yoga and vegan breakfast, we're going on a day long -guided hiking tour with the monks, which sounds really cool. - -**UPDATE**: ouch! - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nikko/Nikko_Park_Lodge/00026.jpg|Ouch!|maxwidth=640}} - -==== Morning: Zenko-ji ==== - -In the morning, we tried again to visit the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenk%C5%8D-ji|Zenko-ji]]. -Even on a Monday, the queue was not much shorter. A nice volunteer guide advised us that -the pilgrims where queuing just to touch a wooden pole with an inscription on it that was -right in front of the temple, and we could skip aside if we weren't interested. So we did. - -We still had to queue for half an hour inside the temple to reach the secret chamber where -we would get the rare opportunity to see the hidden Buddha, visible only once every seven -years. Quite a lucky combination! I was impressed by the devotion of the people around me. -The spiritual side of Japanese people does not seem to clash at all with their high-tech lifestyle. - -Behind the temple, we were led down a narrow staircase to a dark and twisty corridor beneath -the temple. We had to walk in the pitch black obscurity, touching the walls in search of a -metal key of enlightenment. I could finally get hold of the key and turn it, but the most -enlightening part of this experience was hearing the crowd of tourists apologizing for bumping -into each other all the time ;-) - -I only have outdoors [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nagano/Zenko-ji|photos]] becuase taking -pictures inside was strictly forbidden. A monk yelled at me just for fiddling too much with -my camera, which was quite surprising, considering how tolerant Japanese people usually are -towards our ignorance of their culture. - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nagano/Zenko-ji/00186.jpg|The sacred inscription we can't read, let alone understand|maxwidth=800}} - -=== April 26th: Matsumoto again === - -==== Back to Matsumoto ==== - -Our [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nagano/Shimizuya_Ryokan|ryokan in Nagano]] was simply great. -Everything was traditional Japanese-style, including the room, the onsen and the breakfast. - -We tried to visit the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenk%C5%8D-ji|Zenko-ji]] right next to our -ryokan, but we spotted a really long queue of pilgrims at the entrance, so we went back to the -station to visit the [[http://localhost/wiki/Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Castle|Matsumoto Castle]], -one of Japan's top 3 castles ([[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Castle|photos]]). The adjacent -museum was also great ([[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Museum|photos]]). On our way back, we've found -a peculiar [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nagano/dancing_kids|dancing show]] with cute little girls and their -teachers. - -Apparently, by leaving Nagano we missed some kind of prayer or event held by Tibetan monks at the -[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenk%C5%8D-ji|Zenko-ji]]. Too bad, it might have been a good chance -to show some support for the Tibetan cause. Go, Tibet, Go!! - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Castle/00147.jpg|Soooo conventiinal!|maxwidth=640}} -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Castle/00108.jpg|Scary, uh?|maxwidth=640}} - -=== April 25th: Matsumoto === - -Yesterday, we arrived on a rainy night to the mountain town of Matsumoto, where a lady with a car -took us from the station to a cozy [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/family_hostel|family held hostell]]. -The next day was rainy, so instead of going right to the famous [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsumoto_Castle|Matsumoto Castle]], -we spent the best part of the day at the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Station|station]] and -with some dumb [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Matsumoto/Shopping|shopping]]. - -In the evening, we headed to [[http://wikitravel.org/en/Nagano|Nagano]], a city famous for the -1998 winter olimpics and for an ancient [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zenk%C5%8D-ji|buddhist temple]]. - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Nagano/Shimizuya_Ryokan/00053.jpg|All sorts of accommodations come with good wi-fi, including traditional ryokans|maxwidth=800}} - -=== April 24th -- over 1 [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megametre|megameter]] by train ==== - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima/00085.jpg|The A-Bomb peace memorial near the epicenter|maxwidth=640|class=thumbright}} - -**UPDATE**: the report for [[blog/2009/April#kyoto-higashiyama|April 21st]] is now available! - -We left our comfortable hostel in Kyoto early in the morning for a second Shinkansen -ride of 360Km, this time on the faster [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nozomi_%28train%29|Nozomi]]. -The one-way ticket was "just" 10,250円, equivalent to $105 or €80. - -Unlike Kyoto, there aren't many sites of historic interest in Hiroshima because, quite -unsurprisingly, every building in the city center is at most 64 years old. -With [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Peace_Memorial|one notable exception]]. -Coming such a long way only to see a broken dome and a the surrounding -[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Peace_Memorial_Park|park]] might seem crazy, -but it was definitely worth it. One of the most dramatic moments of human history -happened right here not long ago, and survivors of about my father's age can give -their first-hand testimony with the help of black and white photographs and melted -items from the museum. After causing so much horror and observing its consequences, -what did we do about it? We quickly built **thousands** of bombs much more -destructive than [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy|Little Boy]]. Smart move. - -As usual, I couldn't refrain from taking [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima|a load of photos]] here too. -These probably can't deliver the pain in the chest one gets by visiting the museum, -but might still be a little disturbing. - -In the afternoon, we returned to the Hiroshima station just in time to catch the 16:01 -Shinkansen for another 690Km ride to another location which will be revealed -in due time. Don't miss the next amazing episode of Bernie's Adventures! - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Hiroshima/00079.jpg|"Peace" written with origami cranes|maxwidth=640}} - -Also check the story behind the [[http://www.city.hiroshima.jp/shimin/heiwa/crane.html|millions of paper cranes]] -sent from all over the world in memory of the little Sadako. - -=== April 23rd -- Last day in Kyoto === - -==== Morning: Arashiyama by bike ==== - -In the morning of this sunny day, we biked to a few locations on the -east side of Kyoto: - - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Dakakuji|Dakakuji]], an active Shingon Buddhist temple - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Tenryuji|Tenryuji]], another beautiful Buddhist temple with a beautiful Zen garden, next to a bamboo forest - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Monkey_Park|Monkey Park]], a place where you can closely observe and interact with [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macaque|Japanese macaques]]. - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Monkey_Park/00028.jpg|see no evil, hear no evil, speak no English|maxwidth=800}} - -==== Evening: a city I did not like ==== - -At last, I've found a place I actually didn't like much in Japan! -The first impression of Osaka's central station was that it was old and -dirty. Of course one could still eat on the floor, and coming from -[[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Shin_Kyoto|Kyoto's station]] might -have compromised my judgement. There was big crowd of busy people -everywhere, and if //you// bump into someone, //they// don't apologize -for it. - -Our copy of the Lonely Planet highly recommended [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C5%8Dtonbori|Dotonbori]] -at night for its "Blade Runner views", so we headed there. They must have watched -a version of the movie with bad special fx, because all I could observe in -Dotonbori was a narrow street sided by neon signs of restaurants and pachinkos. -Just above average, imho, and certainly not worth the time and the price of the -train ticket. Unless you're a moth, perhaps. - -{{http://www.codewiz.org/wiki/Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Osaka/00003.jpg|The Osaka central station|maxwidth=800}} - -We granted our guide a second chance and choosing their highest rated -restaurant in Dotombori, one specialized in [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Udon|udon]]. -There was no English menu and the only food I could order was a chest of cold -spaghetti on a bamboo crate with no sauce but a cup of soy sauce, also cold of course, -in which one could dip them separately. Or so I understood: the waiters were extremely -kind but wouldn't speak English, which created even more confusion. //Dulcis in fundo//, -the bill was much higher than usual and they wouldn't take credit cards. - -We rushed back to the metro to Shin-Osaka, JR train to Kyoto, local train to -Arashiyama, where our bikes were still waiting for us for the ride back home. - - -=== April 22nd === - -==== Kyoto Higashiyama ==== - -Today we walked along the east side of Kyoto, north to south: - - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ginkakuji|Ginkakuji]] -- rock garden with a view point; - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Eikando|Eikando]] ([[http://www.eikando.or.jp/English/index_eng.htm|home page]]) -- an active Buddhist temple - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Chion-in|Chion-in]] -- huge temple with the largest bell in Japan - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Sennen-zaka|Sennen-zaka]] -- a trendy touristic way with maikos (aka geishas); - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Jishu-jinja|Jishu-jinja]] -- a temple hanging on a cliff with an impressive scaffolding; - * [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Fushimiinari-taisha|Fushimiinari-taisha]] -- The multi-torii tunnel. My #1 favorite shrine!!! - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Chion-in/00056.jpg|The huge bell of Chion-in|maxwidth=800}} - -==== Food ==== - -Eating in japan can a challenge for a vegetarian who also happens to dislike fish and crustaceans. -The average menu has about 5% of veggie dishes, but many restaurants in tourist areas specialize -in traditional food such as [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sushi|sushi]] and -[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempura|tempura]]. Imitations of Italian kitchen are close to -perfection, of course: in Tokyo, we had perfectly reasonable spaghetti with eggplants. - -Even with my options severely limited, I could still find several exquisite dishes. -I quite like soups, including [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miso_soup|miso shiru]], -[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramen|ramen]] and others I ordered by pointing at the -fake dish in the restaurant window without ever knowing their name. - -My favorite food so far is [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omurice|Omurice]]. Yeah, perhaps -it's not as sophisticated as the average Japanese recipe. Hmm... I guess learning to -appreciate complex and delicate flavors takes some more time. - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Ryoanji/00016.jpg|Omurice = omelet + rice|maxwidth=640}} - -As for beer, I still couldn't find one I like. The most popular ones, Asahi and Kirin, -are just tasteless dry lagers. All the drafts I could find taste like Asahi too. The -only good beers I had were at the [[http://www.deliriumcafe.jp/|Delirium Cafe]] in Tokyo, -where I had a delicious [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pauwel_Kwak|Kwak]] followed by a -cherry flavored [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kriek|Kriek]]. Too bad we had to stop at -just two to make sure we could find the way back to the hostel :-) - -Now I'm looking for a place where I could taste vegetarian [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sukiyaki|sukiyaki]], -the favorite food of [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ataru_Moroboshi#Ataru_Moroboshi|Ataru Moroboshi]]. - -=== April 21st ==== - -==== 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/Nijojo_Castle|Nijojo castle]], which is actually two castles for the price of one; - * a quick tour of the [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Kyoto_downtown|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/Utano_Hostel|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/Utano_Hostel/00005.jpg|the hostel provides a traditional goan too|maxwidth=800}} - -==== Impressive station ==== - -The [[Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Shin_Kyoto|Kyoto station]] is an impressive modern building, -worth a visit by itself. - -{{Pictures/vacation/japan_2009/Kyoto/Shin_Kyoto/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. - -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. - -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. - -{{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 -like [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Jeeg|SteelJeeg]] and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazinger_Z|MazingerZ]] on TV. -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|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 === - -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. diff --git a/blog/2009/April b/blog/2009/April new file mode 120000 index 0000000..78f6277 --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/2009/April @@ -0,0 +1 @@ +04 \ No newline at end of file