Travel Memories

As we spend yet another week indoors, I wonder if things will ever get back to "normal", or what the new normal will look like. I've spent the past 10+ years wandering around the globe, thinking about my next destination, but I'm not sure if travel for pleasure will exist in the next year or two. Obviously this is of low priority at the moment because, you know, pandemic.

I've been thinking about my previous adventures and for whatever reason, some moments stand out more than others. Some random memories to share:

On a restaurant rooftop in Istanbul with the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sofia on the horizon while the call to prayer echoed around the city.

The delight of riding a scooter on Cat Ba Island and the beauty of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam.

Christmas Eve in Kuala Lumpur: people on the streets spraying cans of fake snow at each other in 30 degrees C weather.

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June 2016

Life is super hectic at the moment! Instead, have some links I've enjoyed in the past month:

- I've been feeling natsukashii (nostalgic) about Japan recently, and then the NYT does an article about the Kumano Kodo, which I have hiked because it's located in my prefecture! My town, Tanabe, even gets a shout out.

- Musical theatre fans, you must watch this Carpool Karaoke video with Lin-Manuel Miranda, Audra McDonald, Jane Krakowski and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. I had the same reaction as they did when I heard the first two notes of "Seasons of Love," and their rendition of "One Day More" is ah-mazing.

- On a more sombre note, if you haven't already, please read the powerful letter the Stanford rape victim read aloud to her attacker. The amount of victim blaming that occurs when a female is sexually assaulted is infuriating. I don't know what's more disgusting about this whole case: that the offender's father didn't think his son should be punished for "20 minutes of action," that the offender is blaming alcohol for his actions and that HE will have to live with this for the rest of his life, or that the judge gave him such a light sentence.

- The immigrant history of small-town Chinese-Canadian food. It's all about the families.

- One of the most tragic things I've read recently: the underground race to spread medical knowledge as the Syrian regime erases it.

- I was obsessed with The Baby-Sitters Club as a kid so I enjoyed this ode to the series.

- If you are a West Wing fan, The West Wing Weekly is for you. It's a podcast hosted by Josh Malina, who played Will Bailey on the show, and he gets the best guests. My favourite episodes so far: "1.10 - In Excelsis Deo with Richard Schiff" (Toby was my favourite) and "0.01 - West Wing Reunion, Live from ATX" (featuring Aaron Sorkin and a good chunk of the cast).

Memories of Japan

I just finished reading A Year in Japan (日本の一年) by Kate T. Williamson and every page managed to put a smile on my face. It's a gorgeous illustration book that captures the random but everyday aspects of Japan, details I think one would really appreciate if they've lived in the country. Some examples: bananas are sold sealed in a plastic bag, takeout sushi comes with a small fish-shaped plastic container of soy sauce, and Japanese winters are unbearably cold not because it is that cold temperature-wise but because the buildings lack central heating and insulation. (No exaggeration, it was the most MISERABLE winter of my life and we all know how cold it gets in Canada.) Random memories make me long for Japan. I thought I would make my own list of things I missed, though I limited this entry to ten items or else it would be never ending.

My mamachari



I was quite fond of my bike. It was what you would call a mamachari (mother or grandmother's bicycle) but don't let the name fool you because everyone rides these bad boys. This was my main mode of transportation the whole year round - in the freezing cold, during rainy season and in the humid heat. I was especially proud of the fact that my bike had a front AND back basket, as they were quite useful during grocery runs. The bike only had one gear but who cares, it was comfortable and easy to ride on. I would trade my current bike for my mamachari if I could.


Mikan



My students liked to tell me these are "Japanese oranges" but they are much more similar to mandarins. Seedless, easy to peel and deliciously sweet, my prefecture was known for producing a large amount of mikan so I ate an abundance of these during the winter.

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Eigo no hito kitta!

The posting-once-a-week plan has gone into array because my life was taken over by the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in the past two weeks. Instead, I am posting something I wrote a little over a year ago on February 11, 2009:

This weekend, I visited the Saki no Yu onsen, which is in the next town over. An onsen is a hot spring (aka heaven) and Japan has thousands of them scattered all over the country. Onsens are kind of awkward because you're naked with a bunch of strangers, but it's so amazing that you're willing to overlook the nakedness.

Saki no Yu is one of the more famous onsens because it is situated right beside the Pacific Ocean. The onsens I've been to so far have been really nice, where they had an indoor change room and shower stations with soap and shampoo to wash yourself with before you submerge yourself into the actual onsen (as per onsen etiquette). Saki no Yu, however, was literally just an outdoor shack with a couple of lockers to store your stuff. The onsen, however, was fantastic. The view was beyond incredible and to hear the Pacific Ocean splashing against the rocks as you're soaking in the water is the epitome of relaxation. Think taking a bath while listening to a cd with ocean waves, but a gazillion times better.


On the other side of the rocks to the left are three onsen baths. I wasn't kidding when I said it was right by the ocean.

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Feb. 09: 12 of 12

When I first arrived in Japan, I took my camera with me everywhere. I remember exploring my neighbourhood and taking pictures of the houses because they were SO Japanese and my goodness, I haven't seen anything like it! Of course, the novelty wore out a month in and I was no longer taking pictures of mundane things. Fast forward six months when I realized that time seems to run 10x faster in Japan and before I knew it, I would be leaving the country. Last year on this day, in attempt to capture a day of my life in Japan, I did the 12 of 12.



A kerosene heater to warm up the teacher's room because central heating does not exist in Japan. There's usually a kettle or a bowl of water on top of it to humidify the room. (At least that's what I think it's for.)

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