Osaka!!

Yay!! I have internet at my place and jet lag isn't killing me as much, so on to updating the blog!

Whallah! My first picture of Japan! It's taken from my train into Osaka from the airport. The plane ride over was cool since it's a short 1 1/2 (compared to the 12 hours I just did) hours and since it was from South Korea to Japan, there were hardly any Americans on board (I think I saw 5 in total). Just a lot of businessmen doing commute and, surprisingly, a whole lot of school kids. Not sure if they were Koreans going to visit Japan or if they were Japanese, coming back from a visit from South Korea.

Also, for the meal, they gave me a bento box! Whee! They're the japanese lunches that can be bought at a store for a cheap price. Sadly, I wasn't able to take a picture since I was sitting next to a Korean couple (who knew no English. *sniff* Trust me, I tried) and didn't feel that comfortable taking a picture. I regret it now, but oh well :)

Anyway, I land, finally, in Japan and then follow the crowd, go through customs, exchange my money, and then I walk out of the airport. The first thing that hits me is that I'm completely illiterate. In Europe, you can at least make out the sounds of what you're seeing, but here in Japan (as well as in Korea), you don't even know what sounds the symbols make. It was an odd experience.

Luckily, my studies of hiragana and katakana kicked in and I was able to find someone who spoke some English and with all of that, I was able to find the train station and get on a train heading for the Namba station in Osaka. Finally in a relaxing situation and no longer terrified out of mind of being in a country all by yourself where you can't speak the language, I pulled out my camera and began to take pictures! Like this one on the left. These are just random shots from the train as it sped by. It was cool to see the houses and observe the architectural styles. There were a lot of normal, modern buildings (as you see in this picture), but there were also quite a lot of traditional style buildings with the cool, uplifted roof ends.

Here's what I saw once I got out of the Namba station. The area opens up to this big street and right across the street is this big screen (it's on the right, behind the light pole) and, funnily enough, the commercial that was playing was the trailer for Spiderman 3. ^_^ Ironic, no? I didn't know at this time, but that building and to the right of it is part of one of the big shopping areas of Osaka. The walks are all covered and there are stores everywhere.

Now the real fun part of being Japan is finding the places you want to go when you can't read any of the street signs!

And that what's coming up next: Finding the Capsule Inn Hotel!!

A Korean Taste...

Whallah! The Korean Airport (no, the cars are not a part of it). The airport had a theme of glass, kind of like what you see in the background of this picture and on the right on the picture below. The day was rather cloudy when I arrived (and it rained - drizzled would be the more appropriate word, I think -most of the night and through the next morning).

After going through the customs, I was able to locate an information center who called up my hotel who then came to pick me up (it was included in the package). It's a good thing they did because the hotel was a lot farther than I expected it to be. Way out in a small town, about twenty minutes away. But that was okay. I was too tired to really care (13 hours on a plane can do that to you).

Once I got to my room, I crashed without a sound, hoping to wake up in time to get to the airport for my flight to Japan. Ha. I shouldn't have even bothered to worried since (as you found out a week ago) I woke up at a lovely 2am and was wide awake. No amount of tossing and turning would induce my jet-lagged brain to return to sleep (sigh), so I got up and made my self useful. Except how useful can you get at 2 in the morning? By taking pictures!! :D

Here are the beds that were in my room (I don't make the bed as well as they do, so just ignore the right one). Don't ask my why I ended up with three beds (though I did try to make use of all three :D). The other room I got later (yes, I got another room. I had gone down to use the internet at 3am and after scaring the poor guy on duty (don't think he was expecting a random american to be happily skipping out of the elevator - I was excited to see if I had received any emails (which I didn't *sigh*) - at 3 in the morning), he gave me a key to another room that had a computer with internet access - he probably was surfing the net too and didn't want my intrusion) and it ended up having only one bed. *shrugs*

Anyway, on to the bathroom! Now that was an interesting experience. The whole thing is closed off by a swinging, glass door (swings in and out) and there's no...how to put it...curtain or anything to designated where the shower ends and the bathroom begins (the toilet is hidden behind the door in the picture). It's just all squashed together (a trend rather common over here, I've found). Down at the bottom, you'll see that they provided bathroom shoes! Those were cute, if a bit small for my feet.

The funnest part was figuring out the shampoo and body soap. Seeing as I couldn't take any liquid on the plane, I couldn't bring any shampoo/conditioner for my hair, but I was hoping the hotel would have it. They did...it was just all in korean. You can't see it really well in this pic (it's way in the back. Just a white box thing on th right side. I didn't think of taking a picture of it. Sadness) but it was most entertaining deciding which one was shampoo and which one was soap. And for all those that are worried, my hair is still with me, though perhaps a slighter shade of green. j/k ;)

In this picture, it's just showing the other side of the room. That white thing in the back is just a big vending machine with strange food in it. Since I didn't have any Korean money, I couldn't buy anything from it (which proved to be tragic considering I was starving at 4am and all I could do was just stare at this machine filled with food and yet have no way to get it *cries at the memory*), though I would have if I could have (more for experience in the beginning, desperation at the end).

This pic shows the little "front area" they have where (I assumed) you take off your shoes (the luggage could come in too - I just dumped them there as I crashed for the bed. Poor things). It was kind of cool to open up the door and find a little room with another door. Reminded me of some computer games I've played...

And this pic is showing the hallway where my (first) room is located (the open one is my room. Have no idea who had the other room or if it was even in use). The halls were rather dark this early in the morning, but they had an interesting theme of red and wood, which I've heard is a common theme in South Korea...

Then, around 7pm, breakfast finally opened up (Hallelujah!). So, I headed down to scare the guy on duty (he was slightly more prepared this time) and went into the restaurant area, eager to try out my first Korean breakfast. Sadly, the free breakfast they were offering was the Western-styled breakfast: toast, eggs, and sausage. *cries* The toast was thicker than normal Western slices and that sausage sure looked and tasted suspiciously like a hot dog instead of a sausage, but it was pretty much a normal breakfast from home. Sadness.

Up next: My arrival in Osaka! And maybe the Capsule Inn!!

I have arrived!

Yay! I have arrived at Takamatsu, my new home and I finally have internet access for my computer. So, let the pictures begin!

First off, I got to see the Berlin straight! Okay, it's more of kind of...

But it's there! Way in the back - middle left, among the misty clouds.

If you follow that blue streak that goes between the ice, it heads up to the Berlin Straight. Cool, isn't it? First time in my life for that. Too bad there was all that ice and misty clouds.

But speaking of ice, that patch of ice you see running along in that picture? Here's another view of it:

I find it fascinating that it has this hard edge on the right side. It doesn't have it on the other side (see below). It just opens up to a bunch of patches of ice, yet on the right side, it has this hard, defined edge. Anyone know why it does that?

(Berlin Straight is in the exact middle in the back now)

Next, my first glimpse of South Korea! It was rather misty/cloudy, so it was hard to see anything.

A little closer, I could start seeing distinct landscapes.

Isn't it interesting that they have these blue and red areas? I'm not sure if those are houses or landscapes/farms or something else entirely, but they're sure cool-looking.

After a long time (and several times heading back out to sea for the oddest reasons), we finally landed in Seoul, South Korea. The first thing that I noticed was that they had water fountains!! (which I didn't get to take a picture of. *sniff*) Water fountains was something I missed greatly while in Italy, so I was happy to see they had them in South Korea (but, ironically, I have yet to find any here in Japan. Sadness).

Anyway, since I was going to be staying the night, I was able to go out through customs and as I was filling out the forms, I noticed something rather funny. Do you see it? It's near the bottom left hand corner. The pic isn't that clear, but that wooden box thing is holding three glasses that magnify. Isn't that funny? They have glasses so that older people can read the custom forms. It reminded me of Mom ;)

In the back of the pic are the customs which you go through. You wait at this yellow line until the person is through and then you're next. They then stamp your passport and you're free!

Next coming up: My stay in a Korean hotel :D

And we wait...

Wow. Everything is in Korean. Reminds me of when I used to use a chinese computer in Italy. So, if anything wierd shows up, I am completely innocent. I had no idea pushing that Korean inscribed button would do! ;)

Anyway, it is a lovely 6am here in Seoul, South Korea and I'm starving. I've been up since 2am (thanks to jet lag) and am waiting patiently (aaargh!!) for the breakfast place to open up (which will most likely be in another hour). The good news is that it's included with my room, so I don't have to worry about exchanging money and paying for it. And I'll be able to experience a cool Korean morning dish! Whee!

But, alas, that is still an hour away (sniff). So, does anyone have interest in my plane ride over here? Good, cause you're getting it anyway. ;)

So, despite having flight delays and getting lost and confused, I was able to board my plane with Singapour Airlines and set off for South Korea. Now, it's always fun flying on a foreign flight. They always have such interesting and different ways of doing things. For instance, when most of the passengers were seated, the attendants came down the aisles and handed everyone a moist and very warm hand cloth. I was rather confused as to what to do with it, but a quick glance (okay, maybe it was a stare) at my fellow flight passenger informed me that I was to wipe my hands with it and maybe even my face. Odd, but I complied and then the attendants came back and picked them all up. Later, I found a place that mentioned these were common at restuarants (it even gave the name of the tradition, but I don' t recall it at the moment) and I guess since we ate food on the plan, it's the same thing?

Regardless, it was most fascinating and very worthy to be blogged about. ;) They didn't give us any chopsticks to eat our food, though. :( Just odd-looking utensils that resembled a spoon/fork/knife.

The food wasn't that bad either. The first meal was a Korean rice dish (I took a picture of it, but alas, have no way of loading it up at the moment - You'll just have to wait) and quite good (and hot! yeow!) and the second one was "Hambuster." Actually, it was Ham Pasta, but she had woken me up from a fitful hour nap and she seriously sounded like she was saying "Hambuster." I was so confused until she showed me the meal. Then it all made sense. This one wasn't as good as the first one, probably because I've lived Italy and know what good tasting ham pasta is like.

Oh, and now we must pause for a glorious moment has happened : Breakfast!!

Pics and updates will come sporadically until I arrive at my apartment on Thurs, May 17.

Set to go

Less than a week now. It's so close and yet so far away!

But I have everything that I need. I just received my visa (much thanks to the Japan embassy in Denver who were very kind!), I have my passport, just got my international driver's permit, got my suitcases and new clothes, have reservations for all the needed hotels, and all I need to do now is pack. ^_^

Except I still have 6 days left. *sighs*