So the much desired Japan trip...not very hyped out actually.
Most folks were asking why Japan of all places..
Am go glad I went!
I love that country and their people! I really do.
Never have I felt so safe in a country...not in chennai..not in atlanta.
and SO clean!..what do they do with dust of any kind...this is even true for country sides!!
PLANNING
So the planning started half-assed as always...
The final provider was Oku travel in Japan, but was done via Macs adventure...to be fair they did respond back quite well...So I booked..changed dates...tried to switch bookings! Grr...I ended up changing the flight tickets this time as well..So took a one stop over on the way to Tokyo, but slurged on a non stop on the way back...Stopped in Chicago I think...was a relaxed stop over
All other bookings were done partly via booking.com (Kyoto) and via airbnb in Tokyo...All the places were nice to stay
PLACES
Tokyo
- Mt Fuji
Kyoto
Kumono Kodo
Kyoto
- Nara
Toyko
- was supposed to go to Nikko...lets not go there now...:|
STAY
The places stayed were all cute, small and highly utilitarian in Tokyo
Kyoto the hotel accomodation was comfortable without fluff
Kumono Kodo...was a mixed bag..it was interesting to say the least....not luxury certainly..but some were quite old. The bath aspect in those places were interesting.. I am glad I went when there was not much crowd, else it would have been quite awkward.So they don't have showers and such. They have this large space with a large pool of hot water to soak in, and smaller little sit down showers with a small stool. and some had large windows that opened towards the mountains or the country side literally...and no one could care less literally about who was in or not. LOL
FOOD
Aaaammmazing!! I loved everything I ate...Nothing attacked me :) and the grocery store sushi with toku soaked in sweet sauce with rice and picked radish was YUM, so was the street food I ate :) The only sit down mean outside of Kumono Koda was the tempura lunch...all the rest was all some type of snack! Loved it!
The steamed buns in the Kyoto market
The mochi is Tokyo streets
The rice cracker with soy sauce glaze and pepper!!
yum YumYUM!
The sit down elaborate meals were quite lovely too...except the green tea ice cream had in a moment of obliviousness..got me bad with GRED...
After all the battle of 2.5 years, ended up taking Nexium. I think I did hike one day with a slight fever and sore throat! The next day was belching up a storm, climbing those steep hills.
PEOPLE
What lovely people in Japan....somehow they know to tap down their greediness? in public..you don't feel so much want for commercialism in most people. They don't make u feel left out, but they just don't bother you..they let you be, biut if you ask for help they help well. The two guides I had were both SO sweet..the one for Nara and George in tokyo for two days..
Man the old people can really walk and are active! So many old people overtook me on the trail
Friendly people and Pivotal Value throughout history makes it a nice place to visit. The Baklava makes is an awesome place to visit. Honestly if I ever go to Turkey again, it will be for the sweets.
People seem somehow more friendly/ happy in general. Could be just something in my head, given that I was able to escape for vacation...oh well. I should add I was not all that impressed (over expectation much?!). Istanbul was way too crowded, and I will blame the group tours for the initial impression. Just sitting in traffic and having a touch point time in attractions is not my way of visiting places. At the least now i know (for most part) what I want and don't want in my vacations.
The men and women are so very pretty. Vast cultural difference like any other cosmopolitan city burka to mini skirts within couple of feet). Cappadocia on the other hand has all the touristy comforts needed and was laid back(including the darn luggage carosal at the airports). All in all, apart from the running down along iskital street away from the mob, felt totally safe all through the places visited. Late nights/ evenings, no problem what so ever. (Just walk fast and look fierce- works every where - and err be fully clothed and carry pepper spray:) ). Bosphorous ferry.. oh my after all the gold gilded reviews..hmm..I don't wnt to see freaking houses all along the river people...that's not my idea of cool!!..well it was nice to be out in the water after a day of morning rain..but I suppoe more time on the water and a swim could have changed my mind.
One week was more than sufficient I would say, I was a little on the 'meh!' side of being into things however.
The Cappadocian mountains were kinda shorter than what I expected.Boo! Kusadasi -again wish I could have done the place via a private tour (more $$$) or done with a friend.(drive around by yourself). Was actually able to survive with no phone (it is kind of liberating to be without the 24/7 connectivity). Places to stay were nice enough. Trip advisor did good on this.
Food was ok..guess the Sumac kept trying to attack me..darn thing. Baklavah....YUMMMM YUM YUMMMM
Mosques were very pretty and serene.. Sinai rocks...The elegant arches, the lights, the vast massiveness of the building are captivating. Not allowing women into the wide halls , so not cool.
The recycling of roman pagan architecture into mosques into churches gives an idea of history is written by winners...and a good representation of different paths leading to the same goal(wonder if people will look at things that way). Literally same stones, pillars used in pagan temples moved into building churches and mosques. Mosques converted into churches and churches converted into mosques. Enough already- everything looks pretty :)
Cappadodia
After all the ranting and raving I did for it kind of a let down..well the wine was exceptional and the Raki was a knock out..seriously I ambled by way 2 feet from the patio into my bed and was out in a flash, all for about 1/4 a glass of it.The hikes and underground cities were nice..but didn't leave an impression..I wonder why? Goreme open air museum was amazing.
Ephesus was amazing- to think back on the grandeur of Roman civilization...those folks lived the life (unless u were a gladiator or a slave, then ur life sucked pretty bad)
Pammakulle was interesting...darn group tours didn't have enought time after wandering through Hieriopolis with Kat. Did wade through the so called healing waters..
House of Mother Mary - A soothing place something i would attribute to Mother Mary as a living person.
Kusadasi : Neat little costal town, good for stop over.
and wild flowers too...
Local artistic work..(either too expensive or too fragile to carry around..bought zilch)
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| 7grand- u gotta be kidding me-I have to get a daily pedi to step foot on these..But the colors change then they swirl it, and your heart misses a beat at the awesome handwork |
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| Asked them if they would sell the paint (had grand visions of firing my own pottery).Well, lets just say they didn't appreciate it much |
Now I need to go to Spain to check out the mosaics. The Kariye Church mosaics were amazing...and hey I got lost only two times trying to find the place (literally stalked other tourists finally and reached the place).
Well, if I had not been spoilt by Sky-diving, I might have actually enjoyed this...and ohh also if I were not stuffed into a basket full of little chinese ladies....as I said before..Meh! (wht the hell is wrong with me?!..I forced myself to enjoy it cause the wretched thing cost quite a bit)
Lived on Street food for a day (no complaints ya...just did it on the last day, so I could fall ill after I hit home..sissy pants- not adventurous much...)
Last but not the Least - Lessons Learnt:
1. Double/triple Check your dates before booking flights. Duh->on me. No more getting into fights with Orbitz
2. Group tours suck dishwater...if there is no other way out, endure it, else escape it.
3. Hummus is not popular everywhere, no matter how much you like it :)
4.Keep an eye out on local news/weather. Don't get stuck in the middle of a riot. So not fun.
Didn't lose much stuff, except the 5TL umbrella I bought..stayed healthy, returned safe and on time, didn't miss any flights, met some really lovely people, stuffed my face enough, hiked till legs hurt, experience a mob and a earthquake, dumb charades still rule i.e did not learn a single word in turkish, didn't get any 'fire' calls from work.....yea...good trip I say (May 2014)
One of my favorite vantage points in Atlanta.
When Madiens Mourn - Awesome!..More more moooorreee
Secrets of the Sea of Fire - Interesting read...a bit intense...
Wicked Lovely - Fantasy - A little too teenny..but wud read again...
Bewitching Season - Marissal Doyle - Historic Fantasy
And one last thing - Molly Harper - Very Chic - Read through the night
I've got your number - Soo Kinsella...so very lovely...
A quirky adventure from start to finish...
With a muscle pull lingering from Christmas ice skating, I limped my way to mailing the visa's for Argentina and Chile....You would think there is gold lying around the streets of these countries...The processes was SO tedious...About 101 documents to mail in , in -person interviews, finger-printing....OMG...Well that was the just the visa. and what with the forrest fire burning the best part of the park 'n all :|
Not to mention the total drama with Ticket Booking...Thank Goodness to my great travel agent..Direct flights into and outta Buenos Aries(losing money in the process of re-booking... Booo..)...BUT, That did come in handy, given that I came down with ...wait for it...(drumroll here)...viral sore-throat. All hail to modern meds and Walgreen walk-in pharmacy, the antibiotics I begged for saved the trip :)
After much reviews from website all over, Chose Adventure-Life company. They typically out-source to Cascada expedicones...They were lovely and well organized.
Oh, I do need to start with my experience in Buenos Aries..Apart from the day I wasted with fever in Buenos Aries...the 1st day was great! (Just wish I could felt better). Had the day pretty well planned.
Note: Hostels in Buenos Aries are pretty decent. Natalia from Tango Y Bandoneon was so helpful, and the place was quaint...The street grids were pretty tricky(one would thing grid system being the more intutive) , kept getting lost to my complete annoyance....The cycle tour was pretty amazing too..loads of fun..Saw tango show amidst bouts of coughs , sneezes and lots of caliante aqua .
Empanadas are yummy, but after a while you get like..'don't they have other spices other than salt'!
The flight to El Calafate was quite uneventful, probabaly due to the cold meds I was on...Checked into El Cantera (Botique hotel)..and had a good hot bath..eat an expensive three course meal...doused myself with Axe oil and went to sleep...that wass that.
The bus-drive to Punta Areas was really long...and the immigration out of Argentina and into Chile..WOW such long lines....But finally reached teh tour meeting point.
Met some really nice people, Jess and Daniel, who were taking the 8 day tour with me, and newly married couple Mark and his wife..and the older Russian Gentlemen who had the expensive carmera...
Perhaps the only thing that would deter me in going back to Torres Del Paine would be the roads inside the national park...Bah! The sea bands helped, only so much so..and didn't want to take the dramamine...(Perhaps I ought to have...)
The eco -camps were wonderful!! The food great and domes so comfy...Thank goodness I didn't have to share the dome..my coughing would have kept anyone awake..and they would have hated me!!
J and D are like power hikers! Amazing!! It was in strak contrast that you would see a person with half a fever wrapped to a tee, amidst the hot hike..It was a hilarious sight...except for the protogonist I suppose...:\..
The first camp site was so-so...The food pretty meaty, the late pretty and starry skies amazing....The part i was bumed out was with the packing of the sack...Oh! Lord!..I had half the things hang out of my back pack, including the Crocs
The next stop, Lake Azul camp grounds was amazing...except the tents were a little clausterphobic...The veggie food (as requested by Jess and I ) was quite tasty (we got tired with the repeat of huge chuncks of beef in sauce and potatoes).
Then we were back to Eco Camp (caught a sneak peak of a puma!!!). Energy chews from REI saved me in the climb to see the peaks...It was one wet hike!
The bus drive back to El-Calafate didn't feel as long, but the immigration checks sucked pretty much the same...btw, never saw Chilean currency..
Back at El Calafate, went to draw cash since I had zippo money. That was terrible planning from my end ..well..what do you know, it takes more than a couple of tries to use the ATM in spanish...;)....
Perito Moreo...memorable trip..the bus ride was smooth..the overview spectacular, the boat ride was short enough to enjoy it fully on the top deck...and the hike was nose chilling - leg hurting - mind blowing and totally cool! The dinner with J and D was pretty nice...the food was great at this local joint where they had largest food portions ever!
The long flight back was tiring and going back to work the same day...well charming enough...but nothing compared to what awaited me ;)..
Feb 27-March 6th 2012
It is apprent that motivation is off short order, when you most need it..like for example- the task of choosing a theme when the need to start the art work is imminent...
After lounging and not picking the theme for about 3 days into the vacation, I picked this picutre....nothing else called out to me. The call was for self-touture, as I realised working into the weeks on this piece.
There are certain steps of this art work I enjoy and some of which I abhor, (the repetivie, tedious and monotonous work). But doing all the steps meticulously adds to the quality of the final product.
Great motivation provided by Mum and Dad! They are the best indeed...
After much help in this project, it was done in less than 13 days I believe...From the point of buying the board, the linen cloth, the stones, the printouts and xeroxes :)
I do not wish to write the methodology here...For I don't believe I will be needing it anytime in the future (Unless ofcourse I find a piece which I just must do!)
Preparing the board was fun..I have an idea for the board, with the tinge of Arabic Gum...it seems perfect for Warli art...perhaps for another day.
First came the tracing..QED..
Then came sticking the stones, which was relatively easy using the tweezers...The muck work was quite interesting, much like henna drawing...Cleaning muck from the stone, didn't fancy this step...Then came the gold foil..ah..how I hated it... First came cutting them onto tiny tiny pieces, them came sticking them onto the muck, then came cleaning them off the stones..nothing to be done to hurry this along, expect grin and get with it...I enjoyed painting, not much surprise there...Could have done better, had I started early!
Well it was passable and frammed it looks quite nice! :)
Vola!.. My first and last(?) Tanjore Art