Tokyo, Japan: September 2013

Last month, Mike and I went to Tokyo.  I can't believe that I have lived in Asia for so long and it has taken me so long to go to Tokyo (aside from the airport).  It was busy and amazing and just as I am every time I visit Japan, I felt happy.  

With my love of the past, and Mike's geeky nature and had a nice blend of temples and technology that we visited.  One thing Mike and I have in common is our love of dogs, so visiting the Hachiko statue in Shibuya was an easy decision.  Also, it was in the neighbourhood where we planned to see Less than Jake.  AMAZING!

 The infamous Shibuya crossing.

 We also went to the Mandrake which is a huge multi-levelled manga shop.

 We checked out the national museum.  I learned that Tokyo has a few of these.  I could have easily spent my entire time in this area dedicated to museums.  I also loved how empty they were.  I got to look at 12,000 year old pottery all my myself!

While we were here I made a wish and got a fortune.  It had only good things to say.  Mike's was "medium lucky" and he didn't want to risk going back in and getting a worse one.

We had planned to go to the top of SkyTree but the line was long and it was really expensive.  Also, how many tall buildings can a person go to the top of?  I mean, a lot I guess but there was no line for the aquarium and I'd rather pay 20 bucks to see jellyfish.

Mike in front of SkyTree.

We also went to the Super Potato in Akiabara.  Mike's choice but I was probably more excited.  You could actually play a couple of games there.  They had two options: Donkey Kong Country and Super Mario Kart.  Both for Supernintendo.  These are my two favourtie games and the only ones that matter in my opinion.

In one of the many multi-floored game rooms.  This is my favourite drumming game!

I mean, I guess you get extra points for doing your laundry really well?

Yep.

Another shrine!  We also saw a wedding happening.

Wishes.

This is around Shinjuku where we stayed.  See that space invader sign where it says Game?    THERE IS A SUPER MARIO KART ARCADE IN THERE!!!!  I guess it's a good thing we found it on the last day or we wouldn't have done anything else.

We also went to the Park Hyatt.  This is where they filmed a lot of Lost in Translation.  We paid 80 bucks for two drinks.  We also got to hear one half song from the lounge singer.  It did have a nice view though.

On our last full day we did a little walking around a neighbourhood.  The name is escaping me, but it had no less than 20 shrines and temples.  Behind the temples were burial markers and we saw many people buying flowers.  I am guessing they were family members visiting now gone family members.  For me it was amazing.  It went something like this: temple, temple, cluster of temples, coffee shop, temple, museum, temple, temple.

Yep, there are many kinds of kit kat in Japan.  Green tea = yummy.  Strawberry cheesecake = good stuff.  Salted caramel = out of this world.  Hot pepper = meh.

xo

Macau, China: August 2013

Another solo trip!  As much as I love traveling with all the people I have traveled with before, there is something very amazing and empowering about going to a new place, totally alone.  I think I feel this way especially as a woman.  Having to find your way around to where you need to go, especially in a place where your primary language isn't spoken is pretty awesome.

So, I had a 5 day weekend and I've never been to Macau, so I thought I should go.  I stayed at an amazing hotel.  This hotel had amazing service, amazing food and was a pretty decent location for me.  Most people know Macau for the casinos, but this really doesn't interest me at all.  I went for the temples and the churches.  Anyways, below is a picture of one of my breakfasts.  I had multiple urns of coffee and this place served macaroons for breakfast.  For breakfast!!



This was the view from the pool and gym area.  A bit gloomy but not bad.


So, on my first day I ventured out and found Senado Square.  Basically this area was full of tourists, shopping and egg tarts.  Yum.  I ate 11 in 5 days!

At the top of the square were the Ruins of St. Paul.  Only the face of the church is left but it is still quite cool and there is a museum underneath where you can visit a crypt and see some really old bones of some dude.  Martyrs and other important church peeps.

Right beside the ruins was the fort.  You could see most of this older area of the city from the fort.  There was also another museum to be seen.

A kitty!

I like this picture of a canon aimed at a casino.  Macau is a place of juxtapositions.  Old/new, Catholic/Buddhist, rich/poor.

On another day I took a walk south towards this tower, Macau Tower.  I stopped at the Penha Church on the way.  I've noticed that the Portuguese liked to put their churches high up on mountains.  The Buddhists were much gentler to my gams.

This is called Chicken Africana.  It is the signature dish of Macau.

I stopped at the A-ma temple.  This place was so full of incense I could barely see anything.  Nearby was the Maritime Museum a few other minor sights and the Mandarin House.

 Wishes:

 Incense:

 More incense:

Rooftops:

 So... people braver than me like to jump off of the Macau Tower.

It was enough for me to just stand on the glass floor.

So, I know colonialism gets a bad rap.  I get it and totally agree.  But I must say I love the architecture, and you can't argue with the baked goods.

 Manadarin House:

 I also went to a lovely garden but that trip was cut short by a downpour.  This in turn led to me trying to take a short cut, which wasn't so short and without an umbrella I ended up soaked in lovely Chinese acid rain.  It's normal for rain to make your skin itch, right?

There was a nice museum with a photo exhibit in the middle of the garden.

 On my last day I decided to go to the casino side of Macau because there was a free shuttle to the airport.  Also, I was curious.  I went to the Venetian and got more lost in that monstrosity than I did in the entire city.  They even had their own dinosaur!

And canals!

The Venetian is 3 times bigger than the one in Vegas.  They have 3000 rooms and 16,000 employees.  As well, I think something like 30 restaurants.  It was interesting to walk around and see what people with (I guess) too much money like to do with it.  I did no gambling, preferring to spend my money on tarts.