A nice trip at the callanques with the baby

We drove to Cassis to get some amrine air and enjoy the view from the 'callanques'. It was windy, but we found a rock flat enough to settle the breastfeeding mum, and have a picnic. Time was flowing at a strange pace, with the rythm of his respiration and silence after some cries of hungry mouth.

All in all though, it was nice taking naps with him every 3 hours...gives a quiet comforting feeling to the landscape as well

A nice trip at the callanques with the baby

We drove to Cassis to get some amrine air and enjoy the view from the 'callanques'. It was windy, but we found a rock flat enough to settle the breastfeeding mum, and have a picnic. Time was flowing at a strange pace, with the rythm of his respiration and silence after some cries of hungry mouth.

All in all though, it was nice taking naps with him every 3 hours...gives a quiet comforting feeling to the landscape as well

Halloween in Brittany

And more photots here and here.

Tartiflettes and Génépi

About 1h30 by bus from Geneva, we got to Annecy, a pretty small clean old city with a pleasant paved old town area and canals that lead to the purestand cleanest lake in Europe: lake Annecy.

The idea of the trip was to window shop and eat. So we wandered about the Sunday market, making a mental note of the different cheese stands and the million types of saucissons. It was quite painful to walk past all the food and not being able to make a decision on what to buy. We were quite reasonable though and didn't even taste a single sample!!

Getting lost along the small streets, we were really looking for a place to sample the local fare: tartiflette. To those unaccustomed to the dish, it is not something you would eat if you were on a diet. Made of potatoes, and usually bacon and cheese (Reblochon) it is quite easy to make. I have made it a few times myself, because trust me, my pants size didn't increase by itself.

1-cook the potatoes and bacon a bit
2-put in a baking pan
3-put the cheese on top
4-cook in the oven until its melted and all gooyey
5-serve hot

We eventually found one restaurant calle the 'Munich' that served tomatoe tartiflette and goat cheese tartiflette. As you may guess, those were just additional ingredients....Imagine eating potaoes and bacon and 500g of melted cheese....feels good and heavy. We had to sit for an additional 30min chatting to digest and be able to move.

About 15minutes alter though, we stumbled on an ice cream shop that had yummy sorbet: I had a scoop of grapefruit and another one of passion fruit. We kept on walking in order to discover more shops, and so I discovered Génépi in one of those tourist trap shop. It was the perfect digestif after 800g of good food.

By 4pm we were by the lake and embarked on a 30min cruise. The weather was nice (about 16C) and no wind, so we sat outside, which was a mistake because once the boat picked up speed, the wind froze my face and the sight of the beautiful autumn leaves became secondary to protecting my eyes and nose from icy winds.

After that less than warm experience, nature blessed us with a beautiful sunset reflected on the white rocks and cliffs surrounding the lake. The setting sun reminded us of the time and so we hurried back in the shopping area for a crepe and cider before heading back to Geneva. We weren't really hungry, but it would have been a crime not to have one.

Annecy will definetely see a bit of me in the future.

pouet pouet pom pom

Mandom

Just a sample of billboard ads in town since I cannot buy any posters at all. I suppose posters are too simple when you can have origami or design robots and anime characters with paperpipes. In any case, I finally managed to watch a live tv show on a random TBS show yesterday, as the cast of upcoming movie 'Rookies' were doing ther promotion campaign. Among screaming fans including boys, I managed to catch a few words, here and there. The cast have been on every tbs show since last week, but I cannot remember their full name still (shirota, yutaro, ryusuke, etc...).
Tomorrow, I will try to catch sight of the Kimutaku drama.
Today, I am loosing money in Shibuya since the weather is crap. I raided ichimarukyu (109 shibuya) for a belt too small for me (it will fit in august), and arings that will shine so brightly it will eclipse my whole face...hmmm
Then in Harajuku I walked along Takeshita street, tossing and twirling among young fashionistas, boyz and girls, amazed at the variety of things to buy. Walking to Shibuya, I came across the Forever21 shop, outside of which a huge line of people were waiting to enter. Next dorr, H&M had barely a line. Walking further I ended up and Meiji- jingumae station, next to a stadium where Koda Kumi would perform later on. In all that I had no odea where I was going but just followed the hordes of shoppers and event goers.
Eventually, along the yamanote line, I passed by TowerRecords, and found myself at the hachico crossing...a very nice walk to digest the nabe eaten at M. House....yummy.

Suntory hall and the Japan Philharmonic orchestra

I was looking for Chiaki sempai :) But as I was seated in the choir, behind the cellos section, I could enjoy the view of the public and the orchestra.
I discovered instruments like timpan and how he plays, and things like the wind machine, which is fabric around a cylindre that the player turns fast to make high pitch wind, and as it slows down, it is sounding like a gust of wind. They also used cow bells in the strauss piece.
It was a piece with diverse sounds and atmosphere. The orchestra had some glitches though and sometimes not synchronized, but it seemed to be a difficult piece with various entrypoints.
Lastly, my neighbour was a man dressed in kimono and wearing geta, the wooden shoes. He was very elegant, and had many secret pockets in his sleeves. Shame I didnt take pictures.

Mamonaku, mamonaku,Akihabara desu

So says the announcemer inher sweet lady voice as the train pulls on Akihabara. the electric town is clearly indicated and despite the torrential rain making my white dress transparent, I braved the elements to experience the madness. All sorts of things in the area, anything remotely related to electric gadgets, and adult anime videos, toys, maid cafes.
I browsed the shops but had nothing in mind in particular, so the noise of anime music and ab48 voices became really annoying after 3hours...
I got back to the hotel to nap...will continue napping more as my holiday ends soon. Matter of fact, my railpass expires today so I will have to travel like locals from now on, paying for each trip on the train.

Ginza for window shopping only

Walking down from Chuo-dori from Kanda station, I passed by Mitsukoshi, then Nihombashi, then flashy Ginza. At one crossroad were flagship stores for Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Channel and Gucci, holding territory on each corner.
In the eveving, hordes of slightly drunk workers invaded the streets, bar-hopping or going home.
I had another monja dinner but shared among CSers. One like the one on monday (fish egg, cheese and mochi), then seafood and mushrooms, and finally pork and curry. It is something like okonomiyaki but with no egg.

Happy birthday dear Daddy

I will eat thinking of you.

Rootops

I probably won't have time to get back to Shinjuku and see the Marui Honkan rooftop, so the Mitsukoshi 8th floor rooftop will do.
The inside is pretty much any department store, with all sorts of luxury goods. There is even a luxury hawaian goods section, smelling of pina colada sunscreen and monoi.
Up here in the not so blazing afternoon sun, it's tea time and bonsai garden viewing. Down there it's rushing salarymen and traffic, up here it's windy and buzzing with birds. I spent 10min watching a toddler walking up and down a ramp a countless times, under the amused eyes of her granparents. Eventually the got tired of watching out for her fall, so dragged her away to the garden shop (full of pet clothes).

Studio Ghibli

I could look for the other anime studio making dragonball for example, but studio Ghibli is a well known landmark in itself.
I had to come to the town of Mitaka 3 times to be able to visit the place. Once the museum was closed for renovation, the second time I had not bought the ticket from Lawsons.
It was really cute, with explanations on how an anime is made, from the storyboard, drawings, coloring, animating and sound. No photos allowed inside though but loads of materials to feast your eyes on.
Finally, the museum is in a superb park, next to a school so there are a lot of fresh feeling to it.

Kamakura

One hour from Shinjuku, and after missing the first train, I got to the hilly town of Kamakura, famous for its daibutsu, at lunchtime. So my first mission was to feed my stomach before searching for a great Buddha.
I found an off the shopping street small restaurant, witout any foreigner, and had my first meal on a tatami. I sat properly for 6min, waiting for the food, but could not feel my feet after that and sat crosslegged instead, the way men do.
I had a donbouri again, since i needed rice and was in a hurry, and that is the easiest to eat with chopsticks.
After lunch, and after recovering some feelings in my right leg, I found the great Buddha about 2km later. Thankfully, the town has lots of forests and hills and a nice breeze was cooling me off.
Each pitstop being used to rest and use the toilet, it was time to look for the sea nearby. I had a map, given by the tourist office at the station, but everytime I set out for a path, I ended up completely somewhere else. Fortunately, i followed the circling birds and the smell of seaqeeds, and ended up on the waterfront finally. Maybe I will go to Chiba for the beach on friday if the weather is nice because it is summer after all.
Again, on the way back through the small streets, i set out for Yuigahama station, but ended up at Hase station, on the other direction. Well, at least i got back to Tokyo for the sunset from the 45th floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building.

Miraikan, or a geek trip

This is not just a science museum. It is a museum of emerging science and innovation. And I was impressed by the approach taken to introduce visitors to printing technology or molecular medecine. It also invites to reflect on the impact on the general public as well as the ethics involved.
It has a section on iPS for example (induced pluripotent stem cells) next to a helthcare technology corner.
Or a space weather station next to a model of the international space station.
The kids play around with the different hands on display explaining the ideas, when adults can act like kids and read and imagine the impact or applications.

Tokyo midtown

The b Akasaka smack in Tokyo midtown is also a block away from the Tokyo branch I am supposed to visit in a few days. No wonder since the area seems full of banks and financial institutions. And once again I am near a tv station, TBS, which seems to have some live open public shows from time to time. It is also attached to the Akasaka blitz or theatre, which right now is playing Xanadu, a musical starring that woman from the movie Grease, Olivia Newton something.
Nothing else but expensive shopping centres and capsule hotels apart from offices.
Last night though I made my first midnight trip to the combini to get food, around midnight, enjoying the calm and quiet air after the rain. I also managed to chit chat to a delivery guy who was looking for an address.
Also, a block away is filled with restaurant, near the metro so ican enjoy some kaiten sushi.

Shibuya or shopping mecca

Well I needed a suitcase to fit my extra stuff accumulated in 2 weeks. Unfortunately the new suitcase turned into a shopping bag, so now I have new shoes for work and lots of funky socks.

Small shops in dead end streets

What made Kyoto very loveable was the small streets with unexpected treasures. For example, the shop in Arashiyama which was completely hidden between 2 restaurants. If you walk too fast, you will miss this tiny shop which has all sorts of little ornaments made of silk cocoon. Two obaachan and an ojiisan are tending the shop and kindly wrote kanji on the chimes I bought, with the kanji of my adoptive name (apricot and sun). We had a poetic conversation and he wrote some on the chimes...happiness on a paper.
The other example is the tama bells shop, once again displaying those sparrows on a keg on the main street and pointing to a dark dead end where pottery bells and a flock of cute sparrows wish you good luck.
Today it didn't rain in Kyoto and I walked from the main station along karasuma-dori, up to shijou-dori to end up in teramachi. And again walking to a seemly dead end street took me to a major shopping area.
This is a dangerous town indeed!

Arashiyama, west Kyoto

After a morning stroll around the ryokan, I ended up walkin along shoji dori, crossing the city from east to west. At the intersection of omiya and shoji, I hopped on the 28 bus for Arashiyama.
As the name indicates, it is the area at the foot of a mountain chain, famous for the river walk and the bambou groves.
What was soothing was the sound of wooshing bambous in the wind, and if you look up at that time, a rain of golden bambou leaves lazily circle down to earth. no words can describe this small happiness.

Kinkakuji

The golden pavillion is splendidly shining even on a moody day like today. Instead of an omamoru, a charm, I got a votive charm, and I have no idea what is written on it apart from Kinkakuji.

Kyoto imperial palace

I was hoping we could enter some buildings but the tour was only to see from the outside of the main buildings. Nevertheless it was a sight despite the rain. Also one only can tour after applying to the Imperial household agency, with a passport.

Creme de la creme

I am talking chou a la creme, something that is quite popular around here, or I am just eager to sit down and rest from the drizzle of rain pouring in Kyoto, before I embark on a tour of the Imperial palace and the Golden pavillion

Futon

Here is the very comfortable futon I am crashing on for the next 3 nights. It's in a quiet street at the foot at Kyumizudera temple in Kyoto, a top 3 of the sights in town. So it is also walking distance to Gion, the entertainment or geisha district.

PASMO

This little card is the equivalent of the Oyster card in London, or Navigo in Paris. It is very practical in Tokyo, because there are at least 3 different companies operating the trains and chikatetsu (subway). So connecting from one to another is a headache if you have to get a ticket everytime.
With pasmo, you put any amount of money on it and you breeze through all gates while it deducts the exact fare upon your exit.
What is more convenient even is that you can pay with pasmo in cafes, combini or even shops on the shinkansen platform. It saves me from handling little change.

Tips

Here are a few things I realized after almost 2 weeks or so in Japan:
-fruits here are expensive so bring your fiber or vitamin suplements. Apparently though they are discounted in the evening.
-everything and everyone seem specialized, or I am watching too much tv. Everything is perfected, but in the intimacy of people's home where things are more relaxed. Or am I just anxious to blend in?
-sometimes, the same people are on tv for 3 or 4 tv shows in a row. Same for dramas. I don't mind kimutaku though...hehe. Speaking of Kimutaku, he is back with a new drama: mr brain, starting saturday night.
-it is easy to navigate Tokyo, but not so mich outside Tokyo as signs are also in english. Although central Kyoto is ok since it is a grid.
-don't expect to bring posters home. So far apart from ikemen in magazine, I could not find any. Maybe in museums?
-expect to wake up early.
-pasmo is super convenient in Tokyo
-carry a sweater at all times are AC is everywhere:30C outside, but 20C in trains and buildings.
-don't rely on the pictures of food packages. Instead ask what is the flavour or what is inside if you can't read katakana or the kanji. hiragana will help a bit.

O-shaberi

Talkative in a bad way. Well, I blame it on the beer I had earlier. For I treated my host, S. poorly by barely letting him speak. Nevertheless he laughed a few times and I learned some interesting views on Tokyo and Japanese corporate workplace.
For example, office workers all wear black and white suit. Sometimes the suit vary colors but the shirt is 99.9% of the time, white. I have a green dress for next week and I hope they will forgive me.

Imperial palace east gardens

With a blazing sun and the aozora (blue sky) waking me earlier than my alarm clock, it was a pity I forgot my parasol. But armed with a useful fan I could enjoy the quiet oasis in the middle of Tokyo. There was a lot of walking in the sun though, around the moat guarding the palace. The furiaken garden entrance iss closed to visitors as it is the garden surrounding the palace directly.
At lunchtime I dragged my hungry self to Nihonbashi area where hurried workers gobbled their soba or udon standing at the counter. I ended up eating at the basement of the famed Mitsukoshi department store: take unagi don and my first asahi beer. Surprisingly I enjoyed the beer. I had it because I did not have the courage and words to ask for non alxoholic drinks. It is a miracle I made it out of there after handling chopaticks almost inconsciously.

Tokyo : overcast

I could not see the sun today. The sky was grey overall, visibility maybe 1km. Still today a trip to Odaiba was on my schedule. I lost at least a total of 900g and 20min aimlessly wandering between the closed Miraikan (museum of innovative science & technology) and the Tokyo big sight (an exhibition hall, where I could pay 3000yen to attend an exhibition of beauty products, no thank you, I am already subliminally beautiful, duh). I also waited for a waterbus ship in vain. But I was somewhat happy with my visit at Fuji TV. One day maybe I will pay the 1900YEN per year to be able to be in the audience. But I managed to find an ATM in english (not such a good thing) in the last Vegas style Venusfort mall where I saw this barbieshop. The mall has a theme of wedding...
After 4h of walking with an onigiri and a white bun in my stomach all day, I got back to Shinjuku to try the malls there, after a short stop at Shimbashi to check out the tv station there. OMG, this basement of Odakyu store is like the mecca of expensive food of all sorts:from 2100yen mango to confectionary. I got some bananas and pineaple for like 1000yen. Damn, no wonder there are tons of ads for veggie juice on tv.
Speaking of tv, my hotel is behind NTV offices and not far from NHK and AsahiTV. But I have had enough of crowds and will soak in a bath.
Tomorrow, probably shopping and sightseeing the nearby Imperial Palace or garden before meeting a local, provided I find out where we meet.
Tokyo is tiring...
I got back to the hotel

Fuji-san

After finding out that the Studio Ghibli museum is closed for maintenance till the 22nd and the weather is dry and sunny, it is clear that today is another train intensive day. First, mount Fuji up close. But it looks like the clouds were happy hiding the snowy cone. So a climb by ropeway to Oowakudani for my dose of greenery and adrenaline rush is 'de rigueur'. Away from the bustle of Tokyo, this feels nice. Also ingested loads of fresh when sailing in front of the boat.
Next? Either a monja dinner with local couchsurfers if I make it back on time, or a Shinjuku area exploration. Either way, my stomach will have to hold the Hakone cake eaten for lunch.

Travelling by shinkansen Series 700

This is really super convenient to city hop. It is quite comfortable, lots of leg room, clean, and the chairs can rotate to face forward or backward. Also ever staff bow on entry and exit of any carriage.