It is almost time. 6 days from now I will be in the air. VERY exciting. Here’s the plan:
28 March – Travel from Nagoya, Japan to Bangkok, Thailand.
28-31 March – Play tourist in Bangkok for a few days.
31 March – Travel from Bangkok, Thailand to Kathmandu, Nepal.
1 April – Play tourist in Kathmandu
2 April – Fly from Kathmandu to a dirt landing strip in Lukla, Nepal and begin the trek.
3 April – Walk through villages along very old trade routes to Namche Bazaar.
4 April – Play tourist in Namche Bazaar and acclimatize (11,300 feet).
5 April – Walk to village of Thame and experience the life of the Sherpa people.
6 April – Play tourist tin Thame and acclimatize further (12,400 feet).
7 April – Walk to Tengboche, the cultural and religious center of the Khumbu Region. With weather permitting, get views of 8 peaks above 20,000 feet.
8-9 April – Walk to Pheriche, known for its high altitude research center. Acclimatize a full day (13,900 feet).
10 April – Walk to Lobuje (16,200 feet).
11 April – Walk to Gorak Shep (16,900 feet) and summit Kala Pattar (18,300 feet). We should have great views of Everest from here.
12 April – Walk to Everest Base Camp and return to Gorak Shep.
13 April – Walk back to Pheriche.
14 April – Walk back to Namche Bazaar.
15 April – Walk to the Phakding Region.
16 April – Walk back to Lukla.
17 April – Fly from Lukla to Kathmandu.
18 April – SHOWER for at least an hour!
19 April – Fly from Kathmandu home weather permitting.
20 April – Arrive home and start decompressing…
With luck, Alpine Ascents—the guide service based in Seattle—will be hosting a cybercast. Essentially, that just means they will post updates and photos of the trip. The link:
http://www.alpineascents.com/everest-trek-cybercast.asp
Right now, last year’s posts are still there. You can cheat and check it out if you want, but if you are like me, you will want to be surprised. Keep yourself from looking at it!
If you have a request for a trinket or photo or prayer or something, PLEASE email me: g.beverage@gmail.com . (Linda still has the only request: A photo of a yeti riding a yak.)
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Religious Ceremonies Outside of Work
It has been a couple of weeks since my last post. Sorry, kids. Hopefully this will make up for it.
Today, March 15th, I went with four friends to the Honen Matsuri (AKA Tagata Festival; AKA Penis Festival; AKA Fertility Festival.) This could be another check mark in the "Only in Japan" column, but since it has Buddhist ancestry, similar festivals are probably held in other parts of the world.
OK, so the Penis Festival. As you might already know, Shinto shrines serve as houses for divine spirits. The Tagata Shrine in Komaki-shi, a suburb of Nagoya, is estimated to be about 1,500 years old. It is dedicated to the diety (or kami in Japanese) Tamahime-no-mikoto, a princess from umpteen years ago.
Fertility is the main point here, hence the phallic nature of the many offerings. But also think "fertile," as in fertile ground for growing food, etc. Beginning hundreds of years ago, the offerings to the kami were often in the shape of a penis: Take a wooden wang from the shrine, wait for your prayers to come true, and return it with an additional offering to show appreciation. Makes sense, right? But that's not very entertaining.
Obviously, the festival is popular today because, well, there are tallywackers everywhere: Bananas, hot dogs, suckers, carvings, banners. Each looking just like a _____ (pick your own synonym.) There is something a little uncomfortable about kids eating food in the shape of a johnson.
The climatic event of the day is the parade starring a 13 ft long, 620 pound wiener. Each winter someone chops down a Japanese cypress tree and brings it to the shrine for a solemn ritual of purification and dedication. Wearing ritually-pure clothing, the tree is carved into the wooden phallus that will, after the festival and parade, reside in the shrine as the principle object of worship. (That said, it is actually an offering to the kami, so I'm not sure why people worship the ding-dong.)
Because my buddy Greg has a car, we also went a few miles up the road to the vagina shine. (I guess they didn't want the ladies to feel left out.) We showed up at the end of the ceremonies, but it was pretty much the same story. However, nobody had any food shaped like the female reproductive organ. On a funny side note, at the same shrine dedicated to the vagina, there is also a shrine dedicated to whiskey. HMMM! Is this a male-dominated society? I think so.
I'm sure there are plenty of people taking this festival very seriously, but, for the most part, it seemed the crowd of 10,000 - 15,000 was just having fun. The weather was perfect, we were hugely entertained and there were great people to hang out with. So, next time you're in Japan on March 15th, make sure to go to the Fertility Festival in Komaki!
PS
I tried to keep it PG-13. Enjoy the photos!
Today, March 15th, I went with four friends to the Honen Matsuri (AKA Tagata Festival; AKA Penis Festival; AKA Fertility Festival.) This could be another check mark in the "Only in Japan" column, but since it has Buddhist ancestry, similar festivals are probably held in other parts of the world.
OK, so the Penis Festival. As you might already know, Shinto shrines serve as houses for divine spirits. The Tagata Shrine in Komaki-shi, a suburb of Nagoya, is estimated to be about 1,500 years old. It is dedicated to the diety (or kami in Japanese) Tamahime-no-mikoto, a princess from umpteen years ago.
Fertility is the main point here, hence the phallic nature of the many offerings. But also think "fertile," as in fertile ground for growing food, etc. Beginning hundreds of years ago, the offerings to the kami were often in the shape of a penis: Take a wooden wang from the shrine, wait for your prayers to come true, and return it with an additional offering to show appreciation. Makes sense, right? But that's not very entertaining.
Obviously, the festival is popular today because, well, there are tallywackers everywhere: Bananas, hot dogs, suckers, carvings, banners. Each looking just like a _____ (pick your own synonym.) There is something a little uncomfortable about kids eating food in the shape of a johnson.
The climatic event of the day is the parade starring a 13 ft long, 620 pound wiener. Each winter someone chops down a Japanese cypress tree and brings it to the shrine for a solemn ritual of purification and dedication. Wearing ritually-pure clothing, the tree is carved into the wooden phallus that will, after the festival and parade, reside in the shrine as the principle object of worship. (That said, it is actually an offering to the kami, so I'm not sure why people worship the ding-dong.)
Because my buddy Greg has a car, we also went a few miles up the road to the vagina shine. (I guess they didn't want the ladies to feel left out.) We showed up at the end of the ceremonies, but it was pretty much the same story. However, nobody had any food shaped like the female reproductive organ. On a funny side note, at the same shrine dedicated to the vagina, there is also a shrine dedicated to whiskey. HMMM! Is this a male-dominated society? I think so.
I'm sure there are plenty of people taking this festival very seriously, but, for the most part, it seemed the crowd of 10,000 - 15,000 was just having fun. The weather was perfect, we were hugely entertained and there were great people to hang out with. So, next time you're in Japan on March 15th, make sure to go to the Fertility Festival in Komaki!
PS
I tried to keep it PG-13. Enjoy the photos!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Religious Ceremonies at Work
This past week we—work teammates—celebrated completion of a large, laborious and stressful contract with our Japanese customers. One special and relatively rare event we attended was very interesting, so I thought it might be fun to share it with you. I’ll start with some background.
In a previous post, I explained a little about the Japanese-born theology of Shintoism. The Shinto religion is a polytheistic, naturalistic and animistic belief system with deep Buddhism and some Confucianism roots. If I understand it correctly, the belief system revolves around living in harmony with nature and community by showing respect to kami, a word they translate as “god.” (That said, kami does not translate as “God” like in “The Holy Trinity” or a pagan “god” as in “Apollo, god of Light.” Personally, I think “spirit” is a much more viable translation.) Anyway, everything has ancient kami; cherry blossoms, Mt. Fuji or a house all have kami…or spirit. The goal is to live in harmony with it, though there is no eternal punishment or paradise should you succeed or fail. Got it? Yeah, me either.
Back to the exciting work week…
On Tuesday, 24 February we were invited to a ceremony intended to bless and purify the hardware we were about to sell to the Japanese government. Great time and effort was exerted to set up the event and no detail was left unattended on the altar or around the tent.
Before the ceremony began, we were all asked to go outside of the tent. Dressed in suits and ties, we waited in the cold and rain for each of the 60 men (yes, all men) to walk through the doorway to the tent and ritually purify themselves by washing their hands in water poured on them by another person. Many of the men bowed at the alter. I found out later they were bowing to the kami.
The ceremony itself was also fascinating, and I think it tells much about the Japanese culture. With the exception of the MC speaking a few calm, soothing words now and then, the only other noise for an hour were the priests reading or singing or chanting or clapping or dragging their feet around in the weirdest-looking shoes you can imagine. Each person in the tent knew when to stand or sit, when to bow or look forward, when to clap and when to not move a muscle for minutes at a time. The audience was synced, almost militarily, which gave it a cold, heartless feeling. We were somber and subdued…and “I” was curious and wanted to ask questions and take pictures and crack pointless, completely forgettable one-liner jokes. (Imagine that!)
Our team even got to get involved in the ceremony. Luckily representatives of other groups went first and we were able to pick up the routine:
1. Manager waits for signal
2. Manager stands
3. Subordinates stand
4. Manager bows to priest
5. Manager takes bough
6. Manager bows to altar
7. Manager places bough on altar
8. Manager bows to altar
9. Subordinates bow to altar simultaneously
10. Manager claps
11. Subordinates clap simultaneously
12. Manager claps again
13. Subordinates clap simultaneously again
14. Manager bows to altar
15. Subordinates bow to altar simultaneously
I think we just bowed once too many times, but you get the picture!
So, our product is now blessed both by US and Japanese worker bee blood, sweat and tears as well as two Shinto priests. No doubt our systems will work flawlessly.
gb
PS
Sorry for the lack of photos. For reasons you can guess if you consider my job, most of the photos don’t need to be available for all to see.
In a previous post, I explained a little about the Japanese-born theology of Shintoism. The Shinto religion is a polytheistic, naturalistic and animistic belief system with deep Buddhism and some Confucianism roots. If I understand it correctly, the belief system revolves around living in harmony with nature and community by showing respect to kami, a word they translate as “god.” (That said, kami does not translate as “God” like in “The Holy Trinity” or a pagan “god” as in “Apollo, god of Light.” Personally, I think “spirit” is a much more viable translation.) Anyway, everything has ancient kami; cherry blossoms, Mt. Fuji or a house all have kami…or spirit. The goal is to live in harmony with it, though there is no eternal punishment or paradise should you succeed or fail. Got it? Yeah, me either.
Back to the exciting work week…
On Tuesday, 24 February we were invited to a ceremony intended to bless and purify the hardware we were about to sell to the Japanese government. Great time and effort was exerted to set up the event and no detail was left unattended on the altar or around the tent.
Before the ceremony began, we were all asked to go outside of the tent. Dressed in suits and ties, we waited in the cold and rain for each of the 60 men (yes, all men) to walk through the doorway to the tent and ritually purify themselves by washing their hands in water poured on them by another person. Many of the men bowed at the alter. I found out later they were bowing to the kami.
The ceremony itself was also fascinating, and I think it tells much about the Japanese culture. With the exception of the MC speaking a few calm, soothing words now and then, the only other noise for an hour were the priests reading or singing or chanting or clapping or dragging their feet around in the weirdest-looking shoes you can imagine. Each person in the tent knew when to stand or sit, when to bow or look forward, when to clap and when to not move a muscle for minutes at a time. The audience was synced, almost militarily, which gave it a cold, heartless feeling. We were somber and subdued…and “I” was curious and wanted to ask questions and take pictures and crack pointless, completely forgettable one-liner jokes. (Imagine that!)
Our team even got to get involved in the ceremony. Luckily representatives of other groups went first and we were able to pick up the routine:
1. Manager waits for signal
2. Manager stands
3. Subordinates stand
4. Manager bows to priest
5. Manager takes bough
6. Manager bows to altar
7. Manager places bough on altar
8. Manager bows to altar
9. Subordinates bow to altar simultaneously
10. Manager claps
11. Subordinates clap simultaneously
12. Manager claps again
13. Subordinates clap simultaneously again
14. Manager bows to altar
15. Subordinates bow to altar simultaneously
I think we just bowed once too many times, but you get the picture!
So, our product is now blessed both by US and Japanese worker bee blood, sweat and tears as well as two Shinto priests. No doubt our systems will work flawlessly.
gb
PS
Sorry for the lack of photos. For reasons you can guess if you consider my job, most of the photos don’t need to be available for all to see.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Live-Fire Training Weekend – UPDATE
I forgot to add a cool experience from last weekend. We are all familiar with the many wild animals in the States: A few bear and cat species, numerous canine species and quite a few ungulate species like Whitetail Deer, Roosevelt Elk and Mountain Goats. We more or less expect them when hiking or driving through less-inhabited areas.
Obviously, there are many different animals that live on the Japanese Archipelago. I have been lucky enough to spot a number of them here, which is evidently rare. (My suspicion is that it is only “rare” because people “rarely” get out of the city.) Anyway, I have seen some Japanese Sika Deer, Japanese Macaques (aka Japanese Snow Monkeys) and entirely too many of their massive, unusual-sounding ravens.
Unfortunately, I know very little about what animals to be watchful for in the wilderness areas here. But the flip side of that is I am unexpectedly excited when I see something new. Take in point this weekend’s surprise: The Japanese Serow. There is a photo below, but here is my poor attempt at humorous poetry in the form haiku (how appropriate!) to describe the…thing.
A bit like a deer
But not exactly a goat
Smells like vinegar?
OK...that was bad, and yet I still posted it!
Before I go, be aware that in my next post I am going to try to give you a feel for a Shinto ceremony of which we were privleged to participate.
Sika Deer
Japanese Macaque (aka Japanese Snow Monkey)
Japanese Serow
Obviously, there are many different animals that live on the Japanese Archipelago. I have been lucky enough to spot a number of them here, which is evidently rare. (My suspicion is that it is only “rare” because people “rarely” get out of the city.) Anyway, I have seen some Japanese Sika Deer, Japanese Macaques (aka Japanese Snow Monkeys) and entirely too many of their massive, unusual-sounding ravens.
Unfortunately, I know very little about what animals to be watchful for in the wilderness areas here. But the flip side of that is I am unexpectedly excited when I see something new. Take in point this weekend’s surprise: The Japanese Serow. There is a photo below, but here is my poor attempt at humorous poetry in the form haiku (how appropriate!) to describe the…thing.
A bit like a deer
But not exactly a goat
Smells like vinegar?
OK...that was bad, and yet I still posted it!
Before I go, be aware that in my next post I am going to try to give you a feel for a Shinto ceremony of which we were privleged to participate.
Sika Deer
Japanese Macaque (aka Japanese Snow Monkey)
Japanese Serow
Monday, February 23, 2009
Live-Fire Training Weekend
Most of you know that my cardiovascular training hasn't been going well because of my right knee. I haven't ran for two or three weeks now, so I've been sticking to walking around the city. BORING! Anyway, I figured a change of pace was needed this past weekend, so I decided to take a training trip to the Chuo (Central) Japanese Alps.
I packed about 50lbs of gear and food into my pack and left for Nagano Prefecture in central Japan on Saturday morning by train. After a 3.5 hours on the train and 3 hour mistake due to me being an idiot when switching trains, I arrived in Komagane and I started walking west. (Pull up Google Earth: 35 deg, 43 min, 44 sec North Latitude; 137 deg, 56 min, 01 sec East Longitude.) Most people take the 45 minute bus ride uphill, but that wouldn't exactly be "training." So, I hoofed it.
After about 3 hours of walking, I found a flat spot (it happened to be a frozen pool of water on the side of a waterfall), setup my tent and prepared to freeze by butt off while attempting to sleep. Luckily I was super tired and it wasn't too cold, about 15 degrees F. My gear kept me nice and toasty, relatively speaking. (Note: You can always use your pack as a tertiary layer of insulation...just slide it over the foot of your sleeping bag. It's also a good way to keep things from freezing. Frozen contact solution isn't helpful.)
The only photo I took was of me eating, so here it is. I was SO hungry that I didn't wait for the food to cool down...my tongue has not yet forgiven me and still refuses to taste properly.
Freeze-dried Reginelle all'Arrabbiata...mmmm
On Sunday morning I ate, packed up my things, and continued uphill for another 3 hours to the Komagatake Ropeway at Shirabidaira Station. (Yes, I will quiz you on those names later.) Total elevation gain was about 3,200 feet. I was more than happy to pay $25 for the "Chuo Alps Komagatake Ropeway" ride for the next 3,000 feet.
After the gondola ride, I talked to someone about the snow forecast and 60mph winds, put on my crampons, pulled out the ice axe, got a swig of water and started uphill again. This photo was taken about 15 minutes after leaving the station and just before the real work began. You REALLY do have to love this because I'm sure it looks painfully un-fun for most of you!
Cold + Wind + Snow + 50 deg Slope + 50 lb Pack = "Training"
About two-thirds of the way up, I needed a break and pulled out the camera. What fortunate timing! Nothing like a goosh of snow down your shirt:
The rest of the day was a great time and a fantastic learning experience: Lots of ice, TONS of wind, dangerous snow conditions and great views. I stopped about 10 steps short of my goal, Mt. Komagatake's summit, because it wasn't safe to continue without ropes and at least one teammate. Close enough, though, right?
Here are a few more photos and another video. Hopefully they give you a sense for what it is like just under 10,000 feet in Japan's winter months!
Mt. Hoken (9,616 feet)
Mt. Komagatake Summit (9,698 feet) SO CLOSE!
Komagane, Nagano, Japan (Yes, that is a town down there and a it was a VERY long walk!)
A 270 degree View (I waited for the calmest winds I could.)
I packed about 50lbs of gear and food into my pack and left for Nagano Prefecture in central Japan on Saturday morning by train. After a 3.5 hours on the train and 3 hour mistake due to me being an idiot when switching trains, I arrived in Komagane and I started walking west. (Pull up Google Earth: 35 deg, 43 min, 44 sec North Latitude; 137 deg, 56 min, 01 sec East Longitude.) Most people take the 45 minute bus ride uphill, but that wouldn't exactly be "training." So, I hoofed it.
After about 3 hours of walking, I found a flat spot (it happened to be a frozen pool of water on the side of a waterfall), setup my tent and prepared to freeze by butt off while attempting to sleep. Luckily I was super tired and it wasn't too cold, about 15 degrees F. My gear kept me nice and toasty, relatively speaking. (Note: You can always use your pack as a tertiary layer of insulation...just slide it over the foot of your sleeping bag. It's also a good way to keep things from freezing. Frozen contact solution isn't helpful.)
The only photo I took was of me eating, so here it is. I was SO hungry that I didn't wait for the food to cool down...my tongue has not yet forgiven me and still refuses to taste properly.
Freeze-dried Reginelle all'Arrabbiata...mmmm
On Sunday morning I ate, packed up my things, and continued uphill for another 3 hours to the Komagatake Ropeway at Shirabidaira Station. (Yes, I will quiz you on those names later.) Total elevation gain was about 3,200 feet. I was more than happy to pay $25 for the "Chuo Alps Komagatake Ropeway" ride for the next 3,000 feet.
After the gondola ride, I talked to someone about the snow forecast and 60mph winds, put on my crampons, pulled out the ice axe, got a swig of water and started uphill again. This photo was taken about 15 minutes after leaving the station and just before the real work began. You REALLY do have to love this because I'm sure it looks painfully un-fun for most of you!
Cold + Wind + Snow + 50 deg Slope + 50 lb Pack = "Training"
About two-thirds of the way up, I needed a break and pulled out the camera. What fortunate timing! Nothing like a goosh of snow down your shirt:
The rest of the day was a great time and a fantastic learning experience: Lots of ice, TONS of wind, dangerous snow conditions and great views. I stopped about 10 steps short of my goal, Mt. Komagatake's summit, because it wasn't safe to continue without ropes and at least one teammate. Close enough, though, right?
Here are a few more photos and another video. Hopefully they give you a sense for what it is like just under 10,000 feet in Japan's winter months!
Mt. Hoken (9,616 feet)
Mt. Komagatake Summit (9,698 feet) SO CLOSE!
Komagane, Nagano, Japan (Yes, that is a town down there and a it was a VERY long walk!)
A 270 degree View (I waited for the calmest winds I could.)
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Trip: Thailand
As you may or may not know, my trip dates are all but set in stone. I will fly from Nagoya, Japan to Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday, 28 March and then to Kathmandu, Nepal on Tuesday, 31 March. So, what to do for a few days alone in Thailand besides be aware for “girls” with adams apples?
Luckily I have numerous friends in Japan that have spent time in Bangkok. In fact, one is headed there in the next few weeks. I’ll certainly be hitting them up soon. Until then, I’ve started with Al Gore’s trusty Internet.
One of the sites I like to use for playing tourist is the World Heritage site. (LINK) Thailand has five sites on the list:
The historic Town of Sukhothai is named after an early kingdom in north-central Thailand around the old (appx 1238 – 1438). Historic remains include monuments and architecture that is considered the beginning of “Thai” architecture as we know it today. Unfortunately, it’s pretty far from Bangkok.
Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries sit around the Myanmar border in western Thailand. While it might be cool to visit, I’m going to skip on this trip for safety and time reasons; although, it would be fun to take some wildlife photos of tigers and elephants.
The Ban Chiang Archaeological Site is in central Thailand and is a hotbed for archaeologists studying early, Southeast Asian civilizations and cultures. It’s not quite my thing, but I wish I had time to check it out. Maybe next time I’ll go dig up a 4,000 year old rice farming tool.
Dong Phayayen–Khao Yai Forest Complex. It’s likely a rain forest full of the Ebola-SARS-Bird Flu virus. Kidding...sorta. I can spell "malaria," and that's about as close to it as I wish to get.
Perhaps the closest, most interesting and, so far, most suggested site to check out is the Historic City of Ayutthaya. No need to write about it: HERE for the video. (Sorry for removing the video. I was too lazy to figure out how to set the video so it wouldn't start automatically. HTML isn't my bag. Please click on the link if you want to view it.)
Ayutthaya will probably be a full day trip, so that will leave time the other days to visit museums, shrines, etc. in Bangkok. AND, I’m especially looking forward to the food!
More to come...Later!
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Trip Prep Update
Trip Update
A number of you have asked for a trip preparation and training update, so I’ll try to oblige. My application, background information and payment was sent to Alpine Ascents International, the guide service based in Seattle a few weeks ago. I’m working with a travel agent here in Japan to book my tickets from Nagoya to Kathmandu and hope to have that process finalized this week. Once that’s shored up, I will book my hotel in Bangkok. (Thank you Lockheed Martin for the 1,000,000+ Hilton Honors points!) Finding the “must see sites” and “must do things” are next on the list. Communication and safety are also priorities. Luckily for me, I have plenty of resources for personal safety and there are some great applications and podcasts on iTunes that are helping teach the basics of Thai and Nepalese languages.
Cardiovascular training is not going well, but there is visual evidence of a muscular group between my chest and belly button! A few of weeks ago I stepped in a hole while train running and tweaked my knee. I figured it would was minor and would be easy to tough it out. Unfortunately, that didn’t work. So I’m taking some time off from running. We’ll see if I can get back up to 30 miles a week quickly. Good news is the extra hour per day gives me more time to stretch, focus on core exercises, eat healthier, walk the city’s streets and practice the oh-so-difficult Up Dog - Down Dog transition.
Life
The Japanese seem to treat birthdays with more relevance than we do in the U.S…at least where adults are concerned. That makes dining out a lot of fun sometimes. (I'm getting good at "Happy Birsday.") Anyway, I was invited to a birthday dinner on Sunday night. The camaraderie was great, the food was good, the atmosphere was interesting and the staff’s celebratory song and dance was, well, much more thorough than some goofy chant at Chile’s. The entire kitchen and service was singing, dancing, chanting, running up and down stairs, shaking tambourines, etc. This went on for about 7 or 8 minutes and included a serious, somber monologue telling everyone to enjoy their their special day and have a healthy year. I filmed about 3 minutes of the madness until my hand got tired of holding the camera and the pictures started shaking. Unfortunately the file is too large to share so a photo of my fellow, aerospace expatriates and associated friends and significant others will have to do. CHEERS!
PS Don’t worry, people! I was not one of the 7 adventurers in Japan sent to the hospital today after eating blowfish testicles prepared by an “unauthorized” chef. Hey, if you ask me, those that go around eating the testicles of a poisonous fish are just askin’ for trouble!
PPS If you have any questions or suggestions or just want to BS, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email: beverage@xc4.so-net.ne.jp
A number of you have asked for a trip preparation and training update, so I’ll try to oblige. My application, background information and payment was sent to Alpine Ascents International, the guide service based in Seattle a few weeks ago. I’m working with a travel agent here in Japan to book my tickets from Nagoya to Kathmandu and hope to have that process finalized this week. Once that’s shored up, I will book my hotel in Bangkok. (Thank you Lockheed Martin for the 1,000,000+ Hilton Honors points!) Finding the “must see sites” and “must do things” are next on the list. Communication and safety are also priorities. Luckily for me, I have plenty of resources for personal safety and there are some great applications and podcasts on iTunes that are helping teach the basics of Thai and Nepalese languages.
Cardiovascular training is not going well, but there is visual evidence of a muscular group between my chest and belly button! A few of weeks ago I stepped in a hole while train running and tweaked my knee. I figured it would was minor and would be easy to tough it out. Unfortunately, that didn’t work. So I’m taking some time off from running. We’ll see if I can get back up to 30 miles a week quickly. Good news is the extra hour per day gives me more time to stretch, focus on core exercises, eat healthier, walk the city’s streets and practice the oh-so-difficult Up Dog - Down Dog transition.
Life
The Japanese seem to treat birthdays with more relevance than we do in the U.S…at least where adults are concerned. That makes dining out a lot of fun sometimes. (I'm getting good at "Happy Birsday.") Anyway, I was invited to a birthday dinner on Sunday night. The camaraderie was great, the food was good, the atmosphere was interesting and the staff’s celebratory song and dance was, well, much more thorough than some goofy chant at Chile’s. The entire kitchen and service was singing, dancing, chanting, running up and down stairs, shaking tambourines, etc. This went on for about 7 or 8 minutes and included a serious, somber monologue telling everyone to enjoy their their special day and have a healthy year. I filmed about 3 minutes of the madness until my hand got tired of holding the camera and the pictures started shaking. Unfortunately the file is too large to share so a photo of my fellow, aerospace expatriates and associated friends and significant others will have to do. CHEERS!
PS Don’t worry, people! I was not one of the 7 adventurers in Japan sent to the hospital today after eating blowfish testicles prepared by an “unauthorized” chef. Hey, if you ask me, those that go around eating the testicles of a poisonous fish are just askin’ for trouble!
PPS If you have any questions or suggestions or just want to BS, feel free to leave a comment or send me an email: beverage@xc4.so-net.ne.jp
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Rain Rain Go Away
As most of you know, I love cold weather and don’t mind training in it either. Last weekend was great for exercise: Cold and sunny. I ran around 15 miles Friday-Sunday and was invited to play street hockey by some Canadian friends. Two hours of sprinting, making quick cuts and picking fights NHL-style left me SUPER sore for about three days. But it was fun to learn a new sport and will probably join them again.
The weather here in Nagoya has been particularly annoying this week; it feels and looks more like Portland with the constant 40 degree temps and rain. Needless to say, it hasn’t been a good week to take photos. Good news, though, Dave Griser, possibly the friendliest guy in all the land, brought my new point-and-shoot camera in his suitcase. So I will try to get some videos up soon. Anyone have any requests?
Not only is the rain bad for cameras, but it is bad for training, too: Since Monday the rain has completely halted all cardiovascular exercise. “Rain is a poor excuse not to run,” you say…and I agree. However, ya know how Chicago is the “Windy City” and Philly the “City of Brotherly Love?” I think Nagoya should be the “Slickest Sidewalks on the Planet City.” Anyone remember my trips to the chiropractor last year? Chalk that one up to the morons that decided on polished stone footpaths…Needless to say, lesson learned.
The weather here in Nagoya has been particularly annoying this week; it feels and looks more like Portland with the constant 40 degree temps and rain. Needless to say, it hasn’t been a good week to take photos. Good news, though, Dave Griser, possibly the friendliest guy in all the land, brought my new point-and-shoot camera in his suitcase. So I will try to get some videos up soon. Anyone have any requests?
Not only is the rain bad for cameras, but it is bad for training, too: Since Monday the rain has completely halted all cardiovascular exercise. “Rain is a poor excuse not to run,” you say…and I agree. However, ya know how Chicago is the “Windy City” and Philly the “City of Brotherly Love?” I think Nagoya should be the “Slickest Sidewalks on the Planet City.” Anyone remember my trips to the chiropractor last year? Chalk that one up to the morons that decided on polished stone footpaths…Needless to say, lesson learned.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Chita Peninsula
So, life as a foreigner (aka “gaijin”) in Japan. I spent last week on-call for work, which meant it was my turn to live in the company-furnished apartment and respond to any needs at the manufacturing facility day or night. One of the benefits of spending the week there, in a city called Taketoyo, is that it is “rural” Japan. (Note their definition of “rural” and mine are completely different. Taketoyo has over 40,000 citizens and is only an extension of the metropolis, about 25 miles from downtown.)
Anyway, Taketoyo is on the Chita Peninsula, southwest of Nagoya. It allows for excellent cardio training on hills and trails, much less traffic, areas to ride my mountain bike, less pollution, great views and plenty of photo opportunities. I took my camera out Sunday afternoon and took some photos. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them!
Citrus Trees: VERY rarely do you see grass yards. Any cultivatable soil is used for fruits, veggies or rice. Fruit—oranges, kumquats, grapefruit—from these trees are being picked right now.
Training Trails: These trails are everywhere.
Most trails are nice though some I’m positive have not had a human on them for months. Stepping in holes hidden in the grass isn't fun. (I have ice on my knee as I type this.)
Farm Ground and Ocean
Shipping: Nagoya has the largest and busiest sea port in Japan, making this area an industrial foundation for the Japanese economy. Toyota Motors and Aichi Steel are headquartered here.
Fishing and Tourism: The waters off of the southern tip of the Chita Peninsula are supposedly excellent fishing for squid…or is it octopus? Either way, in a culture where fish is a daily staple, the fishing industry is very important and thriving here. There rough coastline also attracts many tourists. The average age is at least 60. Not sure what that’s all about.
Shinto Shrine: Shintoism is a religion “conceived” in Japan. It is most closely related to Buddhism, but is uniquely Japanese. Whenever you see a “torii,” think Shinto. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org)
Isukushima Shring: Perhaps Shinto’s most famous icon—possibly Japan’s most recognizable landmark?—is the Isukushima Shrine near Hiroshima. It’s photo is usually published with part of it underwater, but that only happens at high tide. Apparently it dates back more than 900 years!
Anyway, Taketoyo is on the Chita Peninsula, southwest of Nagoya. It allows for excellent cardio training on hills and trails, much less traffic, areas to ride my mountain bike, less pollution, great views and plenty of photo opportunities. I took my camera out Sunday afternoon and took some photos. Hopefully you’ll enjoy them!
Citrus Trees: VERY rarely do you see grass yards. Any cultivatable soil is used for fruits, veggies or rice. Fruit—oranges, kumquats, grapefruit—from these trees are being picked right now.
Training Trails: These trails are everywhere.
Most trails are nice though some I’m positive have not had a human on them for months. Stepping in holes hidden in the grass isn't fun. (I have ice on my knee as I type this.)
Farm Ground and Ocean
Shipping: Nagoya has the largest and busiest sea port in Japan, making this area an industrial foundation for the Japanese economy. Toyota Motors and Aichi Steel are headquartered here.
Fishing and Tourism: The waters off of the southern tip of the Chita Peninsula are supposedly excellent fishing for squid…or is it octopus? Either way, in a culture where fish is a daily staple, the fishing industry is very important and thriving here. There rough coastline also attracts many tourists. The average age is at least 60. Not sure what that’s all about.
Shinto Shrine: Shintoism is a religion “conceived” in Japan. It is most closely related to Buddhism, but is uniquely Japanese. Whenever you see a “torii,” think Shinto. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org)
Isukushima Shring: Perhaps Shinto’s most famous icon—possibly Japan’s most recognizable landmark?—is the Isukushima Shrine near Hiroshima. It’s photo is usually published with part of it underwater, but that only happens at high tide. Apparently it dates back more than 900 years!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Thank you everyone for checkin’ out the blog and for posting your supportive comments. I like Linda’s idea for requests, so if you have any or have a suggestion, then feel free to post it. Note I can’t promise photos of a real yeti, but I will have a new camera to take photos and video sometime in the next couple of weeks. ALSO, make sure to click on the “Follow This Blog” link on the right side of the page.
Since I received a numerous emails and comments about Everest, how about some info you may or may not know:
Everest is one of those wonders of nature that we all seem to be drawn to for whatever reason. I am drawn to it due to my inexplicable infatuation with mountains. A famous, four-line poem by Chinese writer Li Po pretty much sums it up:
All the birds have flown up and gone;A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.We never tire of looking at each other -Only the mountain and I.
Anyway, Mt. Everest sits in the Khumbu region of the Himalaya Mountains. Located along the border between Nepal and Tibet, Mt. Everest is just over 29,029 feet (8,488 meters) high. (Okay, Okay! Technically, the border between Nepal and China. But let’s not quibble…or riot in the streets of Paris and San Fran for that matter.) Known also as Chomolungma, it was first surveyed as a part of the British Survey General of India in 1865 and declared to be 29,002 feet high. (They actually added the 2 so it didn’t seem fabricated. Pretty close to today’s satellite measurements, though!) It was first ascended and descend safely by New Zealand’s Sir Edmond Hillary and his Sherpa partner Tenzing Norgay in 1953 after 31 years of attempts.
Here are a few other tidbits:
· The first two men to ascend without oxygen did so in 1978.
· One of these two men was the first to ascend alone (i.e. no Sherpa or other person helping carry gear, etc.)
· A French pilot did a “hover landing” on the summit in 2005.
· The Nepalese government charges up to $25,000 per person to attempt a summit…not sure how much they charge to ship your frozen body home.
· The two youngest people to summit are women: A 15 year old Nepalese girl and an 18 year old Californian.
· The oldest person up and down: 76 year old Min Bahadur Sherchan.
· Limestone is common on the mountain, including the summit. (If you remember your geology, then you remember limestone is made of slits, clays and millions of marine shells, exoskeletons, etc. In other words, the summit was once on the bottom of the ocean floor.)
· Birds such as the spare-headed goose fly over the summit during migrations.
· By the end of 2007, 2,436 people had summitted and returned alive.
· 210 people have died (just under a 10% death rate for each person that has summited…not even close to Annapurna’s 54% death rate!)
· The highest marathon in the world starts at Everest Base Camp. Anyone up for trying it with me next year?
Something else I think is important to note: I am NOT attempting to climb Mt. Everest. I neither have the money ($60,000-80,000), time (3 months minimum) nor experience to “give-it-a-go,” as my English friend would say. My goal: See the dang thing up close and personal.
This got a little long today and didn’t leave much time for anything else. SO, expect some Japanese flavor in the post this weekend. In the mean time, have a great rest of the week!
Since I received a numerous emails and comments about Everest, how about some info you may or may not know:
Everest is one of those wonders of nature that we all seem to be drawn to for whatever reason. I am drawn to it due to my inexplicable infatuation with mountains. A famous, four-line poem by Chinese writer Li Po pretty much sums it up:
All the birds have flown up and gone;A lonely cloud floats leisurely by.We never tire of looking at each other -Only the mountain and I.
Anyway, Mt. Everest sits in the Khumbu region of the Himalaya Mountains. Located along the border between Nepal and Tibet, Mt. Everest is just over 29,029 feet (8,488 meters) high. (Okay, Okay! Technically, the border between Nepal and China. But let’s not quibble…or riot in the streets of Paris and San Fran for that matter.) Known also as Chomolungma, it was first surveyed as a part of the British Survey General of India in 1865 and declared to be 29,002 feet high. (They actually added the 2 so it didn’t seem fabricated. Pretty close to today’s satellite measurements, though!) It was first ascended and descend safely by New Zealand’s Sir Edmond Hillary and his Sherpa partner Tenzing Norgay in 1953 after 31 years of attempts.
Here are a few other tidbits:
· The first two men to ascend without oxygen did so in 1978.
· One of these two men was the first to ascend alone (i.e. no Sherpa or other person helping carry gear, etc.)
· A French pilot did a “hover landing” on the summit in 2005.
· The Nepalese government charges up to $25,000 per person to attempt a summit…not sure how much they charge to ship your frozen body home.
· The two youngest people to summit are women: A 15 year old Nepalese girl and an 18 year old Californian.
· The oldest person up and down: 76 year old Min Bahadur Sherchan.
· Limestone is common on the mountain, including the summit. (If you remember your geology, then you remember limestone is made of slits, clays and millions of marine shells, exoskeletons, etc. In other words, the summit was once on the bottom of the ocean floor.)
· Birds such as the spare-headed goose fly over the summit during migrations.
· By the end of 2007, 2,436 people had summitted and returned alive.
· 210 people have died (just under a 10% death rate for each person that has summited…not even close to Annapurna’s 54% death rate!)
· The highest marathon in the world starts at Everest Base Camp. Anyone up for trying it with me next year?
Something else I think is important to note: I am NOT attempting to climb Mt. Everest. I neither have the money ($60,000-80,000), time (3 months minimum) nor experience to “give-it-a-go,” as my English friend would say. My goal: See the dang thing up close and personal.
This got a little long today and didn’t leave much time for anything else. SO, expect some Japanese flavor in the post this weekend. In the mean time, have a great rest of the week!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Am I seriously starting a blog? We’ll see how long it lasts or if any of you come back. Here’s the deal: I’ve decided to take a multi-week trip to mainland Asia and the Himalayan Mountain Range and want you live the next few months of training and trek vicariously.
Hopefully this will be interactive as well as informative. I promise it will not be just about me; if that were my objective, then you’d get a call, email or facebook post you. The purpose of this blog is to give you an opportunity to live and enjoy a culture that likely was completely unattached to yours or your ancestors until World War II. I want to offer you the opportunity to see Japan, meet its people, enjoy its culture and arts and, especially, sit back like other Westerners and wonder, “What the heck are they thinking?” Of course I will also share my outside-Japan experience, too, complete with a basic, real-time Cybercast during the actual trek in Nepal.
This blog—an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page, for my elder family members reading—will assuredly contain plenty of photos, links, GPS coordinates, formal names lost in translation, cultural misunderstands, grammatical mistakes, inside jokes, quirky comments, political incorrectness, detailed information among other things. This is for your entertainment and curiosity and for me a digital record that will allow me to relive the “good ole days” as I top 100 years old.
I won’t promise additions or updates at any specific frequency, but hopefully at least a couple times weekly. My blogging experience is probably the same or less than yours: Absolutely nil. Maybe it's is a tradecraft one can learn along the way.
SO, bookmark this page, create a weekly reminder in Outlook to check it for updates and teach those family members that need the lesson to turn on the computer. This should be fun.
Grant
PS Happy New Year!
Hopefully this will be interactive as well as informative. I promise it will not be just about me; if that were my objective, then you’d get a call, email or facebook post you. The purpose of this blog is to give you an opportunity to live and enjoy a culture that likely was completely unattached to yours or your ancestors until World War II. I want to offer you the opportunity to see Japan, meet its people, enjoy its culture and arts and, especially, sit back like other Westerners and wonder, “What the heck are they thinking?” Of course I will also share my outside-Japan experience, too, complete with a basic, real-time Cybercast during the actual trek in Nepal.
This blog—an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page, for my elder family members reading—will assuredly contain plenty of photos, links, GPS coordinates, formal names lost in translation, cultural misunderstands, grammatical mistakes, inside jokes, quirky comments, political incorrectness, detailed information among other things. This is for your entertainment and curiosity and for me a digital record that will allow me to relive the “good ole days” as I top 100 years old.
I won’t promise additions or updates at any specific frequency, but hopefully at least a couple times weekly. My blogging experience is probably the same or less than yours: Absolutely nil. Maybe it's is a tradecraft one can learn along the way.
SO, bookmark this page, create a weekly reminder in Outlook to check it for updates and teach those family members that need the lesson to turn on the computer. This should be fun.
Grant
PS Happy New Year!
Stumbling While Photographing Myself at 10,000 ft, Temps Below Zero and Winds Around 50mph on Mt. Houkendake, Nagano Prefecture, Japan.
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