Tokyo Experiences

Just pictures right now, but I'll update the narrative...at some point.

Tokyo Tower

Asakasan Temple Grounds

Asakasan Neighborhood Street

Getting a Fortune Paper at Asakasan Temple

Asakasan Temple

Asakasan Temple

Asakasan

Yet More Asia Trip Details...finally!

So our final full day in Hong Kong included a trip out to Lantau Island. The home of Hong Kong Disneyland, The Hong Kong Airport and the Po Lin Monastery, which includes the world's largest seated bronze Buddha.

To get to the monastery, we took a very long, very tall cable car.

Once at the monastery, we got to experience the statue of the Buddha...

Hong Kong - Part 3

or Touring the World of Suzy Wong by Night...

If you don't get the reference, you need to brush up on your 70s era popular movies.

Anyway...



We went over to Central this evening and took the Peak Tram up Victoria Peak. Great views, but we had to buy tickets to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum just to avoid waiting in a two hour line..oh well. We did get to meet Jackie Chan, well a wax version anyway. Oh yeah and George Bush was there...



We walked around after the tram and finally found our way to a Hunan restaurant. Rick doesn't really dig Cantonese cuisine, and neither do I. Shark fin soup, bird's nests and abalone aren't my cup of tea.



Well, we're off to Japan tomorrow...

Hong Kong -Part 2

Well, another day in Hong Kong starts and boy did we pack the touring in yesterday. We started at around 8am with a Hong Kong Island Orientation Tour. We took the central tunnel across the harbor and then proceeded to Victoria Peak. The views were quite striking, even with a haze.



We then went to Aberdeen on the south coast of the island to see Jumbo, the largest floating restaurant in the world and the boat people with their floating houses and sanpans.



Then it was on to Stanley Road and its famous "tourist-junk" market. We were n ot impressed and decided to grab a quick bite to eat. So what does Rick decide to do but order a 3-course pan-Asian meal, and we only have 20 minutes to eat.

Hong Kong - Part 1

After 2 days of travel across several continents and four countries we arrived in Hong Kong yesterday afternoon. We checked in at the Sheraton Hong Kong, which is on the Kowloon side. The hotel is very nice and the room is ultra-modern and extra-posh! The bathroom/shower is quite the experience. Our room also has a harbor view, looking across to Hong Kong island. In fact, here was the view from our window last night-



When we were settled into our room, we went downstairs and had a late lunch at the Celestial Court, a highly rated Cantonese restaurant. We were served jasmine tea and ordered Steamed Shrimp Dumplings, Braised Beef Brisket with Glutinous Rice Dumplings, Steamed Pork Buns and Egg Custard Tarts. All in all, a very satisfying luncheon.

We returned to our room and caught up on our sleep until about 7pm. We got ready for dinner and watched the light show from our room.

Dinner was at Mask of Sichuan (Szechuan style food). We sat outside right on Salisbury Road and watched the passersby as we enjoyed some authentic Szechuan food. I ordered the Fried Beef Strips with Egg Pancakes, nice and garlicly with just enough heat. Rick ordered the Kung Po Chicken and when it arrived I could look at it and tell it was fiery. There were dried chili pods throughout. He enjoyed it greatly and I even had a few bites. For dessert we ordered the house special dessert which included Guava Ice Cream, Sweet Potato and Rice Cakes with Red Beans and Jellied Lotus Seeds with White Fungus. Yum...actually the Ice Cream and Rice Cakes were good.

After dinner we walked around briefly and even found a Circle K, where we got some waters for later. Then it was off to bed to get ready for our tours on Saturday morning.

More tomorrow!

Mission Hills UCC Men's Retreat

So anyone who has known me for a while might find my involvement in an organized church a little out of character, but I've never been involved with a church quite like Mission Hills UCC. First, it is the most integrated, variety-filled and lively church I have ever attended. The people are friendly and frankly speaking some of my notions about what it means to be a christian have been drastically changed by the congregation. They are inclusive and welcome questions!

Anyway, I found myself on the Men's Retreat yesterday, Saturday. We started the day with a short (3 hour) hike in Torrey Pines (the extension actually). The hike was very enjoyable and informative and provided a good means to become acquanted with my fellow Retreaters.

Torrey Pines

After the hike we had some snacks and then walked the Labyrinth...ahem, right. Okay, I found it relaxing but a little to granola-ey for my tastes. We then had some bible study followed by Phil's BBQ (yum) and a talk with Ron Buford, the creator of the UCC's God is Still Speaking Campaign. We ended the day with a short service. It was quite a day and I actually realized some things about myself I might not have admitted ten years ago...

The San Diego Zoo and Seaworld

Since we live 5 walking minutes from the San Diego Zoo, we've become members and get over there quite a bit. It's a nice place to walk. The photo above is of Mei Sheng, a 3 year old male.



I'm pretty proud of this photo from Seaworld. The new Shamu Show is pretty amazing.

 

Ed Norton, Osama bin Laden & Notre Dame Football

First I'd like to say I've seen Hollywoodland and the Black Dahlia in recent weeks and both were okay movies, nothing memorable though. Well, yesterday I finally went and saw Ed Norton in The Illusionist. Wow! From the film's cinematography and style to a smart story and great acting I liked everything about it. If you haven't seen it yet you should.

On to Osama bin Laden. Well a French paper is reporting his death and of course US officials are denying it or at least saying it cannot be confirmed. When I first read the story yesterday my initial thought was good, I'm glad he's dead.

But, upon further reflection I started thinking, is it right for me to relish another persons death? I know this is a bad person, trust me I know. Rick and I lived in NYC 5 years ago and I stood on 7th Avenue and watched everything happen. We both know people who didn't survive and there were moments when we thought we'd never see each other again. So I know how this person inspires fear and anger.

But, I wonder if wishing for his death is just lowering myself to his level. I'd prefer to think Judeo-Christian Ethics and most definitely Christian theology teaches us to turn the other cheek and do unto others. The days of an eye-for-an-eye are long past, a lesson I think MANY need to learn.

If violence begets violence then I do not wish for his death, I wish for his capture to stand trial, I wish for his enlightenment, I wish for his embracing a version of Islam that we keep hearing about but have yet to really see.

The funny thing is that by NOT wishing for his death I guess I put myself on the side of the Bush administration, I mean without Osama bin Laden, who would we have to fear?

Finally, Notre Dame Football.

Why is it that a team ranked in the top 25 plays an unranked team, almost looses but squeeks out a win and now that win is being toughted as something miraculous? Notre Dame is not one of the best football programs this year and everyone who can objectively watch them play knows it. Just ask Michigan, they'll tell you how soft ND really is!

What needs to be said

Check this out this editorial from 9/11/2006.



Amen, Keith!

I might post a little more on this later, but for those of you who know me, you know I lived in NYC at the time and I have very strong opinions about how our, ahem, Commander in Chief has handled the years since.

Sunday at the Q

My buddy Dan came down from LA and we went to Qualcomm Stadium yesterday for the Chargers home opener.


I got season tickets (the cheapest available) and they're really quite good. Although it was freakin' hot and both of us got sunburned. Next home game starts at 5:15pm so it shouldn't be a problem again.

The game was fun, I love watching the NFL on tv, especially with good friends and lots of beer, but there's just something about actually going to a game.

As for the game itself, it was no contest. San Diego took charge early on and never looked back. The Titans were pretty pathetic, even resorting to throwing Vince Young into the game at the end of the 2nd quarter! He was not impressive. Anyway, the Chargers got to a 33-0 lead at the end of the 3rd, when Dan and I decided to start heading out. The Chargers scored once more and Tennessee got a trash TD making the final score 40-7, ouch! I just hope the Chargers can keep it up once they start playing REAL teams, Ravens in 2 weeks, Steelers in 3.

As for my Jets, at least they kept it close and really, 1-1 to start the season is 1 win better then I thought they would be, if only they could play the Titans and Raiders all season... 

Hello

Well, we've just recently settled in San Diego ( a little over a month ago). So far it's great, the weather, the beach, a little more urban lifestyle then we had in Tucson, but more laid back then we had in NYC. I think I like the fact that we can walk so many places the most. We've already started losing some of the weight we put on living in perpetual AC for 3 years!

Anyway, here's a couple of pics. This is from Balboa Park, a great place that is about a 5 minute walk from our condo.
And here's a photo of the USS Nimitz leaving San Diego, we got to see it leave from Cabrillo Point.