Seoul Station

Thursday May 7 Day 9

Another early morning, breakfast is at 6:30 am. We then catch a shuttle to the station for our 8:30 am train. We are in the home stretch now and headed to our last destination, Seoul, South Korea.

We arrive around 11 am and walk through the station toward the nearest exit to our hotel. I notice that there are what look to be emergency kit centres throughout the station that contain things like face masks, flashlights, and other gear of that nature. Coupled with the email I received from the consulate, I deduce that this place might not be as safe as most that I’ve been. I spend much of the day wondering what would happen to a city like Toronto that is not this prepared. Also how big does a threat have to be for a city to implement publicly accessible emergency gear? Translate to: Am I in danger right now?

Bestie says what I am thinking, it sure smells like pee, as we walk up the stairs exiting closest to our hotel. The nicest hotel yet, it feels good to enjoy on the last night of the trip. Our room is equipped with emergency gear as well, there are instructions with pictures on the box. We’re only three floors up so I’ll just jump if any thing crazy goes down.

Today is another shopping day, so after dropping our bags off we head out to see what this town has to offer. At minimum I need a suitcase and the first hood we stop in has exactly what I’m looking for. A Paris themed hard top catches my eye, so Bestie haggles the price down low and we have a deal. With my only must-have off the list we are free to roam at leisure, well sort of.

I still have some gifts to get so we explore a few other neighborhoods before going to Gangnum to eat. Disappointed with the selection so far, we make our last stop at Seoul Station. This turns out to be a good idea and I finish off getting gifts for everyone left on my list, and also pick up a gadget for myself. It is called an energy bank and is smaller than my phone, holding enough juice to keep my devices fully charged for almost a workweek. Where has this been all my life.

Bestie’s flight is at 1 am, so we kill time until she has to leave for the airport. I walk with her through the train station as far as I can, and we say our good byes at the elevator. I am not sure at what time, but at some point Seoul Station turns certain hallways into homeless shelters and I pass one on my way back alone.

Seoul Station turns into a shelter

I smile to myself, that explains the piss smell, but I move a little faster up the stairs and out the exit. Walking down the street to the hotel I think how good of an idea it is to give those in need a place to stay for the night. I also wonder if it came to a vote what I would choose for my own city? Not knowing the answer makes me uncomfortable, it’s hard to imagine how you would feel about a situation until you see it with your own two eyes.

I get back to the room unharmed. Tomorrow is our last day of the trip and I am meeting up with an old friend at 10:30 am. Relieved that I get to sleep in just a little, the alarm is set for 8 am and I’m asleep before midnight.

A Room With A View

Tuesday May 5 Day 7

It’s a travel day. Everything is going as expected, but not to plan. Perfect! We can’t all fit on the shuttle bus – awesome! We are late to catch the train – great! We manage to make it to Narita airport on time so it’s been an all right morning, until I am forced to check the sword. Who knew that bringing a toy sword on board a plane wasn’t going to fly? Not I that’s for sure. Relieved I don’t have to toss it all together, it gets bagged, tagged, and thrown on top of the suitcases. See you in Busan nephew’s Samurai sword. Problem averted and it’s smooth sailing through security. Bestie and I browse the airport shops and then look for a spot to get comfortable.

There is a fairly regular stream of nonsense and sarcasm that leaves my mouth, so it takes a skilled and astute individual to be able to recognize when I’m kidding and when I’m not. So when I suggest to Bestie that we wait for boarding in the massage chairs, she practically races me to them. I wasn’t kidding and she knew it. There was just enough time to work out the kinks of Japan before getting on our flight. Next stop South Korea.

Cue the fish smell. Might I remind you that I’m on an airplane (you should be yelling that last part). This is not a nightmare, my eyes are open and I’m actually watching the stewards’ pass out trays of this stuff. With one now in front of me, I’m still in disbelief. I felt certain that the smell had to be coming from a lone pescetarian’s special meal. Nope, it’s everybody’s’. I promptly hand my tray back to the first attendant I can and spend the next few minutes stressing about smelling like fish when we land. I resolve to sleep it off.

My phone starts to vibrate as soon as we touch down; it’s an email from the consulate. No big deal, just some emergency information and contacts to carry with me during my stay in South Korea. For the record, I have never been emailed by the consulate while travelling. Dorothy, we are not in Kansas anymore. This place is going to require more street smarts and we haven’t even left the airport yet. I’m happy that Bestie is well travelled and won’t be scared to explore regardless of how dicey it gets.

View from our room in Busan

We freshen up at the hotel and ditch a tour of the city with our group. Instead we take off on our own to check out the largest shopping complex in the world. Joined by Pretty Lady and her roommate, we walk together to the subway. The streets are not as clean and the people less friendly than in Tokyo. Not even on the subway yet, we have a small altercation. I’m not sure who pissed off the karma gods but this day continues to get worse.

At the mall our luck doesn’t change, Pretty Lady is declined when she asks to try on a dress and the reason given is that the dress is too small. Insert impregnated pause here. Ferocious at this point we head back to the hotel to call it a night, but not without incident.

The subway we ride back on is fairly empty, so the four of us sit on bench seats at the end of the car. Note that all the seats around us are unoccupied. A young guy in a baseball cap presents his iPad to Pretty Lady and she reads it out loud for the rest of us. “These seats are reserved, please abide by the laws of Korea”. We get up immediately and stand. At the next stop a local woman around my age sits in the exact same spot. What does Pretty Lady do? She pokes Baseball Cap on the shoulder and gestures about the woman now seated there. He sheepishly creeps over and explains to the woman in Korean, she tells him her ankle is sore and he tries to communicate this to us, but we are mad and escalating. At the next stop 2 more woman join Ankle Lady on the bench, and Baseball Cap slithers to the other side of the car to avoid having to take further action.

Not feeling this place at all, I bail on dinner plans and go back to the hotel room to wait for tomorrow to come. Bestie and Pretty Lady have their own adventure with Korean BBQ and then bring the after party back to our room. The dancing goes until dawn and I am unsure what time I actually fell asleep. With the alarm set for its usual time, tomorrow will be a better day.

Old Fashioned Girl

Monday May 4 Day 6

I hit snooze a few times on the alarm, when I finally get up there are still no messages from Roomie. Before we decide on a plan of action my phone chirps and it’s her. With all well in the world, Bestie and I head out for some gift shopping. I’ve been dying to see Shibuya by day, so that’s where we go to first.

After enjoying crepes at a café and a quick stop into Vivienne Westwood, we abort mission and leave this hood. Home to the busiest intersection in the world, it’s just not my scene today.

Since it’s souvenirs we need, and Asakusa has had the best selection so far, we get back on the subway and head that way.

At this point I’m going to take a moment to discuss the toilet situation in Japan. Hands down they are by far the most high tech toilets I have ever experienced. The seats are heated, there are options for sounds and music, even the bidet has options. No matter how many bells and whistles, nothing is taking my mind off the fact that in the stall right next door, someone is squatting over a hole in the floor. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I’m of the camp that feels you cannot pimp out your toilets when you still have squatters.

Back in Asakusa, it feels nice to have the day free. Bestie and I maintain a slower pace to take in the details we missed on our first visit, Day 3. I am thrilled to find a Monchichi shop, by far my favourite childhood toy. I pick one up for myself, outfitted in a Kimono and impossible to resist. Pleased with our purchases, we wander the backstreets and catch our last few glimpses of this place, before returning to the hotel.

A day would not be complete without getting lost at least once, and we arrive back a lot later than planned. Opting for noodles again at the Chinese food place next door, we stay in the rest of the night.

Packed for the morning to fly to Busan, I’m in bed before midnight for the first time this trip, the alarm set for 5 am.

Last Night Shift In Tokyo’s Womb

Day 5 Part 2

I can’t sleep so I shower, then start getting ready to go out for round two of this day. The others wake at some point after and do the same.

I am first to the lobby, just in time to see Roomie’s new friend from a few nights ago walk in. We talk until the other two arrive, then hail a cab and head to Shibuya. It has been too long since we last ate, so we stop into a little spot close to our destination for a quick bite to eat. What are the chances, but they are playing old school hip hop and R&B, reminiscent of Bestie and I’s teen club days. Although it is after 1 am, this place is packed.

We are seated at the very back in a triangle shaped booth-like room that separates us from the main area. It feels exclusive which I like. The pre drink kicks off; I stick with water because I’m holding out for Red Bull at the club. The meal is quick, and we bounce to the nightclub Womb just up the street. Roomie decides it’s not her vibe and splits, Bestie and I know it’s exactly our vibe and prance into the club like schoolgirls. We are going to be doing this until 100.

This is what I live for. I don’t even dance but enjoy the debauchery. It’s not hard to find my drink, there’s a Red Bull vending machine on the third floor. No surprise there, Japan has a vending machine for everything. Bestie dances as usual. I exchange awkward moments with strangers who brave the heavy beats to shout small talk at me in an English I don’t understand. It’s easy for things to get lost in translation and I’m amused by their efforts.

DJ Mark Knight finishes his set and it’s close to five am. Bestie and I pull a sneaky maneuver to ditch the clingers collected over the past few hours and exit onto the street. Simultaneously donning sunglasses, we look for a taxi to whisk us away. After a few attempts to explain where we are going the driver finally figures it out and we are en route to our home base in Shinjuku.

Shortly after arriving in our room there is a knock at the door. This is where the youngsters come to after party and it looks like this morning is no exception. It’s Pretty Lady, a fellow trip mate. Still in her dress, as are we, I throw her some joggers and a t-shirt, and we all change into our comfy’s to swap stories in the park. Pretty Lady’s night has ours’ beat for sure.

The hotel restaurant starts serving breakfast at 7 am; so we head back to grab food then part ways to get some sleep. The alarm is set for 11 am and Roomie is first on the priority list if we haven’t heard from her by then.

Day 3: Part 1

Friday May 1 Day 3

No matter which way I try to put it, Day 3 cannot be told in a single post.

Day 3: Part 1

Where to start, where to end, what to tell?

The alarm goes off at 5 am. I’m not one who likes to get up in the morning so my alarm criteria are lengthy; loud and obnoxious definitely top the list. It’s not just waking me up but everyone else in the room, and maybe a couple of neighbours. Needless to say it’s 5 am and I’m up and ready for the day. The itinerary is packed, which is exactly how I like to see a city. My outfit plan has already been sorted weeks before when I decided what to pack, so I was on autopilot for the rest of the day. Our group of 20 meet in the hotel lobby for 9ish to start on the day’s journey. First stop – Harajuku. I am expecting to enter a world catering entirely to Lolittas. Although I am not disappointed when we arrive, I am surprised at how Disney everything feels.

Harajuku

Even the Disney store feels more Disney, the sales girls holding teddy bears that practically come alive with their touch. With gestures, not words, it is explained to me that each bear is the likeness of a well-known Disney character and only available in Japan. I know right! Check them out:

http://www.disneystore.co.jp/shop/u_page/giftunibear.aspx

I want one of each, but there’s no time to shop because we are already late to meet for our next stop on the itinerary, Meiji Shrine. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to take pictures of everything, it is just so different from what I am familiar with at home. I have to pry myself away from the camera to seize the day, these are moments I want to be present in, this is what it’s all about.

Meiji Shrine

Good thing because this place needs attention, everything has a meaning, a ritual, a tradition and I want to know it all. Although I consider myself to be without God, I can’t help but feel drawn to the spiritual vibe of this place.   I like the idea of fortunes and lucky charms, and I grab a few of each from the shops. Of course I grabbed one for love and another for success,; really I’m open to improvement so could use a charm in every area of my life. I also received a fortune that could not have been more appropriate. To end our time at the shrine we were witness to a traditional Japanese wedding. I’m not sure if there are any superstitions around weddings and luck, but it felt like we had been chosen to witness this event, and that felt lucky to me. Grateful, I snapped a picture.

Meiji Shrine

Our next stop was the Tokyo Sky Tree. I looked forward to finally catching a glimpse of Mt. Fuji and seeing how the largest metropolitan in the world compares to some of the biggest cities I’ve seen. Japan continues to exceed my expectations, it makes my heart beat fast to see a city that sprawls farther than the eye can see, whichever direction you look. I decide from this vantage point that I could never live here, but would have to return to finish what this trip starts because it is way too big to see in only 3 days.

Skytree view of Tokyo

Our last spot of the day takes us to Senso-ji in Asakusa, one of (if not the) oldest Temples in Tokyo. Leading up to it, rows of souvenir shops, some of the best knick-knack shopping that I’ve ever done. I got so carried away picking out a Samurai sword for my nephew that I completely lost track of time and my Bestie. I had to run through the Temple (which for the record is at the very end of all these awesome shops), but managed to make it to the meet spot on time. The pictures are blurry as a result though.

Senso-ji in Asakusa

Reunited as a trio; Bestie, Roomie, and I head back in the direction of our hotel, grabbing dinner at a place we had picked out the night before. A cool spot, walking distance to our place where we sat on the floor to eat and were required to remove our shoes before entering. This was not a problem; our feet welcomed the rest after pounding the pavement all day.

Shinjuku dinner

I hatch a plan over dinner electing to go back to the hotel and sleep now, waking up at midnight to start our day. Rather than staying up all-night and grabbing a couple hours when we get in at 5 am. That way we could sleep 4 hours, wake up at midnight and stay out all night, we just need to be back in time for breakfast at 7 am. The other girls are in, so we finish eating and head to our beds. The alarm is set for midnight.

P.S. Meiji Shrine may have happened before Harajuku Day 3. It has only been 2 weeks and I have already started to forget major details. Good thing I’m getting it all down now, because at this rate I won’t even remember going to Japan at all.

ROUND 1: Shopping Vs. C++

While reviewing last semester’s notes I came across what distinguishes C++ from other languages.  C++ is a hybrid language, how cool does that sound? WTF does that even mean? I read on and it all started to make sense – like I was suddenly at the Las Vegas airport – bells and lights I swear. I finally get the big picture with this C++ stuff. Here is my “Basically” explanation. Basically, not only can we break our problem into activities, but we can also break it into objects.  Get out of here, this C++ is just like shopping!  And what is shopping? An activity.  Once you’re at the mall, then you can purchase stuff like objects.  Now this part was a little tricky for my girlie brain to wrap around but if I’m not mistaken – everything in that mall would be an object. Stores, fast food joints, items to purchase, even the mall itself, all of them are objects. The objects can contain objects – I guess a clothing item would inherit the store brand – but both the store and the item are objects.  This is giving me a totally new perspective and affection for C++. I love shopping, so if C++ is anything like it then maybe I will love C++ too. I’ll keep you posted!

Resources: Introduction to C++ for C Programmers (pg 2)