Kyoto-1

Hello there again.

I am in Tokyo now, and my internet-money is running out after all this blog work. I will try to give you an impression of Kyoto a.s.a.p. for in this hostell there is easy to use internet... but a bit expensive... dont know when I will be able to use it again because tomorrow will be a busy day- running from temple to temple.

More to come soon...

Photos

By the way people, I have arranged some of the photos in the picasa albums-new and old-, and turned them so they are better to view...

Kanazawa

After Sendai I travelled to Kanazawa on the north-coast of Japans main island. By bullettrain it took me just a couple of hours. It was a great trip to see some of the countryside... wanted to jump out and do some more hikes... hope I have time for that at the end of my trip... after having seen Kyto and all of that...

Kanazawa is quite a small city, and not much there except one of Japans best gardens, a beautifull villa- where taking photos was out of the question, and a very new museum of contemporary art. I checked into a small guesthouse... and this turned out to be amazing again!! Runned by a friendly older woman, it was just great! Clean tatami room again for me, and quite a few interesting travelers- some americans and an australian botanist woman... very nice conversations again.. and some tips for my trip in Australia. Unfortunately I have not taken any pictures of that guesthouse.... it was as if time had stood still for 40years. The telephones for the rooms were still distributed from the reception with one of these antique swithboards! And all the painting and furniture was old, but very well maintained and clean.. amazing.. all organized around a small patio garden.

The museum and the gardeb were just a couple of mintues walking. In the museum there was quite an interesting exhibition of Ron Mueck, who makes hyper realist sculptures... really amazing! I added some pictures I googled just to give you an impression. Forget about Duane Hanson of the sixties.. this guy makes madamme Toussods looks like amateurs!

Anyway, the museum is quite an interesting building aswell, but I dont want this to become an architecture blog- so, just google it if you want more, or check the pictures in my picasa album.

The garden was really amazing- I can understand it is one of Japans best. It was again very hot and humid and cloudy, and however it might have spoiled the pictures a bit, the sights were stunning! Enjoy the pictures at:

pictures at picasa

Sendai-2

Hello there!

In Sendai in that great hostell I met an Italian girl named Alessandra, she was from Torino and was doing an internship at Slow Food, Japan. Very interesting stuff, great talks. Also, the Sendai Mediatheque, a famous contemporary building I wanted to see, was closed on my first day, so I had to stay another night for else I would have come up north- by 300km/hour bullet train, you have seen in the previous pictures- for nothing.

Luckily I waited fot the Mediatheque to open because it was really a radical building[in terms of structure], really worth seeing. Especially the lift-ride trough one of these web-like shafts was really some experience.

That day I had to spent extra in Sendai was a great day by the way. I found out, just in time, that some of Japans best coastal scenery was close to Sendai: a small bay filled with with over 200 small islands. No people and just some small fishing-villages. It was kind of difficult finding my way there since everything was only in Japanese... but really nice to be hiking a bit in nature! Spent a day crossing some bridges to some islands and climbing a small hill there... Hope the pictures tell some of the Sendai story. In real-life it was about a 100times better- except for the crazy heat and humidity.

For the pictures check:
http://picasaweb.google.com/basvanderpol1980/Sendai

Sendai-1

Dear all,

I am in Sendai now (and found time to quickly write...). Just wanted to show you how great the youthostell in Sendai is! Check the pictures above! Traditional tatami-rooms in traditional old farmhouse! Fantastic.

I cam here by Shinkansen, bullettrain. Very comfortable. I will stay only one day (2 noghts) and then hit the road again.

Hope you are all well. Take care- Bas.

Tokyo and Yokohama

Dear people,

Finally I found another internet-place. Today I visited a fishmarket in Tokyo and Yokohama. And yesterday afternoon I went up one of Tokyo's tallest buildings. I have added to pictures to the picasa page from previous message.

Tomorrow I will leave Tokyo and head for Sendai (north).

Its amazing here.

Bas.

Tokyo- Japan

Dear All!

I have arrived in Tokyo. It was a excellent flight, contrary to my expectations. I had the best seat in the plane and very kind KLM people and a nice German guy (living in Tokyo) sitting next to me to chat a bit.

Marieke, my Dutch friend that works as an architect here in Tokyo, picked me up at a trainstation and I am staying at her small but quite comfortable place. She usually works crazy hours but she seems to have been able to make some time to spent with me which is excellent.. and he has introduced me to Tokyo and learned me quickly how to travel this huge (35million inhabitants) megapolis. Great to have such a guide!

Everything is amazing here, everything is so different, and people speak hardly any English (which I find quite amazing). And I am told that outside the Tokyo-Yokohama region there is even lesser English or Western-writing... so, I suppose Japan will become quite an adventure...

The first 2 days I have been going around the city while Marieke was working. I have checked some areas with very interesting contemporary architecture (since Tokyo has grown very fast and was bombed during the war not a lot of historic stuff still excists in Tokyo- so, temple pictures will come once I visit Kyoto). The only drawback is that is is the rainy season now in Japan, and it has been raining a lot since I got here (almost 2 days in a row now, first day was a bit better though). But it is ok- I guess I will get used to 26 degrees and rain...

Oh yes, I have also felt already two earthquakes (terremoto in Spanish I believe). Nothing to worry about, "we get one of those every couple of days" Marieke told me. Haha, welcome to Japan!

Marieke will go for work now to London and Paris and Lausanne, so she will be back in Tokyo next week, by which time I will have left first North to Sendai and then Southward to Kyoto, Osaka and more. First two more days in Tokyo and Yokohama. At the end, 8-11 june probably I will be visiting Tokyo-area again.

Oh yes, before I forget: it is quite hard to find a place with internet here, since every Japanese has internet on his mobile they have no need to go outdoors... so I have no clue how often I will be able to post any messages on the blog or upload any pictures. Sorry for that. I`ll make up for that in Australia, it`s a promise.

Also my mobile phone doesnt work, so don`t be tempted to sent any messages since I will not be able at all to read them (unfortunately).

Well, folks, that`s all for now. Thanks for all your kind messages! Contrary to all your beliefs, I will (and already do) miss you guys every now and then. But I am fine now and looking forward to seeing the rest of this a-mazing country.

Take care,

Bas.

for pictures check: http://picasaweb.google.com/basvanderpol1980/TokyoJapan1


PS1 Marc and Clarissa: yes! looking forward to meeting you in Australia! Can`t wait, to be honest, especially after our good times in Darmstadt and Frankfurt!
PS2 Jan, vet succes met de laatste loodjes van de film- ik ben er zeker van dat hij heeel vet wordt en kan niet wachten hem te ontvangen. Laat me even weten als ie klaar is want misschien is het het makkelijkst als je hem op CD naar die vriend van me in Melbourne stuurt.
PS3 Freek makker hou je haaks, wat ben je toch een fijne vent.
PS4 Ka, ik mis jullie nu al, maar dat maakt niks, ik ga nu vet genieten.
PS5 Benjamin tio! Fijn dat je mijn blog gevonden en gechecked heb- keep it up.
PS6 Helen, ich denke auch an dich- und viel gluck mit Bjorn zusammen wohnen zu gehen!! Grussen auch fur ihn.
PS7 Jordie, thanks- en ich weit dat ste good op heur lets.
PS8 Elke, tot snel! Succes met je kunstwerken (en vergeet sleutels en contract SAM niet).

hasta patata

Tot in de pruimentijd mensen! Laatste dagen waren super!

starting date

It has to start somewhere
It has to start some time
What better place then here?
What better place then now!?

19 june 2008, 15:20h, my flight to Tokyo will leave from Schiphol Airport (Amsterdam). Just so you know.
Bas.

prologe

Like every 'tour', my 'tour du monde' has a 'prologe' aswell. I visited the Greek island of Milos with Laetitia, one of my very best friends! All pictures you see are made by her (some are incredible). It was an amazing trip and a great way to prepare and relax before my world-trip.

Milos is a volcanic island (like famous Santorini) and has many amazing landscapes: every erosiontype geology has to offer you will find on Milos. We found many many deserted rocky beaches with crystal clear blue water. Amazingly beautifull and for us alone (almost no tourists in june at Milos). We camped, rented bikes (and a small scooter for one day), had great food... just perfect.

Now a week of final preperations and say-off's is a awaiting me. I must say I sense a bit of anxiety now... but, if you want something in life: just reach out and grab it.

You can check a few pictures at: http://picasaweb.google.com/basvanderpol1980/PrologeGreece3608110608