E-Books

Today I went to the library near my place. I love reading, so I used to have a big bookshelf covering a wall of my room, but I had to sell most of my books to a book-recycle shop before I went to Africa three years ago. There was nowhere to keep them during my absence. In Africa, I really missed reading. I couldn't get Japanese books there. Some my friends were enjoying e-books, but the Japanese e-book industry was still fledgling, so they didn't have enough variety. I couldn't satisfy my thirst for books there. After I returned to Tokyo, I started to think that I should buy only e-books, because I can't take all my printed books if I move somewhere. But, I found that only books published recently are available as e-books, and older books aren't, and we can find many manga, novels for young adults, business books, and self-development e-books, but we can't find enough volumes of other genres. I heard on CNN that e-book publications exceed paper-based books in the US. Is the e-book industry in Japan still in it's early stages? If publication companies make all old books digital, I would be really happy, but is it impossible? I know there are companies who can make my paper-based books digital, but it costs money and I have so many books ... Anyway, I'm still scared to add new printed books to my book shelf, so I go to a library.

Ramen at AFRI in Ebisu

Today I ate ramen ( Japanese style-Chinese noodle) at AFRI in Ebisu. AFRI is a popular ramen restaurant. I love it!

This review is from Tokyo Metropolis   http://metropolis.co.jp/features/feature/ramenote/

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Popularizing a new style of ramen is no easy task. Popularizing something for the ladies is even harder. Afuri breaks into the male-dominated ramen scene with its light and refreshing—some would even say “healthy”—soups. The yuzu citrus-tinted shio ramen (yuzu shiomen, ゆず塩麺, ¥850) ensures a host of repeat customers. A newly opened shop in Harajuku makes a nice stop after that Omotesando Hills shopping spree.

1-1-7 Ebisu, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5795-0750. Open daily 11am-4am.

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A Lingerie Shop in Aoyama

I went to 'Rue de Ryu', a lingerie shop in Aoyama. The owner of the boutique, Madam Ryu is extraordinary. She is in her 50's and is a beautiful, very elegant, sophisticated and smart woman. She and her boutique have been introduced frequently in fashion magazines for 20 years. She always wears sexy lingerie and coordinates them as fashion items, for example, she wears a bustier under a jacket instead of a shirt. She has published 4 books about lingerie and her philosophy about life, beauty and health. She is a charismatic person for women.
Madam Ryu says, we can't choose bras using only the measurement. All women have different figures, so we should confirm if a bra fits our breasts before we buy one. These days, shopping on the web is really popular, so some people buy bras on the web. I have also done so sometimes. She says, we should try on bras with a skilled professional. I always wear a 70A size in Japan, 32A size in the UK, and they make me sick with pain. Madam Ryu selected a 65C, meaning 30C for me and it fitted ! Most of products in the shop were imported from Europe, but that one was Rue de Ryu's original pattern for Japanese women. I selected a red-lace one and Madam Ryu adjusted it with small falsies. It was pretty expensive but I was satisfied. We have to spend all-day long wearing a bra, so if it is nice and comfortable, we are happy!

Fish and Chips in Tokyo

Today I wanted to eat fish and chips suddenly. I searched for a place where I could eat it around my place on the web, and I went to a restaurant in Ueno. It wasn't too bad, but I think I can find a better one in another restaurant. I ate fish and chips when I went to London 15 years ago. I think the one I ate today was different from the one in London. Tokyo is a metropolis, so we can eat any kind of food from all over the world here. I believe that there is a restaurant that serves genuine British style fish and chips in Tokyo. I know that there are many British pubs in Tokyo. They might serve good fish and chips. The problem is that they are always crowded with people, and they are mostly guys from Western countries. I'm too scared to go there alone. In Tokyo, a woman going to a restaurant or bar by herself is very common, since many working single women are here. After work, we eat dinner on the way to our place. I can eat ramen, curry and beef-bowl in Yoshinoya by myself. Chinese dishes in a Chinese restaurant is also OK. Nobody pays much attention to me, so I can relax. But going to a pub alone is too hard, I imagine no single women are there. Maybe I should find a male friend to go there with ...

The Opening Party of El Caliente

On 27th Apr, I went to a opening party of new restaurant, El Caliente in Shinagawa. 

The operator is Huge, a restaurant company. The owner of the company, Mr. Shinkawa is famous in the restaurant industry. When former US president Mr. Bush came to Japan, Japanese prime minister Mr. Koizumi took him to an izakaya, a Japanese style pub in Nishi-Azabu. It was a kind of sensation, because until then only high-end restaurants were chosen in that situation. Shinkawa was the man who served sake and food to them. That pub, Gonpachi is not an izakaya actually, it is a stylish Japanese restaurant known as 'Kill Bill restaurant', because movie producer Quentin Tarantino created scenes in Kill Bill after being inspired by this restaurant. Shinkawa was a board member of that company and then he started his own company in 2005. Now Shinkawa is the new restaurant king in Tokyo. He has produced nice restaurants in trendy areas. His restaurants Rigoletto in Roppongi and one in Marunouchi are always full with customers as well as his other restaurants.
The new restaurant El Caliente is a Mexican restaurant. When I arrived at the party, it was already very crowded. I greeted Mr. Shinkawa at the entrance, and tried to see inside, but it was jammed with people, so my friend and I went to the balcony. 

On the stage a Latin band was playing music, I was happy with a Mexican beer and Latin music. Next time I want to taste their food, because we couldn't get to do so that night.

Salsa Party in Ebisu

Last Thursday, I went to a salsa party. My friend organized the party. I used to go salsa dance school, and my friends are still dancing.
I found some of my old friends. I've not danced salsa for years, so I wasn't sure if I could still dance or not but my old friends asked me to dance with them, and I could, because they were nice dancers with nice leading techniques. Salsa is pair-dance, so if the leader is good, the follower can follow them more easily.

When I was a salsa freak, I went to Latin clubs every weekend. There are several Latin dance clubs in Tokyo. You can see Peruvian, Colombian, Cuban and Western people are also there. It is a very culturally-mixed space and very exciting. Latin music makes you happy, as does Corona.

Travel in Nepal 13 : The National Elephant Festival in Chitowan

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday.
When I went to Chitowan National Park, the National Elephant Festival was taking place. I saw a parade in the main street in Sauraha, a village near by the park..

Travel in Nepal 12 : The Mountain View from Pokhara

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday.
In Pokhara, there is a big lake. I enjoyed a boat trip. From the boat, I could see a beautiful mountain range.

Pokhara is a city of tourism, so there are many restaurants for tourists. I went to a Tibetan restaurant because I needed Tomba, Tibetan local beer. ( see this article about Tomba http://hellotokyo1.blogspot.jp/2013/03/travel-in-nepal-5-tibetan-in-nepal.html)
 In that restaurant, I was only one tourist, all other people there were Nepalese. 

Travel in Nepal 11 : Bakutapur

My favorite place is Bakutapur. This historic city has been well-reserved since 18th century. The whole city is a kind of museum. Most buildings have been used since the former century, so residents there still live in them and use them as restaurants, shops and hotels. Nepalese women still wear their traditional clothes, so it makes the view of the city exotic and beautiful.

Travel in Nepal 10 : Shopping in Nepal

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday.
In the Tamel area, you can see many shops for tourists.

Most tourists come to Nepal for trekking, so many shops display North Face clothes and Marmot gear, but most of them are fake. I bought a North Face fleece jacket for 7USD and a pair of pants for 20USD. They looked OK, but they were not good quality. They were not good enough for serious outdoor activities. 
A pashmina, a type of fine cashmere, is also popular as a good souvenir from Nepal. In your country, they are expensive, but in Nepal, you can buy them for a much cheaper price. There are several fair trade shops in Kathmandu. Their prices are a little bit higher than other shops, but you can rely on their quality. In general, western NPOs are supervising them, so their products are oriented for tourists from western countries, meaning, the products there are more sophisticated. I bought a pashmina knit cap for my friend in one of the fair trade shops. It was 10USD.
At sightseeing spots, we can see souvenir sellers on the streets. One of them tried to sell a pendant to me. I said 'No'. I wasn't interested in it. Then he started to beg me to buy it ' Madam, it is just 2USD!', and then 'OK, 1USD!', at last, '50 cents!'. I laughed and bought it. He looked very dirty, so I thought if I didn't buy it, he couldn't have had dinner. Anyway, these kinds of conversations are part of good memories of traveling. 

Travel in Nepal 9 : Tempo

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday.
'Tempo' is one of the public transports in Nepal. It is an auto-rickshaw with three wheels. When I was in Nepal, I loved to use it. Taxis are OK for short trips, but I had to stay 30 days there, so I had to manage my expenses within a limited budget. The fee of the tempo is much cheaper than a taxi. So I used tempos almost everyday. 

There are no tempo stops on the street. When you find a tempo on the street, just raise your hand and make eye-contact with a driver, then they stop for you. You should say where you want to go to the driver, and if they say OK, you can get into it. There are several tempo routes, but it is difficult to understand for tourists so you should ask people that every time. Nepalese are kind, so they'll tell you if the tempo is the right one or not. Tempos are small, only 10 people can get into one tempo. Once, I found that the tempo was full, but I didn't want to wait for the next tempo. So I stood on the steps of the tempo and held the handrail. It was dangerous, and I was so thrilled but when the driver saw a police car ahead, he told me to enter inside. It is banned apparently. Most tempos are very old. They look about to break down but they work. After you get into a tempo, you might say your destination again to the driver and other passengers, and ask them to tell you when you arrive at that place. You should pay 15 rupees when you get off the tempo to the driver. ( 1USD = 80 rupees) My tempo experience made me feel as if I was also a local resident. I enjoyed it.

Travel in Nepal 8 : People in Nepal

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday. Nepal is a multi-cultural country. We can see many different races and tribes there. Some groups are like Chinese and Japanese, with yellow skin and black straight hair. 

Some groups look like Indians. Their faces are craggy, and they have black eyes and black wavy hair. Some groups have also black hair, but their eyes are light gray or sometimes green. Nepal is situated in the middle of Asia, so people there might have features of East Asian, South Asian or Central Asian. Japan is a homogeneous country, so I enjoyed seeing this variety of people in Nepal.

People in Nepal live according to their tradition. Some people told me that the culture in Nepal is changing towards a modern society, but basically they still get married within their tribe. In my view, that's why their features remain in their appearance. 
In Sauraha, I saw a parade at the local festival. I saw each ethnic group dressed in their own way and they danced their traditional dance.

 It was very exotic and interesting. Seeing different cultures abroad is one of the attractions for tourists.　I prefer public transport to taxis abroad, since I can experience the real local life there. I can also have the chance to chat with local people in public buses and local markets. It's also a good opportunity to know their life and culture.

Travel in Nepal 7: Pony Ride Trekking in Pokhara

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday. 
Pokhara is a city known as a starting point for the Annapurna Circuit Trekking and in Pokhara we can enjoy many outdoor activities. I tried some pony ride trekking meaning I climbed a mountain on a pony. I wasn't so interested in outdoor activities, but it was just a one-day activity, so I decided to try it. It was my first time riding a horse, so I was scared. There was one Nepalese guy as a guide, but I couldn't trust him. He showed up late, and he just told me 'Hold the saddle tight!' and 'No problem!' in strange Japanese. The road we went on was the same road for cars, so every time cars passed through a narrow section of road, we had to stop or hold the pony in check. It took almost 6 hours. My hips were in pain because the saddle was so hard. 

From the top of the mountain, I saw many tourists enjoying paragliding. I recommend that rather than pony ride trekking. Anyway, the view was awesome.

Pokhara is a city of tourism, so there are many restaurants for tourists. After the pony trekking, I went to one of those fine restaurants. In Nepal, basically I used just budget restaurants, but at that time, I really needed some delicious food for me. I was exhausted!

Travel in Nepal 6 : Women in Red in Nepal

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday. 
Nepalese women like the color red.

You can see many women in red dresses, red scarves and red stoles. They have a 'bindhi', a painted mark, on their forehead, which is also red. 

In Japanese culture, red is for young women. As we get older, we don't wear red. So, elder Nepalese women wearing red are interesting for me. In Nepal, apparently wearing red is traditional for women. 

They also have their own way of doing their makeup. They put black eyeliner around their eyes, and put red lipstick on their lips. Some women put jewellery on their noses. It seems to depend on the different tribes. Their hair is long. We rarely see women with short hair. 

In Nepal, we had to suffer from an electricity shortage meaning that we couldn't use electricity for 8-12 hours per day. So, I couldn't use hot water in the bathroom even though it was the cold season. Kathmandu is a very dusty city, so I wanted to take a bath every day, but I gave up. Once when I'd just arrived in Kathmandu, I took a shower and got a cold. The weather was cold, the shower was not hot enough, and I couldn't use a hair dryer. But, I saw many Nepalese women with wet hair in the morning. They wash their hair before they go to the office, with cold water, without a hair dryer. I admire their efforts to be clean.

Travel in Nepal 5 : Tibetan in Nepal

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday.
We can see Tibetan people in Nepal because Nepal is next to Tibet. They are neighbors. They are Mongoloid, so they look like Japanese people. Tibetans have their own culture which is different to Nepalese culture. Tibetan women wear Tibetan clothes and their accessories are also different. Tibetan silver jewellery is famous and popular as a good souvenir for tourists. Their religion is Buddhism, not Hindu. Their food is also different. I prefer Tibetan dishes to Nepalese dishes. The tibetan diet is East Asian style and includes Japanese style. I tried a Tibetan set meal in a Tibetan restaurant. There are several Tibetan restaurants there. The meal included stir- fried vegetables, rice, and soup with dumplings. 

We could choose a vegetarian meal or non-vegetarian meal. It was very hot, and a little bit greasy for me, but I enjoyed it.
They also have their local alcohol made from millet. It is called 'tomba' and it looks very strange.

You get millet grains in your cup and you should pour hot water on them and wait 5 min. Then you can drink it with a straw. It tastes a little sweet and a little sour. It is not strong alcohol. I liked tomba very much in Nepal. It was very cold weather at that time, and tomba was a hot drink. It made me feel warm.

Travel in Nepal 4 : Elephants in Chitowan

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday. 
I went to Chitowan National Park. It is near the border between Nepal and India. It takes about 7 hours by bus from Kathmandu. Chitowan National Park is one of the most well-reserved National Parks in Asia. In Chitowan National Park, I experienced an elephant ride safari which meant that we could explore the park by riding on the elephant's back like an Indian king ! In the morning, we went to the park with the tour organizers. We climbed up on to the elephant's back using a ladder. Four people sat on one elephant together, and the 'driver' sat in front of us. 

We went around the National Park and along a river. We saw wild crocodiles, rhinos, deers, and beautiful peacocks. 

It was an amazing experience. But riding an elephant was not comfortable. We sat on a saddle with a banister, and we had to hold on tight to the banister during the tour. 
I watched a football match there. It wasn't a normal match. It was an elephant football match! Nepalese treat elephants as horses. So they ride on elephant's backs and control them to play football. Incredible!

And the next day, I read an article in the newspaper. It said, the elephant's pageant had taken place there and they chose one elephant as a winner. Funny! At that time, the National Elephant Festival was taking place there, so we could see many attractions like parades, elephant races and so on. I was lucky !

Travel in Nepal 3 : Nepalese Food

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas Holiday. 
Nepalese eat stewed peas with spices. Usually, they are served with rice and spicy pickles. For me, it was O.K. but not so delicious. It is similar to Indian curry. I met some Indian tourists in Nepal, they said that they were really missing their Indian dishes. I thought that they wouldn't have any problems with the food in Nepal, because their diets are similar, but they said, "You might complain if Chinese people run a Japanese restaurant, and their menu differs from real Japanese dishes!" Yes, we can see many Japanese restaurants run by Chinese and some of them are disappointing for us. 
Nepalese eat stewed peas with rice twice a day, for lunch and dinner. They don't eat any breakfast, and just have some tea in the morning instead.
During meals, they have some nice snacks. The most popular snack among tourists is the Nepalese dumpling, 'momo'. Even the Lonely Planet recommends it. Usually, they are steamed and we eat them with a spicy sauce. We can find them, of course, in restaurants and also at street vendors. I was a frequent customer of a vendor near my friend's place. Twelve small momos cost about 35 cents. I ate momos with other Nepalese people on the side of the vendor, sometimes I brought them back to my friend's home. Besides momo, the other snacks include meat pies, fried chicken, and doughnuts.

Travel in Nepal 2 : NepaleseTemple

I traveled to Nepal during the last Christmas holiday.
In Nepal, there are many world heritage sites. Most of them are religious facilities. The primary religion there is Hindu followed by Buddhism. We Japanese also have temples in our country, but those in Nepal look different from ours. They are more colorful, not in Zen Style. And the Hindu Gods look more cheerful than Buddha. They dance, play music, sometimes they are making love on the tapestries! You can also see statues of Hindu Gods making love. Interesting! 

Besides, they worship Linga and Yooni. Those are metaphors for penis and vagina. You can find many Linga statues in the city and people bless them with flowers. Very interesting! Hindus admire the power of sex. Linga is a symbol of prosperity for them.
These Hindu temples are decorated with wood carvings and metal works. They are amazing. 

Nepal is next to Tibet, so there are Tibetan Buddhism temples in Nepal too. They are also very different from the Japanese Style. They are painted colorfully, and they like using gold there. In short, the Japanese Style is calm whereas the Nepalese Style looks loud. 

Despite the difference in style, I felt relief in these temples and I prayed. 

Travel in Nepal 1

Last Christmas holiday, I traveled to Nepal. I have dreamed to go there since I was a kid. I loved to watch T.V. programs about visiting exotic countries on the National Geographic Channel. Nepal was one of the most fascinating destinations for me. Last year, my friend moved to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal as an NGO employee. She invited me over and offered me free accommodation. I had enough mileage points to fly there, so I decided to go to my dream destination.
When I arrived in Kathmandu, I felt like I had arrived in the last century. There were no modern buildings. The traffic was crowded with old cars which were giving off black fumes. The roads were not paved well. Besides, they've been trying to expand all the roads in their capital. It means, all Kathmandu has been under construction. 

My hair, face, and clothes became very dirty immediately. Many people were using face masks to avoid the dusty air. One of the images of Nepal is the beautiful view of the Himalayan Mountain Range in clean, fresh air. But in Kathmandu, the air is very dirty and might be polluted. Although it's dusty air, Kathmandu looked bustling and vibrant. 

I saw a lot of people in colorful clothes on the street where there were many small shops along with narrow paths. It looked like a labyrinth.