Another day, another 23,000 odd steps. Today was a beautiful one of exploring, beginning with coffee and cakes in Shibuya (The Roastery) for breakfast (again, thanks Ocky!) which was excellent, followed by wandering in and out of shops that were way too cool for us. I fell in love with a number of items, none of which I could afford, but it was fun to look anyway. For lunch we went to The Great Burger, which was excellent and very filling. The addition of cumin seeds to the coleslaw is something to remember for home.
After lunch and more wandering we popped into the famous cat cafe for about twenty minutes, the kitties were adorable, sleepy, and clearly didn't care about anything much at all. The cafe itself is delightfully decorated to give the cats plenty of opportunities to climb and play, but they were pretty much all asleep and disinterested. The cafe is opposite another famous park, so we decided to have a wander.
We spent a few hours in Yoyogi park, stopping for sake ice cream in the middle. The park itself surrounds Meiji shrine, and it was lovely to return there and pay our respects again. The beautifully lush forest was peaceful and provided a welcome rest from the bustle of the inner city.
From Yoyogi we made our way to Shinjuku with the intention of grabbing dinner at the robot restaurant, but it was fully booked, so we wandered around to try and find somewhere to eat. We finally settled on ramen and gyoza, both of which were excellent. Our feet were killing us, so we hopped on the train to Shibuya.
The l'occitane store also has a cafe overlooking the famous Shibuya crossing, so we had a dessert stop which was divine. You know when you look at a dessert menu and you just want all the things? Well, this place thought of that and had a dessert platter with all of them! Sorbet, creme brûlée, cream cake, and a 'cheese dessert' which was essentially cheesecake filling on its own. This was a perfect way to end the day, so we stopped by the 7/11 on the way back home for some jar 'o sake and came home for an early-ish night.
- Jess
Japan - Day 3 - Disneyland Sea
Today was all about Disney Sea, the Japanese only twin theme park to Disneyland. We dawdled this morning, waking up at 9.30am, so we arrived later than we expected too. We did, however, grab an excellent coffee from About Life Coffee (thanks Ocky!) which is literally opposite where we're staying.
After an hour or so of travelling, we entered the second happiest place on earth, Disney Sea. We were immediately struck by the differences in layout and vibe in this park compared to Disneyland. Whereas the latter is brimming with childlike enthusiasm and lurid, colourful details, this park is just a little darker in tone and presentation. There were some quite adult references in the posters and signage, the castle is themed around Leonardo Da Vinci, and the evening show was absolutely stunning, but centred significantly on Disney Villains rather than on princesses or heroes.
We had fewer rides than we expected, but we did manage to get onto four main ones: Journey to the centre of the earth, Indiana Jones, Raging Spirits, and 20,000 leagues under the sea. Wait times were long and the fast passes didn't help us much this time, so we had a few kids rides, including Jasmine's magic carpet ride, and Sinbad the Sailor. They were fun, but not quite as thrilling as we expected.
We had a delicious lunch at the Japanese restaurant, and dinner was very late from one of the Italian restaurants. The food was generally good, with the tiramisu a highlight. We ran out of time for shopping, so we didn't actually get any souvenirs! We weren't grabbed by anything in particular though, so this wasn't disappointing.
Overall today was great fun, but a little dimmed by our knowledge of the other Disney parks we've visited. Whilst it wasn't bad by any measure, it lacked a certain something in presentation and feel in comparison. Some elements, like the final show, were superior, and the animatronics were amazing, but it occasionally lacked pizzazz.
We've only just arrived home now (12.20am) so it's time for a much needed sleep, not to mention a rest for our very sore feet!
- Jess
Disneyland Sea not only sells booze, but they sell beer slushies!
My cold is pretty much gone now. Still on Codral but it's manageable. Feels like it's turning into a dry cough.
It's hot and humid here and it's as though people don't know how to dress for such weather. They all seem to still wear jackets, even though it's 30+ and humid.
- Andrew
After an hour or so of travelling, we entered the second happiest place on earth, Disney Sea. We were immediately struck by the differences in layout and vibe in this park compared to Disneyland. Whereas the latter is brimming with childlike enthusiasm and lurid, colourful details, this park is just a little darker in tone and presentation. There were some quite adult references in the posters and signage, the castle is themed around Leonardo Da Vinci, and the evening show was absolutely stunning, but centred significantly on Disney Villains rather than on princesses or heroes.
We had fewer rides than we expected, but we did manage to get onto four main ones: Journey to the centre of the earth, Indiana Jones, Raging Spirits, and 20,000 leagues under the sea. Wait times were long and the fast passes didn't help us much this time, so we had a few kids rides, including Jasmine's magic carpet ride, and Sinbad the Sailor. They were fun, but not quite as thrilling as we expected.
We had a delicious lunch at the Japanese restaurant, and dinner was very late from one of the Italian restaurants. The food was generally good, with the tiramisu a highlight. We ran out of time for shopping, so we didn't actually get any souvenirs! We weren't grabbed by anything in particular though, so this wasn't disappointing.
Overall today was great fun, but a little dimmed by our knowledge of the other Disney parks we've visited. Whilst it wasn't bad by any measure, it lacked a certain something in presentation and feel in comparison. Some elements, like the final show, were superior, and the animatronics were amazing, but it occasionally lacked pizzazz.
We've only just arrived home now (12.20am) so it's time for a much needed sleep, not to mention a rest for our very sore feet!
- Jess
Disneyland Sea not only sells booze, but they sell beer slushies!
My cold is pretty much gone now. Still on Codral but it's manageable. Feels like it's turning into a dry cough.
It's hot and humid here and it's as though people don't know how to dress for such weather. They all seem to still wear jackets, even though it's 30+ and humid.
- Andrew
Japan - The flight, day one and day two
After a long eight year wait, we are back in one of our favourite places in the world; Tokyo! This is a city that's easy to fall in love with, the beautiful gardens, amazing food, eclectic fashion, and exceptional organisation, not to mention hidden gems everywhere, mean that this time around we're excited to see all the new (and old) places to explore.
Our flight was a trying one, Andrew was horribly sick with a nasty cold, so fever, aching and a sore throat meant he did not do very well. I was fine. We arrived in Tokyo at eight pm local time, having been up since three am, and bleary eyed we cleared customs, changed trains three times, and at eleven pm finally found our hotel. We were so exhausted, we went straight to bed. Andrew dosed up on Codral and I started feeling ill too, we needed sleep.
Upon waking up, showering and packing after our one night in a hotel, we felt a bit better and began exploring. Our hotel was opposite the Emperor's Palace, so we decided to wander the gardens to begin with. They are simply stunning in Summer. Last time we were here in Winter and the grass and some plants were dormant (brown) so it was magnificent seeing flowers and trees blooming. The gardens are exquisitely manicured, and they are a tranquil oasis that made us both feel better. We had some ice-cream on the lawn, continued our walk, and came out near Tokyo central station.
Tokyo station is a labyrinth of shops, eateries, cafes and restaurants. Think old style David Jones food court but shinier. We opted for a brunch of Dashi rice bowls, which was served with pickled veggies and seafood and chicken, and it was delicious. We spent a couple of hours wandering around the station, did some clothes shopping at Uniqlo, and then went back to the hotel to pick up our bags and make our way to our AirBnB in Shibuya.
After a lot of running around Shibuya station looking for the locker our key was in, we found it and began the walk up the hill to our apartment. After overshooting it, we eventually found it and settled into the beautiful little studio that will be home for the next nine days. It's bigger than we were expecting, very quiet, and in the heart of Shibuya. By this stage it was nearly dinner time, so out we went again.
And lo and behold, we're about ten shops from a Mos Burger! The last time we were here, we discovered this unique Japanese burger joint, but back then it was like an eighties McDonald's. Now it's more like Nordburger, decked out in a Scandinavian style, but the burgers are just as good as we remembered. Dinner done, it was time to properly shop. We stopped into Uniqlo and H&M, the big ones, picking up more summer clothes. We did all nine floors of 109, the famous clothing hub, which is utterly overwhelming. Imagine if the shop Live was every store in Marion, the music was up in all of them, and they had two of three assistants constantly shouting their specials at once.
Back outside, we decided to just explore the alleys and side streets, and we spent hours shopping and wandering aimlessly. We found a parfait place for dessert, which was amazing, and after our much needed sit down, we made our way back to our apartment to post photos. In spite of the 27,000 steps, the excellent food, tea and atmosphere have made us feel infinitely better. Time for sleep before Disneyland Sea tomorrow!
- Jess
Here is a link to all a daily dump of all our photos if you're interested.
https://goo.gl/photos/3NKa74sueRTAzJog6
- Andrew
Our flight was a trying one, Andrew was horribly sick with a nasty cold, so fever, aching and a sore throat meant he did not do very well. I was fine. We arrived in Tokyo at eight pm local time, having been up since three am, and bleary eyed we cleared customs, changed trains three times, and at eleven pm finally found our hotel. We were so exhausted, we went straight to bed. Andrew dosed up on Codral and I started feeling ill too, we needed sleep.
Upon waking up, showering and packing after our one night in a hotel, we felt a bit better and began exploring. Our hotel was opposite the Emperor's Palace, so we decided to wander the gardens to begin with. They are simply stunning in Summer. Last time we were here in Winter and the grass and some plants were dormant (brown) so it was magnificent seeing flowers and trees blooming. The gardens are exquisitely manicured, and they are a tranquil oasis that made us both feel better. We had some ice-cream on the lawn, continued our walk, and came out near Tokyo central station.
Tokyo station is a labyrinth of shops, eateries, cafes and restaurants. Think old style David Jones food court but shinier. We opted for a brunch of Dashi rice bowls, which was served with pickled veggies and seafood and chicken, and it was delicious. We spent a couple of hours wandering around the station, did some clothes shopping at Uniqlo, and then went back to the hotel to pick up our bags and make our way to our AirBnB in Shibuya.
After a lot of running around Shibuya station looking for the locker our key was in, we found it and began the walk up the hill to our apartment. After overshooting it, we eventually found it and settled into the beautiful little studio that will be home for the next nine days. It's bigger than we were expecting, very quiet, and in the heart of Shibuya. By this stage it was nearly dinner time, so out we went again.
And lo and behold, we're about ten shops from a Mos Burger! The last time we were here, we discovered this unique Japanese burger joint, but back then it was like an eighties McDonald's. Now it's more like Nordburger, decked out in a Scandinavian style, but the burgers are just as good as we remembered. Dinner done, it was time to properly shop. We stopped into Uniqlo and H&M, the big ones, picking up more summer clothes. We did all nine floors of 109, the famous clothing hub, which is utterly overwhelming. Imagine if the shop Live was every store in Marion, the music was up in all of them, and they had two of three assistants constantly shouting their specials at once.
Back outside, we decided to just explore the alleys and side streets, and we spent hours shopping and wandering aimlessly. We found a parfait place for dessert, which was amazing, and after our much needed sit down, we made our way back to our apartment to post photos. In spite of the 27,000 steps, the excellent food, tea and atmosphere have made us feel infinitely better. Time for sleep before Disneyland Sea tomorrow!
- Jess
Here is a link to all a daily dump of all our photos if you're interested.
https://goo.gl/photos/3NKa74sueRTAzJog6
- Andrew
Day 33 - Doctor Who and Bath
Our last day I the United Kingdom spanned two countries. We began in Cardiff with the Doctor Who experience, which was a fun way to spend a morning. The costumes, props and activities were great to see, and we were able to see inside the Tardis! From there we drove to Bath, our final city before home.
It's a beautiful place, which feels like continental Europe rather than Britain, and as it was our last day, we decided to splurge. There is only one place which uses the original Roman springs, and so we booked in for a massage and access to the three levels of hot springs and saunas. Four hours of luxuriating in aromatherapy saunas, rooftop pools and mineral springs, as well a having a lovely head to toe massage is a blissful way to experience why the Romans built here nearly two thousand years ago. It was a decadent, thoroughly relaxing way to spend our last day.
From the spa we made our way to Sally Lunn's, the oldest eatery in the city which is famous for their signature bread. It was delicious, with the best garlic bread we've ever had, and everything else was also lovely. We had spotted dick for dessert, which was very good, the stack and lamb were excellent and we were just happy that our last dinner here was one we both enjoyed.
Tomorrow we'll have a few hours of wandering the streets, and then we're homeward bound in the evening, so that's it folks! Thank you for reading, and we'll see everyone after we get home on Saturday.
- Jess
It's a beautiful place, which feels like continental Europe rather than Britain, and as it was our last day, we decided to splurge. There is only one place which uses the original Roman springs, and so we booked in for a massage and access to the three levels of hot springs and saunas. Four hours of luxuriating in aromatherapy saunas, rooftop pools and mineral springs, as well a having a lovely head to toe massage is a blissful way to experience why the Romans built here nearly two thousand years ago. It was a decadent, thoroughly relaxing way to spend our last day.
From the spa we made our way to Sally Lunn's, the oldest eatery in the city which is famous for their signature bread. It was delicious, with the best garlic bread we've ever had, and everything else was also lovely. We had spotted dick for dessert, which was very good, the stack and lamb were excellent and we were just happy that our last dinner here was one we both enjoyed.
Tomorrow we'll have a few hours of wandering the streets, and then we're homeward bound in the evening, so that's it folks! Thank you for reading, and we'll see everyone after we get home on Saturday.
- Jess
Day 32 - Cardiff
Today was a long, but very enjoyable one, that began with a three hour drive from Bala to Cardiff. It was a pleasant drive, and the weather was fine, so as soon as we arrived we dumped our bags and head straight out into the city for a day of exploring. We made our way to the castle, and decided to stay and have a tour. It was brilliant, as the castle was inhabited until the 1950's, the rooms remain pristine and parts are still used today for state functions. Similarly to Neuschwanstein, the decoration is a pastiche of medieval decor, rather than an accurate representation. It was an excellent, and unique castle experience.
From the castle, we had a wander of the shopping district, and then discovered an indoor mini golf course, so of course we had to try it. The course was great (I won the first round) and then I won a free game, so we did the other course as well (which Andrew won). Following golf we were hungry, so we went to a Mexican place and had some tasty dinner, with tastier cocktails, and enjoyed our second to last night in the UK. Wales has been fantastic, especially the northern countryside.
- Jess
From the castle, we had a wander of the shopping district, and then discovered an indoor mini golf course, so of course we had to try it. The course was great (I won the first round) and then I won a free game, so we did the other course as well (which Andrew won). Following golf we were hungry, so we went to a Mexican place and had some tasty dinner, with tastier cocktails, and enjoyed our second to last night in the UK. Wales has been fantastic, especially the northern countryside.
- Jess
Day 31 - Horsies
We awoke to the saddening news that Bowie had passed away, which made for a somber breakfast. However, a crisp Welsh morning was beckoning us to enjoy the day, and after many, many years, I'd managed to get Andrew to agree to do some horse riding! Neither of us had done any before, but here in Wales it's reasonably priced, and I thought it would be a nice way to experience the countryside.
We had a particularly beautiful, though treacherous (gradients of over 20%) drive, into the mountains to what is Wales' highest farm, to a riding school situated in woodland and pastures near the border. We were expecting that our session would involve a sedate amble around a paddock to learn some basics, and maybe a short wander on some trails. This wasn't the case. After making friends with the two farm cats (who followed us) we met Harry and Rudi, the two beautiful horses we would be riding. We were given thirsty seconds of instruction, then we were on hour horses, and immediately on a trail outside of the farm. What followed was the most magnificent ride through fields and on trails in the Welsh mountains, the ground with a light dusting of snow, and our horses happily ambling along following our guide on her sprightly pony.
The scenery was stunning, snow capped mountains in the background, and bemused sheep and woodlands in our immediate surrounds, a brilliant way to spend two hours outside on a freezing (1 degree) morning. We did get up to a trot, but Rudi was a bit lazy and didn't fancy keeping it up for long. It was a fantastic experience, one I'd do again in a heartbeat.
We were freezing and hungry after our ride, so we made our way to Dolgellau for lunch, a tiny village recommended in our guide, had a tasty lunch, and a wander around the town. Time was getting away from us, and with less than an hour of sunlight left, we hopped in the car for a last drive through the mountains to drink in the scenery. We saw pheasants, hares, a robin, and an owl. As an aside, sheep here have a death wish, as they frequently get out of their pastures and decide that the best place to graze in on the road, preferably ones with a high speed limit and narrow lane widths.
We're back in our room now, we'll head out for dinner in a minute, but today has been brilliant, not least because it was bright and sunny.
We had a particularly beautiful, though treacherous (gradients of over 20%) drive, into the mountains to what is Wales' highest farm, to a riding school situated in woodland and pastures near the border. We were expecting that our session would involve a sedate amble around a paddock to learn some basics, and maybe a short wander on some trails. This wasn't the case. After making friends with the two farm cats (who followed us) we met Harry and Rudi, the two beautiful horses we would be riding. We were given thirsty seconds of instruction, then we were on hour horses, and immediately on a trail outside of the farm. What followed was the most magnificent ride through fields and on trails in the Welsh mountains, the ground with a light dusting of snow, and our horses happily ambling along following our guide on her sprightly pony.
The scenery was stunning, snow capped mountains in the background, and bemused sheep and woodlands in our immediate surrounds, a brilliant way to spend two hours outside on a freezing (1 degree) morning. We did get up to a trot, but Rudi was a bit lazy and didn't fancy keeping it up for long. It was a fantastic experience, one I'd do again in a heartbeat.
We were freezing and hungry after our ride, so we made our way to Dolgellau for lunch, a tiny village recommended in our guide, had a tasty lunch, and a wander around the town. Time was getting away from us, and with less than an hour of sunlight left, we hopped in the car for a last drive through the mountains to drink in the scenery. We saw pheasants, hares, a robin, and an owl. As an aside, sheep here have a death wish, as they frequently get out of their pastures and decide that the best place to graze in on the road, preferably ones with a high speed limit and narrow lane widths.
We're back in our room now, we'll head out for dinner in a minute, but today has been brilliant, not least because it was bright and sunny.
Day 30 - Snowdon and Caernarfon
A delightful day today, helped hugely by the brilliant weather. We had two plans for the day, as we were unable to check if one would be open. We drove through Snowdonia national park, passing little hamlets, waterfalls and riverine route. There had been snow in the mountains overnight, and as we emerged from the trees, we were greeted by the most stunning scenery; snow capped peaks, forest, and sunlight gleaming through the clouds. We wanted to catch the mountain train up Snowden mountain, but it was closed. Having anticipated this possibility, we made our way to Caernarfon castle, a spectacular ruin on the Welsh coast. We had an excellent tour, and stayed for a couple of hours.
Our guide suggested a local pub for lunch, and as it was getting a bit late, we made our way there and had a delicious lunch of Welsh stew and pie. It was quite a drive back to Bala, so we made our way back via a different route, still very pretty, and as usual it was dark by the time we arrived back. Being a Sunday, everything was also closed, so we went back to our room and rested before having a very light dinner in our hotel pub. We went and picked up some snacks from the deli, and with little else to do, finished up watching television and having tea. A lovely way to spend a rare sunny day here.
Our guide suggested a local pub for lunch, and as it was getting a bit late, we made our way there and had a delicious lunch of Welsh stew and pie. It was quite a drive back to Bala, so we made our way back via a different route, still very pretty, and as usual it was dark by the time we arrived back. Being a Sunday, everything was also closed, so we went back to our room and rested before having a very light dinner in our hotel pub. We went and picked up some snacks from the deli, and with little else to do, finished up watching television and having tea. A lovely way to spend a rare sunny day here.
- Jess
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