Videos for Fabio (or anyone that would like to see them)

Fabio expressed an interest in seeing some video. I took one video in a restaurant that I thought would be interesting because of the amazing SLURPING going on as people sucked down their soup.... especially at the next table over, but in the one minute video, there was no good slurping to be heard. I'll have to try harder. In any case, I do have some footage of an onsen at Hakone, a bird soaring at Hakone Checkpoint, and riding in a train to get to the zoo.

Onsen - Not just a view, but also the sound of a Japanese Hot Spring Bath

Bird - A bird soaring... there were actually a couple of birds, but sadly almost no life left in my battery.

Train - Buying a ticket and proceeding to the platform.

Train - A ride on the train. So clean and smooth compared to a U.S. train.

Train - Watching the workers move by. I like how workers aren't dressed like slobs in Japan. They work cleanly and efficiently. If they have tattoos or body art, they keep them discretely covered (since, in Japan, mostly only mob members wear tattoos or sunglasses), and you don't have to stare at oozing or puss-swollen nose or tongue rings (which I'm sure are fine as fashion statements, but staring at open wounds makes me squeamish, I must admit). Clothes are neat and shirts are tucked in. There's something uniform, and I'll dare to say, orderly, about Japan. It's like Catholic High School on steroids.

Train - The Shinkansen 500. Very nice and modern... and FAST! These guys do around 300 km/h (think 180 mph). Fast, clean and efficient. They're also long trains too, around 16 cars. Very nice! Buying tickets for these trains is sometimes a little more involved since it's better to have a reservation.

** One very nice thing about riding trains in Japan is that the trains pull up to the same spots all the time. That is, when the train comes you know where the doors will open (it's marked on the ground with some lines and often the number of the car). Other countries would do well to imitate this system so that the trains can leave sooner. Also, the trains arrive and depart ON TIME in Japan, as in Germany or Switzerland. I'm embarrassed by the trains in the U.S. after seeing the ones of Europe and especially the trains in Japan.

Taxi ride - Gotta love the lace seatcovers found in nearly every Japanese taxi. Also, the GPS tends to be HUGE in Japan (and has been for years). Taxis are clean and efficient in Japan.

Bicycles - Bikes are still a major mode of transport in Japan, but if you park illegally, you can say goodbye to your ride! The bike police will come, and if you don't claim your bike it can get shipped off to China! (Some people use this as an excuse to just buy a new bike). Bikes Part II

Life out in the countryside of Shizuoka.

Monkeying around out in the countryside of Nikko, on top of a mountain. (We took a cable car to get up this high.... even at altitude it was still hot... and a little stinky b/c of the monkeys).