Friday September 12, 2008
I noticed on Tuesday during my morning walk with Skipper that the streets were quiet… No cicadas singing…..I guess fall in on its way to Tokyo. Fall is my favorite season in Japan where the foliage throughout the country turns into glorious golden and red colors. I can't wait!
Also, this weekend is a 3 day weekend as September 13 Monday is a holiday to celebrate senior citizens!
The World's Most Expensive Physical
I've been due for a physical and since I had an ulcer recently, decided to get one before my October vacation to Bhutan. Since I don't have Japanese national health insurance, I had to go get one at one of the "private" clinics. I went to the Tokyo Midtown Medical Center which is affiliated with John's Hopkins.
Japan is very well known internationally for their superb medical treatment. I was told that the Tokyo Midtown Medical Center has some of Japan's best doctors so I was kind of looking forward to it. UNTIL….I found out I had to pay cash upfront for the physical and it costs 120,000 yen! I hope my private insurance re-reimburses me for the whole amount!
The experience was interesting. Firstly, they made me change into this bright pink pajama like outfit with bright pink slippers. It was the most unflattering outfit and I looked like a huge pink banana. I was then guided to the waiting area, where about 5 men in blue pajamas were waiting. It was a bit weird waiting around with a bunch of guys. I then got a card with a number 41 on it and was told to wear the number the whole time and I will be called for tests by my number – not my name. The waiting area was gorgeous. It was like a very fancy hotel lobby with very soft music playing in the background. They also had a "tea bar" where one can order fancy herbal teas. However, I was not allowed to drink anything until my tests were done so could only enjoy the aroma of the teas while waiting.
All in all, the testing that was done was very thorough and I was pleased except for 3 things:
- The doctors will not talk to you. This attitude was very annoying. I've been having issues with my left eye and was concerned about it. Basically, the eye doctor said to make an appointment to get it checked out as this appointment is only for a "health" examination of the eye. Huh?
- The doctors and nurses don't listen to you. I have very small veins and there is always a problem doing a blood test. So I tell the nurse that she needs to use a child's needle to draw my blood but she doesn't listen and she tells me she knows what she is doing. So of course, she tries to draw blood and fails. The second nurse comes, I tell her what to do, she also does not listen and tries to draw blood from me and fails. Finally, a doctor comes, and now I'm nervous as doctor's are the worst when it comes to drawing blood as they don't do it often! Anyhow, I ask the doctor how many times he has taken blood this past month and he does not answer and looks at me like "how dare you question me". I tell him to use a child's needle and of course he doesn't listen so I tell him to "go ahead and try to take the blood but I guarantee you will fail!" And of course, he fails and I end up with a HUGE bruise. The doctor walks away without apologizing and another nurse shows up and apologizes profusely and then tells me to come back the next day as they don't have any children's needle handy. Anyhow, I show up the next day and they were able to finally draw blood from me (although it was annoying as I had to wait for 2.5 hours in the waiting room!)
- They don't put you under for some scary tests. I find out that one of the tests includes sticking a tube down my stomach through my nose. I knew they were going to check the stomach but I assumed it was an ultrasound or something like that. So here I am, lying on the bed, when all of a sudden the nurse comes in and sticks a tube in my nose to prep me for the procedure. Its after she sticks the tube in my nose when she explains the procedure in detail. Anyhow, I survive the procedure although it required the nurse giving me a neck rub while I'm going thru it as I'm totally stressed out thru the whole procedure.
Despite the 3 things that I did not like, I have to say it was the most thorough medical examination with the most sophisticated equipment I've ever been through. Now, if only the doctor's improve their communication significantly I would have said Tokyo is the best place in the world to get a physical.
Photography
As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I got my first digital SLR camera. However, I have not been able to take advantage of it as I'm hopeless when it comes to cameras. But since the Bhutan trip is coming up, I really wanted to take a few lessons so I can take advantage of the camera. I had no luck finding a place to get lessons (I asked people at work, department stores, etc) until out of desperation I googled "photography lessons Tokyo" and found Alfie Goodrich. http://alfiegoodrich.com/
Alfie is a professional British photographer who just relocated to Tokyo from Wales with his Japanese wife and children. He was a photographer in the music industry in Wales and in Tokyo is a freelance photographer. After a few email's he agrees to give me 3 private lessons before my Bhutan trip and tonight was my first lesson.
We meet up at Asakusa at the Kaminarimon Gate. Asakusa is the "old Tokyo" and is home to the Senso-ji Temple, the oldest Bhuddhist temple in Tokyo. Its dedicated to the Bodhisattva Kannon – The Goddess of Mercy. Dominating the entrance to the Temple is the mighty Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate). Since my first lesson was about night photography, Alfie thought it would be a great place to work on some techniques. Here are some photos I took with ALOT of help from Alfie.
Hozomon Gate: The gate just before the Temple. Played around with different apertures and shutter speeds to get the appropriate light.
Nakamise Dori: Shopping Street between the Kaminarimon and Hozomon Gates: Alfie taught me how to position the camera so that all the lines end up at the center point
The Five Story Pagoda: Lesson on shutter speed and aperture
Close up of Nio, the guardian deity of Buddha
Senso-ji Main Building
Asakusa Cat: Lesson on nite portraits
Close up of Chochin – Japanese wind chimes. Chochin's always have paper hanging from the chime. Lesson on depth of field.
Cosmos in Asakusa at nite: Lesson on depth of field
Saturday September 13, 2008
Vin Rouge Rolls and Baum Kuchen
Since I took a photography class Friday night, I took my bread making class on Saturday. After a great pilates workout, I headed to ABC Cooking in Tokyo Midtown for Class V (only 4 more to go and I finish!). Today I learned how to make Vin Rouge rolls. Basically instead of water, you use red wine. We filled the bread with dried blueberries and almonds. I found the dough to not be as elastic as the doughs of the other bread I made so was a bit worried. To my pleasant surprise, after it came out of the oven and I tried one, this bread was dense and had a bite to it. Very much like the type of bread I like! One of the rolls "exploded" though. I did not round it tight enough and pinch the bottom before putting it in the oven. My concentration was off as I was very chatty today. Two of the girls from my earlier classes were taking the "master class" next to me. They are fun girls and we spent the whole two hours catching up and yapping away. If my assignment gets extended, I'll be taking the master class with them in November!
Vin Rouge Rolls
Baum Kuchen
After my bread making class it was time to take my "free" lesson on how to make Baum Kuchen. I got a coupon to take a One Day Class in English for free so decided to try the Baum Kuchen class. I also like the teacher alot so thought it would be fun.
Baum Kuchen is a German cake that the Japanese adopted as one of their favorite cakes. Andreas my friend from IBM Germany explained what the cake means. Baum means tree in German and Kuchen is cake in German. So its "tree cake". Traditionally its a round cake and when cut, the cake reveals golden rings that look like tree rings thus Baum Kuchen. The round cake is made with a spit, but since that is very difficult, we learned the simpler version which is a square cake. How do you get the golden rings? Basically, you bake a thin layer, then pour another layer of batter, bake, pour another layer of batter, bake, etc and that's how you get the rings!
According to another German friend Marten who
speaks fluent Japanese, Baum Kuchen got its start in Japan after WW1. Legend has it that some German POWs were taken to Kobe or maybe Hiroshima(he wasn't sure), decided to stay after the war and opened a bakery making Baum Kuchen. It got so popular that now, its one of Japan's favorite cakes!
We had about 15 people in our class and they were all Japanese except for a Ukranian college student and our sole male – a US Navy officer named Dan – on a weekend leave touring Tokyo. Dan just graduated university and has started his 5 year stint for the US Navy and is based in Sasebo, Kyushu. He loves it here in Japan and knows he's very lucky to be stationed here. The instructors and the young Japanese ladies were going ga-ga over him because he was tall, handsome and looked a bit like Jack from Lost. But lucky me, he gets assigned as my partner! Anyhow, Dan is a really nice guy, very young and after the cake class intends to not sleep and party his way through Tokyo with his Navy buddies. I try to get the instructors and the young Japanese girls join my conversation with him but they are just too shy! I have to run to my next adventure after the Baum Kuchen class, so I tell Dan to be safe and although I can't stand George Bush and his policies, I am a big fan of the US Military and appreciate very much what he is doing and thanked him. Also told him to don't get into trouble!! to which he says "Yes, Mom" Oy!
Baum Kuchen
Botanica and Sex in the City
Right after the Baum Kuchen class, I meet up with Keiko-san to have dinner at Botanica http://www.danddlondon.jp/ and then go to Roppongi Hills to go see Sex in the City – The movie.
Botanica is in Tokyo Midtown and is Japan's first Terence Conrad restaurant. It got rave reviews so I was excited about eating there. Its located on the 4th floor of Tokyo Midtown with the most beautiful terrace I've ever seen. The terrace is huge and decorated with gorgeous flowers and olive trees. We both have the 6500yen course menu which started with home cured smoked salmon with blinis, followed by a seasonal vegetable pasta dish for me, roasted Iberico pork for Keiko and then tiramisu for dessert. I decided to try some cheese before dessert as they had this interesting hard cheese that had a crust made from apples. With a great glass of Voigner the cheese was fantastic. The whole dinner was fantastic! Sandra sent me a clipping from the San Francisco Chronicle about the Tokyo restaurant scene where many believe Tokyo is the gourmet capital of the world. I have to agree as nowhere , I mean NOWHERE, can you get a more diverse and excellent culinary experience than in Tokyo (you have to have $$$ though!)
After dinner we went to Roppongi Hills to go see Sex in the City. Keiko got us premier tickets which were 3000yen each. I first thought they were expensive until I got there and find out we have a special entrance which leads us to a very cool bar. We get a free alcoholic drink and have reserved seats! Also the theater was fantastic. Great visual quality and sound system. And the movie was fun! But oh, how I miss NYC! I "heart" NY!
Sunday September 14, 2008
Tired!
I want to sleep in on Sunday but again Skipper had other ideas so I get up early and am just exhausted. I didn't get back from the movie until around midnite so just want to sleep! Anyhow, after the walk I end up on my computer for a few hours working and then haul myself to my 1130am pilates class. I'm in no mood to do pilates but Yoko-san my instructor is fantastic and I know once I go and do it, I'll feel much better afterwards. Thank god I went, as I felt so good and relaxed after the class.
On the way to pilates, I ran into a matsuri (Japanese festival) at Ometesando. I'm not sure what they were celebrating (could be the full moon or fall harvest) but it was small but lively with some foreigners participating.
Ometesando Matsuri: The Mikoshi
The dragon scaring a kid
The Jester?
My plan was to just hang out the house and take some photos to practice what I learned from Alfie. Good thing I checked my calendar as I had a tempura cooking class in Ginza scheduled! I totally forgot about it. I rush to the class and once there get excited as I'm finally going to learn how to make authentic Japanese tempura. Its actually pretty easy but you have to work fast. I get partnered with a very sweet Japanese lady Satoh-san who is a much better cook than I so leads me through the instructions. We make shrimp tempura, anago (sea eal – my favorite) tempura, shiso (Japanese basil leaf) tempura and kakiage ( a mixture of scallops and veggies – very tricky to make). The key to tempura is the batter. Make sure the water is ice cold and to not mix the batter – just hit it with chopsticks until blended but lumpy and quickly work to fry the food.
My first Tempura
Monday September 15, 2008
Yasukini Shrine
Today is a holiday to celebrate senior citizens, however, I get up early to get some work done and then decide to go to Yasukuni Shrine with Skipper to take some photos and practice what I learned from Alfie.
The Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the "kami"- spirits- of soldiers and others who died fighting on behalf of the Emperor. Its a source of controversy as about 1000 soldiers that have been enshrined are convicted war criminals including 14 class A war criminals of WWII. I also find the museum to be high on propoganda which is unfortunate as Shinto-ism is about harmony and peace. It was tightly associated with the government until after WWII, where the US occupation forces introduced the separation of state and church concept so the Yasukuni shrine became a privately funded religious organization. It becomes very controversial when Japan's heads of state – prime ministers- decide to visit and pay respects. You can imagine what the Koreans, Chinese and Taiwanese think about these visits.
The part I like about the shrine is that it is also dedicated to animals who died during the war. There are statues of a horse, dog and bird which represent the suffering all the animals have went through during time of war.
I definitely was made to feel uncomfortable while taking pictures. I'm not sure why but I suppose as a foreigner they were concerned what my motivations were.
On the way to the shrine, I walked by the Imperial palace and realized I never took photos of the palace! Its one of those things where its so close to where I live and I pass it all the time so don't bother taking photos. Well this time, I took my time and took some photos.
The Palace Grounds
View of Otemachi from the Palace Grounds
Bridge
Beautiful Japanese Pine Trees
The Lone Swan of the Imperial Palace
The Gate to Yasukini Shrine
The Yasukini Shrine
Memorial dedicated to horses that perished during war
Memorial dedicated to dogs who perished during war
Memorial to birds who died during war
Close up of O-Shide: I believe that is what it is called. I asked several people what is the meaning of it but could not get an answer. I know its used as decoration for the sacred rope. The sacred rope is used to mark the boundary of a sacred area.
After 3 hours of walking, Skipper and I rested and I was able to take a great picture of him by the Imperial Palace
Hiyamugi
My Japanese teacher Kyoko-san who is very sweet and cool for an Okusama, introduced me to Hiyamugi. Its a Japanese noodle that is made of wheat flour and is thinner than Udon which is popular in the States. Hiyamugi is usually eaten cold so I boiled some and decided to have a nice summer dish of Hiyamugi with delicious chopped fruit tomatoes, cucumbers, poached chicken and a thick sesame dressing that I made
myself. I served it with a chilled Yuzu (japanese lime) juice.