Japanese Food

Daily meals varied. Breakfast might be a bento box or some squid balls. Dinner at a restaurant or a stand that sold bean paste surrounded in dough.




A burger with rice buns

Shrines & Temples

There were so many shrines and temples that it is too difficult to remember what was what and to record on them each individually, so I'll just post some favorite pictures from them. There's also a video at the bottom.









The tombs of the 47 Ronin

Tokyo continued

Day 2 was spent sightseeing. We went to the top of the government building, witnessed a wedding at a temple in the middle of a large park, and continued to explore.

Tokyo - Day of Arrival

The flight from Turkey to Japan was long but comfortable. I stayed awake for the first few hours while I ate and watched movies, looking out the window at the full moon as we flew over cities like Baghdad. Then I fell asleep and when I woke up and looked out the window I saw Mount Fuji pushing up through the clouds. I knew my Japanese adventure was about to begin.

Before customs everyone passes a body temperature camera and quarantine area. Nearly every single airport personnel and most of the public were wearing surgical masks but acted as if they weren't. I learned from large signs while waiting for my luggage of the dangers of attempting to transport substances such as cold medicines and antihistamines into Japan. Pretty serious stuff. I made my way to the train and into the massive urban jungle of Tokyo to meet Gabe who had arrived a day earlier than I. The first night we walked the streets and explored the alleyways of the neighborhood where we rented our apartment.


Noodles for Dinner.Pachinko parlor. Gambling isn't legal so people play for prizes. Like at Chuck E. Cheese's.

Istanbul Layover

I'm currently sitting in the lobby of the Marriott airport hotel in Istanbul. I arrived late last night and my flight to Tokyo doesnt leave until tonight. I was going to go into the city center for lunch or something just to check it out but that seems like too much of a pain in the ass for just a few hours. Money exchange, figuring out transportation, etc. Instead I'll sit at the hotel bar and have a few drinks.

Even though I've only been at the airport, this hotel, and the drive between, it seems like Istanbul is heavily under security. Just to pull into the hotel lot we had to go through a security check, then to enter the building you need to have your bags scanned and go through a metal detector. The air here smells like the city is on fire. So maybe it's better that I'm staying in the hotel til my flight.

Breakfast in Brussels

I went to New York for Thanksgiving and on the way back to Berlin flew through Brussels. I got in at 745 or so and my flight to Berlin wasn't until 5.

10:30. Breakfast.
The Mannekin Pis Statue dressed in condoms. At least he's well protected.