#37 First look at Sweden

The first thing I saw in Sweden (at Arlanda Airport)

This is only my fourth full day in Stockholm, but already I've started to get my head around things. Being in Europe, there are so many shops and restaurants that are the same as being home in Ireland, so it's not too difficult to adjust. The language barrier isn't a problem either, most things are only signposted in Swedish, but you can ask anyone for help because almost all the Swedish can speak fluent English! I'm in college so this week we had lots of introductory meetings to attend, but from next week my schedule should be much more free.

It's cold here now, around -7 to -15 on average I think. There are mounds of snow everywhere and every roof and tree top is covered in a thick layer of white snow. The rivers are mostly frozen solid which is really fascinating to look at. It's really pretty, but also too cold to take out your camera every time!

This was a soccer pitch

The first day here I went grocery shopping, and I found something special for all the Millennium Trilogy/Girl with the Dragon Tattoo fans out there: Billys Pan Pizza!!

Mmmmmmmm!

Also, as promised, I took a trip to the worlds largest Ikea! It was also my first Ikea visit, and it was a little overwhelming. Nothing was signposted in English so it was pretty difficult to find our way around, and then most of the things we wanted were in the warehouse rather than around the display floors upstairs. Mostly, it was really difficult to leave, we spent maybe 15 minutes walking aimlessly in the warehouse looking for the exit! We went to the big cafe, but it was still breakfast time so we couldn't try the famous meatballs! They had a Kanelbulle (popular Swedish cinnamon bun) and coffee for 5 krona though, which is super cheap!

Beautiful!

This is half of it, I was too close to fit the whole thing in one picture

So there it is, the first of many posts about this snowy country!

#36 Five days to Stockholm

I haven't mentioned Sweden in this blog for a long time. I've been too busy in Japan to think much about it, so since I've been home I have been plotting and planning a lot more, and now in only 5 days time I will be stranded in Stockholm for the next 5 months.

I'm going to be studying at a University there, but it looks likely that I will have very few hours so I should have much more free time than I did while working in Tokyo. The disappointing thing is, Stockholm doesn't seem to have the same huge range of entertainments that Tokyo could readily offer. Since I'm not working I'll also be on a stricter budget too, which doesn't help! This time I am going with three classmates and will be living with and surrounded by people my age, so I will have more company than in Japan. Overall, I'm interested to see what fun things we can find to do!

I booked a one-way ticket all the way back in mid-October, and will be flying with Aer Lingus. We [my classmates and I] won't arrive in Stockholm Arlanda airport until 7pm, so we'll be spending the first night in a hostel. On Monday 21st we will move into our college accommodation, but more importantly we will be taking a trip to the biggest Ikea in the world (!!!!) to stock up on a few things. I'll be sure to take pictures!


So far I've been looking at this website for Stockholm information, it's the official tourism page and therefore likely a little prejudiced but it has some good information http://www.visitstockholm.com/en/

Getting a little ahead of myself, but the Swedish weather website is here: http://www.smhi.se/en/Weather and the transport finder (trains, planes etc) is here http://reseplanerare.resrobot.se/bin/query.exe/en?L=vs_resrobot&

Photograph of Gamla Stan, the 'old town' of Stockholm

#35 Farewell Japan!

Although I have been home from Japan almost a month, and technically it was last year too, it is only now that I have written about (most of) the things I did there. At only 20 years of age (although I did turn 21 while I was there) I managed to survive four months in a foreign country, about 9500km away from home. Well done me! So this is really just a post to tie up any loose ends I can think of.


Asakusa and Shinjuku, the old and the new, two very different sides of Tokyo.

My Top Tokyo Destinations:
So after living in Tokyo for four months, I managed to see everything I wanted. And there was still a few things I didn't see, such as sumo wrestling. I was disappointed I never got to leave the greater Tokyo area and visit Kyoto and all the wonderful Japanese cities, but I never had the free time, and it would have worked out quite expensive too. Nevertheless, not everyone can say they spent 4 months of their youth living in Tokyo! So I've been thinking about what my number 1 place was and I can't decide, so instead here's a list of a few of my favourite places, in no particular order:

Shibuya
Shinjuku
Harajuku
Akihabara
Odaiba
Minato Mirai 21 (Yokohama)
Skytree
Tokyo Tower
Ueno Zoo
Tama Zoo
Tokyo DisneySea

Living in Tokyo
I would recommend it to anyone! The trains are really only ridiculously overcrowded in the mornings from 7am until 9am, but they do get busy again from around 6pm until maybe 8pm.  Despite what you hear, the chances of you being train-groped are really, really low, so don't worry. Everything (well, most things) in Tokyo are signposted in English, and English information and leaflets are almost always available. The only problem is most people can't speak/understand English good/at all, so a phrase book would be handy if you can't speak any Japanese. The Japanese are very helpful people and do their best to understand what you want, or to get across what they mean. It's not as expensive as they say, but groceries can't be got as cheap as in Ireland or the UK (and probably America). The trains are expensive because you can't get a return ticket, or a monthly ticket that covers you for wherever you go, or a student ticket. . .or basically anything that could make it cheaper. But I think every Japanese company will refund your travel expenses for work, so it's not so bad. For girls, Tokyo has shops like Forever 21 and H&M so it shouldn't be too difficult to find clothing if you're UK size 16 or under. After this it may get a little difficult, the same for shoes, once you're under a UK womens shoe size 6 (can be pushed to a 7) you're fine, but after this it'll cost you a lot in specialist shops. It really is very safe, but at the same time a few months before I went an Irish girl my age was murdered (although by Americans, not Japanese) so just because it's notoriously safe, you shouldn't be foolish about it either. がんばって! (Ganbatte, it means "good luck" or "go for it")



Teaching
I worked as an English teacher and I have realised that I have never addressed it in this blog. But just to sum up for those wondering, my experience was overall good. I had to wake up around 6am, I started work at around 8.30am and I stayed in school until around 3.30pm (times vary a little between schools, as well as how many classes you have, but most people seem to have pretty full days), and then you would have to plan classes outside these hours too if you don't have time in the school day. I worked mostly at an Elementary school, but also at a Junior High School. At times they have an irritatingly low level of English, but you get used to it. In Elementary school you can't help but feel they learn nothing, as they don't get homework and can't read or write English, which often limits your classes to playing card games and chanting words over and over. Junior High School they actually learn things properly and you feel you accomplish something, although the classes you plan need to be more detailed than Elementary school. I can't discuss pay because I was an intern so it's different. I only spent four months teaching and to be honest, at the end of it I was very tired. I'm not sure I could work at it for a year, but at the same time I have no interest in being a teacher, and I find children very annoying! So there. If you want to get to Japan, the only way is teaching English, and although it's not the best of jobs, I would definitely recommend it. It's worth it to spend every weekend and spare minute wandering around Japan! I am planning to go back for a year when I graduate from college. Maybe I'll see you there :)

Welcome to Japan

#34 Ueno and Tama Zoo

I am an animal lover so I was really looking forward to visiting Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. And when I arrived I also discovered another great zoo, Tama Zoo. So naturally I went to both! Here's some information, as well as the obligatory super cute pictures.

Ueno Zoo

This was probably better than Tama Zoo, but both were really great. It's located in Tokyo and costs only 600 yen entrance fee, so there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't go! The highlight is of course the two resident Giant Pandas. Apparently they sleep most of the time, so I was lucky when I went they were sitting up eating bamboo. I was never really into the whole panda thing, but when I saw them I had to concede they are really cute, and everyone should do their part to save them from extinction!

Soooooo cute!

The other highlights included underwater viewing areas for seals and the polar bear, and a petting zoo with goats that just roam free (UPDATE: unfortunately the goats no longer roam any more.).

I had to wait for about 10 minutes to get this photo

Of course they had lions and tigers and bears and gorillas and eagles and kangaroos and pretty much every other animal too, but if I was to start naming them all I would be here for a long time. There is an elevated monorail that costs about 200 yen that takes you from one side of the zoo to the other, but unless you find it difficult to walk I wouldn't recommend wasting your time. It only takes about a minute and is therefore much faster than walking, but there's usually a huge queue, and you can't see any animals or anything special to make it worthwhile really. Also the cafes and restaurants are usually busy and expensive, but there are plenty of benches around so you should bring a packed lunch with you.

Tama Zoo

Tama Zoo is further out from Tokyo than Ueno but it also only costs 600 yen. It has a similar range of animals to Ueno, but it is quite rural and surrounded by hills, making it much more spread out. The highlight of Tama is the Lion Bus, which for only a little extra allows you to get on a bus and be taken into the lion den for an up-close look at the King of the jungle. It's amazing! For cat lovers a trip to Tama is essential just for this alone. They also stick a little meat on the outside of the bus on a hook to attract the lions closer. I thought this would drive them wild, but they're so used to the routine they just wandered lazily over and licked it off.

He was this close. . .it was wild

The Lion Bus. . .zebra coloured but. . .surrounded by lions

The other highlight is the chimpanzees, who climb high above you across some telephone line type ropes. It is too high up for them to crawl down, and they can only crawl down at the end into their glass enclosures. It is still really cool to watch them teetering carelessly above you.

I zoomed in, he was up really high

Tama Zoo also has an Insectarium full of creepy crawlies, as well as a special green house which is home to hundreds (maybe thousands) of insects like butterflies and grasshoppers. It also has a pack of wolves and  some tigers that are separated from you only by a deep ravine, which makes a nice change from the glass and wires that usually obstruct your view. Overall, Tama Zoo is a much more natural enclosure for the animals than the usual zoo, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was pretty too!

#33 Kamakura

Known by many as the only remainder of "old Japan" and also as "mini Kyoto", Kamakura is typical old fashioned lots-of-shrines-and-hills-and-windy-streets Japan. Located about an hour by train from Tokyo, it is again another popular side trip to get away from the ultra modern, Americanized Tokyo. Honestly, I though it was a little boring after awhile, but the girl I went with thought it was the best place ever. Everyone recommends it as the place to go if you're in Tokyo, and I'd heard nothing but good reviews. So I'm going to show you a few reasons why it's immensely popular.

This is Kamakura's best known shrine

Tsurugaoka Hachimangu is the most important shrine in Kamakura. The shrine is approached by a big boulevard type street lined with restaurants and souvenir shops, with the highlight being the big red "torii" gates (as seen in the first picture). The shrine is very nice and spacious, set at the foot of some hills. It's very nature orientated, surrounded by trees and ponds etc. I believe the shrine is of religious and historical importance, but I'm afraid if you want to know the details you'll have to research yourself. The day I went there was also a Japanese style wedding going on at the lower part of the shrine, and I managed to get a good picture.

So I may have crashed a wedding in order to get this picture

The other highlight of Kamakura is the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha. It's basically a big bronze statue. The entrance costs 200 yen, and you can actually go inside at the back of the statue for a tiny 20 yen, I'm not sure what's inside though. I didn't really get what was so exciting about it, but it remains a hugely popular attraction. To get to it from the main Kamakura station you have to get another train line that takes about 10 minutes, but what's special is that it's really old and when I went half the train was still a very old fashioned tram, which is cute.

The Daibutsu, or Great Buddha. . .not so great perhaps?

I also visited Zuisenji Temple and another two that I can't remember the names of. They all had their own backstories and were pleasant to see, but I couldn't help but feel that after I'd seen one I had also seen the other four. . .But this is how I feel about most temples and shrines, after being in Japan for a week the excitement had worn off and I wasn't interested anymore. Apologies!

I didn't do quite a lot of things in Kamakura, such as Zeniraria Benten Shrine, where you wash your money in order to make it increase. There's also more shrines and temples and hiking trails and festivals and a host of other things, so I would say research it and find out for yourself, there must be a reason why it is one of the most popular destinations in Japan!

#32 Yokohama

Although it is Japan's second most populated city, Yokohama really doesn't have a lot to offer in comparison to nearby Tokyo, and the main attractions can easily be done in a weekend. The fact that is only about 30 minutes by train from Tokyo makes it a good place to visit. The highlights include Chinatown, a museum about cup noodles, and an amusement park.

Minato Mirai 21

The Cosmoworld Ferris wheel/Clock

Landmark tower (on the left) at night

This is where most of Yokohama's entertainment is to be found. Home to the Landmark Tower, Japan's tallest building (keeping in mind Skytree is a tower!) Minato Mirai 21 is located beside the water which makes it much more spacious and pretty than many of Tokyo's bustling locations. It's also home to two great shopping centres, the Cup Noodles Museum, a large boat and maritime museum, and the Cosmoworld amusement park.

Cup Noodles Museum

It's a good laugh alright

It costs only 500 yen, which is probably the most appealing thing about this museum. The highlight is a workshop in which you design your own cup and pick out the flavours for your own custom made noodles, which costs a further 500 yen. This fills up very quickly and should be booked in advance (I didn't get to do it, sob sob). All of the exhibits are visual and don't require a knowledge of Japanese, plus you get an English leaflet. Honestly, it's not very exciting but I thought it was a good symbol of the quirky Japanese!

 

It was a whole room of every cup noodle ever. . . .there was a lot

Momofuku, the father of cup noodle

Once again the souvenir shop was overpriced and didn't have any interesting goods, so I just bought 2 logo pencils for about 20 yen each. Overall, it's not that exciting and it won't take you awful long to get through it, but it should be worth a visit just to tell your friends!

Cosmoworld

It's fun fun fun!

Cosmoworld is actually split in two, there's the more kiddy entertainment rides on the side with the Landmark tower, and then the rollercoasters and gaming arcades are over the water at the Ferris wheel. You can just walk through it and only pay for the rides you want to go on, which are all about 500 yen - 800 yen each.

There's a cute little street with indoor amusements

The Cosmoworld clock and the 2 rollercoasters

To go on the Cosmoworld Clock/Ferris Wheel (once the world's largest clock) costs 800 yen. It takes about 8 minutes to go around, and when you go in the evening you will be surrounded by cute young Japanese couples, although you will get a carriage to yourself (it fits about 6 people usually I imagine). It gives a good view of Yokohama and once again although it's not very exciting, it was quite pleasant. Also on the Ferriswheel side are some attractions that I didn't go on, so I can't verify if they are very worth the money.

There's a haunted house type thing, you walk through it with a torch (that also measures your scream on an amusing scale from wuss to nerves of steel both in English and Japanese). Outside the attraction were two scary looking doors and buttons that said "push me". My friend dared to push one, and the glass panel at the top of the door was actually a tv screen. They showed a film that made it look like we were looking into the room on the other side, and it was scary as hell (and I don't scare easily, honestly!). It showed a deranged looking girl in a bloody hospital gown and an axe walking steadily towards you, and when she eventually reaches the door, she slams the axe into it, at which point the door actually pushes out a little. Then it's over. We really weren't expecting the door to move and overall it was really scary!

Even with the scary movie outside, my friend and I still assumed it would be not scary like most haunted houses, but actually standing outside we heard horrified screams from inside, and a few minutes later a group of Japanese guys in their late 20s came out laughing hysterically and talking about how scary it was. It is now my biggest regret in life that I did not try out this haunted house, so if anyone dares to try it please let me know!

Chinatown

There's alot of this going on

This Chinatown is the biggest in Asia (apart from actual China perhaps). Basically it's full of streets with restaurants selling Chinese food, especially street vendors selling roasted chestnuts (I think) and the hugely popular Chinese dumplings (gyoza). There's also a lot of colorful Chinese temple-shrine things around, the nicest one I have pictured above. Overall it's a nice day out and I'd recommend a visit but again I didn't think it was the most fantastic thing in the world.

Panda kitty!

So, to recap Yokohama is a good place to visit, and I enjoyed it the few times I went. I haven't mentioned everything there is to do there, there's also a ramen museum, a zoo, an aquarium type theme park, a high class shopping street and a famous park/gardens. So go investigate and maybe you'll find some hidden gems. And to repeat, Yokohama is easily accessible from Tokyo, taking about 30 minutes on the Tokyu Toyoko line (it's the train with the red line on the side). 

I'll finish up with this picture I took of the Cosmoworld Clock at night. It lights up in all these wonderful colors!

Pretty

#31 Tokyo DisneySea

When I was learning Japanese at age 17 I had a test which was based on the Tokyo Disney resort website. From that moment on I had dreamed of visiting it, and after nearly 4 years I eventually had my chance!
Anyway, in Tokyo there are two Disneylands - Disneyland, and DisneySea.
To start with, DisneySea isn't a seaworld or water themed park as you might expect. It's like any other Disney park only it's simply laid out like Venice and features water all around (and it's located right on the coast too). Typically, DisneySea attracts more of an older crowd while Disneyland is more for children, although both are very popular! I only had the chance to go to DisneySea, so I can't really comment on Disneyland (but we can assume it is also a magical place).

It's pretty

Titanic? This is actually a really fancy restaurant, not a ride :(

Tower of Terror in the background

This is basically the reason it's called DisneySea

The main rides at DisneySea are Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones, Raging Spirits, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Toy Story Mania and Stormrider. It was really busy when we went so I only got to go on the first four rides from the ones above. I think Raging Spirits and Indiana Jones were the most fun, but my friend loved Tower of Terror.

When I went it was just before Christmas so that was also an added bonus with the decorations! The one thing that was strange was the range of goods on sale - they were really aimed for the Japanese market. There was a whole store full of boxes of sweets, a really common souvenir for Japanese tourists. There were also lots of phone charms, but only a few mugs, key chains and fridge magnets. The goods also didn't really advertise Tokyo DisneySea which I found really annoying, I'd have liked a fridge magnet or mug that prominently displayed where I'd been! 

I've been to Disneyland Paris and my friend had been to DisneyWorld in California, and we both agreed DisneySea was basically the same except it's in Japan, so if you've been to either then you get the idea. I had a great time, although if you're only in Japan for a short time then you should probably focus on doing things that are specific to Japan! Also be sure to check out Fuji-Q Highland, it's a Japanese amusement park about 2 hours away from Tokyo and it looks really fun (unfortunately I didn't have time to visit, but next time!).

Tickets for both DisneyLand and DisneySea cost 6,200 yen for one day for adults (or 10,700 yen for two days), and both parks are located near Narita Airport, about 20mins outside Tokyo by train.

This link will take you to the list of different attractions in DisneySea http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/tds/atrc/index.html

And this one will show you the rides at Disneyland http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/en/tdl/atrc/index.html

#30 www.japan-guide.com

As I mentioned Hyperdia was my favourite website for looking up the Japanese trains and subways, www.japan-guide.com was my favourite website when I was in Tokyo for looking up tourist attractions. It's absolutely perfect for looking up things to do in Tokyo and the rest of Japan too. It's really useful and includes prices, opening times and the best ways to get to the attractions. Just like an online travel guide for things to do in Japan.
Give it a look! Japan-guide.com/Tokyo

#29 Odaiba

This was one of my favourite places in Tokyo. And I had a lot of amazing places to choose from! Located across the bay (and the rainbow bridge) it consists mainly of a group of like 4 shopping centres. I didn't have much money to spend in Tokyo so I never bothered with shopping, but for some reason I really liked it here. It's really spacious in comparison to the rest of Tokyo, and coming from a pretty unpopulated country like Ireland it could be something I'd subconsciously missed. On a bright sunny day it is really pleasant to amble around and if you're not planning on shopping it can work out at a cheap day out. Although it's not one of the best known places in Tokyo, I would highly recommend a trip!

The main shopping centres are Palette Town, Diver City, Decks and Aqua City. Each features clothes shop and cafes and restaurants, pretty much the usual for Tokyo. There's also a maritime museum and a science museum, and Tokyo Big Sight convention centre isn't too far away. Of the shopping centres, Palette City was my favourite, it features a big Ferris wheel, views out into the sea, the Toyota showroom for those interested in cars, and a great Hello Kitty shop. But the highlight is inside the Venus Fort - what looks like a warehouse on the outside is the most fantastic shopping centre I have ever seen.

See? The inside has a fake sky ceiling, and is laid out to feel like you're in an old town in Venice or somewhere romantic. While the shops were pretty expensive, the décor is just so beautiful. At the end of the corridors (or streets?) is a big open area with a high ceiling and a large water fountain. Palette City really is one of Tokyo's hidden gems!

As well as the multiple shopping centres, Odaiba is home to the following:

The giant Gundam robot:

 Located outside the Divercity shopping centre, the giant robot is a great photo op! There's also a small shop and a cafe for those who are interested (I wasn't).


The Hello Kitty store:

"Hello Kitty's Kawaii Paradise" is the name of the Hello Kitty store located in Palette Town shopping centre. Kawaii means cute in Japanese, and the shop lives up to its name. On the day I went Hello Kitty herself made an appearance for the children. The shop is decorated like something out of Disneyland, it feels like you're in a cartoon world. There's also a Pancake cafe, but it was closed when I went.

 The Statue of Liberty. . . .Japanese style:

I don't know the origin of this mini Lady Liberty, but it makes a nice backdrop against the Rainbow bridge and the rest of Tokyo. From this vantage point you can also see Tokyo Tower.

The Fuji Television Building:

The ball at the top is actually an observation deck! It costs under 1000yen but I didn't bother because I wasn't sure if the views would've been particularly worth it. There's also a cafe and shop with products related to the TV station and some of the shows they air. But really it's only famous for its architecture.

To get to Odaiba it's probably easiest to get the Rinkai line to "Tokyo Teleport" and then all the centres are pretty obvious once you exit, with Palette city and the Ferris wheel right in front of the station. Or you could get the Yurikamome elevated train from Shinbashi, it's probably not as convenient and is a little more expensive, but it takes you over the Rainbow Bridge and offers good views of Tokyo you can't get from the ground, so it could be worth it!

#28 Rainbow Bridge

With a less than glamorous entrance, the rainbow bridge offers a surprising view of Tokyo. Depending on the weather, it can be a very pleasant walk and offers great views of Tokyo, as well as the reward of visiting Odaiba when you get across. It's also totally free, which is always a bonus!

Skytree on the left

It took me about 30 minutes to walk across. I went in the afternoon in late November and although it was a bright day it was quite windy, so I'd recommend wearing a coat. It's not one of the most popular attractions in Tokyo, but it is something a little different than wandering around the concrete jungle all the time and I would recommend it if you have time.

The best way to get there is to get the the Yurikamome elevated train from Shinbashi to Shibaurafuto, where you get off and it's only a short walk to the bridge entrance. It's probably not as convenient and is a little more expensive than the Rinkai line or the other trains, but it offers great views of Tokyo you simply can't get from the ground. If you don't feel like walking across the bridge (or if the weather is bad, or if it's closed), you can choose to stay on this train all the way across the bridge to Odaiba.

#27 Tokyo Tower

I mentioned Tokyo Tower in another post, but I hadn't gone up at that point. I eventually did it on a Sunday afternoon in late November 2012.

Check it out!

To begin with it's cheap - only 800yen to get to the first floor, and 600yen to get to the top, the "Special Observatory". I'm not sure I would recommend a visit to the top, although it's not very expensive, I had to wait for an hour to get to the top, and the room is TINY. You could easily walk around it in one minute, and honestly if there's a long waiting time it might not be worth it.

Lovely view of Tokyo bay and the Rainbow Bridge

I would definitely recommend a visit, it offers great views of Tokyo and when I visited on a Sunday I only queued for about an hour to get to the first floor. At the first floor I bought a ticket for the top floor, and I was told I'd have to come back in an hours time. I was free to roam around but the hour did feel quite long, and the tiny room at the top wasn't as exciting as I thought!

To compare Tokyo Tower with Skytree: Tokyo Tower is alot cheaper than Skytree, and although it's only about half the height, you can see plenty up there that makes it comparable to Skytree. It's also more likely to be less crowded. You could also go to the Goverment Buildings in Shinjuku, which is free. My favourite was Skytree, followed by Tokyo Tower, and then the Government Buildings. But if you can you should visit all three - even if you don't go up.


A note for those who have been to the Eiffel Tower in France: Tokyo Tower is very slightly taller in height, but it seems to be a lot narrower in width. Also there are only two floors instead of three, and the two are much smaller than the French counterparts. Also, Tokyo Tower is totally indoors, while the Eiffel Tower is primarily outdoors. To conclude the Eiffel Tower is probably better, but if you're in Tokyo you should visit the Asian version nonetheless!