#jr rail pass

[cliffdog01]

JR Rail Pass Price Hike | Update & Info (August 2023)  ONLY in JAPAN * GOONLY in JAPAN * GO

I wish when they were creating new passes, they made a Tokyo-only pass for 5000Y because I'd buy that or a pass that works with all the companies inside Tokyo. In Sydney and in Wellington, you could get passes like that. In Sydney, my family used a pass to go from our Motel in Parramatta out to the city via train/subway and then used Ferries to go to Manly and the Paramatta Wharf; it was a blast.

[thedalatribune]

© Paolo Dala

JR Pass

Traveling through Japan using the Japan-wide JR Pass has always been a dream of mine. In 2019 I wanted to get this pass, but I couldn’t afford it… I was still having second thoughts if I should be getting it during my recent Japan trip. It’s still quite expensive for me, but the JR Pass will increase by 70% starting October 2023.

So, I decided to get it because I might not be able to afford it in my next Japan visit… It didn’t disappoint, BTW.

[chaddavisphotography]

A Japan Rail ticket machine in Tokyo Japan.

[jamieontheroof]

Random things I noticed while playing What Remains Of Edith Finch

There was a poster of the cannery that Lewis worked at on the boat.

2. Edith Jr wears what appears to be an engagement on a necklace. Whether this is her ring or her mothers is not mentioned.

3. At the start of the game, Milton's missing posters are EVERYWHERE. There is even a giant pile of them in a nearby lake.

4. The dragon slide that crushed and killed Sven is still outside.

5. As you walk toward the house, the music gets louder.

6. The swing that Calvin flew off decades ago is still looped around the branch.

7. There was a spare peep hole in the garage that didn't have any names or dates on it.

8. At multiple points throughout the game you can hear a train in the background, despite the fact that the train tracks are clearly destroyed.

9. There are multiple pots throughout the Finch house that looks like they have eyes.

10. One of the books the Finches possessed was 'King in Yellow', a book known for making anyone who read it insane.

11. The house sounds alive, or like there are people constantly moving around it.

12. Walters bedroom is painted with both ocean and train designs. One of the paintings is the old house that Odin tried to bring to America.

13. There are drag marks on the ground of Walters bedroom (most likely made when his drawers were taken out of his room.)

14. The entrance to the tunnels is hidden by a book called 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, a classic sci-fi story about a sea monster.

15. Molly's room is filled entirely with animal books.

16. There is a jelly fish on Molly's bed (possible connection to the monster??).

17. Molly has a chalkboard in her bedroom where she is a princess in an underwater castle and Sven is about to get attacked by a sea monster (slightly resembling the dragon slide).

18. As shark!Molly starts falling down the cliff, she passes a road where headlights are briefly scene.

19. When the monster gets back to Molly's room, the window that cat!Molly jumped through is still open.

20. There are still Christmas decorations in Molly's room.

21. The curse is 500 years old. That is a lot of dead people.

22. In Odin's viewfinder, it states "His [Odin's] daughter, Edie, is already dreaming of new Finch house" showing that even though her own father died not even a week ago, Edie has already moved on.

23. The house is filled head to toe with books about death, including two that Odin wrote.

24. Sven's shrine does not have a log painting like the rest of the family. His portrait is painted on a simple canvas.

25. Edie has a number of strange tapes in her room including one titled "conspiracy now".

26. The toys from Gregory's final bath are still in the bathroom.

27. There is an old bottle of alcohol in the bathroom bin.

28. A lot of Sam's photos are based on Calvin (a swing, astronauts).

29. All of Milton's drawings are based on the death. (Molly = cat, Barbara = pumpkin)

30. There are cigarettes and gin on Sam's side of the room he shared with Calvin.

31. Calvin already had bruises, Band-Aids and a cast on his leg when he died.

32. Sam blames himself for challenging Calvin.

33. In the story, Calvin doesn't fall. He keeps flying.

34. Barbara's birthday cake is still in her room.

35. Barbara is holding crutches in her portrait.

36. There are totem-esc styles statues of both Calvin and Molly

37. Barbara's outfit is over the railing.

This is the same way the Hook-Man falls

38. "Performance of her life" can also mean that it is the performance she is known for.

39. There are spare portrait logs in the basement.

40. There is a fake window in the basement.

41. Edie's grave is finished despite her dying and then nobody else going to the house.

42. There is no grave for Milton.

43. Lewis' grave has a crown on it.

44. There are times wear it seems like you can hear sobbing (this one may just be me).

45. There is a box of Kay's old stuff in Sam's bedroom.

46. Odin has a park named after him.

47. This isn't a fact but I think this may be one of the funniest photos of the game (LIKE SIR? YOUR DAUGHTER IS SOBBING!).

48. Both Calvin and Dawn are on Sam's shrine.

49. Gus has a skateboard over his name.

50. Gregory has the soap bottle from his final bath in his shrine.

51. The music cuts out when Gregory isn't moving.

52. Same also blames himself for Gregory.

53. Gus never met his step mother.

54. Gus was crushed by the (totem) statues of his deceased relatives.

55. Dawn's light switch is the only one on

56. Most of the rules are about past deaths. (No playing outside without permission : Calvin, No answering door for strangers : Barbara, No messes after dark : Molly (???)).

57. Milton's garden has a castle (reference to the Unfinished Swan)

58. There is a small Sanjay shrine in the classroom

59. Edith JR did an assignment on her family history.

60. Lewis drew on his desk.

61. There is no death date for Milton on his peephole.

62. Edith JR wrote Milton's death date as 2003 (the year he disappeared).

63. The door from the flip book is in Milton's room.

64. Lewis' dream Palace is decorated with fish.

65. The gnomes scattered around the house are outside the original house in Edie's story.

66. The credits roll in reverse order.

AND THAT'S IT!! I had a few others I thought didn't need to go in.

[rock-the-baby]

【小説：2024年GWの貧困JAPAN】

2024年のGW、衰退国家日本は通貨危機に陥り、円は数年で40%も下落していた。

かつてあれだけハワイ旅行が流行った繁栄国家は急速に衰退し、貧しく海外に行けない国民ばかりになっていた。

貧乏な白痴大衆を主な視聴者層にするテレビ局はこぞって、「日本人はハワイに行って自炊生活をしています!ハワイへの旅行客は貧乏旅行をみんなしています!」と報道していた。

「ハワイに行っても楽しくないんだ! 俺は家で遊んでるけど幸せなんだ!俺は勝利している!」と国民は精神的勝利をし、「すっぱいぶどう」を見せるテレビ局と、それをみて満足に浸る視聴者の相互補完関係は今日も保たれていた。

東京で36歳になったたかしはまだ結婚をしておらず、GWの暇を持て余していた。

海外旅行に誘う相手もいないわけではないが、友人は次々結婚していき遊ぶ人間も減り、今年は円安であまりにも高いので、趣味の一人海外旅行も行かずに、特にすることがない。

銀座や新宿、渋谷にふらっと出かけていくと、外国人観光客で店がごった返し、次から次へと商品を買っていくのをみる。

かつて白人のみ、そして次に金持ちの中国人ばかりだった観光客。

いよいよ貧しくなり果てたJAPANでは様変わりし、一体どこの国から来たのかわからない国の人々ばかりになっていて、彼らの国籍は全くわからない。

渋谷の道端で缶ビールを飲む連中に、横一列で歩いてくる人々。時折悪態をついて見下してくるような態度を取る外国人。

いよいよ富裕層だけではなく中産階級でも来られるようになった国、JAPAN。

かつて日本人が東南アジアなどにいって現地の人々を下に見て、それが態度に出ていたように、彼らにマナーも期待することはできない。

好きだった海鮮の店も外国人向け商品ばかりになり疎外感を感じる。

今や海鮮丼が3000円4000円で、もう自分では食べられない。

店の中では外国人らが「What a price! Delicious!(マジで安すぎ!うまい!)」とガツガツ食べている。

店員も外国人ばかりになり、オーナーも経営者もおそらく外国人になったのだろう。

一体自分がどこの国にいるのかわからなくなり、日本に金が落ちるのかもわからない。

疲れ切って自宅に帰り、仕方なく冷凍食品を温めて食べる。

誰かを誘って温泉旅行にでも行こうと予約サイトを開く。

一泊一人3万も出せばそこそこの宿は泊まれるだろうと思ったが、一泊5万10万は当たり前で、20万30万の宿も出てくる。

あらゆるサイトを確認したが同じで失望する。

そういえば先日大阪に出張に行ったときも会社の規定の宿予算で泊まることができなかった。

大阪の街で買い物に興じる大量の外国人たちをみて、一体なにが起きているのかを理解した。

両親にLINEをして、帰省すると伝える。

東京駅に行くと、大きなスーツケースを抱えた外国人でごった返している。

駅の広告には「Uber Eatsで美味しい食事を頼みましょう」とか、「Netflixでシティーハンターを独占配信」という広告がどこの壁にも画面にも出てきて、我が国資本の広告は藤原竜也のよくわからないSKyなんちゃらというIT製品の広告しか目立たない。

そんな自分も、Google Mapで乗り換え案内を検索し、手元にはiPhone、仕事の携帯はAndroid、東京駅まで来る途中はSpotifyで音楽を聞き、旅の写真はGoogle PhotoかiCloudに、旅行にブッキング・ドットコムやエクスペディアを使っており、新幹線に乗る前にスタバでコーヒーを買っている。

これらを使うたびに円が売られドルが買われ、円安を加速させる。

かつて世界中に自国の家電や半導体、車を輸出しまくって外貨を稼ぎ、世界トップの金持ち国家に君臨していたのは日本だと聞いても、にわかに信じがたい。

新幹線の改札に向かうが、特急券と乗車券が分かれるという極めて奇妙なシステムを理解できない外国人らが改札で混乱し、スマートEXの使い方すらわからないアナログ日本人もまた通れず混乱している。

自動改札なのに駅員が大量に配置されている風景は、毎年繁忙期の風物詩である。

東京駅で、新幹線のぞみ号に乗る。

弁当を買っていたら時間がなく、申し訳ないと思いながらもグリーン車に飛び乗って、自分の普通車車両を目指した。

東京駅を出る時に弁当を食べ始め、新横浜に到着する前に食べ終わりゴミを捨て、そこから静かに寝るのが常である。

運良くグリーン車の隣の車両だったのですぐ座席についたが、隣に座った大きな荷物を持った外国人らがどこに荷物を置けばよいのかわからず、立ち往生していた。

大型荷物置き場の予約もしていなさそうだが、荷物置き場が諸外国の鉄道と比べ極めて少ない我が国の新幹線に苦労するのは当たり前である。

無理やり荷棚に置いたりしようとしてはうまくいかず、今度は最後尾の座席の後ろのスペースを勝手に使ったりと右往左往し、あれこれと出入りが多くて自分も弁当を食べることが出来ない。

車両をよく見みると、他にも外国人が多く乗っている。

JAPAN RAIL PASSというJRが提供する格安乗り放題チケットがあるが、ひかりやこだましか乗ることが出来ない。あまりにも安すぎて日本人差別かと言われるほどだったので、こないだ値上げをした。

JAPAN RAIL PASSのおかげで多くの外国人は「ひかり・こだま」押し込まれて「のぞみ」には乗っていなかったのに、今日はやけに多い。

JAPAN RAIL PASSの値上げのせいか、それとも「円安でのぞみ安いからこれでいこうか」となったのか、それはわからない。

さっき通ったグリーン車も外国人だらけで、しかもインドかタイなのか、かつては想定もしていなかった国々の人がたくさん座っていた。

結局は「日本が安いから」たくさん乗っていることは間違いない。

デッキには、指定席を買わず自由席券でケチって乗ろうとしたのか、GWは全席指定なのを知らなかったのか、ずっと座り込んでたり立っている日本人がちらほらいる。

弁当を食べて飲み物を飲みたくとも、車内販売は先日終了した。

日本を代表する高速鉄道である東海道新幹線の車内販売すら、少子高齢化による人手不足には勝てない。

今やここで水一杯を調達することも出来ない。

東京からうっかり飲み物を持たず博多までのチケットを買ってしまったら悲惨だ。

三島を超えると車窓から、雪が多く残る5月の富士山が見える。

かつて日本国民に愛された「シンカンセンスゴイカタイアイス」こと、スジャータのアイスの販売もグリーン車に限られ、たかがアイスですら上級国民と下級国民で差をつけられる現実をひしひしと感じて辛い想いがこみ上げてくる。

そういえば、先日北陸新幹線でスノボに行った時も、グランクラスに乗っていくのは外国人、というかインド人ばかりだったのを思い出す。

格安SIMのギガ数が少ないのでケチケチと新幹線のWifiにつなごうとしたが、全く速度が出ないどころかろくにつながらず途中で諦める。

N700Sという新しい車両が導入され、一部車両ではWifiは2倍高速と言っているのに繋がらない。

隣の外国人もWifiと悪戦苦闘し繋がらず、話しかけられたが何か助けることもできず、お互い言葉は通じないが諦めた顔をしている。

本当に通信回線が用意されているのか疑問に思いながら眠りについた。

実家の最寄り駅(といっても車で時間もかかるが)につくと、老いた父親がプリウスで迎えに来ていた。

車窓風景は何年たっても変わらないが、よくみるとなじみの店が閉店し、空き家が増え、建物は残っていても人が少なく街がひっそりしているように感じる。

家に到着すると、田舎者らしく居間には大きなテレビがありニュースを流していて、母がそこでお茶を飲んでいる。

ニュースは「本日はこちらの地域に振り込め詐欺の電話がかかってきています」などと呼びかけ、その他にも「85歳の老人がコンビニに突入しまいました」とかいうニュースが流れ、その車がプリウスであると心の中で予想すると、やはり映像にプリウスが流れる。

「外国人の爆買いは凄かったなあ」と疲れ切ってソファに座ると、テーブルの上には新聞の折込チラシが置かれていて、そのチラシをパラパラとめくって父が「ワークマンが最近いいらしいぞ」とワークマンのチラシを渡してくる。

誰かのXの投稿で「日本人がワークマンが凄いだのなんだの言ってる間に、東南アジア人はパタゴニアを着てスキーをするようになりました」と見たのは、1年半前くらいだろうか。

あの時は「そんなことはない」と思っていたのに、迫りくる現実をひしひしと感じ、なんとも言えない悲壮感が漂ってくる。

テレビをぼーっと見ていると、夢グループの通販が始まり、誰が使うかわからないポータブルDVDプレーヤーが1万円で売られており、「やすぅ〜い!」とおばさんの歓声があがる。

「ねえ母さん、こんなの誰が買うの?」と母の方を見ると、居間のすみっこに夢グループと書かれた段ボールが置かれているのがちらりと見える。なにが入ってるのか怖くて開けられなかった。

ニュースを見ても老人向けの意見ばかり言うコメンテーターばかり���バラエティを見てもよく知らない低俗な安い芸人が飯を食ったり、ガハハとつまらない話でひな壇で笑い合うだけのものばかりしかない。

CMにはコンドロイチンとか腰痛、尿もれパッドだのといった広告ばかりが流れ、同じ国なので東京と田舎でここまで違うかと驚愕する。

ワークマンの折込チラシの横においてある新聞を開いてみる。

母がむかし「高級紙」と呼んでいた朝日新聞。

「天声人語というのがあったな」と昔を思い出していると、母がおもむろに「こんなのが最近は本屋さんにあるのよ」と「天声人語書き写しノート」という公式の謎ノートを差し出してくる。これが累計500万冊以上売れてるらしい。

発行部数が減り実質不動産屋となって食いつないでいる会社の政治思想機関紙が、今でもこうして高齢有権者に幅広く読まれている現実を知って、複雑な気持ちになる。

数年前、YouTubeの見すぎで陰謀論にハマり、ディープステートだロスチャイルドだと毎日言い続けていた父。

地元の友人も離れていった者も少なくはない。

そこでNetflixやAmazon Primeを契約しインストールしたiPadをプレゼントし、YouTubeとの接点を消したのが一昨年の年末であった。

陰謀論を唱えることは多少減ったものの、右翼韓国嫌いの父はNetflixは韓ドラばかりで嫌だと言うので、U-NEXTを契約して日本や中国のドラマも見れるようにしたのが去年の年末。

あれから4ヶ月経ったが、U-NEXTでは実は隠し機能でアダルト作品が見放題になったのを私は知らなかった。

案の定、自慢げにiPadを町内会に持っていった時にうっかり視聴中の熟女系アダルト作品が大音量で再生されてしまったそうで、なかなか停止の操作もできず、大きな恥をかいたという。

アダルトの世界も女優の高齢化が進んでいるというが、視聴者が高齢者が増えているのが理由なのだろうか。

元気にこんな騒動をしている親も将来介護が必要になると思うとつらい思いがある。

いつか家を処分するのを見越して、私がかつて着ていた服とか、使っていた本とかを処分していく。

私が寝泊まりしていたかつての子供部屋には、ショップチャンネルやQVCの箱が山積みされ、食べ物や健康グッズなどを買った形跡があり、母が浪費をしていないか心配になる。

戸棚からカセットテープやCD、MDが大量に出てくるが、カセットテープからMDへの進化には当時誰もが感動したのに、もう今や誰も使っていない。

ソニーのウォークマンに電池を入れて久々に再生してみるとまだ動くことに感動し、浜崎あゆみのSeasonsが流れ、当時の情景が思い浮かんでくる。

ケツメイシの「さくら」が流れてくると、自然に手に取ってしまった高校の卒業アルバムを開いた。

一緒に勉強や部活を頑張っていた彼らはいまどこでなにをやっているのだろうか。

音楽は記憶を蘇らせる道具だなと感心する。

優秀だった何人かの名前を検索して見ると、大企業で管理職についていたり、外科医となり手術をこなして人を救っていたり、田舎に残って地元のイベントを盛り上げていたり、名前が出てくると嬉しくなる。

「あいつらも頑張ってるんだな」と思うと、自分も腐らず頑張ろうと思えるのは、いつの時代も同じなのだろうか。

頑張って活躍してる彼らに連絡を取れたらと思っても、携帯メールが衰退しLINEなどが勃興した今、連絡先は断絶している。

高校時代や大学時代のメアドに連絡してもきっと届かないだろうと思うと、技術の進化と人間関係の継続性については本当に進化をしているのだろうか、と考える。

そうこうしているうちに夕食の時間になった。

久々の帰省で張り切って高い肉を買ってきたのだろう、久々のステーキだった。

彼らはもう年金暮らしだが、お金はあるのだろうか。

「こんな良い食材わざわざ買ってこなくてもいいのに」

そう言っても、

「いやいや、たいしたもんじゃないよ」

と返す父と母。

陰謀論にはまろうが、怪しい通販にハマろうが、子を想う親の心は消えていないことに少し安心する。

「同級生の春奈ちゃん、二人目の子供産んだって」

「成績良かった大介くんは、トヨタで働いてるんですって」

「栄町の美奈子ちゃん、不妊治療でやっと1人目生まれたらしいわよ、よかったわね」

どれも本人たちに直接聞いた話でもなんでもない。

田舎人たちは、ITもクラウドもキャッシュレスも遅れているはずなのに、都会人よりも他人の個人情報を細かく早く把握しているのはなぜだろう。

自分は、同級生たちにどんな情報が伝わっているのだろうか。

「なあ、たかしはいい人はおらんのか?」

ビールで酔った父からそう言われても、

「いや、特に」

としか返すことも出来ず、美味しいステーキのはずが味が落ちていく。

なんとも言えない雰囲気になるが、

「つらいことあったら、いつでも帰ってこいよ」

と父が言う。

それから両親とはたいして多くを語り合うことはなく、休みも最終日を迎えた。

翌日、東京へ帰るバス停に両親が送ってくれた。

同じように、都会へ帰っていく若者たちが何人かバスを待っている。

バス停のプレートもずいぶん劣化し錆びてきている。

地面のアスファルトも割れが目立つ。

「つらいことがあったら、いつでも帰ってこいよ」

父がまた同じことを言う。

バスに乗り、車窓から両親を見る。少しさびしそうな顔をして、前より小さくなったような気がした。

バス停のアスファルトの割れ目からは、たんぽぽが咲いているのが見えた。

そのたんぽぽが、妙に力強く、たくましく見えた。

バスが発車すると、どんどん小さくなる両親。

両親も私も、お互いが見えなくなるまで、ずっとずっとお互いを見つめていた。

—終---

https://x.com/japantank/status/1786595831841509692?s=12&t=2udZ4HodM8nXVRmb1FbVUA

[edutainer2022]

This is a glimpse of my bosom future!headcanon timeline. Just 'cause (I came across a West Wing gif-set, probably why). It also features in Timey-Wimey and Piano Practice. Though, always in flux the future is... Virgil and Kayo have a chat - they worry about Scott. A lot. That's it, that's the story. Some things, old and new, hurt.

Warning: an OC death mentioned in passing (please, read the end note*, if you kindly make it that far).

WORRIES

A gust of wind ruffled his hair - still trademark styled, but more liberally sprinkled with salt and silver now - as Shadow landed on the pad. Kayo still used her trusty old bird for errands and investigative missions, although her flightsuit was a mandatory solid black of the Secret Service now. Ms. Kyrano, Chief of World President's Security Detail, joined him wordlessly at the railings of the rooftop terrace, overlooking the magnificent vista of the Alps, crystal blue sky and the beautiful city below. Virgil sighed.

"I need updates on his BP and heart rate stats twice a day, uploaded to my comm directly. Thrice a day if there's a... situation or Ambassador Lemaire shows up, or the First Lady starts a war or something..."

Kayo suppressed a smile and leaned sideways on the railing.

"Eos gleans his stats every morning and every night before bedtime from all the residences sensors."

"Yeah, but Eos doesn't have access to the situation room. Not that Scott knows of, anyway. And I can't risk..."

Virgil was short for breath and the last words came out as a croak. Kayo squinted and squeezed his arm.

"You don't approve?"

"That he had a cardiac episode after the memorial service and then went on to take the most stressful job in the world? No, I well damn don't approve!"

Virgil's knuckles went white from the grip on the railings. Kayo stayed silent, giving room to his anguish, a hand on his bicep an unwavering anchor. When dark brown eyes next turned back to her, they were glistening with a sheen of tears.

"How does he do it, Kayo? After we lost Jeffy Jr.*? I can't breathe sometimes, it hurts so bad! And I'm just an uncle."

The pain flared readily from an ever fresh wound. Virgil's voice hitched:

"Allie felt so guilty he left for that deep space mission! I'm so scared all the time. How does Scott even cope?!"

Kayo snorted at that.

"Have you MET Scott? He doesn't."

A wide arch of the black clad arm indicated the massive World President Residence and Offices all around and below them.

"He hoisted up the heaviest mantle he could fathom and let duty consume his every waking and sleeping hour, drowning out all other thoughts. There's nothing much heavier than the weight of the actual world, huh?"

"Guess not. That's what worries me most..."

Virgil's sigh was tinged with bottomless rue this time. Keeping busy with International Rescue is the one thing that keeps me from going crazy. The echo of the words biggest brother said to him so many years ago, on a dark, dark snowy night, rippled through memory. He hoped so much they were past... THAT stretch of self-destructive coping. For a blissful while, moreso after Dad got back, they were. Jeffy Jr. and Skye were born. It went unspoken between them all, but Jeffy was their golden chance at a Scott that was happy and carefree, encouraged and inspired by legacy, but not subsumed or crashed by it. But they were the Tracies, so the universe would never let them truly catch a break. Ever, it seemed...

Kayo, ever the psy-ops, ever the bereft family like them all, sensed a need to shift the subject to something brighter.

"Did you get to see Lucy rehearse?"

Virgil's whole face lit up immediately and he beamed at her.

"Oh yes! I was at the dress rehearsal, and she asked me to accompany her after lunch today, for vocal practice before the premiere! Though I think it's more of a courtesy - she's got world class concert pianists at her disposal."

Kayo was smiling fondly in return. Virgil's kids were as much a reflection of his kind and caring nature, and talent, as Scott's son and daughter were that of his consuming drive, focus, and dedication to duty. Okay, maybe not to go there at the moment! Kayo waved the imaginary wisps of hair out of her eyes to blink away unwarranted tears and regroup.

"Have you considered you're maybe Lucy's favorite world-class concert pianist?"

Virgil's smile was impish, yet full of love. A sudden idea occurred, as his glance fell on the Shadow, and made him gasp.

"Please, tell me he's not cowboying it here in Delta-One?!"

Kayo actually let herself laugh at the implication. They certainly wouldn't put it past Scott to ditch the entourage and take his augmented Thunderbird out for a spin.

"Relax! The Joint Chiefs requested an on-the-go meeting, so it's a scenic route across the Atlantic on a GDF bus. No Delta-drive jumps for our favorite Commander today. Besides, the whole media circus tagged along from NYC. Nobody would miss the World President's favorite niece perform Carmen at the Season opening of Vienna Opera."

"Scott doesn't have favorites!"

The response was automatic, which scored another of Kayo's smile. It wasn't quite a secret the family consensus placed Scott a higher ranking Dad in the overarching hierarchy of Tracy parents. Jeff Sr., the proud Grandpa, was more of a partner in crime and a co-conspirator to everyone's endless befuddlement.

Virgil's take-away from her previous statement was, however, unexpected.

"So there IS a situation?! Kayo, I need his stats THE MOMENT they land!"

"Nothing your Casey had warranted worthy of high treason to inform me about. Virgil, it's fine. He'll be fine!"

That was true. Virgil's second youngest was currently the Deputy Chief of Communications of the World President office and, besides Kayo herself, the family's trusty person on the inside. She virtually worshipped the ground her Big Uncle walked and would flag anything potentially too worrisome with regard to his mood or health. Besides, John would probably know in advance anyway if it were Bereznik or any number of regions giving grief du jour (something the World President himself probably didn't need to know about, for plausible deniability and a semblance of restful sleep).

Kayo made a point to amend her reassurance with a shoulder squeeze. Dark brown eyes turned to her were frantic again.

"Look after him, will you?!"

Kayo gave a firm nod in acknowledgement. A pang of an old heartache flared up. But it became a well practiced, tried and true spiel between them, through the years - he was burning himself to light up the world, she was the shadow.

---------

*[spoiler alert] The relentless narrative logic and poetic symmetry part of me dictates that Scott, in the later arch of his journey, would, very likely, have to loose a son to his own legacy and footsteps. The way Jeff dodged a bullet (just barely). But the regular bleeding heart part of me screams in agony in the face of such abject tragedy and comes up with elaborate scenarios in my head how it all could eventually be okay. Dad Jeff couldn't have used up all of Tracy limit of miracles.

[vshthestmpede]

Hiya, I've had this idea tinking around in my brain for a while now but- How do you think Wolfwood would be around someone who's Vash and Knives' younger sibling?

wolfwood + vash/knives' sibling(platonic & romantic)

word count; 562

warnings; none!!

note; gawd this man is so FINE i swear to gods,,, anyways thank you so much for requesting!! this is such a cute idea, i totally ran with it haha <3 sorry for the tiny break, got caught up w birthday stuff and work!

cross-posted to ao3

PLATONIC

at first, nick honestly saw you as a bit of a nuisance

"great, a jr needle noggin. we gotta babysit while trying to keep our hides safe as well?"

instead of being offended, you ended up laughing - which took him by surprise

unlike most who endured his constant teasing, wolfwood was glad someone could go back and forth with him

on top of that, you made a show of proving you could handle yourself fine, effectively showing him up

"not bad, kid." a playful, teasing ruffle of your hair as he passed you

"i know, right? 'm pretty awesome," you shot back, earning a chuckle

"sure, sure, whatever floats your boat."

"i'd sure love to see you take down two bandits at once without using that cross of yours," you quipped back, catching up to him

ROMANTIC (all of the stuff above + more)

one day, the teasing became something. . .more to wolfwood

it wasn't the same as when he went at meryl, or what it was when he started with you

he would often get flustered and stumble over his words whenever you would prod at him

this, in turn, would cause you to dig into him even more until he would storm away from you or stop talking altogether

the rest of the group would also notice this change in wolfwood's behavior, meryl catching onto what was going on way before you and vash would

god, the two of you were so similar

seeing that you were too oblivious and wolfwood would be way too prideful to admit anything, meryl decided it was up to her to clear the air

she took advantage of the peace aboard the sand steamer, right as day began to fade into a beautiful, starry night

the four of you were on the observation deck, watching the great expanse of the great sand ocean whiz by

"hey, vash, can you come with me? i wanted to, uh, check out something," meryl said, tugging on the sleeve of his red coat.

"why do i have to go?" vash questioned as meryl tugged him along regardless

as they left, vash complaining that he wanted to look at the stars and meryl hushing him, you glanced sideways at the always stoic wolfwood

"sure is pretty." you broke the silence, leaning forward against the railing. "you okay?"

snapping out of his stupor, wolfwood mirrored you and leaned forward as well, nodding his head

"just been in my own head is all," he admitted and you raised an eyebrow as a cue for him to continue. "it's nothin', really."

"clearly not," you responded, bumping your shoulder against his. "did i overstep a line or somethin'? you're hardly as chatty as you used to be, nico. i'm sorry if i did, i just thought-"

"(name), you didn't do anything wrong," he interrupted, slowly reaching over and putting his hand over yours. "i just, i -"

"WOULD YOU TWO JUST KISS ALREADY?!"

you both whirled around, wolfwood scowling and you blushing, to see vash dragging away meryl, who fruitlessly punched at the air

you heard wolfwood 'tsk' and as you turned to look at him, to laugh it off, you were met with his lips on yours, needy and somewhat desperate for you to kiss back

you happily did so, noting that it seemed his favorite flavor of lollipop was strawberry with how the sweetness mixed with the bitter of cigarettes

[mintconditiondean]

I rewrote the ending montage of 15x20 so that everything is almost the same but also, I think, a lot better -

...

DEAN: Enters Heaven. Finds Bobby outside of the Roadhouse. Has their conversation. Bobby points him towards the Impala, which is waiting for him on the road. Dean stands.

...

SAM: We see Sam standing next to a burning pyre; the wrapped body burning on it can only be Dean. As he stands in shocked silence, the first notes of "Carry On My Wayward Son" start to play. The song continues, a montage, as we watch what happens next.

...

SAM: Grieving Dean. He looks around the bunker. It's empty; no Cas, no Jack, and now no Dean. Sam decides that he refuses to isolate himself anymore. He packs his things and leaves. He gives the bunker one final look before closing the door. The bunker lights goes dark behind him. He'll pass the key on to someone else.

...

DEAN: He walks away from Bobby and the Roadhouse towards the Impala. Runs his hand over the black finish as he walks slowly to the driver's door. He opens it and gets in. He's in Heaven now, and he's supposed to rest; but he didn't want to die, and he's not ready to stop living- changing- growing. He starts the car and drives. He has a lot to think about.

...

SAM: He knocks on a house's front door. He looks nervous; he's holding all of his personal effects in the bag on his shoulder. Everything he wanted to keep of Dean's, Cas's and Jack's is in the trunk of the Impala. When the door opens, Eileen is on the other side. They look at each other, both silent. Their expressions are of unbearable sadness and infathomable hope. After a moment, they embrace. Both are crying.

...

DEAN: He's been driving for a long time. He doesn't know if it's been moments or years. The scenery shifts from mountains, to boundless fields of yellow grass, to dense and lively forest, to a desert, to an ocean cliffside. He's been thinking; thinking about what he wants. What he thinks he deserves.

...

SAM: We see Sam and Eileen host a dinner party with Donna, Jody and the girls. We see Garth visiting with Bess and their kids. Sam and Eileen look happy. There are photos of everyone they've ever loved hanging on the walls throughout their home.

...

DEAN: The Impala rumbles to a stop on a bridge overpassing a mountain stream. Dean gets out of the car and walks to the rail to gaze out over the flowing water. He hopes that Sam is doing well without him, but Sam's happiness isn't Dean's priority anymore. Dean wants his own happiness. He's had time to think, and he's ready to go find something of his own, something he wants for himself. He can't be alive anymore, but that doesn't have to mean his journey is over. Thing is, he doesn't want to travel it alone.

...

SAM: Sam and Eileen have a baby. We watch as they raise it. The baby grows from an infant to a young boy. Sam smiles with fondness and sadness at a framed photo of himself, Dean, and Bobby sitting on the hood of the Impala while he carries his son to his bedroom. When Sam tucks the little boy into bed, we see that the child's personalized headboard reads "DEAN". We can assume that Sam is going to live a long, happy life.

[The last notes of "Carry On" plays as the camera rises, panning up and away from Sam and Dean Jr., before returning to Heaven; to Dean. There is no music anymore, just the ambient sounds of the rushing stream and the forest.]

DEAN: The camera is on Dean in profile. He's still looking out over the water, arms braced against the railing. He looks content, and a little determined, but not fulfilled. It's not over, yet.

Suddenly, though we hear nothing, Dean seems to sense a new presence behind him. He straightens, and a knowing expression crosses his face. The camera pans to follow Dean as he turns around. There, in the middle of the bridge, standing next to the Impala, is Castiel.

Castiel gazes at Dean with a warm, soft smile, and even softer eyes. He's been waiting a long time to see Dean Winchester again, but the wait was worth every single moment. Dean is every bit as beautiful as Castiel remembers.

CAS: "Hello, Dean."

The camera is back on Dean, showing his head and shoulders with face centered in shot. He stares past the camera at Cas for a moment, eyes filling with wonder, before a broad smile breaks across his face. He looks to be overflowing with love. This might be the happiest we have ever seen him.

[Fade to black. Credits.]

[usafphantom2]

The story of the SR-71 Blackbird crew that ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot, lit the afterburners and outran him

‘I looked out the left window and saw a French Mirage III sitting ten feet off my left wing. He came up on our frequency and asked us for our Diplomatic Clearance Number. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him to stand by…,’ Lt. Colonel William Burk Jr., former SR-71 pilot.

The SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft was the world’s fastest jet-propelled aircraft and the most advanced member of the Blackbird family developed by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s clandestine “Skunk Works” division. Throughout its nearly 24-year career, the SR-71 remained the world’s highest-flying operational aircraft. From 80,000 feet, it could survey 100,000 square miles of Earth’s surface per hour. The aircraft was designed to fly deep into hostile territory, avoiding interception with its tremendous speed and high altitude.

During its operational lifetime, the SR-71 provided intelligence about the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982, the US raid on Libya in 1986 and the revelation of Iranian Silkworm missile batteries in 1987. The USAF ceased SR-71 operations in January 1990.

That time an SR-71 Blackbird crew ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot before lighting the afterburners and leaving the fighter jet behind

This model is available in multiple sizes from AirModels – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS.

One of the most entertaining stories about flying the Blackbird comes from Lt. Colonel William Burk Jr., who shares about a particular mission he flew [according to SR-71 pilot Stormy Boudreaux, Tom Henichek was Burk’s RSO for that mission] over Lebanon back in 1982 in the book Skunk Works by Ben Rich.

‘In the fall of ’82, I flew from Mildenhall on a mission over Lebanon in response to the Marine barracks bombing. President Reagan ordered photo coverage of all the terrorist basis in the region. The French refused to allow us overfly, so our mission profile was to refuel off the south coast of England, a Mach 3 cruise leg down the coast of Portugal and Spain, left turn through the Straits of Gibraltar, refuel in the Western Mediterranean, right turn into Lebanon and fly right down main street Beirut, exit along the southern Mediterranean with another refueling over Malta, supersonic back out the straits, and return to England.

‘Because Syria had a Soviet SA-5 missile system just west of Damascus that we would be penetrating (we were unsure of Syria’s intentions in this conflict), we programmed to fly above 80,000 feet and at Mach 3 plus to be on the safe side, knowing that this advanced missile had the range and speed to nail us.

That time an SR-71 Blackbird crew ‘gave the birdie’ to a French Air Force Mirage III pilot before lighting the afterburners and leaving the fighter jet behind

‘As we entered Lebanon’s airspace my Recon Systems Officer in the rear cockpit informed me that our defensive systems display showed we were being tracked by that SA-5. About 15 seconds later we got a warning of active guidance signals from the SA-5 site. We couldn’t tell whether there was an actual launch or the missile was still on the rails, but they were actively tracking us. We didn’t waste any time wondering, but climbed and pushed that throttle, and said a couple of “Hail Kellys.”

‘We completed our pass over Beirut and turned toward Malta, when I got a warning low-oil-pressure light on my right engine. Even though the engine was running fine I slowed down and lowered our altitude and made a direct line for England. We decided to cross France without clearance instead of going the roundabout way.

‘We made it almost across, when I looked out the left window and saw a French Mirage III sitting ten feet off my left wing. He came up on our frequency and asked us for our Diplomatic Clearance Number. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I told him to stand by. I ask my backseater, who said, “Don’t worry about it. I just gave it to him.” What he had given him was “the bird” with his middle finger: I lit the afterburners and left that Mirage standing still. Two minutes later, we were crossing the Channel.’

SR-71 Print

This print is available in multiple sizes from AircraftProfilePrints.com – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS. SR-71A Blackbird 61-7972 “Skunkworks”

Photo credit: U.S. Air Force and French Air Force Via FAST Museum Twitter Account

Thanks to Linda Sheffield Miller from Habubrats Facebook Page for helping with this article

@Habubrats71 via X

[strvwdere]

He's been on my mind and my dash today. Uploaded from the dox archive, briefly edited, and still doesn't have a title! Taking suggestions in the tags <3

Edit: title added!

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"Unannounced"

Aki Hayakawa x gnc!Reader drabble (~1k words)

CW!s: Fluff, brief mention of blood, suggestions of violence and hookup culture, one (1) use of profanity, no pronouns or anatomy descriptions for reader, JP urban life context, Aki is a sweetie pie, **note at the end if u care to read!

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Thinking about the first time you ever put your lips on Aki Hayakawa.

It was far more innocent than others might suspect. With your jobs and daily lives entrenched in spectacular horrors, it was practically expected for those in your position to blow off steam with one another. You'll admit you'd had a brief tryst or two, but now you had a new partner. And Aki didn’t seem like the type.

It's 02:37am and the train car is blissfully empty, not a sloshed up salaryman in sight. Aki had offered you a seat but chose to stand himself, claiming that he'd likely fall asleep if he took a moment to rest his long legs. You could see the truth of it on his face, but also knew he looked most comfortable staying on guard. Frankly, you wouldn't be surprised if the man slept with one eye open, literally.

He's got one hand on the baggage rail above you, the other fiddling with his lighter in the pocket of his suit pants. He catches you staring down at his sneakers, scanning them with casual curiosity, when he prompts,

"What?"

You blink, "They're clean."

“Huh?”

Aki thinks you must be blind, but he’s not rude enough to call you on it. Today’s shift had been your first time patrolling Shibuya together, so it was brutal, naturally. There’s not one article of clothing between the two of you without blood smeared on it somewhere. Standard rite of passage.

“The department chair said you like to stay busy. You a sneakerhead? There’s not a single scuff on those.”

“Not sure what the state of my footwear has to do with anything.”

“Sorry.”

You glance off to the side, not wanting him to presume scrutiny any further.

One thing about Aki- 90% of the time he’s vaguely dismissive and the other 10% he’s shy. 100% of the time you’re dogshit at reading him in the moment.

The ambiance of the train rattling down its track settles over you both. Stops coming and going, announcements crackling through the speakers and flashing on the overhead digital monitors as you pass through. Your lids are about to slip shut when he speaks, almost mumbling to himself.

“I like to take care of things.”

You roll your head along the back of the seat to look placidly in his direction again.

“Come again?”

He clears his throat. 

“I like to take care of my stuff. Is that a bad thing?”

“Not really, just surprising to me.”

“What’s so different about it?”

Your eyes follow the long column of his tie from the barely loosened knot at his throat, down his slim torso, to the pointed end that meets perfectly at the top of his belt buckle. Meticulous, you think. Meeting his eyes again as a wry smile tugs faintly at your lips, you state, 

“You’re a serious guy, Aki Hayakawa.”

“Yeah, guess so.”

He turns away, shielding his face with his arm still resting on the baggage rail, and casting his gaze over his toned shoulder. You’d assume he was dismissing you again, were it not for the visible tip of his ear tinted the lightest shade of pink. Look at that, you muse internally. The other 10%.

-The next stop is Ueno, G16. Please change here for the Hibiya line, the JR lines, and the Keisei line. This train is bound for Asakusa.-

You uncross your legs preparing to stand, semi-accidentally brushing your boot across the width of his shin as you do. He doesn’t flinch, but continues to avoid eye contact.

“Your stop, right?”

“Yep,” you quip, pulling the strings in your limbs against their will. Exhaustion is hitting you more fully now as you gather yourself. You’ll test Aki’s buttons another time, you decide. A time when a hot shower and your mattress aren’t demanding your presence so immediately.

-Arriving at Ueno, G16. The doors will open on the left side.-

“Don’t forget we’re touching base at HQ first tomorrow, and bring your report. They’ll want one from both of us since you’re an internal transfer.”

“Sir, yes sir.” 

You rise carefully to your feet, slinging your bag over your shoulder and steeling yourself for the next leg of your commute.

You’re mid-reach for the strap above when the train activates its breaks, rocking you forward and directly into Aki’s firm chest. An arm comes up to steady you against him while your outstretched hand aims for the baggage rail, landing on top of his own instead.

His voice is as rigid as the rest of him when he asks,

“You good?”

You tilt your head up sheepishly to reply and are struck by the fine architecture of his flexing jawline. Here you are hip to hip, eye to eye, and he’s still avoiding your gaze, burning holes into the wall of the train car behind you.

Whether it’s impetuousness or sleeplessness, something overcomes you. Rising onto the balls of your feet, arm pulling yourself up and in, you plant a soft, fleeting kiss to the underside of Aki’s chin.

-Ueno. This is Ueno station. Please watch your step.-

“Take good care of me, partner.”

-The next stop is Ueno-hirokoji, G15. Please transfer here for the Toei Oedo line.-

His arm leaves your waist and your hand uncovers his as you step away, dashing onto the platform just before the doors begin to close.

As the train pulls away, you’re left with a lingering sense of frustration and the impression of his body heat still ghosting your skin.

What you didn’t catch behind those doors was Aki, collapsed on the seat with his head in his hands, blushing bright red all the way down to his collar. 

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©strvwdere.tumblr.com; est. 02/2023; no quotes, reposts, or translations 🍓

**Note: I really wanted to make a cute reference to the way the phrase “yoroshiku onegaishimasu” is used in Japanese. One of its many meanings is “please treat me favorably” or “please take good care of me” and is often used in introductions and establishing coworker connections. That said, there is no direct translation to English so I’m afraid it came out a little clunky here (in my head, the reader essentially says “Please take care of me, Hayakawa Senpai). Lmk if you guys have any ideas! This was a quick bit I thought up while in the middle of my JP studies in preparation for going abroad. Had a lot of fun toying with our favorite Devil Hunter and looking through Tokyo-metro's website- that level of organization is A1!

[47burlm]

“A Painter Passing Through”

Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. CC OOnt (November 17, 1938 – May 1, 2023) was a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s ] He has been referred to as Canada's greatest songwriter and was known internationally as a folk-rock legend. Lightfoot's biographer Nicholas Jennings said, "His name is synonymous with timeless songs about trains and shipwrecks, rivers and highways, lovers and loneliness."[

Lightfoot's songs, including "For Lovin' Me", "Early Morning Rain", "Steel Rail Blues", "Ribbon of Darkness"—a number one hit on the U.S. country chart with Marty Robbins's cover in 1965—and "Black Day in July", about the 1967 Detroit riot, brought him wide recognition in the 1960s. Canadian chart success with his own recordings began in 1962 with the No. 3 hit "(Remember Me) I'm the One", followed by recognition and charting abroad in the 1970s. He topped the US Hot 100 or Adult Contemporary (AC) chart with the hits "If You Could Read My Mind" (1970), "Sundown" (1974); "Carefree Highway" (1974), "Rainy Day People" (1975), and "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" (1976), and had many other hits that appeared in the top 40.

Several of Lightfoot's albums achieved gold and multi-platinum status internationally. His songs have been recorded by artists such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams Jr., Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Harry Belafonte, the Grateful Dead, Olivia Newton-John, and Jim Croce.[9][10] The Guess Who recorded a song called "Lightfoot" on their 1968 album Wheatfield Soul; the lyrics contain many Lightfoot song titles.

[oldshowbiz]

The Woman's Club of Hollywood is located at 1749 La Brea directly south of Franklin Avenue. It is right in the dead center of Hollywood, California. The venue is sometimes rented out for weddings.

However, their website has completely scrubbed its sordid history.

The LA Conservancy doesn't mention it either.

This ancient building has always had a weird vibe. Well, no wonder.

For ten years, from 1958 through 1968, it was the home base of "Christian Identity" preacher Wesley A. Swift.

He was bankrolled by an anti-Semitic haberdasher from downtown Los Angeles named James Oviatt. The downtown Oviatt Building is also rented out for weddings and the LA Conservancy leads an architectural tour of the building in which they fail to mention its Klan history.

Oviatt gave money to Wesley Swift to help assemble militias in the Antelope Valley for the purpose of weapons training with the ultimate goal of doing violent battle with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement. The organization became better known in the 1970s as the "Aryan Nations."

A sermon delivered by Wesley A. Swift in this venue in February 1965 was typical:

"I have here one of the most unique pieces of writing in a newspaper. This is Baldwin. Black Baldwin. The scum of Negroes today. Called a brilliant writer and a great author and a great intellectual. Well, his kind of intellect belongs in a pig pen. What he says in his writing, in a piece of literature, called literature, that goes into our schools as literature ... every time he sees a white girl - he wants to rape her! He wants to assault every white woman to bring her down to his level, which proves he knows he's not up on your level. And he can only think of depravity and immorality to bring the levels together, that means to bring you down ... He says we don't have any nation, we don't have any flag, but we're going to get one! We're going to get it by violence and bloodshed and revolution! The Negroes gonna rise and take over! And that was in the San Francisco Chronicle last week. You say: what caused all this? It's because we have not heeded divine law and we have permitted those that are not willing to follow the laws of God to gain ascendency in our nation."

During a sermon delivered here in July 1964 he railed against the Civil Rights Act:

"This tyrannical bill known as the Civil Rights legislation which passed the house this week … The house passed a bill ... which is so filled with state and federal tyranny that it denies you and any establishment, even a church, the right to criticize or to disagree with any law relative to desegregation and anti-discrimination! "Makes it all so mandatory that there be prosecution against anybody who violates this law by securing the facts. A church would not be permitted to advocate the gospel of Christ or preach the content of this bible without violating their law as it relates to discrimination against pagan religions and against other gods. "One could not tell the story of the advocacy of God selecting and electing your race to this responsibility of world leadership without a differentiation between races … and if you declare the thing that God is advocating you'd be subject to prosecution!

"Civil rights legislation, which is not civil rights, but wrongs to the great Christian majority intended on mongrelizing your race and destroying your faith and reducing your nation ... to ... an elite core of evil … I think it should be a basic Christian project of every Christian to do all that he can to see that the persons who would surrender the liberties of these United States into the hands of the dictatorial authorities [are not re-elected]."

From his La Brea Avenue pulpit, Swift ranted against the changing immigration laws of the mid-1960s:

"Why do they want to destroy our immigration laws? Because immigration laws are the result of the Church's recognition that if we permit a flood of immigration into America of pagans and Africans and Asiatics that can out vote and out maneuver Christians, that they'll take over America and our freedoms will go!

"If you don't think this is the strategy, then you turn very carefully and examine the texts … which these Swedish and Negro Communists wrote."

Swift frequently invoked terms like "freedom" and "liberty" in defense of his view point and characterized Civil Rights laws and anti-bigotry as "tyranny."

He delivered horrific, racist sermons right here in the heart of Hollywood every single Sunday for a decade - and I have yet to see anyone acknowledge it.

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Japan’s Tohoku Shinkansen passing at close to 300km/h. 🚝

—

The Tōhoku Shinkansen is a Japanese high-speed Shinkansen rail line, connecting Tokyo with Aomori in Aomori Prefecture in a route length of 674.9 km (419.4 mi), making it Japan's longest Shinkansen line.

It runs through the more sparsely populated Tōhoku region of Japan's main island, Honshu.

It was extended as the Hokkaido Shinkansen through the Seikan Tunnel to Shin-Hakodate-Hokuto (this section opened in March 2016) and is expected to be extended to Sapporo by 2030.

It has two Mini-shinkansen branch lines, the Yamagata Shinkansen and Akita Shinkansen.

The line is operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East).

[japan2024]

Narita to Shinjuku

So what took us 4-1/2 hours from our 4:30 pm landing at Narita to our 9 pm arrival at the Hotel Groove Shinjuku, located in the Tokyu Kabukicho Tower.

An epic line for immigration--this is what I imagine Disney World looks like at spring break. Probably an hour spent winding back and forth... That said, in my experience, this is pretty typical for international arrivals.

Picking up a pocket wi-fi router, yen, our Japan Rail Passes and Suica cards. We were assisted in this process by Marito-san, an employee of the company that supplied our JR passes. She held my hand during the process.

An hour-plus commute on the 18:53 Narita Express to Shinjuku station.

More trouble than I'd anticipated catching a cab on the chilly, rainy evening.

A splendid view of Shinjuku this morning!

[maksurat]

En baştan başlamalıyım ama uzun bir yazı yazacak gücüm var mı bilemiyorum, parça parça yazarım belki. 8 yıl önce gönlüme düşen bir hayali büyüttüm büyüttüm sonra niyet ettim zamana bıraktım. Çocuklarla çok bunaldığım zamanlarda hayalime sarıldım, belki biraz da abarttım. Sonra yol arkadaşlarım netleşti, bütçeyi denkleştirdim derken Japonya'ya gittim. Tamamen Allahın lütfu ihsanı...

Kardeşim thy de çalışmasaydı uçak biletini almak mümkün değildi benim için. Kendisine bu yüzden minnettarım. Eşim de maddi manevi destek olduğu için ona da minnettarım. Neyse.. iki erkek kardeşim ve ben yola düştük. Biri bonsai ve manga sever, diğeri japon mutfağı sever, ben ise komple japonyayı severim. Daha uçaktan iner inmez japon hayranlığı başladı. Birbirimize dikkatimizi çeken şeyleri gösterip övüyoruz falan:) arkadaşlar wcleri harika ilk bahsedeceğim şey bu olmamalıydı belki ama tuvalet hususunda hassas biri olarak en rahat ettiğim şey bu oldu. Helal yemek arayıp bulmak ise meşakkatli geldi. İçeriğine bakmadan alışveriş yapmak ne büyük konformuş... günde bir öğün yedik, aslında helal lokanta aplikasyonu falan indirip baktığımız için kısmen rahat oldu ama yine de bunun için ayrıca mesai harcadık, bazen rotamız değiştirmek zorunda kaldık. Başka bir konu da mescit bulmaktı, bunun için de ayrıca mesai harcadık. tüm bunlar şükredecek şeyleri fark etmemizi sağladı.

Japonyada ulaşım pahalıymış. Japan Rail Pass bilet çıkarttık bir hafta boyunca JR trenlerine bir daha para vermeden bindik. Kendisini o kadar sevdik ki türkü bile yazdık: " haiku olsam dillerde/ Jr Jr dolaşsam" agsgafa Tokyonun metro hattı karışıktı googlemaps olmadan önce insanlar ne yapıyordu diye düşünmeden edemedik. Otelimize bir defa bile aynı yoldan gitmedik mesela, çok enteresan değil mi? Osaka istasyonunda 32 tane çıkış kapısı vardı !!!! Akıl alır gibi değil!

Konaklamayı airbnb den bulduğumuz otellerle hallettik. Tokyoda'ki çok küçük ve boğucuydu. Kyotodaki harikaydı, küçücük de olsa mutfağı vardı, işimizi gördü.

[wilsweb-asientour]

Tag 19. 22.07.2023

Aal. Wir standen erst gegen 11:00 Uhr auf, es ging ja erst 04:00 Uhr ins Bett. Wir liefen zuerst ins 7/11 um SIM-Karten zu kaufen und Bargeld zu holen, Japan hat nämlich, wie Deutschland, mit dem kontaktlosen Bezahlen noch Schwierigkeiten. Webster staunte dann als er im Supermarkt durch die Gänge lief - frisch plus super Qualität. Kurz daraufhin ging’s in die Gärten des Palastes des japanischen Kaisers. Wir beäugten neidisch die Bonsai-Bäume und genossen die Stille der Gärten.

Es ging danach zum Hauptbahnhof, wo wir unsere vorbestellten JR-Bahnpässe abholten („Japan Railroad“). Mit den Pässen können wir jeden Intercity-Zug in Japan aussuchen, was uns für die kommende Wochen willkommene Flexibilität gibt. Wir holten uns zudem eine zusätzliche Öfi-Karte für den Transport innerhalb aller japanischen Städte (Suica Card). Allerdings hatten wir kontinuierlich Probleme unser Englisch anzuwenden, hier wird nämlich ausschließlich japanisch gesprochen, Google Übersetzer war also ein Lebensretter.

Am Abend ging’s dann zum Tokyo-Tower, ein beeindruckendes Konstrukt mit verblüffender Ähnlichkeit dem Eiffelturm gegenüber. Wir suchten nach dem Kartenkauf ein Restaurant und fanden eine versteckte Gaststätte, die seit 200 Jahren Aal mit Reis verkaufen. Wir zogen vorm Essen unsere Schuhe aus und setzen uns auf hockerartige Stühle mit nur einer Armlehne (nach einer Begründung suchen wir noch, Ideen?). Der Aal kam in einer Bentobox, als Beilage gabs eingelegtes Gemüse, eine Kräutersuppe und ein Suntory-Bier vom Fass. Sojasauce gabs nicht, jedoch durften wir japanischen Pfeffer auf unseren Aal prieseln - köstlich. Die Mahlzeit gefiel uns enorm - unsere Lieblingsmahlzeit bisher, sorry Nic!

Am Abend ging’s dann zum Tokyo-Tower, ein beeindruckendes Konstrukt mit verblüffender Ähnlichkeit dem Eiffelturm gegenüber. Wir suchten nach dem Kartenkauf ein Restaurant und fanden eine versteckte Gaststätte, die seit 200 Jahren Aal mit Reis verkaufen. Wir zogen vorm Essen unsere Schuhe aus und setzen uns auf hockerartige Stühle mit nur einer Armlehne (nach einer Begründung suchen wir noch, Ideen?). Der Aal kam in einer Bentobox, als Beilage gabs eingelegtes Gemüse, eine Kräutersuppe und ein Suntory-Bier vom Fass. Sojasauce gabs nicht, jedoch durften wir japanischen Pfeffer auf unseren Aal prieseln - köstlich. Die Mahlzeit gefiel uns enorm - unsere Lieblingsmahlzeit bisher, sorry Nic!

Day 19. July 22, 2023

Eel. We didn't get up until 11:00 a.m. since we went to bed at 4:00 a.m. first. We walked to the 7/11 initially to buy SIM cards and get cash, as Japan, like Germany, still faces difficulties with contactless payment. Webster was amazed as he walked through the supermarket aisles - fresh and high-quality products. Shortly after that, we visited the gardens of the Japanese Emperor's palace. We gazed enviously at the bonsai trees and enjoyed the tranquility of the gardens.

After that, we headed to the main train station, where we picked up our pre-booked JR rail passes ("Japan Railroad"). With these passes, we can choose any intercity train in Japan, which will provide us with welcome flexibility for the coming weeks. We also got an additional public transport card for traveling within all Japanese cities (Suica Card). However, we continuously struggled to use our English since only Japanese is spoken here, and Google Translator was a lifesaver.

In the evening, we visited the Tokyo Tower, an impressive structure with a striking resemblance to the Eiffel Tower. We looked for a restaurant and stumbled upon a hidden eatery that has been selling eel with rice for 200 years. Before the meal, we took off our shoes and sat on stool-like chairs with only one armrest (we are still looking for an explanation, any ideas?). The eel was served in a bento box, and as sides, we had pickled vegetables, a herbal soup, and draft Suntory beer. There was no soy sauce, but we were allowed to sprinkle Japanese pepper on our eel – it was delicious. We immensely enjoyed the meal – our favorite one so far, sorry, Nic!

We took the elevator up to the Tokyo Tower, where we admired Tokyo at night from a height of 150 meters. Surprisingly, we stayed up there for an hour and a half, watching a short documentary about the construction, destruction, and subsequent rebuilding of Tokyo since its first settlement in the 1500s. Then, we walked back to the subway station and are currently watching the qualifying session for tomorrow's Formula 1 race in Hungary. We send our best wishes to the family in London, and soon they will be at Wenzel's graduation in Leeds. To all other readers, have a lovely Sunday!