tourism | Life in Orange

Going to Japan was a “not anytime soon” type plan for me. It is a bit out of the way (12 to 14 hour flight from Amsterdam), it needs time and money. But it happened that I had all that this year and I thought: it must be a sign. Yeah, I’m one of those. Besides, I got my visa so easily – I still need to apply for visas, it’s not over yet – which meant I had to go.

Despite a horrible jet lag after a very long trip, I hit the streets of Tokyo: a city that knows no limits. You’ll probably need two lifetimes to see its main (big!) areas and visit all the restaurants, pubs, karaoke bars, museums, shrines/temples and manga comic stores. That’s when the Lonely Planet comes in handy because it helps you to be more selective and not lose your mind. There is just so much to see and do.

Tokyo is overwhelming. Its glass shiny buildings are modern and huge. Its streets are incredibly clean although you barely see trash bins anywhere. I have never carried so much trash in my bag as I did during this trip. Everything was so clean. At a public fish/meat market, we did not see one single fly, literally – it makes you want to keep it that way.

Indoor smoking was surprisingly allowed in Tokyo while it was illegal in undesignated public areas. The use of plastic bags was quite common every time you bought anything no matter how small in a shop or a supermarket. And the drinking. I thought Asians had more trouble tolerating their alcohol but it did not seem to be the case there. In all izakayas – small bars that can accommodate anywhere from 8 to 100 people who end up mingling together throughout the evening – salarymen and women still in work wear were drinking and chatting. Whenever I was heading out around 10 in the evening, I would see them heading back home, most of them looking exhausted or falling asleep in the subway. People seemed never to stop working: you don’t leave the office before your boss, and he does not leave either before his boss and it goes on and on. Some companies I learned have taken measures to block employees access to their emails starting a certain hour.

The city is so big that I felt very small, completely anonymous. It is very unlikely that you’ll ever run into a cousin or an ex there. Half of Tokyo exists in the form of subway and train stations. I got lost in stations due to the language barrier – not many people I met could speak English – but also because there were at least four or five exits to every station. The city has the most “polite and well behaved” red light district I’ve seen (okay, I’ve only see one, in Amsterdam). I wouldn’t have recognized it if it wasn’t for the “Sleep, rest or stay” sign at the entrance of so called love hotels and the many maid cafés. Apparently some bars hire women to cater to men or vice versa. I did not get the chance to know what actually happens in there. Maybe next time. Bright lights, music and ads are all over the place. Among the areas I visited were:

Shinjuku: Several buildings are dedicated only to Karaoke – it’s quite a serious business there. It wasn’t long before I rented a cubicle, probably 2×2 square meters, for half an hour. You can shout all you want and drink all the beer you can, it’s almost therapeutic. Before 11:00 P.M. I took a walk towards the Tokyo metropolitan Government Building. Once you are at one of their highest floors, you’ll be able to have a free night view of the city and its towers – or you can also try Tokyo SkyTree and pay a little (a lot) more.

Shibuya: It is known for its famous crossing, where every couple of minutes several hundreds of people cross in all directions. It looks like the start of a protest, but it’s really just Japanese following the rules like a well-organized stampede of harmony. Tokyo subways run until 12:30 after midnight and it happened that I missed mine in that part of town. Taxis are very expensive so I used that as an excuse to spend the night roaming around between bars and clubs until the early morning. Speaking of taxis, the door behind opens like magic. You don’t even need to touch it. Harajuku, which is a street in Shibuya, is a must see for those who like funky, pinky and kawaii (meaning cute) styles. It is known for its fashion scene, cafés and bars which attract mostly teenagers and youths. There’s so much pink everywhere that you feel you’re in a piece of bubble gum.

Akihabara: I thought I had stepped into a futuristic cartoon movie or comic book. Posters with different Manga characters – comics created in Japan in the late 19th century – are everywhere. They include “normal” funny comics and at times even adult or teen porn comics. Female cartoon illustrations take different shapes and forms but mostly, show manga girls in “sexy” school uniforms. It’s THE fantasy. Entire buildings are dedicated to virtual reality games, video games, electronic stores, animation, you name it. A total nerd haven but incredibly fun.

Ueno: This is where the Tokyo national museum is located (and a must see) in addition to several shrines and temples and a beautiful park.

Ginza: Here you are close to the imperial palace and can take long walks along shopping avenues while making stops in elegant bars and cafés. I seized the opportunity to book a single Kabuki act, which is a classical Japanese dance drama. It was called “Kanda Matsuri”. The story was available in English on a small screen. Only men are allowed to play the role of Geishas. The music, white facial make-up and clothes were very exotic, to me at least. Photos are not allowed.

Asakusa, where the oldest temple of Tokyo is built: Senso-ji. I went there before sunset to enjoy the bright orange colors of the various buildings and visit craft, souvenir shops and eateries – got a cool sake set for home.

I really enjoyed my time everywhere I went. There was always something new to see, to eat (I put on two kilos in one month) and to discover. Even when you thought you’ve seen one street, more small bars and restaurants would appear in hidden alleys. It was just endless.

After seven days in Tokyo – which is not enough, I hopped on the Shinkansen or high speed train to Kyoto. And this thing goes like a bullet. It is very comfortable, clean and timely – not a second late (you can do better Holland!). In just a couple of hours, I was in Kyoto – after a very smooth trip and a glimpse on the way at Mount Fuji above the clouds.

Imagine you’ve finished work on a Tuesday afternoon, and three hours later you suddenly find yourself in a different country. All you need to do is hop on a train from Amsterdam to the medieval Belgian city of Ghent – or ‘Hent’, as pronounced in Flemish which is a very cute version of Dutch. No borders, no customs and no need for a visa – something that I, as a Lebanese, can’t help but appreciate every time (Lebanon borders two countries: one is impossible to enter “Israel”, the other is too dangerous “Syria”. We also need a visa to almost every other country in the world).

Although I had booked a couple of weeks earlier, the day before traveling was a little stressful. I got annoyed for the first time with NS, the national public transportation sector here – for once joining the big chorus of Dutch complaining about their national rail road (although I still think that it’s pretty good, normally). Their website mentioned delays due to works on railways. It did not give alternative times or routes to take, particularly for those making international travels. Eventually, it all went well and we made it in a very short time.

Once in Belgium, and although borders have been open for decades, the scenery still changes in subtle, but sudden ways. Colors of trees and houses become completely different so does the shape of inner city roads. It all looks less identical and orderly compared to The Netherlands. Arriving to Ghent feels like walking into the 13th century, when most of its buildings were constructed, and then back into the 21st century with all its modern restaurants, cafés, museums, markets and shopping districts. Locals are very friendly and welcoming. Prices are affordable, food is exquisite; I had the best steak ever, and there is lots and lots of beer: hundreds of flavors and suggestions to match your meal perfectly (So you get beer instead of wine suggestions with your meal – wonderful).

I ended up visiting the same places over and over. Cour St Georges or Sint-Jorishof was one of my favorites. A steakhouse throwback to the middle ages. Wooden floors were covered in quilt, skins of some hunted animals were hanging on the walls and liter sized clay pots of beer stood on the shelves of the bar. A room on a higher floor is dedicated to smokers – one would imagine a group of rowdy horsemen smoking pipes and drinking pints of ale. You can either order a normal portion size from the menu or pick your piece of meat from a large display in the vitrine. We ended up sharing a 350 grams of beef steak with two liters of beer and a large bowl of fries.

Another nice spot for dinner or lunch is restaurant de Graslei. It offers a great view over the colorful old buildings of Ghent on both sides of the canal. We tried the “moules et frites” seasoned with fresh garlic, obviously. It was delicious. Although I don’t recommend eating chunks of garlic for dinner. I ended up smelling like garlic for two days (and, I’ve been told, burping out fumes throughout the night). Not very classy.

Before leaving Ghent, we had to visit Gentse Gruut or the city’s brewery. There, you can actually have beer tasting, get a walking or boat tour to know more about its history. After your visit, the short tasting session you had helps you learn about various beers and their characteristics. Then you can create your own beer as a beer alchemist. As we showed up about 30 minutes before closing time and thus missed the 3-hour beer walk, we only made it to the degustation part where you’re offered five different kinds of beer in small glasses. I returned home quite satisfied (and appie!).

There are many small bars in the city but Café t’ Galgenhuis is the smallest, oldest and most “gezellig” in Ghent. Behind its small roof, public humiliation or shameful exposure of prisoners and offenders took place. Apparently, this was immensely fashionable in the Middle Ages. Used usually to punish less serious crimes, the show offered viewers the opportunity to shout or throw things at those accused. Both physical and verbal abuse could be inflicted. Prisoners were held in a pillory, a device made of a wooden or metal framework with holes for securing the head and hands. Now you can just sit outside on the terrace and enjoy a cold glass of beer in the sun. This was our late afternoon ritual in the couple of days we spent in the city. Throwing it at people is no longer allowed.

We found several impressive churches in Ghent, but just like many European cities, most holy places are now serving other purposes: theatre, festivals, exhibitions and food markets. The Holy Food Market in Ghent used to be a chapel that goes back to the 16th century but was transformed into an indoor food court with various food stands including Lebanese mezze. Make no mistake dear believers, almost everything in there takes into consideration religion, but now as foodies’ religion. You’ll find a holy gin bar, holy Malaysian cuisine, a Magnum pleasure store, a Karnivoor stand for meat lovers and Yalla Yalla Beirut street food among others. Once you finish, a sign at the door asks you to please the lord and clear your table.

It’s almost midnight and you don’t want to go home, because you’re on holiday. Mosquito Coast is where we ended up almost every night. An unconventional alternative cafe with old stickers and posters on the walls. Various photographs and souvenirs from different parts of the world are displayed in the corners of the restaurant. Many go back to Congo, a former Belgian colony. Here you can find Belgian beer of course, and all the delicious cocktails you can drink to cool down and get to sleep in the hot summer nights – which do not occur often enough in Northern Europe.

Life in Orange

Tag Archives: tourism

Big in Japan – Part I

Ghent