Osaka!

We started off our Japan trip in Osaka and the weather there could not have been any better! Shortly after picking up a map from the hotel, we were on the subway to our first stop -  Osaka Castle. Since the weather was nice and it was a weekend, the castle compound and neighboring park were packed. Melissa found an ice cream stand, but it was a bit tricky to avoid ordering green tea or red bean flavor.  

The castle was built for strategic purposes which gave a towering view of the surrounding area, but also required a bit of a climb to reach the top.

In the castle they had a separate staircase for going up and down  strange but highly effective.We were a bit supprised that Osaka didn't have very many tall buildings. Guess we have been desensitized living in HK.

There were quite a few food stalls set up outside the castle. We settled on the sausage on a stick and the pork steak, both were very good!

After the castle we were off to Harukas 300, Osaka's newest and tallest building (300 meters tall) complete with observation deck. This was our first introduction to lines in Japan - highly organized like everything else but LONGGGG. So long they had attendants telling you where the line starts - which was outside and 3 doors down. The line moved pretty fast and we thought when we were inside we were done, but it was just another waiting room. We finally got our tickets, then another line to the elevator bank, I was wondering if we were ever going to make it to the top.


When we finally made it to the front of the line, I noticed the attendants ushering people into the elevator and just before it closed bowing to the people. I thought it might have been a one off, but noticed this during the entire trip from elevator attendants to airport ramp workers for flights after push back.

The viewing platform was packed but with a few elbows thrown we found some empty glass. We thought Osaka was a small city but the views really show how large Japan's third largest city is.

Some of the viewing windows had diagrams identifying important landmarks.

What really made Harukas 300 enjoyable was the open air sky garden. It was so nice that some people were taking their shoes off and enjoying a beer.

Our last stop of the day was Dotonbori pedestrian street. The area is narrow with countless restaurants, many of which have elaborate motorized signs to attract the passerby's attention. One of the most famous ones was a HUGE crab with motorized legs, with such a sign and a long line we had to see what the fuss was about so we got in line too for the charcoal grilled crab legs -  good, but too much work for so little meat..

Further down the street, we came across a Kobe beef food truck and I was pretty excited to have my first taste of the famous beef. Tender and delicious!

Back on the street to walk off the snacks and enjoy the signs. I can't figure this sign out. Either he is mad or ate too much of his own food and... Regardless not the best idea for a sign.

The octopus' tentacles moved and steam shot out of its blow holes.

For dinner we ended up at a grill your own meal place. We were sent to the Japanese floor where we were asked to take our shoes off and we sat on the floor. Luckly they had an English menu. There were so many options, but we finally settled on some vegetables and a couple of different cuts of meat.

By the time we left the restaurant, the street was all lit up - it was like a completely different place.

Hiking, Shopping & Eating Our Way Through Kashgar

We took a morning flight from Urumqi to Kashgar and arranged for our tour guide to meet us at the airport. As we walked through the exit we didn't see any sign with our name, but then noticed a sign that just said George (my middle name), but thought twice as the guy was wearing Oakley sunglasses and didn't look like a local. After not seeing anyone else, we went up to the guy and sure enough he was for us. We were even more surprised with his perfect English. After getting the luggage loaded up in the van, we were off to Shipton's Arch.

Once we arrived at the Shipton's Arch parking lot, the guide informed us that we had a 1.5 hour hike...through rocks...each way. We made our way through the valleys enjoying the wind eroded steep hills. We were told that the few stairs were only recently added and the trek was much harder in the past with only rickety ladders.

The next day we made a day trip to Taklamakan Desert where we enjoyed a camel ride. We rode up to a nice sand dune and then gave the camels a rest while we enjoyed the views. The camels walk very slow and you can really enjoy the desert views.

On our way back to Kashgar I asked if we could stop at one of the numerous roadside bakeries for some of the delicious local flat bread. Unlike other Arabic flat bread we have had, this bread is sprinkled with freshly diced oregano and onions, and then stamped which gives it a very unique look. We enjoyed some bread fresh out of the oven and it was AMAZING! So amazing, I'm still talking about it...




Our next stop was a rural Saturday market where most of the people from the small villages buy their goods for the week. The guide walked us from stall to stall explaining all the foods - we tried lamb dumplings, lamb samosas, and fresh grilled fish. The food was so fresh -  we even saw people making fresh noodles and stretching it by hand.

The region grows lots of fruits and vegetables, so we also tried some fresh figs and freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.

The guy making dumpling in these huge steamers would yell at the very top of his lugs letting everyone know the dumplings were ready - which was a bit concerning considering we had no idea what he was yelling about. After enjoying our lamb dumpling, I went over to him and thanked him. He told me I was welcome any time with his hand over his heart. Most of the people were just as curious of us as we were of them but all we interacted with in the market, and really throughout our stay in Kashgar were very friendly. 

Our tourguide was great and so was his English. He speaks Uygar, Mandarin, English and can additionally read Arabic...wow!

Back in Kashgar we walked through the Grand Bazaar and headed to Kashgar's Old City. The Old City is in the process of being renovated. However, the government in Beijing is trying to incentivize the predominantly Muslim residents to relocate by giving them free apartments elsewhere.  If you take the offer, they quickly demolish your old house.

The neighborhood consists of narrow alleys that we would have most certainly have gotten lost in if we didn't have a guide. Since every building is the same color, the only way to differentiate each is by the front doors which are colorfully painted.

One of the other issues we ran into is Xinjang was the time. China is in the same timezone as Beijing but the locals in a silent act of defiance use Xinjang time which is 2 hours later than Beijing time. This became confusing when trying to arrange pick up times or flight times.. we would always reconfirm.. "this is Beijing time correct?" In their cars and watches, all clocks  would be set to Xinjang time..

The muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha  was the following day and every family purchased a healthy ram (male sheep) older than 6 months old to sacrifice. The guide explained that 1/3 of the sheep would be given away to the poor, 1/3 would be for guests that would stop by and 1/3 would be for the family. After awhile we really started to feel sorry for all the sheep we saw tied up around the city knowing they would not make it past the next  morning.



For our last stop we asked the guide to check out a carpet shop. It quickly became overwhelming with the thump of each rug being rolled out at our feet. Many, many thumps later and we settled on a winner. It was a great way to end our interesting trip.

China's Wild West

Last week, we took a long weekend trip to see a different side of China - the far western region of Xinjiang. Flying in, you know this area is very different as it is surrounded by both red deserts and towering snowcapped mountains. It was pointed out to us several times during our stay that Xinjiang is actually closer to Pakistan and Afghanistan than Beijing.  The people in this area are also very different from other parts of China as the indigenous people are Muslim and we got our first glimpse in the airport as there were signs in Chinese and Arabic. Our first stop was Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. After being picked up at the airport, we headed off for our city tour. First stop was at the Xinjiang Museum which was a great introduction to the numerous different ethic groups which make up the region. 

After the museum, we went to the Grand Bazaar and had a bite to eat. This was our first introduction to Uyghur cuisine which is a mix between Chinese and Muslim influences. Melissa's favorite dish was a bowl of noodles with vegetables and lamb. It was good, but I preferred the lamb kebab with their unique seasoned flat bread.  After eating, we walked around the bazaar. The region grows a lot of fruits, vegetables, and nuts so naturally there were a lot of those things for sale.

The spice section was similar to what we have seen in the middle east. 

The next day, we went on a day trip to Heavenly Lake which was high up in the mountains. The Chinese sure know how to drag things out. After arriving at the main gate where you buy your ticket you board a bus which takes you up a winding road for 20 minutes to a shopping stop, then on to another bus for 30 more minutes. Since it was a Chinese national holiday the busses were packed! After finally arriving at the highest "bus terminal" you had to then hike to the lake - about another 20 minutes, but finally we made it. 

After arriving at the top, everyone was having a picnic so we did the same - enjoying some of the snacks we brought... from the USA and enjoyed the views. 

While we were taking some photos Melissa had one of her movie star moments when a Chinese girl wanted to have her photo taken with Melissa. I decided to take a picture as evidence that this happens to us quite frequently in rural China. I guess some people were too relaxed and fell asleep after eating - couldn't blame them as the surroundings were very beautiful and peaceful. 

The views are great - more of what I would expect for the Swiss Alps than China!