Excel Hotel Tokyu Narita Airport

... during our work week)<br><br>So on my day off I thought it would be fun to make Boeuf Bourguignon and Poudin Alsacien for dinner. I shopped and found the ingredients and made a delicious Julia Child's meal for the guys, complete with garlic mashed potatoes. I think it turned out quite well &#8211; check out the pictures and let me know what you think!<br><br>More later . . .

... if I will every tire of the kids looking at Santa with those eyes filled with wonder, enjoying the magic for maybe the first time. And of course there are those who come and lean back and settle into my beard and tummy &#8211; oh it makes me smile! I suppose it is a little taste of what I will feel with a grandbaby!<br><br>The other guys have had days off and, in our tradition, made dinner for the three of us. Mel made a dish that his mom used to make of corn, sausage, potatoes ...

... delay that we had endured. This huge delay was a cause for worry given that I only had around a 2 hour lay-over in Toronto before I had to catch the only flight out to Tokyo. Luckily for me, this flight was also delayed so I did not have to overnight in Toronto.<br><br>Needless to say, we were very happy to see each other in the entrance to the Narita airport. I have never before traveled to Japan all by myself. I have always had someone with me that can ...

... br><br>There was a mad dog in the hostel. Like a dingo. It barked a lot at first. But I tamed it as I do all dogs. I miss my dogs!! Ive started just patting random peoples dogs on the street.<br><br>I'm going to miss Japan. The order, the crazyness, the contrast, the girls in the maid outfits....To sum up Japan I can only say:<br><br>&#8220;For Relaxing times... Make it Suntory times!&#8221;<br>

... I realised it actually was quite large - it was really great to get that close to it. Angus and I also noticed that within all the seaweed were heaps of coins 1,5,10 and even 50Y coins! The poor backpacker in me thought about all the wonderful food I could get with that, and even Angus was saying "that could buy me a cheeseburger!" But our morals won and we resisted. Just. Although I really wanted to see a number of shrines my desire to just sit on the shinkansen overcame me and we ...

... different way than we`d anticipated. We daren`t stop in the street or the railway stations to look at a map because before too long someone will approach us and ask if they can help. Now this did happen quite a bit in Merida as well as other places we`ve visited but you knew the odds were you`d be gently but firmly propelled towards the kind stranger`s cousin/brother`s hotel/restaurant/genuine hand-made textiles shop. Not so here, they really do just want ...

... most prized spot). Yet here, in the middle of all of this, is a little basement bar that serves drinks and food for less than three dollars American. And not rail drinks either--I got a couple of single-malt Scotches on the rocks, and did not feel too much like a foreign devil, although some girl accused me of being Swedish. Well, it is five in the morning and that means its time for me to get some sushi for breakfast.

... but this one was cold and very delicious. I asked where she bought it, but I was advised that it was homemade. I wanted to take the whole bottle with me, but I didn't want to look greedy. Mika, thank you I had a wonder time in your home and in your country. It was nice speaking to you in English and Spanish. Going to Japanese home made the trip even more special. It was a memory I will always cherish. I departed Mika's house and ...

It is 9 a.m. in Tokyo Narita airport. I touched down at 7.25 a.m. into a cloudy cold climate with 12C. I went to work on Friday until around 11 a.m. at which time, for the first time, I told my colleagues that I was flying to Japan and also that I could speak and understand Japanese. They were so surprised that they could not utter a word. Suzanna accompanied me to the ...