Golden Week Update!
I was planning on updating last night, but it turns out the hotel I checked into doesn't have internet access so...
I'm leaching internet access from Shinsaibashi Apple Store!
Yea, that's right. I come all the way to Osaka to visit the Apple Store. haha
So far, I've been to 3 of 5 Japanese Apple Stores. That leaves Fukuoka and Sendai! Although, Ginza has so far been the best Apple Store. Go Ginza!
Anyway, enough of that. Thursday I went for some more of that Kobe Beef awesomeness, mostly because it was dirt cheap.
But before I did that, I went up Maya Mountain to go check out the awesome view, and to check out the Cheese Castle and Pastures on Rokko Mountain. Oh and it was 3km from Maya Cable car to the castle/pasture, but that's ok... I ended up walking it both ways :P
Anyway, The cheese castle was ok. it wasn't anything too extravagant like I was hoping it to be. I may or may not have said it before, but Japanese cheese just isn't good. Well, at least the camembert. I've tried the Kobe stuff and the Hokkaido stuff. Both suck. I think I'll leave the cheese making to the european countries :P
Also, the pasture wasn't what I was wanted at all. I was hoping to see some cows and take pictures of them, but it was mostly a bunch of free-range lambs running around. It also costed 1000yen to get in, and as most of you know me, I don't really like animals unless they are cooked and served. mmmm... lamb... (Ok, I just angered all those crazy animal activists.)
Moving along, by the time I got back down off the mountain and to the kobe beef, it was around 14:00 so I decided to kill some time shopping (cause that's pretty much all there is in Kobe. haha) until around dusk so I can take some pictures from the Kobe Port tower. Unfortunately, my camera battery decided to die while up the tower, so I never got a chance to take some neat long exposure night shots. However, I did return to my hotel after the tower to charge the battery and went out again at 9pm. I got a lot of really cool pictures of the Mosaic and the Port Tower, so I'll get on uploading those... and all the other pictures since Sunday. Wow I'm behind :P
Friday: I spent the morning half of the day in Kobe. Went to a few different malls again. I'm looking for a sun visor, but I haven't been able to find anything I want. sucks :/
Maybe I'll find something in osaka. I'm planning on walking around Shinsaibashi some more, see if there are any cool shops seeing how Apple always picks the most hip parts of town to put their stores in.
After, I took the train to Osaka and dropped my stuff off at the hotel, and went downtown.
Yesterday is when I first went to the Apple store (where i leached more internet goodness. I love free internet!), and walked around the Nanba area. Of course, that area is filled with arcades so I definitely played some 0079 (look it up and be surprised :P). I also checked out the outer area of Osaka castle, since it was too late to go in. Pretty neat castle, not as cool as Himeji (that castle rocks), but very nice pictures were taken.
Saturday; Universal studios Japan!
Awesome fun. I took many pictures of the different "cities". I was really impressed with the way it was laid out, and the rides. I wasn't impressed with the prices... way way WAY too overpriced. It was ridiculous.
Anyway, if any of you ever go to Universal Japan, I recommend the Spider Man ride. Two words: HOLY CRAP.
When it showed you were falling, you felt like you were falling. Whenever there was fire, the whole area around you heated up. And when Spiderman was fighting Aqua man, water actually splashed on us! It was incredibly surreal.
Also, the Waterworld show was amazing. There were explosions of water left right and center, planes flying into the set, and barrels of "explosive material" going off. It was insane. Now I know where my $55 a ticket goes to :P
I managed to get some cool "mid explosion" photos too, so I'll keep you updated when I upload those!
Sigh... only one half a day left. Monday is work :/ Curses!
(Hurray for on the fly blogging with no re-reading for fixes! I'll probably laugh at myself when I re-read this monday morning... when I should be working :P)
I'm leaching internet access from Shinsaibashi Apple Store!
Yea, that's right. I come all the way to Osaka to visit the Apple Store. haha
So far, I've been to 3 of 5 Japanese Apple Stores. That leaves Fukuoka and Sendai! Although, Ginza has so far been the best Apple Store. Go Ginza!
Anyway, enough of that. Thursday I went for some more of that Kobe Beef awesomeness, mostly because it was dirt cheap.
But before I did that, I went up Maya Mountain to go check out the awesome view, and to check out the Cheese Castle and Pastures on Rokko Mountain. Oh and it was 3km from Maya Cable car to the castle/pasture, but that's ok... I ended up walking it both ways :P
Anyway, The cheese castle was ok. it wasn't anything too extravagant like I was hoping it to be. I may or may not have said it before, but Japanese cheese just isn't good. Well, at least the camembert. I've tried the Kobe stuff and the Hokkaido stuff. Both suck. I think I'll leave the cheese making to the european countries :P
Also, the pasture wasn't what I was wanted at all. I was hoping to see some cows and take pictures of them, but it was mostly a bunch of free-range lambs running around. It also costed 1000yen to get in, and as most of you know me, I don't really like animals unless they are cooked and served. mmmm... lamb... (Ok, I just angered all those crazy animal activists.)
Moving along, by the time I got back down off the mountain and to the kobe beef, it was around 14:00 so I decided to kill some time shopping (cause that's pretty much all there is in Kobe. haha) until around dusk so I can take some pictures from the Kobe Port tower. Unfortunately, my camera battery decided to die while up the tower, so I never got a chance to take some neat long exposure night shots. However, I did return to my hotel after the tower to charge the battery and went out again at 9pm. I got a lot of really cool pictures of the Mosaic and the Port Tower, so I'll get on uploading those... and all the other pictures since Sunday. Wow I'm behind :P
Friday: I spent the morning half of the day in Kobe. Went to a few different malls again. I'm looking for a sun visor, but I haven't been able to find anything I want. sucks :/
Maybe I'll find something in osaka. I'm planning on walking around Shinsaibashi some more, see if there are any cool shops seeing how Apple always picks the most hip parts of town to put their stores in.
After, I took the train to Osaka and dropped my stuff off at the hotel, and went downtown.
Yesterday is when I first went to the Apple store (where i leached more internet goodness. I love free internet!), and walked around the Nanba area. Of course, that area is filled with arcades so I definitely played some 0079 (look it up and be surprised :P). I also checked out the outer area of Osaka castle, since it was too late to go in. Pretty neat castle, not as cool as Himeji (that castle rocks), but very nice pictures were taken.
Saturday; Universal studios Japan!
Awesome fun. I took many pictures of the different "cities". I was really impressed with the way it was laid out, and the rides. I wasn't impressed with the prices... way way WAY too overpriced. It was ridiculous.
Anyway, if any of you ever go to Universal Japan, I recommend the Spider Man ride. Two words: HOLY CRAP.
When it showed you were falling, you felt like you were falling. Whenever there was fire, the whole area around you heated up. And when Spiderman was fighting Aqua man, water actually splashed on us! It was incredibly surreal.
Also, the Waterworld show was amazing. There were explosions of water left right and center, planes flying into the set, and barrels of "explosive material" going off. It was insane. Now I know where my $55 a ticket goes to :P
I managed to get some cool "mid explosion" photos too, so I'll keep you updated when I upload those!
Sigh... only one half a day left. Monday is work :/ Curses!
(Hurray for on the fly blogging with no re-reading for fixes! I'll probably laugh at myself when I re-read this monday morning... when I should be working :P)
posted by Matt at
5/06/2006 02:29:00 AM
