China - Huangshan Mountains, Eastern Steps

After our brief stay in Tunxi, we spent two days at the Huangshan Mountains (we slept on the top). The walk up was seriously tough (it's 1,800m high) - it only took a few hours, but the entire way is steep steps and it took its toll. We had to stop every ten minutes or so, both to catch our breath and to stand in awe at the porters/coolies who were carrying kilos of food and linen up to the ten or so hotels at the top. We found out that they get about 20UScents per kilo, and they were carrying about 50kilos each.

Huangshan ('yellow mountains') is famous for its high jagged peaks, plunging cliffs, mist covered mountains and insurmountable beauty. It's been in lots of movies (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for one), and it lived up to our expectations.

China - Tunxi

After Hangzhou, we went to Tunxi, which was really just a place to sleep before climbing up Huangshan mountain. But, it turned out to be an interesting place with kitschy touristy shops (right down our alley). We bought a lovely scroll painting of Huangshan, which we undoubtedly got ripped on, but by our standards is still cheap.

We also found a sort of yum-cha restaurant except all the food is displayed near the kitchen with numbered codes, and you walk around with a clipboard and order whatever looks tasty. How Chinese restaurants can have 55 different items on the menu and New Zealand resturants only 15 we'll never know.

China - Hangzhou

At the end of October, we took a week holiday from our arduous jobs and had a look around China (well, one part of China... it's a big country).
We arrived in Shanghai and jumped straight onto a bus to Hangzhou. Hangzhou is famous for its Western lake, ancient pagoda's and surrounding hills. Lonely planet tells us that this area “captivated” artists for centuries. It's a beautiful place. We had about a day there and explored the lake and its three islands by boat and by foot.

There's a famous area for food which me made sure to visit. It was the first of many hours dedicated to Chinese Cuisine. All the time invested provided a satisfactory return... hmmmm return...

Shriney Osaka - Japan

While in Osaka we took a short train to a nearby town and attended a festival at a shrine where we saw traditional dancing, clothing, and ceremonies. We were very impressed with the traditional dress present. All the young folk dressed up in lovely kimonos, and chowed down on stall food. It was clearly a very special event, the significance of which we've completely forgotten... ahhh tourism.

Yummy Osaka - Japan

Two days late we went off to Osaka. Osaka has great areas, great food and great art. Despite having to do heaps of visa related stuff – we managed to see and do a lot.

Went to Dotombori (a lot) to eat yum food and drink really good beer.

We found a tiny sushi restaurant that can only seat six people (crammed in), and ate with two others in the restaurant, who spoke little English. But, they showed us true Japanese style by buying us different types of sushi and shashimi and lots of Asahi. The two men started off the night by asking Tim for a arm wrestle. We then found out that the man was a wrestling champion. And had even wrestled in NZ. Anyway, it was an awesome night.

The food in Osaka is actually a main highlight of Japan. It was just so amazing. The sushi was phenomenal (we found out that you aren't supposed to eat ginger with sushi, but in between as a palate cleanser – I'm still guttered). We ate octopus balls (balls of octopus, deep fried) which are yummer than they sound. We ate Japanese pancake/pizza things. Great soups – ohhhh the list can go on. But, we didn't find any teriyaki, which I was upset about – I even asked around for it – I think it might only exist in western Japanese restaurants.

Mother Spicy Chicken

I realise that we've got quite a good 'Japan' thread going on here, and I hate to interrupt before we upload all the photos... but sweet momma's kitchen - we just ate some spicy chicken! So spicy that you want unsuspecting friends there to suffer while you smugly watch. So spicy that I was contemplating ripping my tongue out and submerging it in a pot of yogurt. So spicy that if Zenu (the intergalactic space warlord of Scientology fame) and Tom Cruise told me they could take away the pain if I converted... well, I'm sure you get the picture.

Just wanted you to know that we ate some spicy chicken tonight. SPICY chicken.

The Water Temple in Kyoto

Here is the stunning Buddhist Water Temple, whose name we've forgotten (please forgive us Budds). It is set in the mountains enclosing Kyoto. As we discovered, there are some twenty odd temples in the surrounding mountains, so our arm waving, fingers in the shape of mountains and/or temples and slow English repetitions of "mooounttain temple - mooountain temple" left us no where. Well, it left us somewhere, but not at the mountain temple we wanted.

Gion District Photos - Kyoto

Some more photos from the Gion District in Kyoto, Japan. It's preddy.

Japan Sojourn - There's More!

We found a great bar that was small, and the walls were covered with tins of food that you could buy... Fish on sticks... an 'insta-party' and two nights free accom thanks to JB... a whole bunch of kimonos

Japan Sojourn

Japan was awesome. We were there for a week (unexpectedly), we spent two days in Kyoto and the rest waiting for our visa's and exploring Osaka.

Kyoto was great, it was close to 40degrees, and the humidity was, well... I felt it was inhumane – but we pushed through it. We went to a water temple (Buddhist) set into beautiful mountains, walked around the old Gion district (Geisha district). The lanes were old and cobbled, and the architecture was incredible.

Tim thought it was like a Japanese Rome.

Dirty dirty dirty

Quite a while back, we went to a mud festival on the west coast of Korea. Basically, it was a whole bunch of foreigners (and some Korean folk) smearing themselves with mud, baking in the sun, drinking beer, eating sea food, swimming and smothering yourselves with mud again. Needless to say, it was really fun. Entertainment included people climbing into mud “prison”, going down mud slides, mud wrestling and mud tug-of-war.

Tim was particularly shocked, after seeing nothing but skinny Koreans, when confronted with buxom foreigners with no shirts and mud smeared in all the crevices. He didn't go to McDonalds for days.

The Lake Park and Spectacular Musical Fountain

Opposite us (maybe 5 min walk) is the huge, man made, Lake Park. It takes about an hour and a half to walk around – in a leisurely manner. It loads of different paths and areas, heaps of trees, wildlife (even the occasional squirrel), pagodas, bridges linking different areas etc etc. Its a really nice place to hang, and is very important in a city with no gardens (there are only apartments here). On any given day you will see families picnicking, people power-walking (in full uniform of sun visor, pollution mask, gloves and full tracksuit), and teenagers wagging (or having their photo taken, or having art class).

In the Lake Park, there is the Spectacular Musical Fountain (actual name). And, when we first saw it, we were sceptical as to whether it could live up to its name. But, come night fall, there is a (spectacular) performance of choreographed water, music and lights – and the water moves in every direction – reaching amazing heights in all different colors. As if it wasn't spectacular enough, it has choreographed FIRE that comes out of it. Damn skippy its pretty nifty.

The music is a little odd, and the flames – while spectacular – do seem a little old fashioned. Tim believes that the Ilsan Local Body Government has a secret time machine. With which they sent someone forward to 2020 to bring back the tech required to create such a visual spectacle, and then back to the 1980's to retrieve the Hair Metal sound track.

Our Apart(ment)

Spacious, in a compact kinda way. We've been settled in now for just under two months. Kitted out with all the latest mod con's (not really) – but we do have a bright yellow couch (Leah thinks its cool, Tim thinks its hideous) and a toaster oven.
Orientation (see attached photos). Walk in, to the right is our wee bathroom. Further up the corridor is our “office” (no windows, or fresh air – Weta style). Then, our Kitchen/ lounge/ reading/ t.v/ excersise room. And above, our loft/ sleeping/ storage area.
NB – in midst of photo taking, we were making Vietnamese spring rolls. Cooking has been fun here, trying to make our old favourites has at times been difficult, but making use of fresh produce has been delicious. Also note the marmite in the cupboard.