boketto with ro

Project Tag: Food

Kyoto, Japan 2017 – Day 10

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We started off our morning rather early getting ourselves to Fushimi Inari for 745AM. Fushimi Inari is free admission and is open 24/7 technically (restaurants on top of the mountain have set times). Just a reminder that this shrine is built on a mountain so wear proper shoes to climb those stairs especially if you are planning on going the entire route. The sun was out and strong already at this point but Fushimi Inari was still rather empty. We met with Chi, Cassie & Karen here before ascending. Yes Fushimi Inari is where Memoirs of a Geisha were filmed but the main tori gates in which that magical scene was filmed is actually only a small portion of this massive temple and it only lasts about 100m and there are 2 of them (for entrance and one for exit). I guess since I’ve been there before, these tunnels didn’t phase me but everyone and I mean everyone took their time here waiting for the tunnel of tori gates to be empty and just orange in hopes there would be a gleam of light cutting through. I waited patiently as my crew took their photos before continuing our ascend.

At one point, there is a fork in the road where if you turn left, you are exiting and it is a path that leads you back to the main area or if you go right, you will be rewarded with your first view overlooking the city below us. If you continue going up, you will move onto your second view (this is slightly nicer as there is 1 tori gate and also there are benches to rest while looking at the view. Depending on time of day, there will be open restaurants and refreshments available). At this point, by the time I reached this lookout point, I was waiting diligently for Mike & ManWai who I thought were right behind me but about 30 minutes later, Karen, Chi & Cassie made it up the stairs. Luckily I waited so long because I would’ve continued my hike of the entire trail (another 40 minutes or so) and when they finally made it to that lookout point, they said they were going to see the last lookout point before heading turning back and heading back down.

They needed a moment so I decided to head up to the last lookout point #7 (the stairs to the left). It is a cluster of shrines covered in mini wooden tori gates and fox statues but once you make it to the back of this cluster, there is an open trail that takes you to where I guess a giant sign use to be and you have a the clearest of views of Kyoto’s skyline. The walk back down was quite refreshing as you still see shrines along the way but you are on the outer fringe of the temple and see a bit of the neighbourhood surrounding the temple. We met back up at the giant Tori gate then made our way through the food stalls – the pork skewers (500y) were the best. As we continued to walk back to the train station, the group stopped off and got tofu ice cream with unique flavours like ramune or yuzu (lemon).

We took the train to Gion-Shijo Station where I grabbed a Cremia ice cream cone (500y). Glenn had talked about this ice cream and how good it was. It was very creamy and delicious and the cone was great as well. We then made our way back to the surface and walked over to Nishiki Market which unlike the other fish markets, was a narrow covered street that continued a few blocks but more of a mix of places with ready to eat food as oppose to a fresh fish market with all the product sitting out and then cut up right in front of you to eat fresh. We all ended up in a store called Sugi that served no added sugar – liquid honey and fruit drink. They had samples and thats what pulled us in the first place but all of them tasted so delicious we all left with something. I grabbed myself a small packet of yuzu drink (540y). 5 cups water to 1 tube. We walked around the market for a bit before splitting off and walking the Gion district before our late lunch in the area with Mike’s Uncle and Aunt.

We met up with Mike’s uncle Cyrius and aunt Chizuka for lunch at a restaurant that was hidden in a small alley which led us to Gion Hanasaki 祇園 京料理 花咲 (Japan, 〒605-0074 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Higashiyama Ward, 祇園町南側５７０−１７) which is located in an old traditional Kyoto home. It was absolutely an amazing meal to have experienced. Our hostesses brought us up to a private room where they served us a few courses that were elegantly displayed and before each meal, they would stop and tell us what the meal was made of. They used the freshest of ingredients and each piece was perfectly in place and just some many wonderful flavours non which overpowered the other so you can enjoy every bit of it. We even ate sushi that looked like it was actual fish but it was all actually vegetables that were placed perfectly to look like fish. We tried but auntie Chizuka paid the bill for lunch.

After lunch, we walked a bit of the Gion district before making our way down to the riverside where we strolled along the river. We even saw a capybara in the water and saw a man throwing bread in the air where falcons were swooping in to eat. After waling by the river for a bit, we saw a restaurant/cafe where the giant windows just opened wo the river and we decided to investigate what establishment this was. It is called Efish エフィッシュ (Japan, 〒600-8029 Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku, Nishihashizumechō, 京都府京都市下京区木屋町通五条下ル西橋詰町798-1)  and we decides to have a seat by the open window overlooking the river for coffee and snacks. I got the blood orange smoothie. They also have a small section where you can purchase housewife and also their they had seating areas with large comfy couches.

After the snacks, we called it a night with Mike’s uncle and aunt and went back to our Airbnb to relax a bit before venturing out for some fast food dinner. We walked around looking at what options were still open and nearby and settled on this one fast food place called Nakau なか卯 河原町五条店 (Japan, 〒600-8020 Kyōto-fu, Kyōto-shi, Shimogyō-ku, Mikagedōmaechō, 河原町通五条上ル御影堂前町843清水ビル1F) where you use a machine to order. I ordered the Beef bowl combo (690y) and you get a ticket that you present to the person who gets your order ready. There was also a bunch of vending machines outside that were 100y and a few surprise for 80y. I picked a orange juice for 100y and let Manwai pick a 80y and it turned out to the be the same drink but in can form.

Takayama – Kyoto, Japan 2017 – Day 9

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Off to Kyoto via JR Rail today but first breakfast (included in our fee). We went to our breakfast – Japanese style breakfast which was served buffet style. Very tasty and of course local ingredients for the most part. It was also day 2 of the festival however we were heading out to Kyoto that morning – luckily for us, it looked like it was a little cloudy and might rain the second day. Karen & Chi had left earlier than us (since we couldn’t get seats in the earlier train) so Glenn, John, Manwai, Mike and myself took a train leaving an hour and half later. It stopped in Nagoya before transferring to Kyoto where John and Glenn went towards Yokohama and eventually back up to Tokyo while we went to Kyoto.

We stayed at an Airbnb near Kiyomizu Station and since it was an absolutely gorgeous day of 20C+, we decided to walk 30 minutes from Kyoto station to our place. The Airbnb host had given me photo step by step instructions on how to get into the building however in his original photo, the circles 1 mailbox but we didn’t find the key in there but luckily I noticed that the mailbox beside it was also his and the keys were in there. This airbnb looked bigger in the Airbnb photos but realistically, it was a studio apartment and was a tight fit but we managed.

We put down our things and walked over to through the Higashiyama Ward to realized we hadn’t eaten yet (it was 2PM) so we stopped off for some cold soba noodles at Kisanjina 胡麻豆腐と和カフェ きさんじな before making our way to Hokan-ji Pagoda. I had read that Hokan-ji Pagoda was a rarity in that we could actually climb it but that it closed at a certain time so we rushed through the Higashiyama Ward area really quickly to get there but alas, my information was wrong and there was no indication we could actually access it as everything was blocked off from entering.

We continued walking alongside Kōdai-ji temple and stopped for some matcha ice cream from Gion Tsujiri. I got the matcha green tea drink with matcha ice cream (520y) to top off. We continued north and ventured through one smaller temple before making it to Maruyama Park which then connects to Yasaka Shrine. The view of the city looking out from the mains gates of the Yasaka Shrine is one of my favourites from my last trip and unfortunately it was too crowded and cloudy to serve it justice to my 2012 shots that captured that old Kyoto feel.

According to the KitKat Chocolatory website, the Kyoto Daimaru location exists so we made it there in good time and almost got lost in this food heaven of the Daimaru to find out it doesn’t exist (we asked a lady and she crossed her arms signalling an X). We then walked back to the main area by Yasaka Shrine to have dinner with Karen & Chi as Cassie was getting in later that evening. Along the way back, from the Gion – old Kyoto district street, a pile of people with lanterns paraded through the streets as they were I guess doing a procession to Yasaka Shrine.

Karen had chosen this on restaurant called Izuju (Japan, 〒605-0073 Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto, Higashiyama Ward, 祇園町北側２９２) which was known for their traditional Kyoto style sushi. This consisted of no soy sauce, no wasabi and all the ingredients were cooked – it felt similar to eating korean rolls. Fun fact – Karen doesn’t eat raw fish so this the only time she could fully enjoy sushi. We ordered as a group for sharing and it all came out on this massive plate. Deluxe hako sushi (omelette, shrimp, sea bream, tori gai & roasted fish), awafu roll, saba sushi & sasamaki. We tried to venture through Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park as Karen & Chi hadn’t checked it out yet but then the rain started to pour and we were not quite ready for the rain. We hid under a shelter watching people who were sitting in the park eating (little stalls had these well lit areas with small tables and seating areas to eat) try to finish their food quickly and find shelter with their beers in hand while the staff quickly covered and took the furniture to covered areas. There was a giant group of men who were drinking who had a giant tarp that they quickly turned into a shelter for themselves and continued their festivities. We on the other hand, took a cab back ho and called it a night with one more episode of terrace House (only 4 episodes were released in our timeframe in Japan but 4 more than what was released back home).

If you haven’t joined and booked with Airbnb yet, follow the link and get credits for your first booking. www.airbnb.ca/c/ruu

Takayama, Japan 2017 – Day 8

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Our hotel stay also included a Kaiseki (traditional Japanese breakfast filled with seasonal ingredients). It was wonderfully presented with a great view overlooking the city as you enter the room. They have the main portion of breakfast presented to you at your seat with hida beef on a personal hamachi clay grill that is cooking on a leaf. There is also a buffet style area where you can pick and choose other items such as grilled mackerel/salmon, salad, pork and potato croquette, cereal, croissants, porridge etc. There are also unlimited fountain drinks as well as coffee and tea. You should try the milk if possible – very fresh and different from Canadian milk.

After breakfast we used the relaxation room and worked the chairs – massaging chairs. Went back to the room and packed before taking the free shuttle to Takayama Station as we were heading to our next hotel but also trying to meet up with Karen & Chi who were arriving around 930AM. As we got to the station and alighted off the bus, perfect timing as we spotted them on the other side of the street. We walked over to Hida International Hotel (2-60 Hanaoka-cho, Takayama, Gifu Prefecture 506-0009, Japan) together however it was a 3PM check-in so we left our things for storage and wandered about.

Our main reason for visiting Takayama was because of the Takayama festival. It is the largest festival to celebrate the change of season to spring also known as the Sanno Matsuri. Its a 2 day festival hosted by the Hie Jinja Shrine. People from all over Japan and tourists alike congregate to celebrate this special festival. They have giant shelters that are spread across the city where they floats are held when they aren’t being used but once they are out, they are beautifully showcased with the sun glistening on them. There are beautiful carvings, dolls and elaborate textiles that cover each float. These floats also are suppose to showcase the craftsmanship of the carpenters of the Hida area. Inside each float, you will find children manning each float as a few of them also feature little dolls that move or the children play musical instruments. There are actually 25 festival floats scattered around Takayama however they are designated to different seasons. For spring, there are 12 floats, 11 for autumn and 2 for others.

Old town got turned into a pedestrian only zone with people walking everywhere and on maps, the bridges are colour coded so you can figure out where you are easier. The main area where the first performance with the floats was being held got incredibly crowded as we were trying to get through the crowd following others, we got stuck as both directions stopped moving. It got incredibly hot. After the morning ceremony, we decided it was time for food. Karen had a lunch place picked out in her little book however with such a large group (we had 7) it was near impossible to seat all of us. We went to Jakson (5-5 Tenmanmachi Takayama Gifu 岐阜県 高山市 天満町 5-5) for curry but we did a take away order. I ordered the Curry katsu (fried pork) – 1200y. We ended up walking in search of Takayama’s version of takoyaki (octopus balls) but instead of octopus filling, it was said to be hida beef as we waited our 20 minutes for our lunch to cook – we did not find these hidayaki…? and slowly made our return to Jakson for our takeaway order. We ate in a nearby area with stairs and a small cafe table. The curry was quite nice but flavourful. Once again, Karen had many bucket list foods in her book and once we finished our curries, she was on a mission to find the Hida beef steam buns from the specific stall that got grave reviews and she eventually did find it. Apparently it was really worth it but I was way too full to even try it.

We eventually crossed one of the bridges and found ourselves on the street where all the floats were equally spaced out and slowly being prepped where people could take photos of each individual float before all the mayhem ensued at night. Again, we walked through old town and just continued walking about. We got separated and in the end made it back to the hotel for 5PM to officially check in. Our hotel stay included a hida steak dinner however the timeframe for dinner got pushed to a smaller timeframe so we made sure dinner was priority before heading back out as the price of our hotel stay for 1 night (a little more expensive than we liked) also factored in this steak dinner. What we didn’t know is that it became this 4-5 course meal that was elegantly presented. The hida steak was absolutely a delicious addition to this leg of the trip. The steak could be cut so easily with just a fork. We finished out meal satisfied and ventured back out to see the night parade of the floats which at this point had already started their procession (multiple locations on the map where we could watch the floats go by) with the lanterns all lit up and children playing instruments in all of them. The adults controlled the floats from the outside. The most difficult part was turn the floats. Think of Howl’s Moving castle and how tall but narrow it was (before it full transformed) that’s what the floats looked like.

Since we are in the mountainside, when the sun is up, the sun is strong and we all got a little tanned and red that day but once that sun goes down or into the shade, it gets cold. The main old town strip got turned into a night market festival with stalls selling food galore. We watched for a bit standing on a bench but in the end, didn’t stay to the last float.

We went back to our hotel and went to the onsen. This one has 2 tier onsen on the 9th floor. Rooftop jacuzzi with 2 individual tubs to soak (this is the spot of the onsen personally) with a view of the city. The main floor has an outdoor pool with 1 inside and tons of shower stalls. It also featured a misting sauna. There apparently was one downstairs in the basement plus a swimming pool but we never made it down.

Kanazawa, Japan 2017 – Day 6

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One thing we haven’t really been doing on this trip is staying in later in the morning even though many things aren’t opened early. I tend to rise with the sun and the sun comes out at 530-6AM. We walked from out Airbnb to our first location for the day – Kenroku-en Garden that opens at 8AM. It was a chillier of mornings however the park was quiet and peaceful even though some of the trees still remain bare. Upon entering this park (from the Kenroku-en entrance), we only did a small portion but made it to the lookout point which got even colder with the wind. It was about 10-1030AM at this point and we decided to goto the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art – There are free exhibits but the paid exhibit only costs 1000y. Purses are allowed but backpacks and anything larger must be put into the lockers. No photography allowed in the exhibit but you can carry it and are allowed to take photos of the swimming pool. The sculptures outside are very fun to play with and photograph especially the multi colours circle (Olafur Eliasson Color Activity House 2010).

We finally went in and the exhibit for this time was for Ikeda Manabu – an artist that works mainly in pen medium using fine lines to create masterpieces that usually integrate waves and nature in his work. In his interview, Ikeda talks about how long it takes for him to create an art piece. the smaller 10x10CM art pieces take about a day but the massive ones take about 3 years and when life experience happen such as a death or birth, he incorporates those moments into his work as well. He also does a fine job hiding his signature in each piece. If you continue downstairs, you can enter a blue room which part of a permanent installation called “The Swimming Pool” by Leandro Erlich. In this blue room, if it is a sunny day, you will see the glistening water dancing on the walls with the bottom of what looks like a ladder making you feel like you are in the bottom of a swimming pool as you look upwards to the sky seeing a layer of water that separates you from what looks like people who are looking down at you from above the water. Overall, a cool museum – whether it be the architecture or the installations or the exhibit. If you happen to be in Tokyo, Japan between November 18th 2017 – April 1st 2018, his work “Leandro Erlich: Seeing and Believing” will be showcased at the Mori Art Museum.

By the time we finished the museum, we were already peckish so we opted to goto the Omi-Cho Fish Market. We ate at Omicho Inoya (33-1 Shimoumicho, Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa (石川県金沢市上近江町33-1) had Kaisendon which consists of a bed of rice with what looks like chirashi topping but made into 2 patties on top of the rice that you use a spoon to smooth down the mountain. Once its been flattened, you pour the sesame soy wasabi sauce over top and eat about half way. Once the half portion is finished, you call out oi dashi and the server brings over hot soup which you then add to the bowl and boom, it becomes a whole new meal in itself. The raw fish then cooks as the hot soup engulfs the bowl and enriches the flavour. I ordered a large Maruti-Don (crab, tuna toro, tuna tatami, shrimp, octopus & scallop) 1480y. Highly recommend this place! Once we finished out Kaisendon, we walked back around the market and grabbed a small basket of white strawberries (400y?). The first one I ate wasn’t anything special but the second one i had was perfectly ripened and it was so delicious.

After lunch, we walked to Kanazawa Castle and entered through the giant open space before entering into the Castle grounds. It was such the perfect day with cherry blossoms everywhere. We walked around the grounds before exiting through what I guess was the main entrance and made our way north to the Higashi Chaya district where we stopped by Hakuichi ( 株)箔一 東山店) (Japan, 〒920-0831 Ishikawa-ken, Kanazawa-shi, Higashiyama, 1 Chome−１５ 東山 1-15-4) – Gold leaf speciality store. This store sold products made in Kanazawa with gold whether it was gold flecked sake to gold plated chopsticks to gold leafed ice cream (the big pull in for me). The gold leafed ice cream (980y) sounds exactly as its named. They delicately wrap a sheet of gold leaf onto the side of your ice cream cone and you sit down and enjoy it. The gold leaf breaks off so easily and as it touches your tongue, a faint taste of sweet metal passes over top your tastebuds. If it touches your lips, that sweet taste lingers.

Karen & Chi were heading into Kanazawa that evening so we continued to wandered and check out the Namagachi Chaya district which is the samurai district but by the time we arrived, it was roughly 5PM and many of the places like the samurai houses were closing or closed. It was a nice walk though as the sun was slowly setting and the weather was still quite nice. I was able to grabbed so locally made azuki bean ankoro dessert from a dessert shop before it closed to bring home. We walked along this one street where we saw a team setting up either for a movie video or a movie/television shot where they have umbrellas laying on the ground with lights behind them. One thing that pulled us in was also the fact that all the grips were all females – styling females (yay woman power). We tried to wait around for a bit but I think they were waiting for the sun to set or nightfall so we continued on.

We met up with Karen & Chi for dinner at this ramen place and then called it a night because it turned really cold. We went back to the Airbnb and watched 3 episodes of Terrace House – Aloha State on Japan Netflix (not released in North America) then went to bed.

Tokyo, Japan 2017 – Day 3

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Woke up at 6AM. The original plan was to wake up and do a day trip to Endoshima, Yokohama & Kawasaki area to visit the Endoshima sea candle, beach, Ramen museum, Japan’s largest Chinatown, the Cup Noodle Museum and Kawasaki Warehouse (giant arcade that is designed to look like the Forbidden City of Kowloon) however the prior day exceeded the groups energy threshold (we walked 29KM). Instead we decided to turn the day into a shopping – stay in Tokyo kind of day.

It was indeed a rainy day but luckily majority of the day was light rain. Now with John and Glenn with us, we all woke up rather early all starving. We walked over to Sushi Zanmai (Japan, 〒104-0045 Tōkyō-to, Chūō-ku, Tsukiji, 4 Chome−4−11−9) and ate our breakfast around 8AM (meal was more like lunch or dinner options) very early. I got the deluxe chirashi-don (1480y) and it was amazing and fresh. An assortment of 13 freshly selected types of seafood that covered a bed of rice.

After breakfast, our group split up with different intentions of what to do for the day. Stores don’t open until roughly 11AM so we wandered around. We passed by one temple where people were setting up their own booths for what looked like a flea market. I ended up browsing through one tent where this elderly couple had trays of old Japanese wooden toys where the heads bobbled. I restrained myself and only bought 3 for 1500y. We continued walking and made our way to Don Quijote where we spent a large amount of time purchasing items. Don Quijote is what you would say the Wal-mart of Japan would be because it has anything and everything you need whether its electronics, makeup, candy, food to laundry detergent. If you spend over a certain amount, you can present your passport (2nd floor cashier) and receive tax-free savings HOWEVER, if your purchase contained consumables (food) they will seal your purchase and you are not allowed to consume any of it or open the packaging until you have left Japan or potentially face a consumption fee at the customs.

We continued on after our rather large purchase (ok large for me). Stopped by a 100y store, BICQLO (5-7 floors of Uniqlo and Bic Camera), Comme Ca, Muji and a smaller more local Daiso. Cassie met up with us in Shinjuku for lunch and we went to a restaurant in a basement – Sutameshi DonDon – Tama Merchant building B1, B2, 3-34-14 Shinjuku Ku, Shinjuku – opened 24HR – Shinjuku where you order by a machine (luckily there was english and photos). I ordered the Sutameshi with cheese (780y) and you get an egg on the side to mix in. I had a runaway egg as I cracked it directly onto the my bowl where a bed of melted cheese acted as a ramp to throw it out of the bowl. Apparently, I did it all wrong. They give you a separate little bowl to crack the egg in and then stir it before you try to combine it with your meal. After lunch, we continued walking in the spritz rain to Awake which serves dango – delicious mochi desserts.

With the amount of shopping we did, our baggage was getting heavy so we returned back to you share loft and unpacked and repacked it into our luggages while we waited for our remaining 2 friends to join us. At this point of day, John and Glenn were enroute to Nara/Osaka and Cassie was exploring on her own and meeting up with Atene in Roppongi. We ended up waiting back at the share loft for Karen and Chi’s arrival. Their flight got delayed by an hour and we ended up napping a little too long waiting their arrival.

First thing on the list for the night – Chidori-ga-fuchi park – The park was illuminated to showcase the cherry blossoms but of course that brought out the crowds. It was a big walk around the park where it led to a dead end which you would then need to walk back from. It was a lovely view but I still wish I was able to see it during a nice sunny day.

Since Karen and Chi just landed, they really wanted to see Piss Alley and Golden Gai. We kept getting turned around at Shinjuku Station and went in a circle a few times before re-orienting ourselves in the correct direction to where we were the first day in Tokyo. We ended up eating at Tori-en Izakaya (Japan, 〒160-0023 Tokyo, 新宿区Nishishinjuku, 1 Chome−２−４) in Piss Alley where we sat on the second floor and ate a bit of everything.

We got back to the share loft and all of us started to repack our bags as we needed to create a overnight bag and go store our luggages at train stations since we were planning on staying overnight at the onsen.

Tokyo, Japan 2017 – Day 2

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That jet lag never seems to amaze me. Woke up at 5AM and couldn’t fall back asleep. Eventually everyone woke up and stated they were hungry after discussing pancakes that were too far away at a restaurant that wouldn’t be opened for another 2-3 hours. We opted for the best alternative – 7-Eleven. We grabbed some hot food as well as onigiri (my old friend who saved me the last time around in Osaka).

We hopped on the train to meet my friend Yuko at Asakusa Station – Tsubasa Station however somehow we opted to walk part of the way there that made me a little late to meeting her. I met Yuko back in 2011 when I went on a Contiki tour of Europe – 7 countries in 10 days where we sat on a coach bus together whether we liked it or not but luckily our group was the better of groups as opposed to the examples we saw interacting with other groups. She was in school when I met her and she was studying music I believe. She is now a marketing researcher.

I had chatted with Yuko for a bit prior to the trip about a festival called the Asakusa Kannon-ura Ichiyo Sakura Matsuri – 4 Chrome, Taito – She had never been to it and we wanted to attend. This courtesan parade is held on the second Saturday of April each year. It consisted of a closed off street north of the Senso-ji Temple where there would be cute Japanese children in procession as well as Geisha/ Oiran Dochu procession to follow and ending off with a drumming performance.

The Oiran Dochu Procession (おいらん道中) in the Edo period was the procession of the Oiran courtesan accompanied by young females to a client’s residence after formal invitation. The Tayu (the top ranking woman) would wear tall footwear in which they would take strides dragging their feet in figure 8 patterns while holding the shoulder of a man (their body guard) to steady her. The steps would be slow but highly exaggerated to gain attention. The Tayu were witty, self-confident and skilled in calligraphy as well as ikebana (flower arranging). The young females that accompanied the Tayu were meant to become prostitutes. The Oiran courtesans were at the highest of standards of being companions  and being entertained by them was expensive that it could put a castle into debt. Although they would be paid handsomely, the Tayu could decline an invitation.

This procession is put on by volunteers to commemorate the history of the Oirans of North Asakusa, which was the red light district of the past.

We got there rather early for opening remarks and then the first round of children came at 1045AM waving fake cherry blossom branches and also a little brass band. The next rounds of kids were suppose to come but we decided we were hungry and went on our way to venture for food. The area of Taito is actually quite charming and I really liked the feel of the streets. We walked over to Senso-ji Temple where tons of cherry blossoms and their huge row of markets lined the front of the temple that both started and end with giant red lanterns. We of course did our fortune (100y) – if you get a bad fortune you must tie it up so that they can burn the bad fortune you received away. I absolutely hate being in crowds – what is worst is touristy crowds. We had such a large group that we ended up losing partial group halfway through the walk through the market but we gathered back together. We left Yuko in charge of finding us a good place to eat for lunch. We found ourselves on the second floor at a restaurant called Owariya (1-7-1 Asakusa) that specializes in shrimp tempura and soba noodles. I ordered the Kashiwa A-Seiro with stirred chicken sauce (1,100y)

Back to the festival for the actual Geisha procession – It was actually quite slow and not as eventful as I’d hope but none the less an experience. I ended up getting pulled to the front by an older Japanese lady because she saw me with cameras and so I sat down so everyone could see over me. The procession was very intricate because a few of the geishas were wearing shoes that were 10 inch platforms and slowly they kept dragging their feet in a figure 8 pattern. There were people dressed up with fox masks on who were dancing with ornate colours and fans – that was my favourite part.

We decided to leave and skipped the drumming to grab ice cream. Not regular old ice cream but 7 levels of matcha green tea ice cream at Suzuki-en. Cassie’s high school friend who she hadn’t seen since high school – Atene joined us. Atene now lives in Yokohama and works for the government but studied architecture. We went to line up at Suzuki-en to be told we need to head to another building – their waiting room which literally was a waiting room for the extended line about a block away from the main store. Once our number was called, we were handed tickets and back we went to the main building where awaited the employees to serve you your level of choice for matcha or 4-5 other varieties of ice cream. Since we had such a large group, we all opted to get a double scoop and get each level of matcha possible. I grabbed a level 6 cone for Kanako and myself a level 3 & a level 7. My volleyball friend Kanako was in Hiroshima/Shizuoka visiting her grandparents but had a few days off to roam around so she took the train and joined us for half the day. You can definitely taste the difference in each level of matcha and in the end, I truly preferred the level 7 although it did taste a little powdery.

As a group, we decided to continue on together to Omotesando area. Slowly but surely made our way through Senso-ji temple to get to the trains and off we went. Omotesando is the high end shopping area with a lovely and large street that reminds me of Queen St West meets Yorkville in Toronto or Tokyo’s Champs-Élysées. We ended up walking through Omotesando Hills, a shopping mall and residential space designed by 1995 Pritzker recipient Tadao Ando. The design has this staircase in the middle that spans 3 floors. The staircase is used for runway shows from time to time. We visited a few galleries and artist’s stores and ended up at Tokyu Plaza (designed by Hiroshi Nakamura). The entrance has a giant mirrored escalator entrance and a beautiful rooftop (which we never made it to). We took some photos before Kanako said her goodbyes and went on to meet with her other friends.

We walked over to Yoyogi park where it was jam-packed with people (it was a weekend to begin) with white cherry blossoms adorning the park especially concentrated into one area. The hanami (cherry blossom) viewing  brought people out in droves picnicking with tarps under all the trees and tons of locals and tourists basking in the white glow of the cherry blossoms. At this point, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom in Tokyo.

Atene’s original plan was to get us to Roppongi but with the sheer amount of people in our group and how much walking we accomplished that day (29KM), we finished off our night in the Shibuya area. We walked through Shibuya Crossing and had dinner at Tsukada No Osusume that specializes in the Miyazaki region – mangoes, chicken and miso. They had this miso jam/dip that was so flavourful and you are able to purchase as well. For the amount of drinks and food we ate, the bill came out to about 16,000y.

Of course when in Japan, you just need to try out the purikura(プリクラ) – japanese photo booths. Let me tell you, we looked all kinds of wrong and different but funny. After all the excitement of purikura, we walked over to the subway station that has a bridge up where there is a famous mural by a Japanese artist as well as clear views (as clear as a window with the crisscross wire in them can be) where you can watch the whole Shibuya Crossing play out. We called it a night after we watched people cross a few times as Yuko and Atene still had a bit to go to get home and we were all in food coma mode.

Glenn’s journey to Japan has been a trek to say the least. He arrived at 1AM after 38 hours at Chicago airport. Turns out that someone made a fake bomb and brought it on the plane (not working) but nonetheless that that person was able to make it pass security and onto the plane.

 

 

Tokyo, Japan 2017 – Day 1

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Flew out of Toronto with Mike, Manwai & Cassie while Glenn was on another flight (Cassie was with ANA and the rest of us with United). This trip had started off badly for Glenn as his flight leaving for Chicago never left Toronto as there was an unmarked luggage that got aboard the plane from San Paulo.

We arrived in Chicago and Cassie caught her flight about 30-45 minutes before us. The main flight was about 12 hours and we got upgraded to economy plus. We originally booked with ANA but they are partnered with United so not as great as I wish it would be. No outlets but at least a screen to watch limited shows and movies.

We finally arrived at Narita Airport (half hour early) to 20C degree weather. Humid. We went up to the 4th floor towards the restaurants to meet Cassie who arrived earlier. We proceeded to the lower level to the JR pass lineup to activate our pass. It was an hour wait but still very hot. We ended up making new friends from New Jersey – Jennifer & Francis.

Once we activated our pass, we reserved our seats for the train to head to our Airbnb nearby Kawadacho Station in Shinjuku. 110 minutes into town from Narita. We arrived to find John, drop off our things and head to Shinjuku-Nishikichi to make our reservation time for Robot Restaurant. We opted for the show no meal but each ticket comes with 1 free drink ticket. We stopped by BIC Camera and got Cassie a Sim card – 21 days 5GB – $32CAD-ish. Walked over to Robot Restaurant with our reservation and then got another voucher and grabbed food at a nearby little restaurant before finally getting our actual ticket and heading inside. There is a holding area – lounge with a few performances and where we can redeem our drink tickets – oolong tea and alcohol mix – who would’ve known. I saw photos of the washrooms before we went which are ridiculously decorated but single stalls and the line was way too long to use/view them. The show takes place in the basement and I mean basement (it must be massive behind those curtains though to house all those robots). We went down 3 more levels and then got seated in our reserved seats. Sensory overload and I’m still not even sure if it was amazing or not. I mean, It was definitely bright, loud and shiny with high energy for sure with tons of dancing and “fighting”.

We left and grabbed some good old KFC then walked Golden Gai and Piss Alley. Golden Gai is a series of 3-5 streets that are riddled with small establishments that serve drinks and some bar food. The bars can hold 4-8 people at most. We didn’t participate but got to see the nightlife on a Friday night. We walked over to Piss Alley which was more open but we got there a little late in the night that the izakayas were closing. We started to head back to realize that the trains stop around 1230-1AM and had to find an alternate route back to our Airbnb. We ended up taking 2 taxis as they wouldn’t take 5 in one. I didn’t sleep until 230AM but I did get my SIM card to finally work.

If you haven’t joined and booked with Airbnb yet, follow the link and get credits for your first booking. www.airbnb.ca/c/ruu

Itinerary – Japan – 2017

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This was my second time travelling to Japan. My previous visit was short but sweet staying in Osaka with a day trip to Nara & Kyoto for less than a week. Japan is definitely one of those countries that can and need to be explore multiple times. I travelled to Japan with Mike, Manwai, Cassie, Glenn, John, Karen & Chi with guest appearances along the way. The flight deals were too good to miss out on especially during Hanami (cherry blossom festival). We found our deal on www.nextdeparture.ca for $730CAD roundtrip to Tokyo (1 stopover in Chicago each way). Originally, it was just myself plus Mike & Manwai that booked together. As the next few weeks past and a few meals Mike & Manwai had with friends, our group became 8. During the trip, I mainly travelled with Mike & Manwai. Total of 14 days.

We booked many of our accommodations with Airbnb. If you haven’t joined and booked with Airbnb yet, follow the link and get credits for your first booking. www.airbnb.ca/c/ruu

Included in this Itinerary, I have included some helpful information to know in advance before you go.

–www.hyperdia.com – This is awesome for figuring out your bus and JR routes but you need to know what stations you are leaving from and arriving to.

-Google Maps works well too. If Google Maps does not load/poor connection, enter the directions into the internet browser.

 

$$$

-100y = $1USD roughly.

-The Japanese use cash over credit for majority of their day to day living and it isn’t unusual to break a 10,000y bill on something small.

-The 2000y bill is actually quite rare in Japan as its been phased out and was started in Okinawa for unknown reasons. When exchanging money outside of Japan, you may receive 2000y bills which a few Japanese collect HOWEVER, not all the machines take 2000y bills.

-For many Japanese, they may or may not accept it at their work establishments but some will keep as a keepsake similar to Canada’s old $2 bill that is now replaced with the toonie.

-You can pay for some meals in coins alone as the largest valued coin is 500y which is roughly $5USD.

-For 14 days, I took out just over $100CAD a day. $1502.45CAD – 123000Yen

 

Book in Advanced

–Studio Ghibli Museum tickets can only be purchased 1 month in advanced and sells out quickly. The 10th at 10AM Japan time of every month. Much cheaper to purchase from site than through a tour group (service charges are killer). The actual ticket is only 1000y

-JR Pass must be purchased outside out Japan. Maximum 90 days before your trip. JTB Canada is where I purchased mine. For 14 days of travel, my JR Pass was $539CAD

–Sumo Wrestling Tournaments are held 6 times a year. If you have the chance to go see it, tickets will go on sale a month in advanced so be aware they are highly sought after and sell out fast. Another option if you are going during non tournament months is to go visit a Sumo Wrestling Beya (practice) at multiple locations and watch their early morning practice.

–Robot Restaurant – a month in advanced.

–MariCar – Must have International Drivers License (goto CAA – $25CAD (bring your own photo or take one there) + Countries driver’s license to participate in this activity.

 

WIFI Router & Sim Card

-WIFI Routers are great if you have a large group – You can rent at the airport or various locations. Highly recommend renting or bringing a portable battery pack to keep router and phone charged.

-Sim cards – unlocked phones – You can pick up a visit sim card at Yodobashi or BIC Camera/BICQLO(might be cheaper than Yodobashi). If you can find the B-mobile Visitor Sim – 5GB for 21 days (Y2,970-3,480).

-I highly recommend bringing a portable battery pack to keep your phone charge especially if you are using your phone for directions.

 

Transportation

-JR Pass holders need to go through the manned gate to get through at each station.

-You need to make reservations on certain trains but if you don’t, there are a few carts where it is first come first serve or you can sit but if the person with the reserved seats shows up, you give them the seats. The reserved seats also swivel to have 2 facing one another if preferred.

-With the JR Pass, if you miss you train, you can easily get the next one without any penalty fees.

-If you plan on reserving seats for trains for peak times, go earlier to reserve them.

-If taking the bullet train from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto etc – request mountainside view to see Mt Fuji!

-Make sure to purchase ekibens before your ride (bullet train specific meals that differ per region and have have seasonal regional speciality foods – all cold)

-Eating is not permitted on trains besides Shinkansen

-JR Pass does not cover all train lines – only JR lines (minus Nozomi/Mizuho/Hayabusa (Shinkansen)) and a Suica or a Pasmo card (similar to Octopus card of Hong Kong or Toronto’s Presto) are indeed very useful and refillable

–Pasmo & Suica cards can also be used to pay for other things such as drink machines and whatnot.

-Pasmo can be used in Tokyo, Osaka & Kyoto (from my experience)

-There are women’s only carts depending on time of day

-Trains end around midnight-1AM. There are taxi queues.

-The Japanese are large in numbers but when walking, they don’t necessarily have a sense of urgency and the pace to my standard is slow

-The Japanese do stay in shape by the amount of stairs they need to climb each day while commuting. The train stations are floors upon floors with limited elevators and some floors have escalators while many are just stairs upon stairs.

-You stand on the left side and pass on the right on the escalators. (Although in Osaka, they did opposite)

-Walking is the same – Walk on the left side

 

Weather (From what I experience this April trip)

-It is normal for Japanese people to stay covered up even it is hot outside as they care about their skin getting dark (similar to Hong Kong) They are more conservative in terms of covering cleavage but will wear short shorts. I wore a tank top because it was hot but got looks.

-April – light jacket/trench coats (Japanese fashion trend) and umbrellas are key.

-Tokyo is humid. April – average temp – high of 20, low of 6 – chances of showers high but muggy.

-Kanazawa – chilly and windy but otherwise warm during the day, can see breathe in the evening

-Takayama – Hot during the day – really hot as in we got slightly burnt but once the sun goes down, cold and chilly.

-Kyoto – Hot! (average 21-26C during the day) but cools down at night.

-Osaka – Just right! Not too hot, not too cold; bearable to walk around in a t-shirt majority of the day.

 

Misc.

-Carry your passport around for many places you go shopping you can get tax free!

-Outlets are the Western 2 prong style instead of the american 3 prong

-There are a lot of people but they tend to move slower than the average if compared to Toronto foot traffic.

-You don’t tip in Japan – the only time you tip are in fancy high end restaurants or when you see fit.

-There are designated areas for people to smoke but the smoke still billows the streets and still litters the streets

-Smoking is not allowed while you are walking

-Smoking is allowed in certain food establishments

-There are rarely any garbage cans on the streets of Japan – 1 reason – you mainly goto establishments to eat or eat at home. 2 – in the past, terrorist attacks with packages left in garbage bins now detour garbage bins

-non combustibles and combustible garbage separation

-some wear masks but others don’t and when they sneeze or cough, they just let it out so be aware of that. Coming for Canada, where its customary to sneer into your elbow or cover your mouth, this might put you off a bit like it did me.

-Sailor moon make up by Beaute Creer – You can pick this up at Its Demo stores.

-In some cities like Takayama at night, they have flashing red lights outside of an establishment to signal that they are still open as other stores or restaurants close early.

 

Now onto my actual Itinerary. My itinerary got very extensive and ambitious with things and places I wanted to see and goto. Everyone else built their own itineraries but we made sure at certain aspects, we would all meet up in a different city for certain events such as the Takayama festival in Takayama and Temple running in Kyoto. In the span of 2 weeks, my goal was to make it through all these cities (Tokyo, Yokohama, Enoshima, Kawasaki, Kanazawa, Takayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya) but of course not all goes to according to plans and we cut out some areas to explore other areas more. This was the itinerary that actually happened. There will always be another time to visit Japan once again to get more accomplished and more land covered.

 

Some places and things I originally had on my itinerary for the surrounding area but wasn’t able to accomplish were the following:

-Baseball – much different than Western Baseball – Hanshin Tigers VS anybody – the atmosphere is completely something to take in

 

Enoshima/Fujisawa/Yokohama/Kawasaki

-Enoshima – fujisawa – cute city – view of Mt Fuji in painting

-Ramen museum (yokohama)
-Cup Noodle Museum (yokohama)

-Chinatown (yokohama)

-Kawasaki Warehouse – arcade games

 

Tokyo

-Tokyu Plaza – escalator & rooftop

-Akihabara Gachapon Kaikan – Tōkyō, Chiyoda, Sotokanda 3-15-5 Gee Store Akiba – 11AM-7PM

 

Nagoya

-Nagoya Dome – Purchase tickets – ticket booth near gate 1 – 10AM-5th inning

-Osu – The Harajuku of Nagoya

-enmusu – Onigiri style w/shrimp tempura – Senju – Nagoya-Famous

-Temmusu (めいぶつ天むす 千寿) – 4-10-82 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya-city – 830AM-6PM

-Miso Tonkatsu – Misokatsu Yabaton – Yabacho Restaurant (みそかつ 矢場とん 矢場町本店) – 3-6-18 Osu, Naka-ku, Nagoya-city – 11AM-9PM

-Hitsumabushi (Grilled Eel on Rice) – Atsuta Horaiken – Main Restaurant (あつた蓬莱軒 本店) – 1130AM-2PM; 430-830PM

 

-Ashikaga Flower Park – Wisteria

Machu Picchu Mountain & Lima – Peru – 2016 – Day 8-9

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We woke up at 445AM and had breakfast in the hotel (included) before catching a bus up to Machu Picchu. It takes about 30 minutes to get up there. We booked ourselves to do the Machu Picchu mountain hike that opens at 7AM. You need to show the permit as well as your passport to climb. You enter and sign in with your time. This is important because just a month or 2 prior to our climb, a German man had climbed Huayana Mountain (where you need to climb on your bum and hands at certain points) and he decided to do a jump photo and fell to his death. Back to Machu Picchu Mountain hike – so many steps and so steep at points. I would think at this point, after 4 days of climbing, this would be rather easy but I digress.

The beginning was very similar to our normal Inca trail hike but then it got really steep at points on the side of a cliff. The first flat stop showed us only clouds where Machu Picchu was located. As time went by and the higher we trekked, the clouds started to dissipate and we could see more below us getting glimpse of Machu Picchu and the mountains.

The Ranger had told us this hike would take about an hour to do each way – so much heavy breathing coming from me.

Just like previous days, you climb and think that that next pass is the end but then you turn the corner to find more steps spiralling upwards. Even without walking sticks Sofia is still a powerhouse leading the pack. Patrick joined shortly after with Ronan right behind.

After the landing with the giant rock and the small passageway, there are about 3 more spiral sets of steps which are steep before you make it to your final destination. I made it up to have my heads in the clouds but within minutes, the clouds shifted to expose the beauty that lies below surrounding Machu Picchu.

We stayed up there for a while and I would say about 20 minutes after we arrived, our group of 7 (Gayaanan stayed below) were all together at the top. Sofia, Ronan and myself were about to leave as Karen and Chi made it up but Andrew insisted I stay but not really saying much. Then Andrew also insisted Sofia and Ronan stay as well and that’s when it clicked in that something special was going to happen.

Karen was too busy taking photos and Chi was extremely nervous. He wanted to do it right at the corner where you have the best view of Machu Picchu but if was too crowded. He then typed in his phone that he wanted everyone minus myself to leave as it made him even more anxious so down they went. I lingered around taking photos and whatnot trying to entice Karen into walking over to certain areas but none were to her liking.

It finally got to a point where I was taking photos of them like I normally do then taking solo ones of Karen. Chi told her to turn around so I could get a shot of her from behind looking out at Machu Picchu and then that’s when it happened. Chi got down on one knee and Karen turned around then did a double take and Chi swung his arm out with a ring in his hand and stuttered asking her to marry him. A delayed reaction said it all and now Machu Picchu and this Peru trip hold a special meaning to Chi and Karen. Check out their story.

Once that happened, I packed up my camera and descended. I went backwards down the first 2 sets of stairs then it got a little bit better going down as the steps weren’t as steep and short. I bombed it down and made it out the gate just minutes after the rest had gotten down. We wandered a bit of Machu Picchu before heading back down in the bus. When we returned to Aguas Caliente, it started to rain. Grabbed food from Orquidea Grill but rushed them as we needed to catch our train. I got the ceviche 40 sol – it was tasty but a little too vingery for my liking.

After lunch, went back to the hotel to grab our things and to the train station we went. The train station is located within the market place up the stairs. Karen booked the Vistadome train for us which includes a little entertainment and snack as we ride for an hour back to Ollantaytambo.

From Ollantaytambo, we got picked up by the shuttle to take us all back to Cuzco. We arrived at the main square and we’re delivered our luggage to the van. We packed our luggage in the van then Sofia and Ronan got dropped off at their hotel then Karen, Chi and myself got dropped off at the airport before the boys got dropped off. The Cuzco airport is very simple and security check was the easiest with no line and right through we went. Our flight was with Latam to Lima for 2 hours. We booked a car with the same driver as our first day – George but this time we stayed in the nicer part of town Miraflores.

Girasoles Hotel (Ernesto Diez Canseco 696, Miraflores, Peru) with a triple bed room for $80USD. By the time we checked in, it was already 1030PM so we decided to order in for dinner. Chifa aka Chinese closed at 1030PM so we ordered Pardo’s Chicken instead. We got fries and Peruvian roasted whole chicken and ate with our hands on the bed. Chi and Karen’s engagement dinner.

Peru & Panama last half

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We took our time to get up then downstairs for breakfast. We walked over to the nearest grocery store – metro to purchase some snacks to bring home. The Miraflores area is higher end city as oppose to the main area of Lima and has beautiful architecture. I absolutely love the doors and colours that exist here.

Next stop was Manolo (Av. Larco 608, Miraflores – Lima – Perú ) for a Dulce de Leche churro 5 sol. Our plan for this morning was to take the free walking tour but when we arrived at the square, we met with the tour guide but he wanted to wait until 11AM for more people. We needed to make our way to the airport for 2PM so we decided to explore on our own

We ended up walking down to the waterfront area (Circuito de Playas) that was above the beach line. With palm trees and the look of the area, it reminded me of California and Hawaii with a tropical feel. This is where all the fitness buffs come out especially runners and bikers. You can look down where the highway is and also the beach where surfers were ripping the waves.

We walked to the El Parque del Amor also known as the Love Park then to the lighthouse before taking an uber 45 minutes to the main square of Plaza Armas and walked around to see the beautiful area which was pedestrian only. We made it to the main square and watched a bit of the changing of guards. This is one of the countries I’ve seen with an abundance of female officers whether it be policia or traffic control.

We rushed back to our hotel as we asked for late check out for 1PM. Grabbed an uber and headed for the airport. Before going past the gate we stopped and had McDonald’s. We got the fried chicken but it wasn’t impressive. It tasted like KFC chicken. 20.50sol. Through security and had about 50 sol left so I bought small bottles of pisco and alfajores cookies.

Back to Copa Airlines for our flight with a Stopover in Panama for 20 hours. 4 hour flight wasn’t too bad. Customs line was slow. Fingerprinted and throw our bags through a scan then out the door to taxis. We did a collective van and it was $10USD pp. We shared with another man who is going further and he paid $20USD. We stayed at Occidental Hotel (Avenida 2da Sur | Between Avenida Central Espana and Avenida 3ra Sur, Panama City 0823, Panama) in Panama city. It’s beautiful! The beds are so comfortable and the shower could hold 5 people.

We threw our stuff down and walked down the street to the right to Rey – 24 hour grocery store. There are so many products that are produced from the states that it wasn’t that fun to explore what different snacks from what we have back home. The currency in Panama is USD as legal tender. The lines to checkout were quite long even at 1030PM but I bought a bunch of items and it only cost me $12USD.

Since we arrived late, we went next door to Niko’s 24 hour restaurant that had sandwich deals and I think further down the line, some hot Panamanian dishes. I got the BLT with fries for $5.25USD. It took 20-25 minutes to get our food making it after 11PM when we ate. They asked me my name for the bill but not for Karen so when we looked at the receipts, they put her name as China and mine said my name. I guess I’m too dark they don’t now what I am unlike Karen who is pale lol.

We went back to the hotel and showered and it was such an amazing shower. Chi and myself bought Panama beer so we drank that and watched American TV game shows. Panama beer isn’t quite my taste of beer.

Inca Trail – Machu Picchu – Peru – 2016 – Day 4-7

INCA TRAIL HIKE – 4 days 3 nights – Alpaca Expedition

Tipping for our Inca Trail Hike

Tipping – we had a group of 14 – 160sols (per person) to porters and chef. 90sol between head and assistant chef & 9 sold divided amongst porters. Tour guides we did 100 sol (per person) for both tour guides (50 sol each).

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We booked our 4 day 3 night Inca Trail Hike with Alpaca Expedition. Alpaca expedition was started by a local who started off as a porter than became a tour guide and finally decided to establish his own tour company.

Day 1 of 4 – Inca Trail Hike

We got picked up at 715AM in Ollantaytambo. Arrived at basecamp (Piskacucho – 8923ft/2720m) for breakfast and final packing of the duffel bags that get handed off to the porters. There were 2 things I dreaded for this trip – getting altitude sickness and getting my period. Went to the Banos (washroom) at base camp before we even enter the main gates and my period decided to show up (yes sorry TMI but it happens). Wet wipes are a godsend just to let you know.

We started our hike around 830-9AM. Before we could actually start our hike, we needed to line up at the main gate to ensure the permits are correct and match your passport as well as making sure the porters have under 30 kilo (each duffel needs to be 7 kilo). The porters carry 2 persons duffels plus their own personal bag. They also need to go through a checkpoint to ensure the weight in under before they could continue on. My day pack was 20lb with 2.5L of water plus my camera and snacks and a sweater. It was hot and I did start off at breakfast in just a tank top as today’s trek is a hotter one but decided to wear a long sleeve because there are mosquitos.

We had 14 in our group. Reagan & Matt (Austin, Texas), Lily & Anthony (Switzerland – French speaking side), Kaitlin & George (San Francisco) plus our lot (Sofia & Ronan from San Francisco, Karen, Chi, Patrick, Gayaanan & Andrew) plus our tour guides – Jose and Reynaldo. We had 23 porters accompanying us on our trek including 2 as chef and sous chef. Chef Roger went to school in Cuzco to study culinary and each day, he prepares meals based on what is best for digestion depending on the altitudes.

Day 1 is the longest day for hiking – 14KM. It is broken down into 4.5 hours before we stop for lunch then continue another 2 hours before we end for day 1. This is training day to prepare you for dead woman’s pass. Flat ground for first half then slopey for the second half. Banos stops along the way for 1 sol a visit – remember to bring your own toilet paper!

Sofia is a small Russian woman but man she is a beast keeping up with the lead tour guide with so much ease. Altitude makes the climb just that much more difficult. It’s not like your muscles are sore or anything but the lack of oxygen makes your body feel heavier.

It was sunny and hot but mainly cloudy. When we made it past our first two slopes, we reached a beautiful lookout point of semi ancient ruins.. It’s insane how fast the porters move with that much gear. They carry everything including food for 3 days with them on day 1. People live in the mountains so they can grab fresh ingredients if needed (but no one inhabits the actual Inca Trails). They don’t carry water for the 3 days but get it nearby and boil it for us.

Along the way, we would stop by ruins and Jose would tell us more about the history behind each place. It started to rain at that point and the temperature dropped a bit. All the colourful rain jackets came out at that point. This was a good spot to catch our breaths before we continued on and it kept going higher and higher via a steeper and steeper trail.

The reward for this portion of the hike was the sound of lunch and it did not disappoint. They rent space from locals and setup a Banos for us, a room with a tarp to lay down our bags and water basins to clean ourselves and then into another room for lunch. We started off with a stuffed tomato with some yummy things. Then they brought out the rest – guacamole with chips (so good), their version of a caprese, chicken ceviche, trout, roasted corn nuts, rice, sweet potato soup and finished off the meal with peppermint tea. Apparently this peppermint tea if you are female, if they drink it everyday for 15 years, she will become sterile (used by the incas in the past). We refilled our waters and off we went.

The last leg was the hardest and we were told to go at our own pace to see how it will be for us the following day. Zigzag walking does help. As well, if there is a ramp or small rocks, go for those instead of climbing on the bigger rocks for more efficiency.

It’s tough to hike with a runny & stuffy nose. It does get hard to breathe and my knees were achy. From our last pit stop, it’s just an hour and half of steep uphill. You just need to take it at your pace and stop whenever your need to. My heartbeat was going too fast that that I can feel it pounding in my chest to the point that I would have to take a short break to catch my breathe and slow down my heart rate before continuing. Since this is at your own pace, we ended up passing the other Alpaca group that started 20 minutes before us and another group. You never know when you are reaching your final destination so you just need to keep going and push yourself. After the bridge, you go around a bend and the trail gets windy. Patrick ended up picking up a second wind after lunch and moved to the front at one point so when I was reaching our basecamp, I see him coming back down the path with only his camera in hand. He gives me the news – only 3 more minutes until I’ve reached the final destination for the night. Once I arrived, all the porters are cheering and congratulating me on finishing.

Upon arrival, our campsite is setup and all we needed to do was get into our tents and clean up. Baby wipes are key must haves on this trek especially when you are on your period and also to clean your clothing when you can’t do laundry. Everyone had time to relax before we had happy hour in the group tent where they serve drinks and biscuits with fresh popcorn. This downtime was a great opportunity to get to know your group members better. Right at 7PM, our dinner commenced. Starts off with soup then the dishes – yucca buns, rice, chicken curry, bean and something frita and finished off with chef Roger flambaying bananas in pisco.

My phone was sitting in between a towel and shirt in my backpack so at the end of the day, it only read 22000 steps but I know I did at least 29000 steps.

Our wake up time was scheduled for 445AM so after dinner, we all went back to our tents and bedtime at 830PM – the earliest I’ve gone to bed in decades.

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Day 2 of 4 – Inca Trail Hike

I woke up 3 times and couldn’t get back to sleep so I ended up being awake and alert around 2-330AM. We were woken up by Reynaldo making his bird noises and delivery of hot coca tea.

We each had 30 minutes to pack up our bags and duffel bags and lay them on the tarp outside before breakfast. Roger aka playboy our chef made a huge breakfast to fuel us for our hike, as it’s the biggest and longest day. I filled 2.5L of water in the morning as it’s the only time for free water and it has to last until lunch time after reaching dead woman’s pass and then going downhill. I also carried a separate water bottle that I used to put Nuun tablets in to give me that little extra boost of caffeine and sodium.

Second day of hiking – 16KM. All up hill to Dead Women’s Pass (13799ft/4200m). After lunch, it was game on. Go at your own pace. I started off strong behind Jose but once we started moving, I had to stop and take off clothing. I had a rain jacket and long sleeve plus tank top on and within 10-15 minutes, I was down to a tank top (I brought a small towel to cover my shoulders and give a layer between skin and straps). There was only one more pit stop on this trek (Llulluchapampa – 12460ft/3800m) ­­where you can purchase water, drinks, snacks etc. It was also a beautiful spot to look at the mountains and see the peak of dead women’s pass with the top that looks like a dead woman and also her nipple. Free clean washrooms here but bring wet wipes or toilet paper.

From there, everyone for themselves and of course with Sofia leading our pack. Your determination lays in your own hands. The tour guides are there to motivate you to keep going but its all a mental game and in the end, you need to rely on yourself to keep going.

It was hard with lots of stops along the way. I wasn’t necessarily tired and not achy but having difficulty breathing makes all the motions react even slower than you would like.

I also learned at this point that if I wanted to drink water from the mouthpiece of my camelpak while simultaneously trying to walk, my body would have small panic attacks because there wasn’t enough oxygen entering into my lungs.

What I have learned about hiking the Inca Trail so far is that it warms up quite quickly and within 10 minutes of hiking, you end up needing to take off all the layers and be in a t-shirt/tank top. I also learned that while you are hiking up and turn a corner, you thinking you are nearing the end to only you aren’t even close but that there is more trail and it gets even steeper.

Slow but steady pace up to Dead Woman’s Pass. You are welcomed by cheering from the porters, your group and others who have also surmounted this feat to the top. It is hard to wrap your head around the fact you started at 8923FT in the early morning to make it up to 13779FT in only a few hours. The view looking back to where you came from is long and far and you need to take in that moment that you indeed hiked all that way and are stronger than you think you are.  At the top, it shows two worlds – the hot sunny trail that you conquered but look over the pass, you are in the clouds and it is slowly floating around you. This image was surreal and one of my favourite moments as you see the porters resting on the mountainside with clouds slowly drifting overhead.

From here, it is all downhill to end the first day of your hike. I love downhill so much more. I wore my gloves, sweater, rain jacket going down and within 10 minutes, I had to either take off the jacket or unzip it. Same technique works here as climbing up, you can zigzag to help alleviate the pressure on your knees. I made good time going down and passed almost everyone (we were all so far behind Sofia) in our group but I enjoyed this section the most.

Finally made it to our stop (Pacaymayu – 11700FT/3580M) where Sofia was already there relaxing. I was welcomed with cheers from the porters and a hot cup of lemonade. They also had mats out for us to rest on. Once again, an amazing lunch. A few of us felt off after lunch and I’m blaming that on going from the highest point in altitude and plummeting down to a lower one so quickly.

Another uphill windy trail after lunch with a stop at the ruins Runkuracay. Jose & Reynaldo showed us how their people make rope from grass being woven and braided/rolled together that is strong enough to carry a person with a small section.

We continue uphill for another hour and half before reaching our next peak – Runkuracay (13123FT/4000M). Then downhill for a second time.

The path wasn’t too steep but it was eerie with the clouds/fog rolling in. We went at our own pace and for majority of the this trek, I was alone with no one in sight in front or behind for at least 10 minutes. Jose had mentioned that the ruins right before our basecamp was his favourite. The ruins of a temple were created on top of a cliff and the stairs were built into the mountainside which were very narrow steps. Sayacmarka was a temple where it is said that they found two small children’s bodies in fetal position on an alter that were privileged to be human sacrifices most likely with the aid of drugs like cocaine. The clouds were thick and everything became a blanket of white as we slowly descended those Cliffside stairs.

A little bit of downhill left then to basecamp for the night. This night in particular is one of the coldest but also one of the best views as we were set up in the valley overlooking the mountains. Siesta and dinner which ended off with some concoction of juice, tea and rum. It was significantly colder than the first two nights but for awhile, we stayed out to look and take photos of stars as the sky cleared for a bit

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Day 3 of 4 – Inca Trail Hike

530AM Wake up call. Day 3 is the shorter of hike days.

Cold nights makes for a cool morning. Tea served tent side to start our morning. Breakfast was delicious – fruit jello, bread and jam, quinoa oatmeal and pancakes. After breakfast, we were finally introduced to our 22 porters and chefs. Everyone went around and said their name, age and where they are from. Our porters ranged from 18-58?

We picked up our packs and off we went. It was a cold morning but I found after the first little section up hill, I had to stop and take off my rain jacket then stopped again around another bend to take off my longsleeve. I was in a good rhythm from there since it was flat and slowly going down hill until we all stopped to wait for everyone before heading to the cave. The porters are amazing. Running through the trail with 65lb bags like nothing.

Once we all went through the cave, everyone for themselves and luckily it was downhill – my favourite. We came to a campsite with an amazing lookout point. Then downhill again but this time it was incredibly steep and not as nice as yesterday’s. Some sections were tall but very short stone steps to steep rocks with barely any ridge to step onto. Luckily, we had rather good weather. I couldn’t imagine how much more difficult it would have been if it was raining the entire time.

Our first ruins was a watchtower – Phuyupatamarca (12073FT/3680M).

From there, even steeper downhill. Very steep to the point you would need to walk side ways. I think I did well on time but my knee doesn’t like me for it. I was making good time down but parts of the trek were wet. PLEASE BE CAREFUL HIKING DOWN AND WATCH YOUR STEP! I shifted my body weight on a somewhat smooth rock (also don’t go for the smooth rocks when going downhill) and I went down. It was all a blur and happened so quickly but somehow I slipped and rolled off the path. Luckily, it was on a section of the path where there was more ground and not just a cliff although behind one set of trees I would’ve kept going. Luckily my slip, I rolled rather gracefully with camera still in hand but ripped part of my pants and waterproof case. I tried climbing back up but the soil was loose so I jumped back up, checked to see if my camera was fine and continued onward. Now that I think about it, it could’ve been horrible if I had actually fallen down and there was no ground and just cliff because there was no one in front or behind me for a good 15 minutes.

I made really good time going down after my fall that I was able to catch up with Sofia and Reagan. We arrived at our second ruins site of the day – Intipata. The ruins were so beautiful with giant terraces that looked over the sacred river in between Machu Picchu mountain and 2 others. Sofia, Reagan and myself were the first ones from our group with Kaitlin coming in next about 15 minutes later. The girls definitely rule this group. We stayed for awhile waiting for our whole group to gather and took photos before descending.

We descended down to the bottom of those ruins to find ourselves petting llamas. It got incredibly hot and then more downhill to finally reach basecamp for the night.

This basecamp offers cold showered and flushing Banos. This is also the site where about 500 people will be sleeping tonight and all the porters who will need to catch the train going out in the morning.

Big greeting from the porters and Chicha drink on arrival then lunch. A nice salad, soup, Red potato with tuna inside that resembled sushi, mashed potatoes, tomato & cucumbers, then a huge plate of avocado, fried eggs, cheese, sausage, steak, broccoli & yucca fries.

After lunch, we had the option of a shower mind you it is a cold shower. Myself and Sofia decided to do so before our final ruins site of the day. Best decision was to pack flip flops for the shower as you don’t want to step on the ground of the shower.

Our final site of the day – Winay Huaayna. As we were just about to leave, the rain started up and the temperature dropped. Jose said it if was dry season, it would be sweltering hot.

Winay Huaayna wasn’t completed as the Spaniards conquered them but the Quechuas took a 100 years to build it and it was said to be a temple and a hospital with an irrigation system as well as agriculture on the different terraces.

Siesta at 530PM then dinner following. Kaitlin and George weren’t feeling well and same with Ronan and skipped dinner. Dinner was great. Started off with mushroom soup, pizza, quinoa squares, rice with ham and Eggplant, pizza with pineapple and ham and stuffed peppers. They finished off the meal with a wonderful orange cake.

After Jose briefed us about tomorrow morning, we did a farewell celebration with the porters and chefs. The porters must leave during the night and hike down as the train company only allows the first train out for porters as the other times are for visitors. This rule applies to all porters from all companies.

By 9PM, everyone went to bed but before that, Banos and packing as much as possible as we wake for 3AM and are off.

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Day 4 of 4 – Inca Trail Hike

3AM wake up call. Our morning began with walking about 5-10 minutes to the main gate /office where we wait 2 hours for the Rangers to open the gate with their magical key. Bring your rain ponchos to sit on while you wait. You can use the Banos stalls up the path if needed. It is freezing at 3AM so wear all your layers but be ready to strip down as the hike does get warm quickly.

We were probably hysterical at 3AM but our conversations were great. The sun started to come up around 430AM. We waited until 530AM before the Ranger came to open the gate. Jose and Reynaldo signed us in and off to the races. From this gate to the sun gate is an hour hike.

We for a while we all had good pace and stayed together momentarily turning our heads from the trail to capture a glimpse of the sun peaking over the mountain range casting gorgeous light enticing you to stop and take a photo.

We stopped as a group to take off layers in which I took off my toque, rain jacket, sweater but not t-shirt and immediately regretted it once I strapped my backpack back on. This is where our group started separating. I had to stop again to remove my t-shirt and got up to the sun gate in a tank top. The trail gets steep – like tall stones with little ledges to step on steep. The view is gorgeous from above as the sun starts to hit Machu Picchu and slowly spread to the rest of the surrounding mountains. I am so happy that it wasn’t cloudy and that we were fortunate enough to see this view.

Leaving the sun gate towards the main gate for Machu Picchu, it is downhill and is a decent decline which is about a 40 minute hike. Coming from the sun gate, you arrive to Machu Picchu already inside but we exited to use the Banos (1 sol but first time, no line up for women, only men’s). This is where you can stamp your passport for free with the Machu Picchu stamp and also where you can get food and catch the bus afterwards.

We went back in the correct way with tickets. The tickets allow only 3 entries (no hiking sticks allowed or food and no Banos inside). Jose took us to a terrace and started our lesson for the day. Machu Picchu was made to house the scholars. It got extremely hot once we got into Machu Picchu and I’m sure a few suffered heat exhaustion. By the time Jose finished taking us around and it was free time, I had already run out of water.

We ended up eating at the only snack shop outside the main gate with overpriced food. Hot dog, small water and large Inca kola for 36sol. Reagan, Sofia, Ronan and myself ended up staying there and chatting about everything for over an hour then Matt joined us after conquering the other high hike. At this point, we were exhausted and took the bus down to Aguas Caliente where we were to meet Jose and Reynaldo at a restaurant to grab our duffels and also have final lunch together. I got an alpaca burger 30 sol and shared a jarra of pisco sour with the girls. Another perk of this restaurant is that they allow Alpaca Expedition (and Im sure other companies) to store our duffel bags and also have free WIFI.

After filling out a survey and adding people to Facebook and email exchange, Jose and Reynaldo were off.

We left and checked into our hotel for the night Panorama B&B (Av. Hermanos Ayar N°305, Machu Picchu Pueblo, Peru) A cute little hotel with balconies and comfy beds. Everyone either slept or caught up on life with WiFi. We went back to the train ticket booth to purchase 2 way tickets back to Machu Picchu for 24USD for the following day.

We went for dinner at El Indio Feliz restaurant (No 3y4M-12, Aguas Calientes, Peru) that Karen had recommended. It looks very kitschy but awesome at the same time. The main floor walls were covered in business cards and foreign currency.

With all 8 of us, we feasted. I got the French onion soup 30 sol and we also shared a nice white Peruvian wine (19sol pp of 5). They even gave us some complimentary appetizers. We wandered the streets and found ourselves in the main square before heading back home to sleep.