Tokyo Day 1: Here physically, not mentally

Is this Tokyo? Am I really here? The plane ticket says yes. The signs say yes. The hotel attendants say yes. My eyes say no. 

I always thought Tokyo was one of those mythically large cities, represented in my imagination by thousands of skyscrapers and millions of residents stacked shoulder to shoulder in suffocating localities.  

So I was a little confused and underwhelmed this morning as I left the hotel and was presented not with a Blade Runner-like future metropolis but instead with a clean, comfortable, scenic, and spacious landscape.

I expected this type of serene atmosphere in Nagoya (see my Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 Nagoya posts from last October) but I always thought Tokyo would be much more claustrophobic and gritty. What I have come to find, at least on this first day walking through Midtown and Roppongi, is a city that is way more intimate and unblemished than its size should allow. Maybe my experience will evolve over the next few days as I travel to other places in the city, but for now, color me impressed (and a little confused).

By the way, I found myself subconsciously walking more upright and delicately today. It's as if I'm afraid I'd stick out like a smelly-barbarian in a city of well-mannered nobility if I allow myself to walk around in very relaxed, semi-lackadaisical nature as I normally do in China. Maybe it has something to do with current participation in Kendo classes and how I am now in the habit of moving around in a civil, respectful, deferential manner when I'm in a Japanese state of mind.

Below are a selection of photos from the first day. Go to the gallery for the complete collection of Day 1 photos.

Perhaps the most terrifying children's song ever produced

"Give Me An Ax"

China's first breast-milk bank opens in Guangzhou

Just thought you should know. Donating mothers will receive a free health checkup.

14 year-old Tianlang Guan about to become youngest ever to play at The Masters

ESPN has a great piece about Tianlang Guan, the 14 year-old Chinese boy who is the youngest ever to quality for The Masters and will take part in golf's most famous tournament starting today. I thoroughly recommend reading the entire piece. There is also a nice video accompanying the text. One of my favorite passages from the article is the following:

The dinner group includes Tianlang, his father, a media relations consultant from Hong Kong, our ESPN crew of five and a "fixer" (part interpreter, part problem-solver). There is probably someone else at the table, but I can't remember after the drink toasts.

I've never done shots of jet fuel, but if I did, I think it would taste like Chinese vodka. Mr. Guan keeps standing up and offering toasts. Our interpreter says it would be impolite and a loss of face for Mr. Guan if we don't take part.

So three or four shots later, I'm cracking wise, yukking it up to the Guans. That's when the interpreter leans over and says discreetly, "Mr. Guan does not understand your particular sense of humor."

Smoking is allowed in the restaurant. So, apparently, is pulling your golf shirt up to your neck and scratching your belly. Not me -- the guy at the table behind us -- the same table where a bucket of ice and a huge bottle of Johnnie Walker sit as centerpieces.

I like China.

I wish Tianlang good luck and hope he does well. 

Chengdu Day 3: Boats and Babies

Tianfu Square and People's Park. The park included people dancing, playing Chinese traditional instruments, and posting information about their sons and daughters in the hoping of finding appropriate mates for them. Chengdu, Sichuan.

Cute Chinese baby at IKEA

IKEA furniture store, Shenzhen.

Kids and their damn technology

The little 25 cent moving cars I rode as a kid out in front of the Walmart didn't have no damn big screen video games on them. Back in the day we actually had to use our imagination. Kids these days don't realize how hard we had it back in the 80's.

Jingdi Meilongzhen, Longhua, Shenzhen.

Spring Festival 2013 Day 1

Babies and Baijiu. New Years Dinner. Qingqing World, Nanshan, Shenzhen.

For Chinese babies with more expensive tastes

About $320. Olé Supermarket, Holiday Plaza. Window of the World, Shenzhen.

Today's Big Stories for January 25, 2013

Spicy McDonald's, California connections, hugs for children, Apple revenue, and Mythbusters busted. 

1. Much ado about nothing at McDonald's

The man had ordered a McCrispy Chicken Burger in Guangzhou on Saturday, and then askeda restaurant manager why the burger was spicy, since a previous burger he had eaten was notspicy, the Yangcheng Evening News reported.

Even the China Daily finds some humor in the story:

It was not reported whether police tried the burger, or stayed to order a meal themselves.

2. Jerry Brown to tout state on China visit

Gov. Jerry Brown's long-planned business trip to China is definitely on.

April 8-15 are the dates set for his visit to Beijing, Shanghai and perhaps other cities, where he will be meeting with senior government officials, exploring opportunities for Chinese investment and other deals in California, and opening the first of at least two planned trade offices there.

3. School in China charges parents a monthly fee for teachers to hug their children

Parents of children attending kindergarten in east China’s Yangzhou City were charged a so-called “hug fee” of 80 Yuan, some $12.80.

According to the reports for less than $13 a month the child would get one morning hug and one goodbye hug. Not bad at all.

4. Apple China Revenue Jumps 67% as Sales Outlets Double

Outlets in China selling the iPhone rose to 17,000 in the period that ended Dec. 29, from 7,000 a year earlier, A

pple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said on a conference call yesterday. That helped Apple boost sales in the Greater China region to $6.83 billion, from $4.08 billion a year earlier, the company said in statement yesterday that marked the first time it formally broke out China data in its earnings release.

5. Big news in China: "Mythbusters" blew up a Chinese popcorn maker

Chinese viewers seem amused by the fact that an expensive American TV show could so overthink, and somehow make dangerous, a banal popcorn maker that would seem cozily familiar to many urban Chinese. They also seem fascinated, as in often the case when Western media looks at China, by how they are perceived and portrayed. It’s a funny reminder of the mutual interest between China and the West, particularly the United States, and of the still-wide cultural gap that we’re slowly closing from both ends. Imagine how it would look if Chinese TV featured a wide-eyed segment on the dangerous magic of American hot dog carts.

I hit a little girl in the face trying to get this photo

I was walking on the sidewalk listening to a podcast in my headphones. I then saw an Audi coming around a corner with the happiest child in the world sticking out of the moonroof. It was a precious scene and I quickly reached into my pocket to grab my cellphone. As I started to raise it a scooter zoomed by me very quickly from behind and my hand hit something on the bike. The bike continued on at a fast pace.

A little shaken, I tried to take the photo (below) and promptly failed.

I kept walking and when I got to the intersection there was a stopped motorbike with a mother looking at her daughter (about 7 or 8 years old) who was in the back seat. The child was holding her hand to her head and on the brink of crying. I felt bad for a moment upon realizing it was her head that had hit my hand. That regretful moment ended when the mother looked up and gave me a look of pure death. She then started yelling at me about how I had stuck out my hand right as they were driving by and how irresponsible and dangerous I was being. I then, using mangled angry Chinese, pointed out that she was the one driving very quickly on the pedestrian sidewalk (not on the street where she should have been) and how she had tried to drive by me with no room to spare. She continued to yell and give me the evil eye and as she started driving away I suggested she should drive more slowly next time and be careful.

I wish in that moment I would have remembered the Chinese word for 'helmet' so I could have recommended to the mom she buy her child one.

The kid really wanted some pig

Whole roasted pig at a Chinese wedding. Futian, Shenzhen

Just a kid playing on a giant red hand

Shixiabei, Shenzhen

When it comes to supercars, we all turn child-like

Lamborghini Murcielago. Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Shanghai

South Korea Day 2: Red Bull and Fireworks

After a very late start, we headed to the Red Bull Formula 1 demonstration. The entire length of the bridge was already packed when we got there. They ran the Red Bull F1 car three times. The area is normally a huge bicycling haven and you could tell the many bicyclists did not appreciate their normal route being interrupted by noisy fans watching noisy race cars.

After the demonstration, we walked to the riverside to watch the Seoul International Fireworks Festival. Now in it's 10th year, this festival brings together international teams to put on Seoul's largest fireworks display. This year's participating teams were from Italy, China, America, and Korea. We were too far away to hear the music accompanying each team's display but we found great seats on the banks of the river. Last year's show had more than one million in attendance and I'm sure this year's was even more. Every bridge and river bank was packed with people, cars on the highway stopped to watch, and even the subway trains crossing the bridge in front of us slowed to allow passengers a glimpse of the fireworks.

After all was said and done, I unfortunately have to agree with all those around me that the Chinese team's display was by far the most boring. Italy's and America's were very good, and Korea went last so of couse they had the huge finale. Click here to see a distant but spectacular video of the fireworks (just fast forward to 6:30 in the video and enjoy). To get an idea of the syntonization between the fireworks and music (which you would have only heard if you were very close), click here.

After the fireworks show, which lasted more than an two hours, we took beauty shots in a Japanese/Korean arcade photo parlor. Unfortunately for you, those photos have now been classified.