Poland in Chicago

As much as I love to travel, I haven't had much time to go anywhere recently. But luckily, Chicago has so many ethnic neighborhoods that I sometimes feel like I have traveled all over the world without even leaving the city.

Last weekend, I spent some time on Milwaukee Avenue near Belmont, an area with a particularly high Polish population. The street is lined with tiny markets selling kielbasa, pickled vegetables, and fresh rye bread and pastries. A handful of crowded restaurants satisfy hungry customers with hearty dishes like hunter's stew with sauerkraut and Okocim beer. Bookshops carry a selection of Polish newspapers and magazines, while travel agencies advertise cheap flights and tour packages to Warsaw.

This Polish neighborhood isn't exactly what I would call a tourist destination, but a few variety stores do sell basic souvenirs, like T-shirts, postcards, and mugs. Overall, however, the charm of the area is that it is so normal - it's just people going about their daily lives. It's like experiencing a little slice of Polish life - without getting on a plane and flying halfway around the world.

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...And the race continues

I was glued to the television during last week's finale of "The Amazing Race," as contestants arrived at Narita Airport and raced into the city to find their next clue at busy Shibuya crossing. Shibuya is absolutely one of my favorite places in Tokyo because it is the pulse of everything I expected Tokyo to be: fast-paced, forward-looking, and full of energy.

But the contestants didn't stop there They had to drive and cycle all over the city to complete various tasks - and they even had to race down to Lake Yamanaka for a final challenge at Fujikyu Highlands amusement park.

The final contestants on the show had mixed reactions to their Japan assignments. One team, "the hippies," loved every minute of their race through Tokyo, from their wild ride on tiny messenger bikes into Shinjuku to their night tucked into small cubicles at a capsule hotel. Other contestants found Japan overwhelming and frustrating, as they unsuccessfully tried to find someone who could understand English and to navigate their way through Tokyo's heavy traffic.

In the end, guess who the winners were... I hate to give away the ending, but I feel like it played out as I would have expected. Because if I learned one thing from travelling and living in Japan, it is that you're better off going with the flow, embracing the differences of Japan rather than fighting them.

And if you really want the full story on the winning team of this season's "The Amazing Race", check it out here.



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Amazing race across Asia

I hate to admit it, but the only TV show I watch religiously is "The Apprentice." But as much as I love to travel and explore new places all over the world, I'm suprised that I haven't made time to watch another reality show, "The Amazing Race." In "The Amazing Race", participating teams follow a series of clues to remote destinations all over the world and take part in physical and cultural challenges along the way. Players might be in Turkey one day, London the next, and finish up the week back in the US. The competition is truly fast-paced, exciting, and intense.

Unfortunately, I have never had enough time to watch "The Amazing Race" regularly. But a couple of weeks ago, my mom called to tell me to turn on the TV - "The Amazing Race" was heading to Thailand! I tuned in just in time to see players board a bus for Lopburi, a small city north of Bangkok that I visited less than two years ago.

Lopburi is an interesting place, an ancient capital that is now best known for the monkeys that roam the city! The mean little animals are all over, gathering mainly around the temples located not far from the train station. By now, they have learned that posing for a few photos for eager tourists will earn them treats - and tourists without treats aren't treated too kindly.

In Lopburi, players in "The Amazing Race" were faced with the task of preparing a large traditional meal for the monkeys. The monkeys would then taste the food, while judges watched their reactions, inspected the food, and ultimately decided when players had accomplished the task.

Once the monkey task was complete, players followed the clues back to Bangkok and received their final clue of the night... they would be headed to Japan next week!

There was no way I could miss "The Amazing Race" in Japan. Tune in next time...

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One side of Japan...

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Climbing through the clouds

Today was such a rainy day - and it reminded me of another rainy day I spent in Japan not long ago. On that day, I was visiting Kagawa Prefecture. We didn't want to waste a minute of our trip, so we didn't let the rain stop us from going out and enjoying one of the area's most popular tourist destinations: Konpira-san.

Konpira-san is a shrine that is not exactly easy to reach. Visitors must climb over 1,500 steps to reach the inner part of the shrine. But the climb up is not too painful - the first part of the journey takes visitors through a row of crafty shops, udon restaurants, and ice cream stands. And beyond the torii gates, the path winds through tranquil woods - well, they would be tranquil if not for all the camera-toting tourists. But the buzz and excitement of other visitors just adds to the experience.

And if you can make it to the top, there's an amazing view of Kagawa Prefecture - at least, I think there is. It was pretty cloudy up there when I completed my climb on that rainy day!

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Smells like Hollywood

This afternoon I went to the movies for the first time all year. As I watched the heartwarming family movie Akeelah and the Bee, I remembered an interesting story I read recently about a new addition to the cinematic experience in Japan: smellovision.

Smellovision is the American media's way of refering to a new service offered by NTT Communications: films sychronized with smell. In a handful of theaters across Japan, an aroma-enhanced version of the Colin Farrell movie The New World is being shown. These theaters are equipped with machines in the back which emit fragrances at certain points in the movie: orange and grapefruit during the happy moments, rosemary during the sad parts, and flowers during the love scenes.

I wonder if these smells really enhance the movie-going experience?

And can it be long before the senses of touch and taste are added to the sights, sounds, and smells of going to the movies?

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Panda cat

Speaking of mascots, I know I've put this picture on my site before, but I just realized today that my cat looks just like the Panda Express logo! Don't you think?

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The cuter Shinkansen

The Shinkansen, Japan's bullet train, is sleek and swift - and loveable? Well, Sanrio's version of Shinkansen sure is. The same company who brought us Hello Kitty and My Melody introduced a cute and cuddly version of the Shinkansen a few years ago. This adorable character can now be found on notebooks, backpacks, and even tissue throughout Japan - and in Sanrio stores here in the US as well.

I just love how Japan has a cartoon mascot for everything.
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Airplane across land

When my parents came to visit me in Japan, we bought the JR Rail Pass, which allowed us to go anywhere on any JR train for five days. We could even travel on the famous Shinkansen!

I had traveled on the high speed bullet train before, but only once. And for my parents, our ride from Okayama to Hiroshima would be the first time. They were super excited, especially my dad.

And they were definitely impressed.

Riding the Shinkansen is almost like riding an airplane – only better. The seats are more comfortable, the ride is smoother, there's always something to see from the window – and the train is almost unfailingly on time!

We could get used to traveling like this.

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