Gallery 9
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1. Above: Harajuku, Tokyo
I’ve no doubt that once upon a time, Harajuku was a hotbed of ‘where it’s at’, an epi-fashion-centre, as it were. Just like Carnaby Street, its time has passed, leaving it all rather jaded and twee. Tourists now march down the hill in Takeshita Street following their outstretched phones, and schoolgirls check out the stalls for anything a bit more kawai than their last kawai knick-knack purchase to append to their school backpack. Still, the entrance to Yoyogi Park is right across the road.
I’ve no doubt that once upon a time, Harajuku was a hotbed of ‘where it’s at’, an epi-fashion-centre, as it were. Just like Carnaby Street, its time has passed, leaving it all rather jaded and twee. Tourists now march down the hill in Takeshita Street following their outstretched phones, and schoolgirls check out the stalls for anything a bit more kawai than their last kawai knick-knack purchase to append to their school backpack. Still, the entrance to Yoyogi Park is right across the road.
2. Above: Meiji Jingu, Tokyo
Meiji Jingu was completed in 1920 as a Shinto shrine to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. It is set in huge, forested grounds practically in the heart of the city, adjacent to Yoyogi Park. Standing 12 metres tall, the Ootorii wooden gate was destroyed by lightning in 1966 but reconstructed in 1975 using wood from a 1,000-year-old Japanese Cypress. It represents the gate between secular and sacred ground - you will likely pass under it on your way to the shrine. Once there you can inscribe a message on a wooden votive block. Good health, good fortune or prosperity are probably top of the wish-lists.
Meiji Jingu was completed in 1920 as a Shinto shrine to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken. It is set in huge, forested grounds practically in the heart of the city, adjacent to Yoyogi Park. Standing 12 metres tall, the Ootorii wooden gate was destroyed by lightning in 1966 but reconstructed in 1975 using wood from a 1,000-year-old Japanese Cypress. It represents the gate between secular and sacred ground - you will likely pass under it on your way to the shrine. Once there you can inscribe a message on a wooden votive block. Good health, good fortune or prosperity are probably top of the wish-lists.
3. Above: Miyagawa Morning Market, Takayama
The riverside market kicks off every morning at 07.00. To balance up all the farm produce and horticultural stuff on display, the houses opposite offer boutique-type Japanese clothes, along with coffee shops where you can sit and admire your purchases. This all makes for a very pleasant stroll, even if it isn’t the largest of markets in the orient. The neighbouring area also has many heritage houses for you to explore as you pad up the hill to the Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine.
The riverside market kicks off every morning at 07.00. To balance up all the farm produce and horticultural stuff on display, the houses opposite offer boutique-type Japanese clothes, along with coffee shops where you can sit and admire your purchases. This all makes for a very pleasant stroll, even if it isn’t the largest of markets in the orient. The neighbouring area also has many heritage houses for you to explore as you pad up the hill to the Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine.
4. Above: Ben Thanh Market, Ho Chi Minh City
I am not a fan of local markets; to my mind, they usually feature exactly the same stalls and food offerings. Wandering around, my interest wanes fast. Chatuchak in Bangkok is an exception, where you can find anything if you have the stamina in the heat to track it down. Cho Ben Thanh in Saigon is not quite in the same league but varied enough. You will also need a different kind of stamina – one geared to warding off the verbal sales-pitch-darts which are aimed at you every few steps.
I am not a fan of local markets; to my mind, they usually feature exactly the same stalls and food offerings. Wandering around, my interest wanes fast. Chatuchak in Bangkok is an exception, where you can find anything if you have the stamina in the heat to track it down. Cho Ben Thanh in Saigon is not quite in the same league but varied enough. You will also need a different kind of stamina – one geared to warding off the verbal sales-pitch-darts which are aimed at you every few steps.
5. Above: War Remnants Museum, Ho Chi Minh City
When I first visited the museum in the 1990s it was all a bit tatty. And I do remember some complaints that it gave a rather gory view of the conflict, although I thought it was quite balanced, considering the history that it was commemorating. It has now been revamped, not just the buildings but also the quality of the displays. I was particularly drawn to the war photography and the permanent display curated by famed photojournalists, Tim Page and Horst Faas.
When I first visited the museum in the 1990s it was all a bit tatty. And I do remember some complaints that it gave a rather gory view of the conflict, although I thought it was quite balanced, considering the history that it was commemorating. It has now been revamped, not just the buildings but also the quality of the displays. I was particularly drawn to the war photography and the permanent display curated by famed photojournalists, Tim Page and Horst Faas.
6. Above: Monkhood
It is quite common in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for young people to serve some time as a novice monk. This rite of passage expresses gratitude to parents for their care and upbringing while also earning merit for them. Traditionally in SE Asia the debt to one’s parents can never be repaid, and endures for a lifetime, although I suspect that urbanisation and the break-up of the nuclear family has made this much less the case. A young boy is usually a monk for fifteen days or one month, while for an over-twenty male it can be three months or forever!
It is quite common in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for young people to serve some time as a novice monk. This rite of passage expresses gratitude to parents for their care and upbringing while also earning merit for them. Traditionally in SE Asia the debt to one’s parents can never be repaid, and endures for a lifetime, although I suspect that urbanisation and the break-up of the nuclear family has made this much less the case. A young boy is usually a monk for fifteen days or one month, while for an over-twenty male it can be three months or forever!
7. Above: The Bolaven Plateau, Laos
There used to be a Lonely Planet guidebook called, ‘Cycling in SE Asia’. It had set-piece rides broken down with directions and distances. This was in the days before GPS etc. I had a copy and spied the Bolaven Plateau circular trip in it, so set off in 2005 with said book and bike with a compass on my handlebars. I flew to Ubon and crossed into Laos by Pakse. The plateau itself featured several unmetalled roads, and occasional cars boiling clouds of dust. Farmsteads with folks busy tending their plots were scattered by the verges. Life seemed harder up there than down on the lowlands, but the children were a delight, dashing to the roadside to yell, ‘Sabaidee’ as I pedalled by. Like a lost world where innocence had survived intact.
8. Above: Mine-clearing, Cambodia
At the APOPO centre in Siem Reap, HeroRATS are trained to detect landmines in the mine-strewn countryside. The training takes about 9 months and involves rats sniffing out TNT for food rewards. A demonstration at the centre is well worth a visit – you can even hold one of these huge African Giant Pouched rats. ‘Do they bite?’ I asked, ‘No, bad characters are deselected from the programme,’ came the reply! The young Cambodian guide had excellent technical English, making the visit all the more rewarding. The mines were laid during the civil war which followed the withdrawal of the Vietnamese Army.
9. Above: Weddings in Japan
It isn’t difficult to find a Japanese wedding, just turn up at a well-known temple at the weekend. Likely as not there will be a couple dressed in their finery with well-heeled families in tow. One imagines that this is a 'no-expense-spared' ceremony. The procession part is fairly public as the entourage makes its way to the invite-only hall or reception room. I suspect that much ‘face’ is gained by the family being able to afford to host the occasion at a famous location. It certainly adds colour to the venue along with a bit of a buzz, as well as setting the tourists off with their phones! Pictured here: Kiyomizu Dera Temple in Kyoto; Kawagoe Kita-in Temple; Meiji Jingu Shrine in Tokyo and Kotoku-in Temple in Kamakura.
10. Above: Kamikochi, Nagano Prefecture
If you do your research on destinations in Japan and finally alight upon what seems to be a memorable focus for your trip, you can bet your bottom yen that the rest of Japan knows about the place too. If it is a weekend, expect crowds. If it is a public holiday, expect cheek-by-jowl shuffling from bus to train to exit. Here in beautiful Kamikochi it was a Friday with perfect weather, so not too bad once away from the rest areas or eateries. On the trails it was quite easy to frame pictures without fellow walkers cluttering things up (see separate feature). The Myojin Bridge above provided a photo-op though.
11. Above: Praying at a shrine or wat.
Buddhism seeps through the very fabric of society in Thailand. Every town or village community centres around its wat, or one of its many wats. The wat is the first place that devotees head to when seeking solace. Such open devoutness often goes hand in hand with praying for a change of fortune – in health, in business - or just for a boost with the lottery numbers. Whether piety or an attempt to influence karma, good folks and their alms can be seen in abundance in solemn prayer at shrines and wats, especially at weekends or during holidays. Pictured here: Wat Ton Kwen Chiang Mai; Wat Doi Suthep Chiang Mai; Wat Khao Tabaek in Chonburi Province and the Erawan Shrine in Bangkok.
12. Above: Reunification Palace, Ho Chi Minh City
I had never visited the Reunification Palace until recently, despite having passed it countless times. I thought it would be dull fare for some reason. However, I found the walk round quite captivating as it reinvigorated memories of times gone by, with the décor and displays shining a light on my personal dim recesses. I must have read everything I could find about the Vietnam conflict, but that was in the 1980-90s. Several times walking round, I felt like Wall-e suddenly waking up after a long slumber, memories crashing back as I stood before some telling 1970s tableau or other.
13. Above: Vang Vieng, Laos
Cycling between Luang Prabang and Vientiane in 2005 I came upon Vang Vieng. It was quite a shock to the system after the solitude on the road. It had become a hang-out for travelling youth, especially for adventure sports like canyoning and kayaking. The main drag was all dug up with pot-holes and drainage pipes, while the riverside sported bamboo huts facing the sunset ready for a chill with beer. Popular at the time was lying around facing big screens for VHS showings of such classics as Platoon, Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now! No idea what Vang Vieng is like now. Post-apocalypse perhaps?
14. Above: Food Alleys in Japan
Restaurants are often found clustered in back-alleys in Japan. Typically, the lighting and décor of the frontages make for an inviting prospect. Once drawn away from the main road you are free to scan the menus stood outside the entrances. Ever popular these small streets sometimes have outside dining with draped plastic sheeting to ward off the weather. Less inviting are the signs which beckon you in to the 2F or 3F – awkward ascending to a place that you can’t see, only to about-turn and head back down the stairs if you don’t like the look of it. Pictured here: Shinjuku, Funabashi and Kanazawa.
15. Above: Shibuya Crossing, Tokyo
The world famous four-way zebra crossing just has to be sampled. Probably more than once - let's face it, you will likely need to get back to where you started from. There is no denying that the pulse starts racing the first time the lights change and you set out on the crossing. You have to resist the urge to take a selfie halfway across, and of course, many don’t resist. The buzz and anticipation begins the moment you exit Shibuya Station. Having said that, even though it’s such a trendy location, like many suburban nodes in Tokyo, Shibuya kind of fizzles out when you go 100 metres in any direction.
The world famous four-way zebra crossing just has to be sampled. Probably more than once - let's face it, you will likely need to get back to where you started from. There is no denying that the pulse starts racing the first time the lights change and you set out on the crossing. You have to resist the urge to take a selfie halfway across, and of course, many don’t resist. The buzz and anticipation begins the moment you exit Shibuya Station. Having said that, even though it’s such a trendy location, like many suburban nodes in Tokyo, Shibuya kind of fizzles out when you go 100 metres in any direction.
16. Above: Highway 13, Laos
Cycling along Highway 13 between Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laos the karst scenery was fantastic. It was quite cool up there actually, pretty cold in the mornings, but the air warmed up later and presented hazy jagged backdrops. There were some steep climbs, but the reward was an exhilarating descent after cresting a hill. On one occasion my speedo touched 70 kph, and I do remember thinking that if I come off, I’ll be minced meat, so better rein things in. The highway as you can see was more like some provincial B-road back then, which added to the sense of adventure.
Cycling along Highway 13 between Luang Prabang and Vientiane in Laos the karst scenery was fantastic. It was quite cool up there actually, pretty cold in the mornings, but the air warmed up later and presented hazy jagged backdrops. There were some steep climbs, but the reward was an exhilarating descent after cresting a hill. On one occasion my speedo touched 70 kph, and I do remember thinking that if I come off, I’ll be minced meat, so better rein things in. The highway as you can see was more like some provincial B-road back then, which added to the sense of adventure.
17. Above: Naklua Fish Market
You couldn’t get fresher seafood if you tried. Right next to the fish market in Naklua, just outside Pattaya, is one of the piers where they bring in their catch. Everything is glistening, twitching and fishy-smelly as fish markets generally are. If you are buying, an icebox in the back of the truck is preferable to the fragrance that will linger in your car, and you can bet that the twitching is still going on as you fire up the barbeque in the back garden! Notice how the catch is priced according to size.
You couldn’t get fresher seafood if you tried. Right next to the fish market in Naklua, just outside Pattaya, is one of the piers where they bring in their catch. Everything is glistening, twitching and fishy-smelly as fish markets generally are. If you are buying, an icebox in the back of the truck is preferable to the fragrance that will linger in your car, and you can bet that the twitching is still going on as you fire up the barbeque in the back garden! Notice how the catch is priced according to size.
18. Above: The Nakasendo Trail, Gifu Prefecture
Imagine walking all the way from Kyoto to Tokyo via all sixty-nine post towns, as folks would have done during the Edo Period! There would have been some stories to tell, getting into scrapes and this and that at overnight stops in inns. Not to mention some of the characters you might have met on the trail. 'Could I lend you 1,000 yen to sharpen your magnificent blade, you say?' 'Why, certainly Sir, have 2,000!' My modest effort between Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku was challenging enough, with new trainers adding a shade of nail-polish to my big toes, possibly called, 'Midnight in Edo'. Great stuff even so - up and down in the shadow of Samurai, (not quite) ready for anything!
Imagine walking all the way from Kyoto to Tokyo via all sixty-nine post towns, as folks would have done during the Edo Period! There would have been some stories to tell, getting into scrapes and this and that at overnight stops in inns. Not to mention some of the characters you might have met on the trail. 'Could I lend you 1,000 yen to sharpen your magnificent blade, you say?' 'Why, certainly Sir, have 2,000!' My modest effort between Magome-juku and Tsumago-juku was challenging enough, with new trainers adding a shade of nail-polish to my big toes, possibly called, 'Midnight in Edo'. Great stuff even so - up and down in the shadow of Samurai, (not quite) ready for anything!
19. Above: Matsumoto Castle, Nagano Prefecture
On this particular day (in November 2023), the atmosphere near to the castle was serene, as it was pretty much on the streets of the town in general. Was it due to the after-effects of covid, with so many businesses closing down, or is Matsumoto normally a quiet country town? I’m intrigued! To be sure, the most frequently heard voices around the castle were Thai. I even felt obliged to reply with 'Khrap phom' after posing someone for a shot with their phone.
On this particular day (in November 2023), the atmosphere near to the castle was serene, as it was pretty much on the streets of the town in general. Was it due to the after-effects of covid, with so many businesses closing down, or is Matsumoto normally a quiet country town? I’m intrigued! To be sure, the most frequently heard voices around the castle were Thai. I even felt obliged to reply with 'Khrap phom' after posing someone for a shot with their phone.
20. Above: Trains in Japan
One of the joys of travelling in Japan is using the rail network. Whether it is JR or one of the private lines, you can be sure of two things: the trains will run on time, and they will also be spotlessly clean. If it says departure at 17.34 and you turn up at 17.35 – tough! But don’t worry, there will probably be another one anytime soon. The JR Rail Pass has just gone up in price significantly, but it may still represent value if your trips are over long distances. Train or car for my next trip? It is a marginal decision at best but given the multitude of train-bus combinations, and the choice of many hotels near to the main stations, then rail is really not much of an inconvenience at all. Above: A smart new Shinkansen arriving at Kanazawa; a Limited Express from Nagoya to Nagano; a local stopping train from Matsumoto and the NEX, or Narita Express to Tokyo.
One of the joys of travelling in Japan is using the rail network. Whether it is JR or one of the private lines, you can be sure of two things: the trains will run on time, and they will also be spotlessly clean. If it says departure at 17.34 and you turn up at 17.35 – tough! But don’t worry, there will probably be another one anytime soon. The JR Rail Pass has just gone up in price significantly, but it may still represent value if your trips are over long distances. Train or car for my next trip? It is a marginal decision at best but given the multitude of train-bus combinations, and the choice of many hotels near to the main stations, then rail is really not much of an inconvenience at all. Above: A smart new Shinkansen arriving at Kanazawa; a Limited Express from Nagoya to Nagano; a local stopping train from Matsumoto and the NEX, or Narita Express to Tokyo.