Its been a really lazy start in 2007 - just 2 working days between 30(dec 2006!) and 9th. Add to that the quashing of my plans to tour Nikko (it was a holiday for the ticket counter!) and its a really sleepy-lazy week in Tokyo.
Nevertheless, i did manage to find some really good stuff around my house. First, a bookstore which has a shelf, full of english books (trust me, its really a rarity in Japan, even in Tokyo). Second, the Minato ward sports centre with an annual memebership of just Y400. Its another matter that i found it the day after I bought dumbbels for Y7,500. Last, the Hanamasa discount store (an apple costs Y150. Its cheaper nevertheless!).
The bookstore has been the most needed revelation. And obviously I wanted to buy almost everything that vaguely seemed interesting. However, these days, my work doesn't allow me such a luxury. Atleast the weekend's are free, and i have to squeeze the magazine reads and the books in them.
Coming to magazines, Economist is one thats just different. First, the cover is always awesome ! Second, the content has a Platonic feel to it. You can't question it and after reading there are more questions than answers!
But the most interesting thing about economist is it makes you 'smart' err... 'look smart' - 2 very different things. Most of what's in the economist seems like an opinion (atleast to me). And since the evidence is more often than not incontrovertible, the reader (atleast me) starts to opine the same. See, its spoonfeeding of opinions.
Sometime ago I got obsessed with Noam Chomsky's work and got hold of a documentary of his - 'Manufacturing consent'. Its about how the media (and the people who 'run' it) controls people's choices by selectively portraying the facts. Now, thats bad. All I wanted to say is this differs from what economist does. Economist is not bad. It doesn't (seems so) hide anything and atleast makes you 'look smart'.
After a not-so-interesting book, I'm onto a really good one. Its called 'Redesigning the kaisha'. More on it next week. And hopefully, the internet guy would've fixed the problems by then.
Monday, January 8, 2007
Monday, January 1, 2007
12-31-2006 -> 1-1-2007
Life's all about moments...
Wish you a happy 2007 folks... have a great year ahead.
Tokyo is absolutely fantastic for the new year. The traditional/western contrast is so damn evident. I just couldn't afford to miss it. In the city dominated by Ferrari's, Bentleys and 911s, i took to the streets on my bike (read as bicycle).
Armed with a roadmap, I started my ride from Shiodome to Meiji Jingu. 5 mins. later all I knew was I had to head west!... (lost the map).
Contrary to the popular impression of new year celebrations, the streets were rather silent. After about 40mins and a couple of wrong turns, I did manage to reach Meiji-jingu.
The one on left was my first stop. I mistook it for Meiji-jingu!!! cycled around it a few times... but it was too quiet - even by tokyo standards - to be Meiji Jingu.
After that, i passed a few food stalls and reached Meiji Jingu. I was about to cycle past the main gate when a policeman started whistling and making frenetic cross signs with his arms - bicycles are not allowed past the gate... its a slippery gravel path anyway.
I locked the bicycle to a nearby fence and started towards the main shrine on foot. After about 10mins through fire/lamp lit gravel pathways I reached the main shrine.
As expected there was a biiig drum and a huge crowd. At 12:00AM, a monk would strike the bell and announce the new year.
Looks nice but was a bit boring to spend the next 2 hours. I slipped out of that place and decided to go to Roppongi - a hip-hop area in Tokyo
My lighthouse was the majestic Mori tower in Roppongi. I headed in its direction. Again, the streets were mostly quiet. On the way, i passed 'Samrat' - an Indian restaurant. In the midst of silence, it was the only place where junta were dancing like crazy to some Bollywood tunes. For a moment, i thought of joining the revelry out there. But decided against it and continued towards my lighthouse. Past the long lines in front of Roppongi clubs, I arrived at Mori tower. By now, my palms are almost freezing and long gone numb.
There was some countdown happening on the 52nd floor observatory of my lighthouse. I went up there and spent the last moments of the 'never-to-return-again' 2006; amidst the swanky-stranger segment of Tokyo junta.
There you go... from the silent/traditional Meiji jingu to the revelrous/western ropppongi, tokyo had it all.
Next, I headed back home. This time, the lighthouse was Tokyo tower. I was too captivated by its beauty in the cold December err. January night. I headed towards it nd took a couple of pictures with the new year '2007' displayed large and clear.
Zozoji shrine is just beside Tokyo tower. There was a huge gathering and I decided to check out. Similar to Meiji jingu, a monk invited the New Year with a big 'dong', and junta was offering prayers. I didnt understand a bit but quite liked the peaceful hymn. After purchasing a couple of new year charms, I decided to satiate my burning hunger in the not-so-few food stalls out there. But the first sight of some octopus fry just put me off. I headed to McDonalds, had a couple of burgers and headed back home.
I wanted to take some pictures of new year sun. But, just couldn't wake up. :(...
Wish you a happy 2007 folks... have a great year ahead.
Tokyo is absolutely fantastic for the new year. The traditional/western contrast is so damn evident. I just couldn't afford to miss it. In the city dominated by Ferrari's, Bentleys and 911s, i took to the streets on my bike (read as bicycle).
Armed with a roadmap, I started my ride from Shiodome to Meiji Jingu. 5 mins. later all I knew was I had to head west!... (lost the map).
Contrary to the popular impression of new year celebrations, the streets were rather silent. After about 40mins and a couple of wrong turns, I did manage to reach Meiji-jingu.The one on left was my first stop. I mistook it for Meiji-jingu!!! cycled around it a few times... but it was too quiet - even by tokyo standards - to be Meiji Jingu.
After that, i passed a few food stalls and reached Meiji Jingu. I was about to cycle past the main gate when a policeman started whistling and making frenetic cross signs with his arms - bicycles are not allowed past the gate... its a slippery gravel path anyway.I locked the bicycle to a nearby fence and started towards the main shrine on foot. After about 10mins through fire/lamp lit gravel pathways I reached the main shrine.
As expected there was a biiig drum and a huge crowd. At 12:00AM, a monk would strike the bell and announce the new year.Looks nice but was a bit boring to spend the next 2 hours. I slipped out of that place and decided to go to Roppongi - a hip-hop area in Tokyo
My lighthouse was the majestic Mori tower in Roppongi. I headed in its direction. Again, the streets were mostly quiet. On the way, i passed 'Samrat' - an Indian restaurant. In the midst of silence, it was the only place where junta were dancing like crazy to some Bollywood tunes. For a moment, i thought of joining the revelry out there. But decided against it and continued towards my lighthouse. Past the long lines in front of Roppongi clubs, I arrived at Mori tower. By now, my palms are almost freezing and long gone numb.
There was some countdown happening on the 52nd floor observatory of my lighthouse. I went up there and spent the last moments of the 'never-to-return-again' 2006; amidst the swanky-stranger segment of Tokyo junta.There you go... from the silent/traditional Meiji jingu to the revelrous/western ropppongi, tokyo had it all.
Next, I headed back home. This time, the lighthouse was Tokyo tower. I was too captivated by its beauty in the cold December err. January night. I headed towards it nd took a couple of pictures with the new year '2007' displayed large and clear.
Zozoji shrine is just beside Tokyo tower. There was a huge gathering and I decided to check out. Similar to Meiji jingu, a monk invited the New Year with a big 'dong', and junta was offering prayers. I didnt understand a bit but quite liked the peaceful hymn. After purchasing a couple of new year charms, I decided to satiate my burning hunger in the not-so-few food stalls out there. But the first sight of some octopus fry just put me off. I headed to McDonalds, had a couple of burgers and headed back home.I wanted to take some pictures of new year sun. But, just couldn't wake up. :(...
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