News from Forum Participants

[Nonc Hilaire]

images (2).jpeg

That lawn furniture meme is popular in Brooklyn right now.

[Typhoon]

I was surprised to learn that one of the largest series of earthquakes that occurred in the continental US was in the area of of what is now Missouri.

Wikipedia | 1811–1812 New Madrid earthquakes

Estimated intensity range of 7.2 to 8.6.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

Survived the Great Quake of 2024.

What, no, not the serious ones in the Pacific. The tiny little one which freaked out the media because it happened to them right in Manhattan.

Felt throughout the northeast; the aftershock we felt seemed to last longer than the initial earthquake.

Glad to learn that you survived

For comparison, the Taiwan earthquake was about 316 times more powerful than the one that rattled the chattering classes in New York.

I can only imagine.

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The news of the non-event did produce a bit of trivia I wasn't aware of: NYC skyscrapers are built to withstand up to a 6.2 on the Richter Scale.

[NapLajoieonSteroids]

Post some pictures, HP!

For sure will .. 3 days Tokyo, 3 days Kyoto, 3 days Tokyo and back

Shabu Shabu, here we come.

.

How was the trip HP?

[Heracleum Persicum]

Post some pictures, HP!

For sure will .. 3 days Tokyo, 3 days Kyoto, 3 days Tokyo and back

Shabu Shabu, here we come.

.

How was the trip HP ?

.

Very very interesting

Was 3 nights in Tokyo .. Tokyo is NYC style but 100 time nicer, very high end .. stayed in Ginza, beautiful streets .. Japanese extremely polite AND friendly, and helpful, very discreet

Tokyo is very clean .. smoking and eating on the street not allowed, fined Yen 1000 .. one sees real wealth .. Asakusa district nice, looked around many places.

But

The real action is Kyoto

Took bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto, 2 hrs , 280 km/hr speed

Stayed in Kyoto centre, 3 night, did not use taxi or bus, did walk all to mingle with .. people much more relaxed (In Tokyo life is fast) and fun

Kyoto is the real classic Japan .. real, still active, full of very beautiful still active Temples in Gion & Miyagawa region, you can see real Geisha

Kiyomizu-dera｜清水寺.png (5.87 MiB) Viewed 50 times

https://www.kiyomizudera.or.jp/en/visit/

https://www.discoverkyoto.com/places-go/kiyomizu-dera/


https://www.snowmonkeyresorts.com/activ ... ka-pagoda/


Many very beautiful, still active Temples AND Shrines .. Weekend pretty much all Japanese mostly (men and women) with Kimono in many "Shrines" .. bought a real antique silk Kimono from MAIKO ANTIQUES KYOTO .. Tea Ceremony must attend with Kimono

All Kyoto is full of very nice, mostly white, Cherry blossom trees .. Beginning April is the best time to go, not later

Food was excellent and not expensive in Kyoto .. had twice Shabu-Shabu in Kyoto, $ 40 per persone, including beer and all in (there no tip in Japan) .. Excellent Sushi .. only expensive is Kobe Beef, had once just to see what it is , Canadian beef as good or even better (for me). Beer is best beer, for some reason Whisky is cheaper than beer in restaurants, Japanese Whisky premium, Japanese drink whisky like you drink Coca Cola with food.

Kyoto hotels have also Thermal bath (spa) as Kyoto is next to volcano .. men and women separate, and must go NAKED.

ZIPAir flies non stop fron Los Angeles, San Fran and Vancouver .. non stop, 8 hrs

Narita is outside Tokyo, must take bus or train, $ 15 each

I had bought a "Data SIM" .. connection was fast and excellent everywhere even in Bullet train

Very few Japanese speak english, but they all very helpful

Funny thing is neither going nor coming back I had any "JetLag" , although Vancouver/Japan time difference is 16 hours .. I did not feel any discomfort .. Took off Narita airport 3:40 PM , Arrived vancouver same day 8:30 AM .. gained 1 whole day

More later
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[Typhoon]

Glad to read that you enjoyed your trip to Japan.

Your timing with regards to 花見 | hanami - cherry blossom viewing this year was spot on.