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Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 07:32 Schmap's Montreal Guide is using one of my photos: www.schmap.com/montreal/sights_zoos/#p=2
6155&i=26155_106.jpg # - 07:34 Another link to my Schmap credit: www.schmap.com/guidewidgets/p=7847622N06/c=S
M28022887 #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 13:07 Hey @doctorow - Have you seen whf.me/ yet? Whuffie on the hoofie! #
- 13:21 @misterwhuffie tells me there is more Whuffie on the hoofie at thewhuffiebank.org/ #
- 14:01 I was wrong! thewhuffiebank.org/ and whf.me/ are the same thing. The second is just a short url for the first. :-/ #
- 14:03 Cool! whf.me/ has an API: thewhuffiebank.org/static/api Anyone need an iPhone app for that? #whuffie #
- 14:08 I have 24 whuffies, gimme more whf.me/jackwilliambell #whuffiebank #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 15:34 Building structures from nanoparticles with the Casimir effect: www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/2453
0/ # - 17:27 My newest toy is a used Alienware m9700 gaming laptop. But, sad-making, it appears that I shouldn't upgrade Vista to XP! (Makes RAID hurt.) #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 09:56 I haz Nook! twitpic.com/sxzbd #
- 09:58 It haz unpack instructions. twitpic.com/sxzlm #
- 09:59 In the shrinkwrap. twitpic.com/sxzrn #
- 10:01 Unsleeved Nook, in third layer of packaging. twitpic.com/sxzzj #
- 10:04 Nook free of all encumbrances. twitpic.com/sy0cq #
- 10:06 Closeup of Nook. twitpic.com/sy0kr #
- 10:06 Booting the Nook. twitpic.com/sy0o8 #
- 10:10 Nook registered and ready to go. twitpic.com/sy14s #
- 10:13 Dave Berry congratulates me on my Nook. twitpic.com/sy1kd #
- 10:14 Nook uses stupid non-standard USB! twitpic.com/sy1rq #
- 10:18 Sherlock Holmes on the Nook. twitpic.com/sy2bg #
- 10:21 @jay_lake Oh, be jealous. Be very jealous of my Nook. #
- 10:23 Robert E Howard on the Nook. twitpic.com/sy2zv #
- 10:25 @ShellyRaeClift Re: taunting. And you wouldn't? #
- 10:33 @MKKare Re: comparing to Kindle. Yes, but the Nook runs an OS I can hack. Always my first consideration. #
- 10:49 @ShellyRaeClift Re: inviting people over. But I have to go to work now! The Nook will be available for play later. #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 09:20 Just landed at Sea-Tac. Back in the USA! #
- 10:11 @JESilverstein looking forward to seeing you! #
- 10:14 @natetrue Re: where I've been. Apparently the only recent tweet of mine you've read is about getting back. :-) #japan #
- 12:03 Walking thru the Fremont Sunday market with @JESilverstein twitpic.com/sfqhx #
- 16:15 @Organ_Kean RE: Hot cocoa for @JESilverstein - Way ahead of you! #
- 16:16 @brantwonders RE: Being involved with aliens - No, but sometimes they get involved with me. #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 13:42 Yesterday I went to Ningyocho to see a New Years festival for blessing children at Suitengu Shrine. Cute kids in traditional garb. #
- 13:44 After Suitengu Shrine I went back to the Akihabara until it got dark and started raining. Raining *hard*. #
- 13:44 Akihabara at night in the rain? Think Bladerunner. With more neon. #
- 16:01 It is a beautiful Sunday morning on my last day in Japan. Must get out and explore! Ueno park awaits. #
- 22:45 Cool! My Boingo ID is good in Narita airport! #
- 22:47 It is 3:45 on Sunday afternoon. In less than two hours I take off on a nine hour flight to Seattle that arrives 8:45 Sunday morning! #
- 22:54 Spend my morning in Ueno Park. Saw a museum exhibit of Tibetian Buddhist art. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ueno_Park bit.ly/BJGOS #
- 22:58 Activists were using the Ueno Tibetan exhibit to educate the Japanese about China's and the 'Free Tibet' movement. bit.ly/4IUfTc #
- 23:00 I spoke some time with a monk in the Tibetan protest outside Ueno museum. He said the Japanese people know little of the Tibetan plight. #
- 23:15 I see a story - nay, an entire collection - in this link: bit.ly/6dMyBj Neolithic cannibal town? Needs a hard-thewed hero or two! #
- 23:22 Explored Ameyoko market between Okachimachi and Uneo stations on the Yamanote line. www.japan-guide.com/e/e3012.html Best in daytime. #
- 23:23 Ameyoko market is bordered by seedier streets best avoided at night. Unless that is what you are looking for! #ueno #tokyo #japan #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 04:08 Finally out of Nagoya and back in Tokyo. Two more days in Japan and off to home! #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 06:37 Long day here in Nagoya. Ending with a very 'Lost in Translation' moment in the bar at the top of our hotel. Blonde singer, great piano! #
- 06:50 There is this weird thing about cigars. You see, they taste fine until you get to the last two inches; then they taste great! For two inches #
- 07:01 Another weird thing about good cigars: It is almost like they were designed to go with quality single-malt whiskeys. Result? Expensive taste #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 03:36 @jay_lake RE: Sleep thing. How did that work out for you? Mind you, it is 8:35 in the evening here as I type this. :-/ #
- 03:38 I just generated a #TweetCloud out of a month of my tweets. Top three words: friends, tokyo, time - w33.us/53he #
- 03:38 I just generated a #TweetCloud out of 3 months of my tweets. Top three words: found, tokyo, seen - w33.us/53hg #
- 03:39 I just generated a #TweetCloud out of a week of my tweets. Top three words: tokyo, time, sleep - w33.us/53hl #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 06:52 #Akihabara fact 1: After four hours of wandering through the stores, even I can lose interest in continuing. #
- 06:53 #Akihabara fact 2: Adding today to all my previous trips, I have spent around 12 hours exploring the district and still haven't seen it all. #
- 06:54 #Akihabara fact 3: I have searched far and wide and still haven't found the mythical capsule machine that vends toy capsule machines. #
- 06:55 #Akihabara fact 4: The Japanese have taken sex doll technology to new highs. (Lows?) News flash: No one is surprised. #
- 06:55 #Akihabara fact 5: @whump now owes me big time! #
- 06:56 #Akihabara fact 6: Facts 4 and 5 are *not* related. #
- 19:36 @jay_lake RE: Lab grown meat. I wrote about the logical consequences of that back in 2005: jackwilliambell.livejournal.com/35065.ht
ml # - 00:21 In Nagoya and checked into my hotel. #japan #
It appears that I flew nearly three thousand miles in order to take a hike in the woods...
Mind you, it was a nice hike in the woods! Before I left Seattle I had searched for 'festivals' near Tokyo and came up with Momiji Matsuri (Maple Leaf Festival) on Mount Takao (Takao-san to the Japanese). The last day of Momiji Matsuri (which was to include some traditional dancing) co-incided with my first full day in Japan and was not a work day besides, so I decided to make an effort. In the end, I didn't see any dancing but I sure put in a lot of effort.
It turns out that Mount Takao (Wikipedia Link) is pretty much the only wilderness area in all of Tokyo Prefecture. (Note: Tokyo isn't actually a city! It is a Prefecture, like a State in the USA, where all of the cities in the Prefecture have grown together into a single gigantic urban mass.) Mount Takao is located about an hour from downtown Tokyo, near the city of Hachiōji.
I can wholly recommend Mount Takao for anyone who wants to make a day trip from Tokyo and enjoys the outdoors. It is a bit crowded on weekends, so you might go on a weekday if you can. There is plenty to see and do and you can even enjoy a beer in a restaurant on the top of the mountain, a nice reward for making it to the summit. (I will add a link to my pictures once I get them up on Flikr.)
Once you are on Mount Takao, you have a network of trails available to you that cover the entire mountain and branch off to other wilderness areas further north, east, and south. If you get up there during Momiji Matsuri you will find yourself hiking through trees arrayed in their best autumn colors, from alders in gold and orange to flame maples in a variety of bright reds and yellows.
There are several vantage points from which you can see Tokyo and, allegedly, Mount Fujii. (I say 'allegedly' because, as with every other time I have found myself anywhere near Fujii-san, clouds masked the great mountain from view.)
The hiking trails aren't the only attractions on Mount Takao. At the cable car stations, on the summit, and at various points along trail one are small shops and restaurants catering to the climbers. Just past the cable car station on the mountain there is a Monkey Park and wild plant garden, fun for young and old alike.
Just past half-way to the summit on trail one is Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji temple. Be sure to visit all of the temple levels along the ridge, as each was built at a different time and it shows in the architecture and sculptures.
Hiking Mount Takao is pretty much an all-day trip if you include travel-time to and from downtown Tokyo. The climb itself requires a bit of stamina and is not recommended for anyone with physical difficulties. I found myself quite tired and footsore by the end of the day.
I found it a bit cold on Mount Takao, enough that I was wishing I hadn't left my jacket on the airplane when I arrived. So warm clothing is advised. Although there are plenty of shops and vending machines near the cable car stations and at the summit, you might want to bring a lunch and something to drink. Expect to get a bit muddy, especially if you go off the main trails (as I did), so wear appropriate shoes and clothing.
Most importantly? Do not forget your camera!
In Tokyo, go to Shinjuku eki (train station) and locate the Keiō Takao Line. You can buy your tickets separately, but I can recommend purchasing a round-trip ticket to Takaosanguchi that includes the cable car fare as well. To do this, go to the window located in the middle of the ticket vending machines and push the button. Someone will come out and sell you the ticket, which is specially printed as a souvenir and which you show to the gate guards instead of putting it through the machine.
Try to catch one of the express or special express trains. If, as I did, you accidentally find yourself on one of the trains that runs to Keiō-hachioji, just change trains for Takaosanguchi at Kitano eki.
In Takaosanguchi just follow the crowds uphill from the train station; past the souvenir shops to the cable car station (there is also a chair lift, if you prefer and if it is operating). Even long lines mean short waits as they can cram quite a lot of people into that cable car. The cable car lets you off in a little spot full of shops and a nice vantage point for seeing all of Tokyo laid out before you. From there you can select any of several trails to the summit.
For the hike up to the summit, I suggest taking trail one, which snakes up the middle and through Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji temple. For the hike back down you have many choices; I picked trail four, which includes a suspension bridge and leads to trail two, where you can choose a quick and easy way back to the cable car station or a side trail that is less used and ends up in the same place.
Mind you, it was a nice hike in the woods! Before I left Seattle I had searched for 'festivals' near Tokyo and came up with Momiji Matsuri (Maple Leaf Festival) on Mount Takao (Takao-san to the Japanese). The last day of Momiji Matsuri (which was to include some traditional dancing) co-incided with my first full day in Japan and was not a work day besides, so I decided to make an effort. In the end, I didn't see any dancing but I sure put in a lot of effort.
It turns out that Mount Takao (Wikipedia Link) is pretty much the only wilderness area in all of Tokyo Prefecture. (Note: Tokyo isn't actually a city! It is a Prefecture, like a State in the USA, where all of the cities in the Prefecture have grown together into a single gigantic urban mass.) Mount Takao is located about an hour from downtown Tokyo, near the city of Hachiōji.
I can wholly recommend Mount Takao for anyone who wants to make a day trip from Tokyo and enjoys the outdoors. It is a bit crowded on weekends, so you might go on a weekday if you can. There is plenty to see and do and you can even enjoy a beer in a restaurant on the top of the mountain, a nice reward for making it to the summit. (I will add a link to my pictures once I get them up on Flikr.)
Natural beauty
Once you are on Mount Takao, you have a network of trails available to you that cover the entire mountain and branch off to other wilderness areas further north, east, and south. If you get up there during Momiji Matsuri you will find yourself hiking through trees arrayed in their best autumn colors, from alders in gold and orange to flame maples in a variety of bright reds and yellows.
There are several vantage points from which you can see Tokyo and, allegedly, Mount Fujii. (I say 'allegedly' because, as with every other time I have found myself anywhere near Fujii-san, clouds masked the great mountain from view.)
Monkeys and shops and temples, oh my
The hiking trails aren't the only attractions on Mount Takao. At the cable car stations, on the summit, and at various points along trail one are small shops and restaurants catering to the climbers. Just past the cable car station on the mountain there is a Monkey Park and wild plant garden, fun for young and old alike.
Just past half-way to the summit on trail one is Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji temple. Be sure to visit all of the temple levels along the ridge, as each was built at a different time and it shows in the architecture and sculptures.
Allow for
Hiking Mount Takao is pretty much an all-day trip if you include travel-time to and from downtown Tokyo. The climb itself requires a bit of stamina and is not recommended for anyone with physical difficulties. I found myself quite tired and footsore by the end of the day.
What to bring
I found it a bit cold on Mount Takao, enough that I was wishing I hadn't left my jacket on the airplane when I arrived. So warm clothing is advised. Although there are plenty of shops and vending machines near the cable car stations and at the summit, you might want to bring a lunch and something to drink. Expect to get a bit muddy, especially if you go off the main trails (as I did), so wear appropriate shoes and clothing.
Most importantly? Do not forget your camera!
Getting there
In Tokyo, go to Shinjuku eki (train station) and locate the Keiō Takao Line. You can buy your tickets separately, but I can recommend purchasing a round-trip ticket to Takaosanguchi that includes the cable car fare as well. To do this, go to the window located in the middle of the ticket vending machines and push the button. Someone will come out and sell you the ticket, which is specially printed as a souvenir and which you show to the gate guards instead of putting it through the machine.
Try to catch one of the express or special express trains. If, as I did, you accidentally find yourself on one of the trains that runs to Keiō-hachioji, just change trains for Takaosanguchi at Kitano eki.
In Takaosanguchi just follow the crowds uphill from the train station; past the souvenir shops to the cable car station (there is also a chair lift, if you prefer and if it is operating). Even long lines mean short waits as they can cram quite a lot of people into that cable car. The cable car lets you off in a little spot full of shops and a nice vantage point for seeing all of Tokyo laid out before you. From there you can select any of several trails to the summit.
For the hike up to the summit, I suggest taking trail one, which snakes up the middle and through Takaosan Yakuōin Yūkiji temple. For the hike back down you have many choices; I picked trail four, which includes a suspension bridge and leads to trail two, where you can choose a quick and easy way back to the cable car station or a side trail that is less used and ends up in the same place.
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 14:31 A lot of my friends are still having fun at Orycon. For me? It's Monday already... #japan #
- 19:21 New blog post: 'Travel Mode - Mount Takao)' jackwilliambell.livejournal.com/249913.h
tml #japan #travel #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 04:59 Found food (fiery chicken curry), beer (after avoiding the kinds of bars I don't go in), and was propositioned on the street (rare in Tokyo) #
- 05:00 Time for sleep now... #
- 01:30 It appears I flew 3,000 miles in order to take a hike. Details in forthcoming blog post. #japan #
- 01:32 @JESilverstein RE: Lost coat. I've already contacted the airline, no response as of yet. #
- 01:34 @JESilverstein RE: Propositioned on street. It was the first time ever for me in Japan. Of course I avoid seedy districts. #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 12:40 They just called boarding for Tokyo/Narita. I'm off for a week of work abroad. #
- 12:41 @jay_lake I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a fontal lobotomy! #
- 12:52 Me in travel mode. Note the vest of many pockets. twitpic.com/r7gzo #
- 00:26 On the ground in Narita. Customs now exits in a different spot, so I was turned around for a little while. Next: Train to Tokyo. #
- 03:08 Checked into my hotel in Ueno (part of Tokyo). Lost my coat on the plane, dammit! About to go in search of food and beer. #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 07:30 In to work early on a Friday of a Wednesday. All morning the song 'Signs' has been stuck in my head. "Can't you rea-ead the si-igns?" #
- 07:31 Commute in included Mt. Rainier resplendent as a backdrop to sunrise-lit lenticular clouds. Hard to pay attention to the road! #
- 07:35 My morning is only marred by one thing: @jay_lake is going in for his cancer surgery now. Wrestling with make/link seems easy in comparison. #
- 08:19 #WTF - Saudi Arabia sentences man to death for witchcraft because he makes predictions on television! bit.ly/5ZhO4F #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 17:43 Dinner at the 'Buzz Inn' in Monroe. Going a bit out of my way for home 'cuz I am looking at something I might buy. #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 09:33 Popular Mechanics article about Robert Heinlien's engineered Colorado house: bit.ly/2Dulh0 #
- 09:41 Researchers say, personalities of heros and sociopaths are similar: ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/kuszewski20
091117/ #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 08:15 CERN attempts to fire up the LHC again today: www.guardian.co.uk/science/2009/nov/18/c
ern-lhc-startup # - 08:33 @JESilverstein I don't know if the Future will interfere with the LHC. My theory is that the Universe itself is doing it. #
- 13:38 Run Chrome OS in Virtual Box: skattertech.com/2009/11/video-install-ch
rome-os-in-virtualbox/ # - 13:41 Run Chrome OS in Virtual Box (different link): chromeos-blog.com/tutorial-chrome-os-vir
tualbox/ # - 14:46 @johnperrybarlow Now you know why we drink so much coffee... #
- 19:01 @johnperrybarlow Because that 'huge, heroic bronze of Lenin' is in Fremont. To anyone from around here, that one fact explains all. #
- 19:42 Apparently @CERN is operating, the future be dammed. :-) #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 08:05 Happy 50th birthday, Rocky and Bullwinkle! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocky_and_Bullwink
le #
Twittering as jackwilliambell.
- 06:24 Two guys form new automotive company. Bring in auto industry execs to help. Find selves out on butts. Saw that coming! bit.ly/3syH5r #
- 06:29 Biggest flash drive ever: bit.ly/4v7jjn #
