LUXOMME

When Tiffany and I were first planning our trip to Tokyo, we both decided that DisneySea was a MUST see. In fact, we were both so pumped to go, that even before exploring any other part of the city, we decided to take an hour long train ride and venture out into the suburbs, just to spend a day experiencing the magic that is Disney Sea.

Touted as one of the best, if not THE best Disney theme park in the world, DisneySea is something unique to Tokyo and clearly top on our priority list for the trip. Seriously, why go to anywhere in Tokyo, when you could just go to DisneySea?

We arrived bright and early since both of us were still jetlagged, and living in the suburbs of Tokyo (near Todaimae station) meant a lot of transfers and being squished into a subway car during rush hour. By the time we finally reached our final stop, we realized that in order to actually get to the parks, we needed to take ANOTHER train, but this time it was Disney specific and ran in a loop between their two themeparks.

Debating whether it was worth the walk over, or if we should just take the resort line, we opted for the latter and quickly found ourselves on a very Disney train. This long bullet was branded with Micky Mouse windows and door handles, the little details that really make you feel like you're starting to leave reality.

Once we reached the entrance, the ticket buying process was extremely smooth. One sweet saleslady and 6900 yen later, we were fully ready to begin our adventure.

The park itself is split into different worlds, each representing a different theme, meant to transport you into each region. Obviously the one we gravitated towards was the American Waterfront. Although the features they used were somewhat stereotypical, it still felt strangely authentic. Like the touristy parts of the American west coast, all squished into one.

One thing that I found fascinating about Tokyo DisneySea, other than their impeccable service and attention to detail, was how in theme everyone was. Not only was the park built to transport you into an alternate reality, but everyone around us acted and dressed like it too!

Girls and guys alike had Mickey ears on, groups of friends would be dressed in identical outfits, and their sheer enthusiasm for situational dressing was not only unapologetic, but it added to the mood of the whole environment. Tiffany and I were probably the most underdressed there, with barely a smidgen of make-up, and covered in our tourist wear. Here, girls were in adorable dresses, layers of eyelashes, and HIGH HEELS. And I'm not talking about baby kitten heels, but 5 inch full out stiletto heels.

#commitment

After leaving the American Waterfront, we beelined it to the Mediterranean Harbour, where the architecture is designed to mirror that of Venice, something they do superbly. Having actually been to Venice along my travels, MH was stunning, even in comparison to the real thing, and very picturesque too. 

After a few quick snaps at the Harbour, we continued walking and eventually found ourselves at the Arabian Coast which quickly connected to the Mermaid Lagoon. Both beautifully constructed too, as though it were straight out of a Disney story. Not sure what a Mermaid Lagoon actually looks like, but if it exists, I'm sure it'd look like the one found in this park.

One thing interesting about DisneySea, which all the bloggers rave about, was the fact that each 'land' had their own flavored popcorn. For instance, there is cappuccino, milk tea, and white chocolate flavored popcorn, amongst many others. Often times, you will see people walk around with large plastic characters hanging off their neck, which turned out to be popcorn pails. Not needing the extra weight around my neck, I picked up a small bucket of popcorn instead, filled to the brim with delicious curry popcorn.

I am admittedly a failed blogger. Not only do I not post regularly, but I also forget to take pictures of major destinations because I'm too busy soaking in my surroundings. These pictures do this place no justice, but I managed to capture a few pictures of the Mermaid Lagoon before I retired my camera for a few hours. So essentially, I barely have any pictures of Port Discovery, the Lost River Delta, or Mysterious Island. In my defence though, those 'lands' were really difficult to photograph during the day and so even if I had pictures, they wouldn't have been blogworthy.

But feeling a little bit exhausted by the time we exited this gorgeous underground lightshow, we ending our afternoon in Mermaid Lagoon, and headed off for quick bite at a nearby restaurant to rest our feet before we kicked off the rest of the evening, exploring Tokyo DisneySea by Night.

DisneySea at Night can be found here

naomi

I still have about 20 posts on Tokyo waiting to go, but after my last month of travel to different countries, I began to reflect on what Japan meant to me in the midst of it all. To me, Japan used to be this exotic place that everyone gushed about, with sky high prices for everything from chocolate bars to the latest hippest new gadget. I never quite understood the hype because after all, it's just another country right? What perplexed me the most was the fact that everyone raved about Japan in that I've never actually heard anyone come back from there and say they disliked it.

Most other travel destinations don't garner such an enthusiastic response, so this place must be perfect right?

My first day in Tokyo was honestly not that impressive. After taking an overnight flight (which, never again), I was pretty much knocked out and done for the rest of the day. What I did notice was that quality over quantity was a rule this society lived by, and absolutely NO ONE spoke on the street. It was as though the entire city was enclosed within a glass menagerie and we were living in a museum. I couldn't decide if I enjoyed the peace, or if I felt uncomfortable being the loudest one on the street every time I spoke.

My second day was pretty much the same in that we spent the whole day at Disney Sea and didn't really get a chance to explore Tokyo at it's core. So by the third day, despite not having really made an effort to see the city, I was starting to doubt people's claims. I mean, Tokyo was nice - it was beautiful, but I still didn't feel like it was THAT special. The most frustrating part is that every time I ask someone why they like Japan, they'll tell me because it's clean. Seriously? 

My house is also clean, but no one raves about it. 

By then I was almost desperate to experience this utopia that people described, so Tiffany took me out onto the streets that third day and despite my insistence that we follow our itinerary to a T (because organization calms me), she rolled her eyes and suggested we do things her way. While I describe my travels as less of a holiday and more of a learning experience, her take is a little more relax. We decided to head over to the first destination on our list and then play it by ear after. This translated into long casual walks on the street, exploring every district in and through places that weren't described on tripadvisor. And somewhere in between our first and third cafe run, I started to understand what people liked, and what makes Tokyo such a unique place.

The city itself is different from anywhere I have ever traveled to and yet also the same. It's got phenomenal history like many places in Europe, it's modern and developed like the Americas, it's got the charm and the rush of an Asian city, but really what makes the city special is the people. The level of respect they have for their city, the level of courtesy they have for each other, and the penchant for not succumbing to the influences of the west, but instead paving a special way for doing EVERYTHING. From ketchup and mustard packets, to electronic bathrooms, and even how girls will try to obtain crooked teeth on purpose, Tokyo does things a little differently.

And that's what sets it apart. 

With globalization, many places are internationally influenced, which Japan either rejects or manipulates until it is unrecognizable, allowing the country to remain largely fresh and secluded. It is essentially the best of many worlds in a way that's unique but also remarkably familiar.

The reason I included this little blurb with the pictures above (which seemingly have no correlation), is because I feel that the heart of local life and the city is reflected in the market, which if you search hard enough, tell you more about a city and it's people than the "must see tourist attractions". Not only does it demonstrate everyday life, but also the people's approach to it. From mundane cleaning supplies to pre-packaged food, and even the way things are displayed and arranged. It shows what they care about and how they care about it. On a deeper level, it shows how they think, and from a financial perspective, indicates the state of their economy. A reflection of my experience in Tokyo is then best illustrated not necessarily by buildings or impressive monuments, but in places that help explain the people.

So now that my trip is over, the big questions are, would I go back and is Japan worth the hype of being the best travel destination.

Barely touching the surface, I would be naive if I thought I was an expert on Japan after only seeing a bit of Tokyo. Having talked to other tourists along the way, I've come to the conclusion that Tokyo was simply the bottom of the iceberg, and that the rest of Japan is even more vibrant. So yes. I would personally go back. Everything is MUCH less expensive than everyone makes it out to be, in fact, on a quality-price scale, I'd even dare to say that things are pretty affordable - except for fruit. I'd go broke if I ate fruit in Japan.

But is Japan everything that everyone hyped it up to be? No.

It's a beautiful country with beautiful people, and there's many things that are to be admired and experienced, but it wasn't as amazing as people made it out to seem. Here's why; Firstly, as great of a trip as it was, and as much as I've slowly come to love Japan, I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect city. And that's the beauty of it. Because there are flaws, this means that the society as a whole has exponential room for growth and continual potential to change. Secondly, I think there is something deliciously wonderful and desirable about every destination in that no two places are ever the same, which makes Japan equally as delightful, but not necessarily greater.

That's the beauty of travel, which is something I've learned to appreciate. Despite the frustratingly arduous travel time and security checks, what awaits at the end are learning experiences and memories. More importantly, there is an opportunity to understand that our norm is not everyone's norm, and that sometimes, the things that set us apart can also bring us together.

naomi.

Lush gardens, bright blue skies, and brilliant rays of sunshine are things that come to mind when I think of Summer. And things that I like to do during this lovely warm season?

BBQ parties on the deck, patio nights on the riverfront, and of course, exploring the city with some insanely good company. 

Getting ready to see friends is a casual affair, and my routine in the summer is especially mellow. A quick blow out, a simple pair of earrings, and my favorite contact lenses in Misty grey that are always a great conversation starter. 

'Are your eyes real?'

'Um. Nope'

The adventure that evening was a little more spontaneous, all we wanted to do was spend some time in each other's company, catching up and sharing stories. What we did and where we did it didn't matter so much as long as we were together.

Personally not great at making decisions, I left the leading to Jane who suggested we head over to Stella's - a local gem. I ordered my usual pesto havarti tomato sandwich coupled with a delightfully crisp arugula salad. And Jane sprung for the indulgent and scrumptious mexican breakfast with a little bit of chorizo action - just to spice things up a little bit. 

While we waited for Gary to join us, the two of us launched into a riveting conversation about our Summer vacations, with me sharing my adventures in Asia while we gushed over her exciting  upcoming European adventure.

In between reviewing her absolutely jam packed itinerary for Europe and my plans for the rest of Summer, Gary popped into the restaurant and joined us for a quick bite, while the three of us tried to determine what our next stop would be. The original plan was to see Jurassic World in theaters, which he quickly turned down.

 'We didn't meet up to sit in a movie theater all night!', he said. 

So we decided to go somewhere we could sit and chat and stare into each other's eyes, and it was decided that Thom Bargen was going to be the place.

Jane, the coffee connoisseur, grabbed a rich and aromatic cup of joe, while Gary decided to venture out and try a London Fog - which was equally delicious, and because I'm still experiencing a crazy amount of jetlag, I played it safe and ordered a hot chocolate. 

But lets be real. It was just an excuse to get the chocolate.

Thom Bargen closed much earlier than expected, and clearly still enjoying each other's company. we looked at one another not wanting to part quite yet. Gary (who's really a Torontonian, but more a Winnipegger than the two of us combined) had made a list of things he wanted to do in Winnipeg and BDI was quickly decided to be our next stop.

For those of you who haven't been to Winnipeg before, BDI is a local spot for Summer night sweet-tooth satisfactions. It stands for Bridge Drive In (hence the bridge) and is only open in the Summer for a few months, which means that the anticipation really builds up the rest of the year. This translates into insane lines - even on a Tuesday night.

After what seemed like ages of waiting - which didn't actually feel like that long because we had each other, we finally got on hands on some delicious icy treats and headed over to the bridge. We spent half the time trying to eat our rapidly melting cones, and the other half of the time laughing while watching each other struggle. 

We ended up staying at the bridge to admire the view of the river, before heading over to the riverbank to watch the sun set. There we searched for jumping fish (which Jane swears exists), and enjoyed the light breeze coupled with the gentle hue of red and orange that flashed across the sky. 

Staying until my jetlag started to hit, we took in one last breath of the cool night before making promises to continue the rest of our Summer with evenings like this.

naomi