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Izu Trip

James Qu who is a Chinese and has been living in Japan for decades took us, the new tokyo comers to the east costal area – izu this weekend. As he speaks perfect, at least to me, Japanese, we didn’t have any trouble of communicating the locals during the trip.

Izu is located to southwest of Tokyo and right South of Mount Fuji. Noted for its beautiful coastal scenery and hotspring resorts, it is a popular site for Tokyo residence during weekends and national holidays.

We took the shinkansen from Tokyo (Shinagawa) to Mishima and rent a Toyota to start our izu trip.
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© Zhu Xinquan. The car we rent

The meandering road made me sick in the car.

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© Zhu Xinquan Look at these terrible roads in the mountain
Luckily, I recovered from the car sick and enjoyed a nice hot spring in Atami.

The view is absolutely fabulous.

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© Zhu Xinquan The izu sea

When this dish was served. Believe me, the lobster was moving in the dish!! I wish that I had taken a video of it. I almost felt a bit uncomfortable as if I were able to hear its groan for losing half of its body, which I am going to eat.
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© Zhu Xinquan
To be continued…

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Tokyo Impression

After I spent a couple of days in Tokyo, I find a few interesting things here:

  • Clean than any big cities that I have ever been.
  • People don’t talk much in the public places such as the subways.
  • People don’t eat things in most public places such as the subway.
  • People are extremely polite to their customers. For example, the waiters and sales people in the super market.

You can see small creatures such as pigeons even in the downtown.
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© Zhu Xinquan. The place where I live in Tokyo

Fruits are so well prepared or, rather grown up in a pre-determined shape. Therefore, the price is also eye-watering, 1500 JPY ( that’s roughly 100 CNY, or $15) !

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© Zhu Xinquan. Goods are more expensive than Shanghai

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Ebisu Garden Place

Morgan Stanley’s Tokyo office is located in the Ebisu Garden Place, a complex building with a host of restaurants and shops.

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There are a few european style buildings.

In Tokyo, most of the sky-scrapers charge you some money to view the landscape of Tokyo such as Roppongi Hills. Ebisu Garden Place is an exception. You can take a free lift to the top of the Garden Place Tower where you can get one of the best scenic views of Tokyo.

It is connected with the JR Yamanote Line Ebisu station by the well marked “Yebisu Skywalk” on which I walk everyday to work.

[Update: 2014/01/02]

These clocks were removed from Ebisu Garden Place since Morgan Stanley relocated their office to Otemachi.

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Trip to Tokyo

After waiting for two weeks, I finally got my Japanese working visa. This is going to be my first time going abroad for long-term assignment. I will stay in Tokyo for about 3 months for business and training.

In the old days, when there was a trip on the next day, I would be often too excited to fall asleep the night before. I remember these exciting nights at university. This time, strangely enough, I was composed and slept well the night before departure. It is good to travel with a great deal of energy.

My flight departed at 13:10pm. It is time to pack my belongs, with my father sending me to the Pudong Airport.

The food in the plane was palatable and exquisite.
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The equipment of ANA aeroplane is quite well and there is an even screen in your seat. You can play video games, watch movies.

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© Zhu Xinquan.
And the view outside the windows is splendid. It has been quite a long time since I once saw such cerulean sky, thanks to the bloody air pollution in China.
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© Zhu Xinquan.
After immigration at Narita Airport, I took the Narita Airport Limousine bus to the Shinagawa Prince Hotel and then called a taxi to my apartment: B-site Osaki. It took me about 1 hour to arrive there.

tokyoapartment.jpgAlthough it is such a small apartment, which probably is less than 25 square meters. The rental price is about 220,000 yen per month. (2200 USD), extortionate and unimaginable with the same size back in my hometown.

The Japanese capital is truly one of the most crowded cities in the world, with these incredibly tiny apartments in central Tokyo!

 

 

 

 

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Miscellanea of the Fortnight

It’s really a long time since my last entry. I deserved myself a fortnight vacation to fill the vacuity before my new job. During this period, my brain is like a chaos of accessories in a machine which is running abnormally. There are tons of things waiting for my disposal. I’m involved in applying for my passport and visa, trip to Hangzhou and Ningbo and many trivial things caused by the job transfer. Although I made the plan, the result is few things in the to-do-list are accomplished. I was supposed to travel to Beijing but my mum was in hospital suddenly. I have to cancel the plan and take care of her. Thanks to God and she has left hospital now. The only strongest wish in my heart is she won’t relapse again. God bless me and my family!

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A Special Day

I suddenly find that the pronunciation discrimination between British English and American English is so distinct that I can hardly understand the English spoken by a guy from Europe when having dinner with him today. Maybe I have listened to too much American English or Chinese English. To avoid today’s embarrassed situation, I think I should choose some British English material to listen from now on. Also I find that there is lots of things to learn. Anyway, I am too naive now.

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Happy Birthday to Myself

Remeber when I was still a child, Mom and Dad celebrated my birthday.
Remeber when I went to school,friends give me wishes and gifts on the special day.
Now I am in the office, Neither special program, nor candle and cakes.
I am 23 years old now, too young to some and over-the-hill to the others. To myself, I am not exactly where I supposed to be.
I am proud of myself for the goals I have achieved.
I am proud of myself for the courage of love even when I am afraid.
I am proud of myself for the passion I bring to life.
Life is not easy, but I am still searching the way to live my life with more grace and love.
Thanks to my mom who gives the life to me, and
Happy Birthday to you, Zhu Xinquan.

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Back from Ningbo

I am on the train back to Shanghai now. It’s almost one year since my last trip to Ningbo. It’s a very wonderful weekend and memorable trip to me this time. Thanks to Haidi’s hospitality and congratulations to him for getting the admission to graduate school. We all don’t know what time we will meet again.

It was a casual catch-up, having supper and singing together. It has been a while since last time we were so crazy and drunk! 

Now the party is over, and I am looking forward to the next time we get together. 

However, I missed a telephone interview from Morgen Stanley. I received the call when I was about to get on the train and my mobile phone’s battery ran out. I hope they will call me later. Finger crossed.

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Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum

Yesterday, I took Jessica to the newly opened Shanghai Madame Tussaud’s. Madame Tussaud’s famous waxwork exhibition was originally established in Paris in 1770 and moved to London in 1802. The Shanghai branch is located on the 10th floor of the New World Department Store on Nanjing Road. It is not a surprise that the place was very crowded. After waiting in a line for a ticket for about half an hour, finally we got into this wax museum.

However, the place was amazing. I have never been to such a wax museum before. The 75 wax figures initially installed were so vivid, and more to be added according to the guide book. I took pictures with “people” I would not be able to meet in my lifetime, I think.

The Adult ticket cost 125 RMB (15.6 USD).

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Find Music You Will Love

Have you ever wasted your time to find the songs fit your unique taste? If the answer is yes, it ‘s the site you should visit. A very cool service Pandora. Pandora is a music discovery service designed to help you find and enjoy music that you’ll love. All you need to do is just typing a song name or artist name you love. Pandora will discover many songs which have similar musical qualities with it and play these songs one by one. Very cool!

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