Train to Zone

There are a few activities I look forward to when I go to Japan. Riding trains ranks high, just after visiting friends and family, exploring historic areas, and food.

Tsubame Express - Hakata to Kumamoto

Since we were non-Japanese citizen tourists, we all bought Japan Rail (JR) passes for a phenomenal price - less than $200 for 7 days of unlimited travel - traveling on the shinkansen (bullet train), most commuter trains, buses, and the ferry to Miyajima.

When I walked into the car to Kumamoto, I was impressed with the wooden seat backs. Even with use, the wood wasn't nicked much. It is evident that passengers are appreciative and respectful of their surroundings.

Tsubame interior

Another perk to the shinkansen are the carts with local specialty foods called ekibento or ekiben (train meal) and beer, as well as trinkets. I've written about our meals here.

Japanese trains are clean, even daily commuter "one man" trams. Bullet trains are beautifully maintained and comfortable to ride due to its speed, traveling 150-200 mph.

Tsubame interior

During my train ride to Beppu, I bought a bento of grilled fish and a large assortment of side dishes for less than 500 yen at a department store. Even with riders eating meals and drinking, I must comment again, the trains are meticulously kept.

Kumamoto train station

One man trains (trams), buses, and cabs arrive frequently outside the train station. In Kumamoto, the tram stops are beautifully landscaped. It is nothing like the depressing train stops in many US cities that make one feel like a second class citizen for using public transportation.

I also noticed posters in local trams asking commuters to refrain from speaking on mobile phones. What a wonderful rule!

Local "one man" tram in Kumamoto

Traveling by train is an adventure, but the major stations are a labyrinth of treats with hours of exploration. One of Angelo Pietro restaurants, a chain of Japanese-Italian bistros based in Hakata, is located in the basement of the Hakata train station. Their miso-sesame salad dressing, sold even in Cleveland, is amazing on salads and as a marinade.

Hakata train station basement

Aside from food, train stations have a phenomenal variety of amenities. One is able to shop for gift-wrapped boxes and fancy jars of regional specialties and fancy jars, as well as textiles and trinkets.

At the Hakata train station there are two major department stores encompassing 6-8 floors where one can purchase play to formal clothing, prepared foods to take home for dinner or on the train, stationery, books, perfumes, kitchenware, furniture, dine at casual and fine dining restaurants, and so much more.

- Cassaendra

Town and Country

Driving along West 25th, there are numerous buildings with murals that show the goings on of each neighborhood.

Displayed along a surface lot on W 25th Street and Church Ave, near Detroit Ave, reflects Ohio City's cycling and sidewalk cafe scene.

Town

A few blocks away, across from West Side Market, is the typically bustling Market Square Park of shoppers and foodies. Having taken this early Sunday morning, only a couple of people were roaming about.

Country

Red brick is a lovely canvas, regardless of whether the fabric is worn or well kept.

- Cassaendra

Along West 25th Street
Ohio City
Cleveland, OH

Kumamoto Castle

The packed tram ride from Suizenji Park to Kumamoto Castle took ~15 min. Visiting Kuamamoto Castle has been a bit of a dream since I was a child since I've wanted to visit that cool black castle. Unfortunately, when we visited in the fall, it rained through the day and evening.

Palace and courtyard

Windows along the base and a little higher were used to scope out the area for enemies.

Stone base with castle

As majestic as these castles appear on the outside, they are quite functional. Stone stairs near the entrance were purposely built craggy and the steps long in stride to slow invaders. Curved base walls made of stone were difficult to scale.

Aerial diorama of old Kumamoto

Two buildings within the keep are museums with castle and overhead models, and artifacts like helmets and early arquebuses, to building equipment, post and beam fittings, and screens. Both models below were quite sizable.

Models of the keep

The original castle was built in the 15th century. Through the years, the keep was expanded, rebuilt when certain areas were burnt from a rebellion in the 19th century, and reconstructed.

The tools that are on display weren't used for torture, but for building the castle. It's interesting to see how little certain tools have changed over time.

Tools used to build the castle

A stairwell circles the center of the castle, becoming narrower with each higher level. At the top is a panoramic view through large wood frames. I wanted to stand there for much longer to drink in the beautiful mountains with treetops starting to turn. The view from the other side is of the sprawling city.

View from the top

A few of the rooms were refurbished, providing us a glimpse of what parts of the castle must have looked like when it was inhabited. Below are pictures of the main reception area.

Gold doors of the main reception

I haven't done the screens and ceiling of the main receiving room justice.

Kumamoto Gold

Main reception room

From exquisite gold and colorful depictions of nature to clean symmetry in wood and paper, my favorite is somewhere in between. Several wooden doors were on display. This set with pheasants was my favorite.

Refurbished wood doors

We didn't have days to tour Kumamoto castle, so I quickly toured everything so I wouldn't regret missing anything. By the time we left, part of the grounds were closed and marched through the drizzle through a different gate forcing us to see a different angle of the castle from the outside, for which I am glad.

Time for dinner! Kumamoto is famous for basashi (horse meat sashimi), so I was going to be in for a treat!

- Cassaendra

Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto
Japan

The Strip

Pennsylvania is one of my favorite states to drive through with multitudes of lush mountains resulting in quaint villages and a variety of bridges to cross through, over, and under.  Since we had a couple of places to go to in Pittsburgh and just half a day to accomplish this, we didn't have much time to smell the roses.

Somewhere along the PA turnpike

We weren't sure what to expect when we arrived at the Strip, a district of repurposed warehouses converted into clubs and shops in downtown Pittsburgh along two streets -- Smallman St and Penn Ave.

The Pittsburgh Public Market takes up several loading dock spaces. Brightly lit, the small market is a busy place, but not obnoxiously so. The walkways were clean and wide enough without having to rub shoulders walking along stalls of fruits, vegetables, soaps, prepared foods, and textiles.

A little further along were a couple of nifty looking buildings with clubs and a haunted house. It would have been interesting to walk into one to see how or if the upper floors are utilized.

Clubs along the Strip

Further along Smallman St, I noticed a crowd snaked into a small door leading into a hole in the wall and people trickling out of another door with containers of doughnuts. I stood in line and found out it was a line for doughnuts at Peace, Love, and Little Donuts.

The regular doughnuts were dry, so I ended up eating the toppings and leaving the a bit of topping and the rest for Bug. Maple bacon and Treehugger (granola) toppings were good - no surprise. After we got home, I was disappointed to find out this was a national chain and one in the west side of Cleveland had been open for several months.

Mini doughnuts

Grudgingly, Bug toted around the box of doughnuts as we came across the breakfast place he had heard about and wanted to try. Packed with people waiting to get in and being carbed out, he decided to pass it up.

Adjacent to a McDonald's along Penn Ave is a church converted into a nightclub. Bug and I have often joked about opening a club in a large old church. The older and more gothic, the better.

The Altar

It would have been great to catch Rammstein when they played there, or My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, scheduled to play on Monday, October 22nd!

- Cassaendra

The Strip
Smallman St
Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA

Cleveland Street View

Recently, we took a few snapshots of the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood in Cleveland's West Side.

Gordon Square has always been a busy neighborhood. A few years ago, the area went through extensive renovation including the Capitol Theater, one of several destination businesses in the area, at least to us, along with Sweet Moses, our favorite soda parlor. Yum!

Capitol Theater

A few minutes away towards Lake Erie is a housing development along Father Caruso Drive with a view of Lake Erie and a working railroad, where I stood to take the picture below. Highway Route 2 and Edgewater Park are beyond the railroad tracks, below a cliff. The airy space, architecture, and manicured greenery stand out amongst the clutter of Detroit Ave and the older homes up the street, as if space was folded along the New England coast.

Father Caruso Drive

Just a minute down the street (or train track) sits Battery Park, a housing development built on the former site of an Eveready battery plant. Only small sections of the plant remain, like its distinctive smokestack.

Father Caruso Drive, Battery Park in the distance

Instead of a Cape Cod atmosphere, the Battery Park townhomes have a modern "green" appearance. Some homes appear right out of a movie set or housing cluster on a terraformed planet with paneled square blocks, while others are painted in modern alternating colors - oxblood, mustard, maccha.

Several minutes west and inland from the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood along West 101st St and Detroit Ave are the Boulevard Terrace Apartments. With its distinctive appearance and proximity to public transportation (Cudell station), these apartments could easily go for a pretty penny once completed; however, these historic apartments are apparently earmarked for public housing.

Boulevard Terrace Apartments

The Cudell station is an area bus hub and train stop that leads right into Downtown Cleveland. There is a lot of parking for people to commute without having to deal with Downtown traffic, as well as the airport and other East Side . The fence between the station and Detroit Ave is funky and has a 70s lollipop appearance. It is probably hideous to some and nifty to others.

At the Cudell rapid station parking lot

It'll be interesting to see this area once the development is complete. We'll definitely visit Sweet Moses.

- Cassaendra

1160

Day 327/365

I've always thought this condo was spiffy looking from the outside with a walkway that draws contemplation by its rather sparse landscaping. I wonder what it looks like on the inside? Are the rooms wedge-shaped or is it contiguous space?

- Cassaendra

Shadow Step

Day 325/365

At the doorstep of Michael Symon's restaurant, Lolita. I have our menu planned out already -- cured meat board, prosciutto pizza for Bug and soppressata pizza for me. I'd like to say we will be good kids and walk out without dessert, but with daily sorbet and gelato listed on the menu, that would be unlikely.

- Cassaendra

Lolita
900 Literary Road
Cleveland, OH 44113
Tel: (216) 771-5652

Ry B and Grey

Day 294/365

When I took this picture of a row of chic townhouses, I planned on showing the entire structure. As I sat down and studied the image I captured, I noticed plants, a satellite dish, torches, and chairs. Each home became too dissimilar. It's not a bad thing to show individuality in a cluster of similar looking homes, but what drew me was their same-difference...copy-paste, click-paint can.

- Cassaendra

Transform

Housebot, transform!

Day 284/365

I love this house. A shame that it's not in a more secluded area. It would be nice to keep the windows unobstructed with such a beautiful view of the Downtown skyline and below.

- Cassaendra

Empty

Day 279/365

I'm not sure why I like utterly abandoned or heavily used empty spaces. The silence when structures are abandoned seem wistful and aching to tell a story, while heavily trafficked rooms seem to sigh in relief.

- Cassaendra

100

Day 275/365

Between West 14th and West 11th Streets, Greek flags brightly line Fairfield Avenue in Tremont as 2012 marks the 100th anniversary of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Cleveland.

- Cassaendra

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
2187 West 14th St
Cleveland, OH 44113

Time Passed

In the foreground is the Forest City Savings and Trust Co. building built in 1903. In addition to banking traffic, its entrance also welcomed travelers as it was one of the now defunct subway stops that traveled along the Veteran's Memorial Bridge (Detroit-Superior Bridge) into Downtown. Today, Massimo da Milano, an Italian restaurant, lives in the former bank's space.

Day 245/365

Veteran's Memorial Bridge is a beautiful bridge, so I'll swing by some time to attempt to capture its beauty. Since I don't have open access to the underbelly of the bridge, here are pictures during the Ingenuity Festival several years ago.

- Cassaendra

Winter Sunset

It was nice to be able to enjoy the sunset this evening. I'm not sure why summertime sunsets aren't as pretty.

Day 240/365

Perhaps it is the change from weeks of overcast skies, which I actually love, when one can appreciate the sun[set] on a crisp, clear evening. It was warm enough that I didn't need to bundle up and look like the Michelin man.

Day 240/365

In the summertime, there's just too much...sun.

- Cassaendra

Home, Sweet Home

For someone (not us). In this angle, the home reminds me of one of the housing schematics in Star Wars Galaxies (SWG), an old MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment.

Day 235/365

It has been interesting watching this house being built last year. The clean lines and glass are lovely. Although, with neighbors so near and its location at a corner of a well traveled street certain nights of the week, sadly, I don't foresee the inhabitants maintaining the open view.

In June, 2011

Wood paneling wraps around all the light green areas.While it isn't my dream home, parts of it are similar in style to one I have pictured in my head for the past 15 years. We're probably $400,000 too poor to afford this place anyway. :)

- Cassaendra

Literary

Day 225/365

Literary Cafe in Tremont is housed in a very cool looking red brick building. For several years, I've thought about stopping in but just haven't gotten around to doing it yet -- no particular reason. Perhaps this spring...?

- Cassaendra

Literary Cafe
1031 Literary Rd
Cleveland, OH 44113
Tel: (216) 308-1962

Lemko Dome

Day 219/365

With the relatively warm weather we have been having with temperatures in the 40s and 50s (Fahrenheit), today's upper 30s with occasional gusts feels like autumn. I should have stopped by Civilization across the street for a cup of coffee.

When I shop for my next light jacket, I hope I'll remember to buy one with a hood that has a drawstring. It doesn't make sense to have a hood that doesn't remain on my head under whisper faint breeze conditions.

- Cassaendra

Log

Day 218/365

The first two things that came to mind:
1) Ren and Stimpy - Log ("It's Log, Log, it's better than bad, it's good!")
2) Twin Peaks - The Log Lady

Log from Blammo!

Scene with the Log Lady and Major Garland Briggs from "Twin Peaks"

I can't believe "Ren and Stimpy" and "Twin Peaks" are over 20 years old!

- Cassaendra

Schizophrenia

"Schizophrenic" best describes our weather this winter -- 50s Fahrenheit one day, then 20s the next day.

Day 209/365

We woke up to warm temperatures just above freezing with a feather-like snowfall over the span of several hours. By mid-afternoon, the snow machine ceased blowing, the snow had almost all melted, the wind picked up intensity, and the temperatures dropped into the 20s Fahrenheit.

Day 209/365

Aside from creating a picturesque winter wonderland, road conditions were slick which resulted in an abundance of automobile accidents judging by the nearly continuous wails of emergency sirens all day.

Day 209/365

It was a nice day to remain locked away at home.

- Cassaendra

Black Friday

On the day after Thanksgiving, my father and I meandered through Chinatown purposely avoiding the chaos taking place in large retail stores.

Day 166/365

During the early 1940s, the brick building below, built in 1899, was home to Cafe Aloha, popular amongst servicemen, which became Cafe Hubba Hubba after World War II, and later transformed to Club Hubba Hubba until its demise in the 1990s.

Yes, Club Hubba Hubba.

Day 166/365 - Club Hubba Hubba, Hotel St

My memory of this area of Downtown along Hotel Street was of dilapidated seedy establishments, the clack of cues hitting balls, and the thunk as balls fell into pockets, mixed with carbon monoxide fumes, baked urine, and old beer. With the recent renovations, the difference is like night and day.

Hotel Street the day after Thanksgiving is like something out of a dream, an alternate universe. From a bustling street choked with traffic to an empty stretch where you could take a nap in the middle of the street -- I wouldn't advise it.

Day 166/365 - Hotel St

Built in 1931, the Walter Murray Gibson Building (below), as it is currently known, on Merchant and Bethel Streets was the Honolulu Police Station until 1967. City government offices currently occupy the space. The doors were made from imported mahogany from the Philippines. Marble, imported from France, and local sandstone were also used. A lot can be said for beautiful architecture and quality materials.

Day 166/365 - Old Honolulu police station

Downtown along Merchant Street feels like a throwback to a prosperous time, when people walked around in long dresses and men in suits (in the heat!) carrying timepieces, as much of the surviving architecture was built in the 1890s through the 1930s. It reminds me of brochures I've flipped through of Miami, with its fusion of Spanish and art deco.

The renovation of Downtown to keep the old architecture is commendable, when it is cheaper to demolish old buildings and build skyscrapers. The use of compact fluorescent light bulbs on an old lamp is an example  of the pride and the preservation effort.

Day 166/365

Still along Merchant Street, this narrow walkway was rather claustrophobic. The green awning is an entrance to a restaurant. Several other retail businesses are further along.

Day 166/365

After weaving through grocery, herb, and anything you can think of stores, we landed at Pho 97 for a fantastic Vietnamese meal of pho tai and bun bo Hue, which I will describe in an upcoming post.

More pictures of Downtown Honolulu and Chinatown to come, once I have sifted through the rest of my pictures.

- Cassaendra