Sorry I haven’t posted for a bit. I am recovering, kind of slowly I might add. Something about returning on a serious red-eye and going straight back to the needs of clamoring children plus a big old house to pull together makes for, well, tiredness. Returning from Japan was sort of bittersweet. I missed Brad and the kids of course. I didn’t miss the laundry. I didn’t miss keeping the refrigerator stocked. Or the construction dust that covers every surface around our house right now. Or waking up to no milk for my coffee. Time out for some self-talk—-(Stay positive. Quit bitching!) Okay! So I am glad to be back! And all the things I just named can only predicate MORE TRIPS, so what is so bad about that?
Kobe, where my dear sister is living, is an interesting little corner of the planet. Osaka/Kobe itself is not a gorgeous place. It has some nice elements like the way that the city nestles in between the mountains and the ocean. It is clean and orderly. The hills are green and the ocean is wild and lovely. Coming in from the airport is a trip though! I couldn’t figure out if it was just the efficiency of a port area, good zoning, or if I should be incredibly depressed with the consumerism that fuels so much industry, because all you see for the first hour on the bus in from Kansai International airport is just warehouses, docks, and manufacturing for miles and miles and miles.
These two photos are actually sort of charming, but I truly saw electrical plants the size of cities. And no actual housing to be seen for miles and miles. Is this good or bad? I guess it is good. Keep all the ugly stuff that keeps society going in one place…and yet to see it all in one place is sort of depressing. Some of the factories looked like sets from apocalyptic movies.
Oh dear. I’ve run out of time. I have to get to chores around here. Today is the day to run stuff to proper recycling places: namely, Free Geek and Rebuilding Center. Stay tuned for Japan Rocks the Asian Continent Part 2!
2 Comments, Comment or Ping
You got as far as explaining the bus ride from the airport… really, that isn’t the high point of the Kansai region. Can’t wait to see the rest!
June 29th, 2010
I second Anne’s comment! Can’t wait to hear the rest!
July 6th, 2010
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