Last stop on my trip was The Great Boiling Valley. It’s a particularly volcanic area that became a tourist spot most famous for the eggs, which are black from being boiled in the sulphuric natural waters in the area and are said to increase longevity when eaten.
On the way to the location to buy the eggs I decided to stop and take a snap. It seemed today I was particularly lucky as Mt. Fuji was very clearly visible.
I couldn’t decide which was nicer so I posted both
This is the view from the opposite direction with the steam being pumped out of the ground. To be honest, the whole place smells unappealingly of rotten eggs.
I finally made it to the top where pools of bubbling, steaming water almost blocked the building selling the Black Eggs.
You can see behind the steam the building where the Black Eggs can be bought
And so I made it. 500yen for a packet of 6 boiled eggs that increase your longevity. Can’t be bad.
Here they are, they certainly deliver on their claim of being black
.. and inside is a perfectly normal egg. It tasted just fine too!
That’s the end of my Hakone trip. It’s back to hosting to earn some more money and look for clues on where to go next. Bye bye!
A 30 minute walk from my hotel was the Hakone Open-Air Museum, which I decided to take a look at. Instead of writing the details myself, I felt lazy and decided to steal a snippet from the official page:
Located within the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park, the Hakone Open-Air Museum opened in 1969 as the first open-air art museum in Japan. Over 100 masterpieces by world-renowned masters of modern and contemporary art including Rodin, Bourdelle, Miro, and Moore are on display.
I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest modern art buff. I couldn’t tell my aforementioned Miros from my Moores, however the park is a well kept, spacious place with some nice designs and sights.
Views from the top of the Symphonic Sculpture (a big tower with walls of stained glass) by Gabriel Loire
Close by was a foot bath for whom ever wishes to use it.
But my little feet couldn’t reach 
The park may be a serious place to contemplate art for some, but I had to play in the kids area a while.
I’m not very big so no one really noticed me.
Even if they did, I don’t care! I like to play!
I decided to stay at Setsugetsuka Hotel, which I’ve written as being in Hakone but is more accurately in Gora.
The entrance (I’m on the stump)
After arriving I decided to have a breather on the bench outside.
The hotel had a lovely and spacious lobby, small gift shop and other facilities. When I got to my room there were three things I had to do to get the holiday off to a relaxing start:
Have some “Matcha” Green Tea
Have a cigarette.
.. and a bath! There’s a knack of how to take a bath in Japan, wash outside then go in and relax.
As mentioned before, public and private hot spring baths were also available at the hotel. I, of course, later made use of the facilities (the private ones), which were excellent. It was already dark and cold, when I arrived the private baths lanterns were all on (you must wait until one goes out, then go to that one, locking the door turns the lantern back on). I eventually had my chance and I will say there is nothing nicer than sitting in a naturally heated spring water bath with the cool air to contrast it and the moonlight beaming down.
Well relaxed I made my way back to my room.
This is the view from my balcony, they were beaming designs onto the right wall with a projector.
Time to sleep soon.
All set for the day tomorrow I turned in for an early night.
Heading to Hakone (箱根)
1:41 pmWell, I haven’t had a chance to do much of anything in the last few months. Money was low and I’ve had no more clues as to where to go next. It’s time to take a holiday. I can’t afford to go too far so I decided to head to popular tourist spot Hakone. Around 1 hour and 10 minutes South-West of Tokyo Odakyu Odawara Line, close to Mt. Fuji, it has a lot of hot spring baths. I booked myself into a traditional style hotel with public and private hot spring baths.
For a little extra I took the “Romance Car” express train. Roomy, but I never had much of a problem with space.
Nothing beats a good coffee in the morning.
Krispy Kreme, Shinjuku
4:59 pmIt’s been almost 3 months since I last checked in here. Sorry for the long wait, but there hasn’t been anything of note to write about. Just to check in I thought I’d show you my booty of the day. In recent months the first Krispy Kreme opened in Japan, more specifically in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. Since it opened people have been waiting in hour long queue’s for them. The secret is the fresh, free doughnut they give out near the entrance to the shop. That, and Japanese really, really like to queue. Well, I went there early one morning and got a set box in 15 minutes. The early monkey catches the doughnuts. Unfortunately I was somewhat unimpressed, it seems all the nice ones aren’t included in the boxed set.
Smack dab in the middle of Cherry Blossom Season I decided to take in the atmosphere around the local area and then headed to Budokan, a famous event hall near the Emperor’s Palace. I was brought back to when I first arrived in Tokyo. Have I already been here a year? I’m still no closer to the answer. I guess Tokyo is as good a place as any to wait for some clues.
Near my local area making it a little bit embaressing to snap a shot.
A local park, lots of people out drinking today over this hill.
At the moat around Budokan, you can’t tell but there’s a river of people here to see the Cherry Blossoms.
I was going to take a peddle boat, but I wasn’t sure my stumps would reach the pedals..
I’m quite proud of this shot, no one else could balance on a rusty pole and still look so smooth.
Unfortunately with my camera the Cherry Blossoms look almost white, although that gives it a pretty look of its own.
DisneySea, Tokyo (東京ディズニーシー)
4:18 pmStill feeling a bit down from being left with no leads I decided to head to DisneySea. It was nice to look at, but I was yet again too short for all the rides. When will the prejudice stop?
I know Donald would feel for me, being height challenged also.
The only other picture I took, it goes well with my complexion.
Chinatown, Yokohama (横浜中華街)
4:01 pmWell I’ve been back a few weeks from my hectic travel and decided to take it easy. I came to visit Chinatown in Yokohama, nice area with good cheap food. I just came for a stroll so I didn’t stay long, I’ll be back again eventually.
Hagia Sophia, Istanbul
8:36 amIt was my last day in Istanbul, and I decided instead of chasing vague clues I would spend my last day visiting the Hagia Sophia. Hagia Sophia was the greatest Christian cathedral of the Middle Ages, later converted into an imperial mosque in 1453 by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, and into a museum in 1935. It is considered one of the most beautiful and important buildings in the world and it is clear why, it is stunning to behold. Due to being home to Christianity and Islam the building is one of the only to be adorned with paintings and sclptures from both religions while it was still used religiously. It could be seen to represent how Istanbul works so well: combining Christian and Muslim communities without a problem, where people are more likely to fight over the football results than religion.
It’s a building that certainly commands attention.
Basking in the Sunshine one can only… wait a moment… what’s that!
It was then that I found it, I found what I was told about in Abu Simbel! It’s a Space Invader. It took some coaxing but I finally got him to spill the beans. He and his siblings are trying to secretly take over the world! but said not to fear, it’s merely a passive controlling administrative position they yearn. When I queried him about the whereabouts of my potential family, he said he has no idea, but if his network of siblings all over the world hear anything, they will let me know as soon as possible. What pleasant invaders!
Well, with that solved it’s time to go back to Tokyo and start saving money once again.
Four Seasons Hotel, Istanbul
5:13 amYou may be wondering where I’m staying during my time here. As luck would have it I won the prize of four days at the Four Seasons Hotel of my choice while I was in Egypt, and with Istanbul next on my list I decided to to use that prize for my stay here. Four Seasons Hotel in Istanbul was created from an old neoclassic style prison, refurbished and redecorated it is a tastefully luxurious update. Located in the middle of the Old Town on the European side it is minutes away from some of the most famous locations in Istanbul.
Relaxing in the hotels lobby, sorry for the shabby quality photo, my man slave was shaking with fear from being out of his class.
Four Seasons Hotel is certainly closer to my sensibilities at least.
A view into the court yard in the centre, great for winding down.
I was staying in the room second from the left with the terace in the roof.
Whhheeeeeee!!
I don’t usually let my photo be taken while I’m in such a compromising position..
.. but what the hell.
