Japan Day 1: Ground, Flight, Ground
Before embarking on a long flight I practice yoga. It's a ritual. Before departing SFO, that was the last thing I did. Airport yoga. On a pashmina scarf. Which I also bought in an airport. Exhale to the art of improvisation.
The flight was just a little over ten hours from San Francisco. Played my Nintendo DSi (I'm a Brand Enthusiast for Nintendo. A little more on that here) basically the entire trip (sleeping a few hours in the middle of the ride). And refreshed my Japanese with My Japanese Coach. Which is like Rosetta Stone, I'm guessing, except with whack-a-mole.
After landing in Tokyo we had about a two hour bus ride to Yokohama (back story: I lived in Japan for three and a half years. Along with Patrick I co-own Yoga Garden and Zen is Stupid). Joel and I took the 5:10p bus to Yokohama and got in shortly after 7:00p. Because there is no Daylight Savings in Japan the sun was setting as we got on the bus at 5.
This morning I woke up at 6:30a to the sound of Patrick making coffee (no, I didn't have any. I'm totally off it and life is better).
I went to two yoga sessions led by Patrick.
Had a cup of chamomile at the end of each class. Remembered what a lovely sensation it was to have tea at the end of practice (and why we started doing it four plus years ago when we opened - it is a mindfulness practice). I swept the studio and Patrick asked me what I think - more than four years on.
And I said - I think it's time for the next big thing. And he Knows what I'm Talking About.
Then we toured Yokohama. We walked. We walked some more. Patrick, Kazue, Joel and I had massive bowls of ramen for lunch.
Then we bought a new bike for Patrick. We ate pie. We laughed and told jokes. About each other. Patrick and I reminisced and all of us wondered at the city around us.
We toured the city and then came back to where we started: Motomachi, Yokohama.
Where a lot of good things happen.
All in all, a good first day back in country.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Reader Comments (7)
So lovely to track your adventures here Gwen! xo Christine
Yoga, noodles, tea, ritual, friends and laughing? That is grounded.
I will check back here often for more inspiration. Thank you.
TG
Ah the 'hama! Y'all have fun in Japan. I miss you guys and Yoga Garden. No yoga studio since has given me tea :)
Sounds like a perfect day! How far did you get with Professor Layton? (not a brand enthusiast, but an enthusiast all the same!)
Rebecca Oh my gosh, I thought about you yesterday. How are you? And where in the world are you? We need to figure out a time to be on the same continent again!
Kelly In the end I studied Japanese but planning to play Prof Layton on the return flight - I'll let you know how it goes. Loved the first one - especially the art.
Great post, and I'm looking forward to hearing more about your adventures. I was living in Japan 8 years ago, and there was practically no yoga anywhere. But my understanding is that it's exploded in the past few years. I'd love to hear more about how it's developed, and how it's perceived and practiced.
Have a great trip! Oh, how I feel nostalgic for Japan!
Sounds like a great start to your trip, makes me just itch to travel!