What I hate most about traveling

January 30, 2013 | patriciablaj

There ain’t no sunshine without a little rain, huh? No matter how perfect a trip may be, there is always, yet ALWAYS something that rains on my parade. I’m not talking about forgetting stuff at home (my family got pretty used to having to buy me toothbrushes because for some reason that’s one thing I forget every time) nor literally about bad weather ruining my travels, because most things can be replaced or you can leave without them for a while and I actually like rain, snow, fog and the sorts while traveling. Bad weather makes the cities show their other side and I find it beautiful. What I hate from the bottom of my heart when going abroad is the last day you spend there. You already know your way around the hotel, you know how to get to the hotel, you don’t get lost in train stations anymore, you even know the best coffee shop that’s close to you and then you just pack and leave. I always feel so apathetic when I know it’s the last day I’m spending somewhere. I don’t even know where to go again, what to do, what to visit, where to eat, I just can’t decide! It usually ends up with me running around the city until my body really screams stop so I can take in as much foreign beauty as possible.

I’ve never felt as if I truly belonged here. Since I was little I felt a weird attraction to asian stuff and as I grew up I ended completely engrossed in the Japanese culture. In 2009 when I’ve first been to Japan, I felt it for the first time, oddly enough in a place worlds apart from the safety of my home, with different people who spoke a language unknown to me and had a different culture, that I belonged there. This sounds waaay cheesier that it did in my head, but I’ll let cheesy pass for once. I fell in love with the narrow streets, the short people, the amazing food, the way new mixed with old and traditional with modern. You could only imagine how bad I felt the last day I spent in Tokyo. All I could think of was how much I’ll miss it all. The city, the temples, the parks, the food, the people. But I survived (after crying half the plane ride back, I still wonder how come I didn’t die from dehydration). The only thing that sucks is that since I’ve been there I can’t help but compare every other city I’m going to to Tokyo and that’s a bummer because nothing compares to Tokyo. I’ll leave you with more photos of the things I miss, I hope you’ll enjoy

And then you’re off If you’re interested, you can read more about my trips to Japan here, here, here, here and here.

Beautiful Japan: Tokyo, oh, Tokyo!

May 10, 2012 | patriciablaj

I’ve missed making a Japan photography post, so here it is! The last pictures taken in Tokyo before heading up north, to Sapporo. Most of the pictures in this post have been taken in Asakusa, Shinjuku and around Ginza, I think. I remember the moments as if it all happened yesterday, but sometimes you can’t quite put a name on a place. Has it ever happened to you?

Make a prayer in the city of sin.

The Asakusa Beer Hall, or casually known, the flying poop (or was it fart?). I was deeply amused when my Japanese friend pointed to it and explained, because I was just wondering inside my head if it would be rude to say what I thought it looks like. It’s supposed to be the burning heart of the Asaki beer, but well, you can see for yourselves.

We took a boat ride and reached the Shinjuku Gyoen (park)

Japan must have some amazingly skilled urban planners because the views are just breathtaking. Everywhere you go, there will be at least one sight you will never be able to forget.

Around Ginza. We were looking for an open restaurant to have some lunch before taking the train to Sapporo (with a brief stop in Aomori)

And a last glance back to the city that stole so many hearts from innocent travelers. I have to admit I didn’t fight much too keep mine, I just… left my heart in Tokyo

Beautiful Japan: A new beginning

March 28, 2012 | patriciablaj

As the title predicts, yes! This is the start of a new series! A series in which I will share with you beautiful pictures and memories from my trips to Japan.

In the beginning I wanted to post about my trips day by day, but they are already more than two years old so, unfortunately, I can’t remember the events well enough in order to relate them. So I decided I’ll share my favourite images in no particular order with tiny insights about the places and my time there.

The picture above is taken on the train, on our way to Tokyo (from the airport). There are still many many small cities separated by rice fields which have these beautiful, slightly traditional houses.

Tokyo – on our way to Tokyo Tower.

There are so many architectural wonders in Tokyo, compared to my tiny city. Each building is different and beautiful in its own way.

This is in Ginza if I remember well, close to where our hotel was. It took us so long to find it and it was noon already, I remember whining as we kept walking on narrow streets, dragging my huge suitcase around.

This is in Asakusa, we were visiting the temple when our Japanese friends pointed to the Sky Tree. It will open in a few months and the Sky Tree will be the highest observation point in Japan.

Around Tokyo~

The troublemaker gang!

Special abilities: complaining about the heat, always hungry, pissing the adults off, wanting to do stuff completely different than planned, sneaking out of hotels at night.

What is the furthest place you’ve ever travelled to? Thank you for reading!

I left my heart in Tokyo

February 18, 2012 | patriciablaj

My dream came true in 2009 when I was lucky enough to tag along with my uncle’s family to Japan. Going through these old pictures reminded me how in love I am with their weird culture and society and how much I miss it.

In 2009 we have visited southern Japan and during my second trip in 2010 we’ve visited the northern part, up to Hokkaido. Since so many months passed and only recently I managed to get all our pictures back it will be a bit hard for me to remember all the details, especially since we’ve been to 10~15 cities during each trip.

These pictures are from 2010, taken from the Tokyo Tower. Viewed from up high, Tokyo reminds me of a lego built playground. A masterpiece in lego, that is.

In this picture you can see the Zozo-Ji, a buddhist temple. I think this is one of the things that I love most about Japan, how culture and folklore is still present and blended in with the modern, glass skyscrapers.