Tokyo's Meiji Jingu Shrine

Ahhh, peace at last. Meiji Jingu Shrine was our last stop during our busy first day of Tokyo touring. Nestled in a 175-acre forest, the surrounding city just melts away when you walk through the cypress torii gates leading to this Shinto shrine. I also discovered that if you leave your youngest two kids and your hubby at the cafe annex, all whining about tired feet melt away, too.

The late afternoon light filtered through the trees.

Too bad there's no happy hour at the shrine, because man oh man, do they have a lot of liquor here. Barrels and barrels of Burgundy wine line one side of the path to honor the Meiji emperor who introduced red wine to Japan. The other side is lined with barrels of sake. East meets West. If only I had a tap and an empty glass on me.

Pick your poison. Wine or Sake?

After a bit, we finally reached the shrine. But before we went in, we stopped at the temizusha (font) to ritually cleanse ourselves before entering. The more I travel, the more I realize how many cultures and religions use water to symbolically purify themselves.  

Perform ablutions but don't toss in coins.

Built out of cypress and copper, the shrine may look like something from centuries ago, but the original shrine was established in 1920. That one burned in the fires of World War II, and the current building is merely 54 years old.

Looking back at the entrance to Meiji Jungu Shrine

Over in one corner, numerous ema plaques hung from hooks.  The shrine sells blank wooden tablets for Shinto worshippers to write their wishes and prayers on before hanging them up for spirits and gods to receive them. We noticed these at all the Shinto shrines we visited this trip.

If my son had written one, it would say, "I wish mom would take me to the Nintendo building."

This kimono clad lady was practically a blur as she hurried back to
the Hall of Sacred Music and Dance.

My boy and I eventually made our way back to the cafe where we had jettisoned the rest of the family. The gift shop next door had a great selection of tasteful but affordable Japanese souvenirs. As we made our way back to the entrance torii gate, daylight gave way to dusk. We emerged from this quiet forest oasis back into the glittering cement jungle that is Tokyo.

Kids on Bikes

I saw them when I was wandering around Armenian Street in Penang last Sunday. There they were. Two kids out for a joyride on a too big bike. Sister up in front, barely reaching the pedals, and little brother perched on back, hanging on for dear life. They took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to see them on this quiet street in historic Georgetown. It's just another reason why I love this town.

Credit for this mural goes to artist Ernest Zacharevic. I hear it's part of prep for the George Town Festival next month.

Mural painted on wall with a real 3D bike mounted against it

Future Pewter Craftsmen at Royal Selangor

What is the sound of one hand clapping?* I don't know, but I can tell you what's the sound of 10 kids banging wooden mallets on metal disks. Really, really, shoulda-brought-my-earplugs LOUD. For centuries, tin was one of Malaysia's primary exports. Tin also happens to be the main component of pewter. At Royal Selangor's School of Hard Knocks, you can finally live out your lifetime dream to be a pewtersmith — like being a goldsmith or blacksmith but with pewter.

Floor-to-ceiling dislay of pewter shavings

Our visit kicked off with a short tour of the small gallery showing the history of pewter manufacturing in Malaysia. I think the kids were most interested in ringing the giant chimes made of different metals. Surprise, surprise. Loud and hands-on is what they like. The guide dipped a ladle into liquid pewter and poured it into a mold. It must have cooled quickly because she immediately popped it out and demonstrated polishing. Then, it was on to what all the kids were waiting for.

Time to hammer out their very own pewter bowls!

Tools of the trade: hammer and metal letter stamps for personalizing, bowl and wooden mallet

Each kid donned their aprons and grabbed a flat, metal disk. The first step is personalizing the bowl using the small hammer and metal letter stamps. A quick, firm tap is the key to a good imprint.

Then came the loud part. Put the metal disk on the wooden form and start banging away. Tilt the disk into the depression and rotate it evenly while hammering to get it rounded just right.

I don't want to work. I just want to bang on my bowl all day.

The top side of the wood form makes a shallow bowl. If you want a deeper one, flip the wooden block over and continue with the form on the other side.

Presto change-o! Your metal disk is now a lovely bowl. Perfect for ice cream if you ask me. Just keep it in the freezer, and it's ready to go.

It's the hard knock life for us.

It was a fun way to spend an hour, although all follow up visits to the hearing specialist is another matter. Afterwards, we all had the chance to browse the store. If you ever need a souvenir from Malaysia, Royal Selangor is a great place to go. They make a everything from jewelry to figurines to tea sets out of pewter. Some designs are a traditional nod to Malaysia's past whereas others are very modern and contemporary. Plus, and this is the best part, you don't have to worry about it breaking in your luggage no matter how badly the airlines handle it.

* If you really want to know what's the sound of one hand clapping, track down my hubby. He will demonstrate it for you.

Details, details:
Royal Selangor Visitor's Centre
Straits Quay retail marina enclave
Penang

Telephone: 04-8912018

RM 60 for the School of Hard Knocks includes personalized bowl, apron and certificate; by reservation only


This post is part of Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

10 Foods Americans Miss Most

Last month, CNN Go posted an article listing the 10 Foods Americans Miss Most While Abroad. Read original story here. Well, this is my response from Malaysia. Penang is supposedly the foodie heaven of Southeast Asia. I've fallen in love with Char Kway Teow, Roti Canai, and Curry Mee. But it's only human for an American gal to occasionally crave American food.

Mexican Food
Not surprisingly, it's really hard to find amazing Mexican food in Penang. The closest we have is Chili's or the quesadillas at T.G.I.Friday's. My Texan friend plans to hit up a Mexican food place while she's in Singapore this summer because the more metropolitan Asian cities have a better chance of serving up platters that are muy bueno.

I've actually been buying Old El Paso Taco Kits more often here than I ever did in the U.S. But since it's manufactured in Middlesex, England, how authentic can it be? The first time I ripped open the spice mix packet, I swear the aroma of curry wafted up to my nose.

How could I tell this was British?
Perhaps it was the phrases, "splash of oil,"
"brown the mince," and "lovely rich, tasty filling."
These are tacos that you eat with your pinkies up.

Cinnamon Toast Crunch (and other cereals)
Cereals aren't impossible to find, although you'll pay out the wazoo for American made ones. The few times we've seen Cinnamon Toast Crunch at the store, the kids have asked for it. Instead of my normal, "Too much sugar" response, I say, "Do you think we're the Rockefellers?" At US$8 for a box, it's now a luxury. The Kellogg's cereal is manufactured in Thailand, and Nestle is produced in the Philippines. These are the affordable cereals. And so far, we've only chipped one tooth eating it.

Along the same note, Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing is another little luxe item. I've only seen it on the shelves twice in the 10 months I've been in Penang, and it's US$7 for a medium sized bottle.

Chili Fries
I've never found chili fries in Penang, but it's no skin off my nose since I'm not a particular fan. I bet the Canadian version of this story lists Poutine in this spot.

Root Beer
A&W Root Beer is nowhere on the menu. However, you can find A&W Sarsaparilla. Maybe it's because Muslims can't consume alcohol, so A&W moved away from the word "beer". There's an A&W restaurant in the nearby mall where we can get root beer floats. Due to a slight misunderstanding even though everyone was speaking English, I accidentally upsized our entire order and got double scoops of ice cream. My kids thought I was awesome that day.

Proper Hamburgers
If you order a hamburger in Penang, chances are that you won't come away feeling like a glutton. That's a good thing. Burgers are actually reasonably sized. Getting a tasty, juicy chargrilled burger is difficult, although the Canteen at China House is one place in Penang to find them. Forget about making the perfect burger at home. For some reason, all the ground beef at the store is Weight Watchers Minced Beef which is code for "so low fat that you don't need to worry about grease flare ups."

One burger could daintily fit on the palm of my hand.

Bagels
Rainforest Bakery makes bagels and offers free delivery. It's a delicious ring of doughy, chewy bread, but it is NOT a bagel. The outer crust is wrong, offering no resistance when biting in. At the high end grocery store, Cold Storage, I can sometimes find Bagels Forever made in Madison, Wisconsin in the freezer section. "Sometimes" is the operative word. When I get back to America, Panera Bread is high on my list of must-eat places. (Use this info to revile me if you consider yourself a true bagel connoisseur.)

Pizza
Domino's delivers, even in Malaysia. What do you want? Tuna Extreme, Prawn Passion or Spicy Sambal? Don't worry. Pepperoni (beef or chicken) and Cheese are also options. You can actually get some good wood oven pizzas at a few Western places around town, so all is not lost.

Popcorn
Popcorn is definitely available in Penang. Cold Storage carries Orville Redenbacher or Paul Newman, but like the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, be prepared to pay the big bucks. At the movie theater, you have the choice of Salted, Lite n Sweet or Caramel. The concession stand is so cheap that each kid gets their own box. They also hear me say, "Wow, we could never afford to do this in America."

Ice
Penang isn't Europe. You can readily get ice with your drinks here. Of course, it's so bloody hot that it will melt in 10 seconds, and the condensation sluicing off your glass will convince you that it's leaking. I'm so seasoned that I drink iced juices from outside hawker stalls without fear of getting the runs. (Can you hear me furiously knocking on wood?)

Free Ketchup Packets
The fast food places will include packets in your takeaway (that's "to go" for us Americans). Look carefully, though. There's a good chance that you're squirting Chili Sauce instead of Tomato Ketchup on your fries.

Squirty and red. It's delicious, but it ain't ketchup.

How can I tell that the guy who wrote the original CNN Go post isn't a Texan? Barbeque is nowhere on his list.

Playing Ball in Malaysia

My girl and Chris Davis at a Round Rock (Texas) Express Game, June 2011

In America, almost every parent I know spends their weekends watching their kids play sports. Weekdays are spent figuring out how to shuttle them to numerous practices. Here in Penang, we've found that it's decidedly more low key. This worked out well for us, since we're not a very competitive family sportswise. But when I was telling one of my friends in Austin about it, she looked at me and declared that it would drive her husband CRAZY.

When we arrived here in Malaysia, my oldest boy decided to start playing baseball after being inspired by his sister's appearance at a minor league game over the summer. In America, I would have been hesitant about letting him begin at such a late age. After all, some of the kids on my girl's kindergarten T-ball team in Texas were already in their second year of league play. But since everything is so laid back in Malaysia, learning baseball in 6th grade didn't seem like such a big deal.

Our condo grounds aren't the best place to practice batting, so hubby went online to find a batting cage. The closest one is in Kuala Lumpur, 4 hours away. That's a bit of a drive! So, they drilled a hole in a ball and hung it from a rope to practice instead.

The team was one of three in the intramural league at the school. Whereas my daughter's kindergarten T-ball team had weekly practices led my multiple dads, my son's Penang team only had a couple practices before the season started and a couple before playoffs. Other than that, his time commitment was simply for the one game each week during regular season. The coach was a teacher (and father of a player) assisted by a few high schoolers. No moms or dads helped out over here.

Most parents didn't come out to watch the games either. In Texas, I was accustomed to a bevy of moms, dads, sisters, and brothers for every player showing up at the games. One of my favorite memories is of the umbrella and picnic blanket tent city siblings built on the sidelines to watch a game during a rainshower. The games at our Penang school only drew a handful of folks.

Middle school games were always on a Saturday morning at the school, and the elementary school doesn't offer softball or T-ball at all. Unlike in Texas where we'd have to juggle being at various games for each kid throughout the weekend, the time we spent watching sports shrank down to less than a couple hours. The rest of the weekend was free!

Playing ball on a tropical island has its own special challenges. The coach's wife tells me that a few years ago, the kids went out of bounds to retrieve a wayward ball. There it was lying next to a python. Luckily, the python had recently fed and was in a food coma. The next season, a wild boar ran out onto the field. The players piled into the van next to the field while adults grabbed the baseball bats to chase it away.

My younger son who is in elementary school signed up for the Soccer Club during the 2nd Quarter. Unlike in America, they never formed teams but just practiced as one big group. The only time that they played another school, the kids were divided up into teams after they arrived. It was more like a organized pick-up game than the soccer leagues I was used to in Texas. This was fine for my son but I think my friend's daughter who played on a development team in Austin may have been a little let down. Once again, not many parents turned out to watch the game.

We were informed that playing against local schools would be different than what we're used to in America. The typical Malaysian "Ok-lah" attitude extends to not worrying about being on time for competitions. Or maybe the coach or some of the players won't show up. When my middle schooler attended the citywide cross country meet, he was quite surprised that hardly anyone was there at the announced start time. Most didn't start rolling in until 15 minutes later. You can bet no one is speeding to get their kid there on time.

So yes, sports are much, much more relaxed in Malaysia than in Texas. This suits us just fine because sports takes a low priority in our home.  (Although, it's not 100% absent like it was in my childhood.) It's been great to not have to eat dinner at weird hours just to accomodate practices. I definitely don't mind not driving to sports practices for all three kids. But I do miss the camaraderie that comes from being with the same team supporters week after week.

Kid-friendly History at Tokyo's Fukagawa Edo Museum

Boathouse, small Yakitori Stall and Fire Watch Tower

Where do you go in Tokyo to explore Japanese history without your kids being bored to tears? Take them to the Koto-City Fukagawa Edo museum. We spent an hour wandering around the small alleyways of this recreated Edo period town. What's best about this place is that you can pick up and touch items. We could let the kids loose to freely explore. If you actually want to know what you're looking at, grab an English language map after you enter as there are no signs or docents inside.

Just getting to the museum was interesting. The surrounding area is a quiet little neighborhood without all the hustle and bustle that we found elsewhere in Tokyo. As we were walking from the subway station, a fire truck pulled up and firefighters jumped out. Since the side streets in this area are quite narrow, they had to unroll the long hose and pull it the few blocks where the truck could not fit.

The meowing of a small cat perched on a rooftop greeted us as we walked down the stairs to the main room of the museum. Her hame is Mame-suke, and she's here to play host. It was "night time" when we entered, but the lights gradually brightened, transforming the room into day. A cherry tree bloomed in one corner, and you could hear chickens and a temple bell. Before we left, the sun set and it became night once again.

"Yao-shin" Vegetable store

 

Rain barrel in the public space

The original platform shoe

Single room home in a row house

Pretending to cook over the wood stove

Two-story boathouse doubles as an eatery and gathering place

Choki-bune canal boats also serve as water taxis.

Milling brown rice at the Rice Store was a bit of a workout. You hang onto a bar in front of you and step onto a see-saw lever. As you move up and down, the other side smashes into the rice, breaking it free of the husk and bran. The kids really enjoyed this bit of hands-on history.

In fact, I think they liked everything about this place. Hubby and I liked it, too. Score! Everyone was satisfied. You can't beat that.



This post is part of Friday Daydreamin' at R We There Yet Mom?

Signs from a Japanese Subway

I really should be doing other stuff right now instead of blogging. Like planning for my daughter's birthday party. (Or licking the empty bowl of hot fudge sauce I just made for her ice cream birthday cake.)  I've invited a bunch of girls over this weekend and still have not planned exactly what I'm going to do with them. Perhaps I'll make them write clever captions for all the signs I saw in Japan. Because that is EXACTLY how little girls want to spend their time.

My favorite part of this Tokyo sign is the little bubbles floating up from the yellow man's head. Or maybe it's the expressions on everyone's face. I'm not quite sure what pushing the button will do because Yellow Man looks like a goner if the train is that close. (By the way, the one-eyed son is a motif you'll find in many of my Japanese photos.)

I didn't have a chance to take a photo of a great instructional sign we saw in Kyoto. It showed that the passenger platform at the train station is a ledge. If you fall down on the tracks and a train is approaching, roll over into the empty space under the ledge. It was bona fide useful information.

Woe is the person who is so busy texting he loses his arm (or worse) to an incoming train.

The most fabulous thing about this sign from the Kyoto subway is that girls actually wear adorable hats like this one. We happened to get on a train at the same time as primary schoolchildren going home for the day. They had on the cutest school uniforms I've ever seen. The girls wore hats straight out of Madeleine, and the boys had on Eton suits. Everyone matched, down to their socks and shoes. Even their leather and plaid book bags matched. They could be in a little fashion show. If The Gap copied the look for a Preppy Classics line, they would make a fortune.

Apparently, Thomas the Tank Engine is big in Japan, too. There's even a Thomas Land amusement park somewhere. Here, Thomas gives little ones directions for "Station Safety for Children." The only words I recognize are "SOS!" and "HELP!" So, now you know what to do if Percy is up to his old mischievous tricks.