Conversation

[dagibbs]

One of the things I really miss about traveling in non-English speaking countries, and especially non-European non-English countries is conversation. Chatting. Most anyone I talk to is work -- for them, for me, for both of us. I have to speak slowly, carefully, and think about my word-choice carefully. When training, I can talk about the technical matters, but I can't really chat about the other stuff I normally would. Similarly with anyone else -- clerk, wait-staff, whoever.

It makes things surprisingly lonely, actually.

And, with the time-zone change of Asia, I can't even really chat online with friends. I'm sleeping during the Ottawa day, and working during the Ottawa evening.

Comments

[ironphoenix]

*nods* Sympathies... I certainly understand how that would get tiresome after a few days!

[switterbeet]

How long are you there for? I can imagine that would be quite isolating indeed. :( I hope you're able to get some social time soon!

[dagibbs]

I'm here for two weeks.

[foms]

Are you in want of touristing suggestions for Yokohama?

Also, as I recall (though, you have probably already found this out), the trains to Tokyo run very frequently (in the every fifteen minutes range until they stop for the night and take about an hour to an hour-and-a-half and cost only about three or four dollars).

[dagibbs]

Touristing suggestions definitely welcome.

Visiting Tokyo -- likely the old city -- is on my list for this weekend.

[foms]

I'm sorry that I didn't get back to you sooner or ask sooner.

I remember the Sankeien Garden (http://www.sankeien.or.jp/en-about/) very fondly. It's calm and beautiful. I may have mentioned it, in your presence. It was the estate of a rich local who collected historical buildings. He had them moved there and the garden designed appropriately around them. During WWII, many old Japanese buildings were destroyed by bombing so, as I understand it, the ones at Sankeien Garden are often the only extant examples of certain styles. A world treasure, sort of by accident.

I liked the Yokohama Silk Museum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokohama_Silk_Museum - I'm not clear from the current web presence whether it still exists). It had a bunch of interesting stuff about the mechanics of silk production and the history of the trade.

I didn't get to it but Con_girl reported liking the Ramen Museum (http://www.raumen.co.jp/english/).

I was quite pleased with the Yokohama Art Museum (http://yokohama.art.museum/eng/index.html). One of the few places where a piece caught and held my eye for more than ten minutes. It was a large (10 feet by ten feetish), stylized painting of a mountain with the sun partially behind it.

There is a museum of science and industry (http://www.mhi.co.jp/en/museum/) and I don't remember being bored but I don't remember anything much about it so that's not a recommendation.