Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo

I don't know about you, but when I think of Japan I always imagine red, black and gold everywhere, temples, samuri, fish and tradition.
Second day here I got to go to a temple.

Senso-ji (or Asakusa Temple) greets you with a sprawling Thunder Gate, and then it's on to a street filled with shops. From there it's on to one of the oldest, biggest temples in the world.

The temple though is only half the fun.

During the walk over from the train you get an epic view of the Sky Tree.
(And whatever that squiggly, spermy thing is.)

And you definitely cannot miss the entrance of this place.
Just follow the crowds of people to the main gate.

When you see the lantern, make sure you take a peak underneath.
The beauty really is in the details.

The moment you pass through the gate the shopping begins. 

Every Japanese-like item you can think of.

There's a mini temple on the way down one of the side streets, so if you have some time go check it out.
It's a lot quieter than the main temple.

Details, details, details.

I firmly believe food is one of the main components of a country's culture, so I made sure to try one of everything.
These curry puffs were especially tasty.

And finally, when you've just about forgotten the main reason you came here in the first place the shops end and give way to a large open courtyard.

Make sure to peak under the black and gold lanterns as well.
Such beautiful, delicate architecture.

If you know Japanese you can get a fortune at a little booth.
Depending on whether it's good or bad you tie it onto the line for it either to come or not come true.

Tradition also dictates that you cleanse yourself before approaching the temple where gods live.
This means taking the little pot and filling it with water from the fountain and using it to wash your hands.
You should also rinse your mouth, but if you do that please don't spit it out into the fountain, there's a drain just under your feet.

More fortune reading inside the temple!!

When inside you clap your hands to get the attention of the gods, throw some coins in and pray for what you wish.

Because there are so many little side streets with shops you can take a whole different route back.

This was one of my favorite things I saw.
Puffer fish made into lights!

 We spent almost all day walking around and by the time we got out the moon had already begun to rise.

Next post is about food.
Amazing, delicious, Japanese food.
Are you thinking sushi?
Good, me too.

Shibuya and Sushi in Japan

Guys and gals, welcome to Japan.

The Shibuya crossing is one of 'the' things to do in Tokyo. It was made famous by Scarlett Johansson's coming out film Lost in Translation (fittingly, I watched it for the first time on my way to Japan) and mentioned in guide books left, right and center. 

It's actually really fun getting lost in the sea of people.
Very interesting just looking around at all the different fashion and hair styles.
(P.S. It's one of the fashion capitals of the world.)
The light turns green and it turns into a free for all for getting where you need to be.

Make sure you stop by to say hello to Hachikō right outside Shibuya Station while you're there as well. 

The story goes, Hachiko the dog, would wait for his owner, the human, outside Shibuya Station at the time of the owners train every day and they would walk home together. A year later the owner suffered a heart attack while at work and never made it to the station again. Hachiko came to the station every day for the next 9 years at the time the train was due to arrive to await his owner's return. A bronze statue was erected in memory of his loyalty.

Seeing that statue made me want a puppy of my own. So a pet shop was next up on the walking tour!

Check out the guy on the lower left! Makes me LOL every time I see that face.

Now Japanese sushi is something of a legend in most parts of the world. 
It being Shibuya, sushi was going to have to be the quick fast food kind today.

Push a few buttons, pick what you want, and patiently await as a little trolley comes zooming by with your order on it and stops in front of you.
Efficiency at it's finest.

Last and final stop for the night was a charity event for Fukushima earthquake relief at a place called Tokyo Salon. 

It didn't feel much like a charity event, more like a private party for kind of rich people. 

Exhausted from a full day, I planned my itinerary for the days to come and was off to sleep in no time at all.

#157: Ride a Double Bicycle

One weekend morning Chris and I took a walk to East Coast Park, and rented a tandem bicycle (or as I'd like to say, a bicycle made for two).

Bucketlist box: tick

1. It's a lot harder than it looks.

2. There are no gears so use of a tandem bike is more enjoyable on a flat road.

3. Take the back seat (this way the person in the front will never know if you aren't pedaling).

Life is all about new experiences, no matter how small.

They teach you, force you to grow, and stimulate your problem solving skills.

Get out there and try something new your next day off.

And speaking of trying something new, come back to the blog and subscribe to the Red Queen Tales Facebook page because I have another country full of adventures in store for you very soon, and trust me, you won't want to miss it.

SAM, the Singapore Art Museum

And back to Singapore related posts.
Another option for a rainy day (and a much better one in my view) is the Singapore Art Museum, or SAM.
(Singaporean's love to give acronyms to anything they can.)

It's interactive, interesting, colorful, and deep.

Below is the cheekiest art piece I've ever seen at a museum.
A little Buddha made of soap flipping off the visitors near a fountain.

This is is really interesting as well.
What do you think it represents? Biting the hand that feeds you?

This was a hallway filled with random objects covered in yellow tape.
Funny enough when we walked down this hallway an hour later these things were no longer there.

Below is by far my favorite piece.
There is an incredible amount of detail that's gone into this painting.
It takes up almost the whole wall and when your eyes make their way from one side to the other while you're standing really close you can make out things like people controlled by switches, an Angry Bird, starving children, a monkey with dynamite strapped to it's side and a banana up it's bottom, a coffin, revolutions, and people obliviously with headphones in watching whatever it is on their iPad.

And this one was one of the most interesting exhibits.
It's a pitch black room lined with plexiglass walls that project all types of characters singing, humming and dancing to the music played.

What's your favorite museum in Singapore?

Phuket 2014

Here's a little video I put together of Phuket 2014 so you get more than just the photos.
Enjoy!!

Let me know how I can make the next one better in the comments below?

It's the first video I've ever made so be kind.

Asian Civilisations Museum

Singapore isn't one of those places that's in your face with things to do.
It's much more of a under the surface bustling with activity type of place.
When/If you decide to move here (or were born here) you have to actively search out things to do.
Especially on rainy days.

Museums tend to fall into that category.
The Asian Civilisations Museum is one option.

It's very heavy on the history.
Because religion (especially Buddhism) is such a big part of Asia, it's rich in that aspect as well.

I found it a little dry, and don't think it would be child friendly... but then again going to school in the USA doesn't necessarily put a lot of emphasis on the history of Southeast Asia.

(I apologize in advance for the shoddy quality of the photos. The museum is dim and all I had was my phone.)

The museum might be a good place to stop by and cool down if you're making your way around Boat Quay.  I don't think it's a full day activity however.

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