The Land of Lost Luggage

Between stretches of grey, brick walls and dark thunderous tunnels, our train breezes past the hilly countryside of Nagoya's outskirts at 300 K.  As the track descends a somewhat steep hill covered in bushes resembling cauliflower, I feel my stomach slowly creep up into my throat.  Despite it's speed, the train is incredibly smooth, rocking only so slightly as to lull several of it's passengers to sleep.  

A business man wearing wire rimmed glasses nods off and on between sleep as his cell pho...
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It's Saint Patrick's Day in Nagoya, Japan.  I don't think I could have picked a more green atmosphere in which to celebrate the holiday.  

 
It's the beginning of spring, and as I sit in a lush city park near Nagoya's Sakae Station, I can hear birds chirping in delight as an older gentleman throws seeds into the sky for them to catch.  A group of young children wearing matching yellow hats explore the park's stream, and poke at multicolored fish that lazily swim through it's clear water.  An ol...
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After another long day of rehearsing in Nagoya at our silo shaped rehearsal building where you have to bring a second pair of shoes to wear as you "indoor shoes," Nathaniel, Dennis and I head out of the hotel to immerse ourselves in a little Nagoyan culture.  We walk along a covered street, that offers a market-like shopping experience with designer store pricing.  The only things we buy are lunch and ice cream.  
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It's my first full day in Japan.  And as a combination of jet lag and the sun's brilliant light wakes me up in country's own version of the Motor City, Nagoya, I feel inspired to explore the area.  Armed with my camera, sunglasses and a light jacket, I head out the door of Tokyu Hotel.  


As I walk along litter free sidewalks crowded with business men and women on their morning commutes, I hear an woman's voice overpowering the sound of traffic, warbling loudly in rapid Japanese.  I soon discov...
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The wait at Gate D4 of the Detroit airport turned into hours as a nice, thick fog settled in around Chicago's, O'hare Airport making it impossible to land the miniscule plane parked outside the window.  I kept nervously glancing at the ticket for my connecting flight, which was planned to leave for Tokyo, Japan in about two hours. I could hear a business man behind me gabbering on and on to the passengers around him, and based on the one-sided conversation, I gathered that he lived in Japan, ...
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Today at work, our boss announced there would be a company party to celebrate New Years Eve later that evening in our hotel, "at the boat".  That's right, "at the boat".  Amid the slot machines and crap tables that fill up our casino/hotel, guests enjoy the cuisine of a Mediterranean themed restaurant, Galileo complete with a life-size ship docked between the buffet and the bar.  Customers can choose to sit at the port or stern side of the deck, or those without their sea legs can opt to sit ...
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If you find yourself in Moscow in winter and a local offers to show you around town, a word of advice: either wear every piece of clothing available in your suitcase, or (when in Rome…) down at least three shots of vodka before heading out.  Both of these options will help you combat the intense cold, although the latter may leave you hugging the ol’ porcelain throne the few next days.  

Unequipped with my own advice, I threw on only one pair of long johns beneath my jeans and sweater,...

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Everyone is looking forward to enjoying our day off today in Moscow.  Especially since our kind security team has organized a bus tour of the city.  Cruising the streets of Moscow in the comfort of a heated bus sounds ideal!  

After pilfering a sack lunch from the hotel's continental breakfast, Chris and I head to the lobby with our cameras and notebooks in hand.  Once we've all assembled, Tatiyana (our Russian tour guide) leads us to the purple coach bus we'll be traveling in for the day.

We s...
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Before heading off for a day of work today, my roommate, Chris, and I ventured out into the frozen tundra in search souvenirs to lug home in our already ready-to-bust suitcases.  The day before, while driving to work, we saw a few folding tables piled with Russian wares set up on the side of an overpass.  It didn't seem too far away from our hotel, and the shopping was limited to maybe fifteen or less tables, so we figure we'll be able to shop for at least a little while in comfort before nee...
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 A generous dose of Xanax is highly recommended for anyone wishing to visit the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, Russia.  Among the themes featured in the Russian art are disease, flooding, derelict architecture, drowning, war casualties, funeral processions, and death in general.  One especially uplifting image entitled "Inconsolable Grief" depicts a widow dressed in black holding a handkerchief to her mouth to stifle back tears as she adds yet another bouquet of lilies to the blooming collectio...
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