Back to the Start, Heading to Japan Again

My last post was about having dinner in Ginza, Japan. So what happened before this and how did I end up in Japan? Well, it started with me taking the train to Portland International Airport. It was one of the first days in some time where there wasn't rain, ice and snow falling. 

I took the opportunity to stop at one of Portland's better known and respected coffee producers. Where I found out if I buy a bag of coffee beans, I get a free cup of freshly brewed. Good timing since I was extremely tired having only slept about two hours the night before. I had not slept much in a couple of weeks because my 14 year old cat Kenji suddenly became sick and died. He had become diabetic a few years before this, so I knew that sooner or later his body would give out. I had hoped this trip would give me some relief.

So back to PDX where I was playing coffee courier. Obligatory PDX carpet shot with Stumptown coffee. Proof it was as fresh as I could get it.

I spied a familiar sight. Not this time, but maybe in the future Hawaiian Air?

With a little time and feeling hungry, I decided on a breakfast style burrito at Tamale Boy. It's nice that Portland International Airport has lower price options for food. Some airports do not.

Inside was a rather tasty mix of potatoes, eggs, cilantro and other vegetarian fillings.

Somewhere on the way to the gate was this large glass tank filled with fabric jellyfish and sea sponges. Created by artist Sayuri Sasaki Hemann, turns out this is dedicated to those affected by the 2011 Great Tohoku Disaster. 

After my last trip to Japan, I decided it would be faster to get a little yen at PDX than risk the wait if Narita Aiport was crowded. Turned out I had plenty of time to do this. Because not only did we sit in the plane at the gate for an hour after boarding, we were then told to deplane with everything we brought on. TSA had us go through security again, and then we all had to go through boarding again. I never heard why this happened and I did not see anyone pulled aside or removed from the plane. After all this, my non-stop Delta flight finally took off for Japan.

It Was a Good Day for Flying

I haven't been sure how to start writing about this recent trip I took. To go on about how much effort I put in, saving money and selling a few things? About arranging it months in advance not knowing if something would blow up like the last time I went to Japan? How I didn't know if I could handle it physically, especially since it would be in August.

I finally decided to go back to Japan, even if it was for a short visit. Over five years since I was there, experiencing first hand the effects of the Great Tohoku Disaster on Tokyo. Like my trying to write this blog, I guess I was stuck. Other things were keeping me from traveling. But then thanks to a friend I had a chance to go to a concert featuring the reuniting of musicians of a group I've long wished I had seen when they were together. That gave me motivation to do something. So the day came for me to depart. Off I went to Portland International Airport.

That place with the famous carpet. Which was replaced with this carpet. But everyone still takes carpet photos. Here's my feet waiting for the Air Canada plane to take me to Vancouver, Canada. Turned out not to be the best way to go but it was about $500 cheaper. Plus I could finally say I've been to Canada.

One of the interesting things about it is Air Canada's gate was off of the main international wing of the airport. Where there is a display most people don't see. Where Portlandia's mayor Kyle MacLachlan is there to give you a send off for your trip.

Along with costumes and props from The Librarians.

Portlandia's Toni and Candice. 

Props from Goonies and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I was a little surprised there wasn't anything from the tv show Grimm.

Finally the delayed plane arrived and it was time to take off.

As for me, I was very tired. I had spent a lot of time getting things ready for the trip, getting the cats to a boarding home, and so much more. I had hoped to rest up before but ended up not getting everything done that I had wanted to. But it was time to go.