2017 Archives - Page 6 of 7 - In Search Of Umami

Naoshima- the power of art

Naoshima could have been one of those lonely, sad, grey places. In the 50s and 60s it was booming and there were 8000 people on the island. All thanks to a Mitsubishi factory which was and still is the biggest employer in there. Sounds like a beginning of a science fiction movie but the machines really did take work of many of the locals, leaving the island to a certain death with the drastically declining population. Many left in search of a job, education and better life. With only 3000 people Naoshima was disappearing when art came…

Benesse Holdings, a big Japanese company was searching for a home for their big collection of art. They wanted it to help the locals and they decided that Naoshima would be a perfect place to do it. Art would bring tourism to the island, tourism would bring jobs and jobs would bring people back.

Now the island is a must see for every art lover coming to Japan.

The first thing we spotted while entering the harbor on this small island was the red pumpkin with polka dots. I was contemplating its beauty from the deck when we reached the port and tourists started to flow out of the boat, running to the pumpkin. Everything to take an “alone” picture with it or because they were afraid it might get eaten if they waited any longer… 🙂

The beauty of Naoshima is also in its size, it’s a really small island perfect for a day trip on a bike. So straight from the ferry we went to rent a bike and hit the road. First we went to where it all started in 1992 so to the Benesse House Museum. Although it was the first one to be build, it struck us with the harmony and beauty of already a well developed concept. The exhibition of modern art was unbelievable and it included a massive ant house made of colorful sand and divided into flags of the world. Ants were building tunnels that would eventually make a flag collapse and colors to mix beyond recognition.

As much as we loved the museum we were a bit disappointed we couldn’t see the Oval, the most famous part of the building. At least the most famous looking at all the pictures and posters promoting it. In fact only the lucky ones with willingness to spend “a bit more” get a chance to see it. It’s part of the hotel.

Except for the “mother museum” there are also two more in the area Lee Ufan Museum and Chichu Art Museum. All three of them follow the theme of art in harmony with nature and they are rather small and in our humble opinion a bit overpriced. 1030 yen (around 10 dollars for Benesse House) for a visit that takes maybe an hour including ohhh and ahhh and me trying to take a picture from every angle possible is a bit too much in my opinion. Even for an admirable concept of helping a dying island with its population.

Cycling down to the beach we saw many open-air art works. But none of them was as impressive as “Pumpkin”, yellow sister of the one we saw by the port. This one was more peaceful, situated on the edge of a concrete pier that otherwise wouldn’t be a pretty sight. Sitting nearby on the beach we were admiring the Instagram-queue created by the Japanese tourists. Every one of them was waiting patiently in a line for their chance to get a lonely shot with the famous pumpkin. Only the kids didn’t seem to understand the laws of social media photography and were constantly interrupting the photo sessions with short sessions of pure fun.

Art has a unique way of giving new life to old and neglected things. That’s what happened with empty houses in Honmura area. Through the Art House Project lifeless spaces were converted into works of art and got the local community even closer to beauty. Ando Museum tights it all together with a background story of the island and the architect who stands behind the majority of the transition of that God forsaken place.

For me there was a certain cherry on the cake on our way back to the ferry. “I love yu” bath is a great example that modern art can be far from serious. The building screams “fun” with all of its colorful tiles, crazy t-shirts and palm trees in front of it. We were tempted to go in but unfortunately we didn’t have towels or eagerness to strip so we only sneak peaked through the door…

Just before going to Naoshima when I was doing a bit of a research of what was there to see I realized that it’s not the only island included in the Benesse Project. It has expanded on two more islands nearby with similar stories and some extraordinary museums. Unfortunately time and availability was not on our side with that one and we couldn’t visit Teshima and Inujima. Maybe it’s for the best, one more motive to come back 🙂

Handful of practical info:

To get to Naoshima we took a ferry from Takamastu Port (slow ferry takes 50 minutes and costs 520 yen so around 5 dollars one way, speed boat takes half the time but costs more than double the price- 1220 yen so around 12 dollars). The other way to get to the island is to take a ferry from Uno Port which can take you either to Miyanoura Port or to the other side of the island- Honmura Port.
The only way to get to Teshima is to get a ferry from Naoshima which is not very frequent. That very same ferry follows later on to Inujima. To see all 3 of the islands requires a bit of extra planning…
The best way to see Naoshima is to rent a bike, it costs only 300 yen (around 3 dollars) for a whole day and it’s cheaper than bringing your own on the ferry. For the lazy, there is a bus option 🙂
Naoshima is not a paradise for travelers on a shoe-string. Chichu Museum costs 2060 yen (around 20 dollars) and Lee Ufan and Benesse House cost 1030 yen each (around 10 dollars). To visit one of the Art Houses it’s 410 yen (around 4 dollars) but there is also a joined ticket to visit all 6 of them and it’s “only” 1030 yen (around 10 dollars). To finish off Ando museum is another 510 yen (around 5 dollars). Adding bike rental, ferry fare and maybe something to eat and you know you have to love art deeply to pay for all that 🙂
There are many restaurants on the island as well as a few grocery stores and a 7 eleven so there is no way to die out of hunger 🙂

Nagoro- the weirdest village of Japan

Nagoro also known as the doll village is actually not known at all… Every single Japanese person that I mentioned it to didn’t know what I was talking about. Like if it didn’t exist, like if it was a ghost town. Which it is…

The village is situated between the charming and ever green valley and rivers of the Shikoku region. Just like many other rural areas it suffered from closing a nearby company which was a big employer for hundreds of people. And over the years it became deserted. Some wanted opportunities and education and some well… passed away.

Tsukimi Ayano was one of those who left but she never forgot her childhood home. After years of working in Osaka she returned and without having much to do she decided to start her own garden. Unfortunately birds ate all her seeds and that brought her to an idea to create her first scarecrow. That one was supposed to resemble her father. Now 10 years and 350 dolls later Nagoro is the weirdest village I have ever seen.

To get there we took a few buses which are not very frequent and take hours. No wonder because no one is going to send a bus for 35 habitants as that’s the alive population… We knew immediately we got to the right place, the dolls were already waiting for us at the bus stop. With a bit of mist, rain and not a living soul in our sight, it was a scene straight out of a thriller. But it’s not meant to be like this. The artist wants to show people she knew that passed away or left just how they liked living… So the dolls smile, drink beer, cycle, work in the garden, fish and anything you can imagine.

Since 2012 when the last two students had left the school, also there people have been replaced. Unbelievable considering that the school looks pretty new and has a nice, big gym attached to it.

Escaping from the rain we entered the old cultural center where dolls were in the middle of the reunion. Old, young, in kimonos, with cigarettes, smiling, angry… every single doll was different and it felt like they had a soul on their own.

In so many places we really had to look twice if it was a doll or a person, especially from the back many looked very convincing. During the whole day we saw two people in the village and many, many great human imitations. There is no shop in the surrounding, no café, not even a vending machine. And when there is no vending machine in Japan, it certainly means that it’s a god forsaken town…

Tsukimi is now in her sixties but she is the youngest of the whole community of 35. Maybe she will outlive them all and turn it into a Ghibli studio village… I still don’t know if I liked it but I’m certainly happy we saw it. Somehow I feel that special places like this one are only possible to exist in Japan.

Jandirk is still doubting whether it was worth a 2 hours walk to the nearest bus stop and 1.5 hour wait till it came… So be warned if you decide to see it.

For art fans Tsukimi or the dolls, make nice pottery and other small things that are scattered all over the village with price tags and a box to collect the money.

How to travel long term without going crazy?

Long term travelling is not a vacation, it's being away from family and friends, missing weddings, births and birthdays, it’s having your house on your back and leaving the rest behind. Two years after we left our jobs and lives, being on the road became our lifestyle. It’s been an amazing journey that has taught us so much but it hasn’t been easy. Constant traveling, change of food, environment, packing, it all gets difficult after a while.

How to travel for a long time without losing your mind? How we adjusted our lifestyle on the road…

We can’t and don’t want to see everything

Sounds obvious but it took me a while to understand that. We get so many tips and so many times during my research I read that 100 km further there is again something worth visiting. And well we have the time, right?

It’s just impossible to see everything and at this point we don’t even want to because that means we would be running around the whole time and lacking time to enjoy where we are at that moment. As a remedy I decided that we would have some highlights of places we wanted to see and besides those we would go with the flow which for long-term travelling works best. Sometimes we met incredible people or hear of something really unique and we are able to join because we don’t have a tight schedule.

We unpack

We don’t have a house and diving into a backpack every time I'm searching for something, was driving me insane so I decided to unpack everywhere where we stay more than 3 nights. That is one of my favorite routines that makes me feel at home straight away. Even if there is no closet, I spread plastic bags under our beds and unpack there.

We take stuff we don’t “need”

When we left I thought I wouldn’t bring any make-up because I was going backpacking and I need to have a light backpack and cosmetics are just not essential. To be honest I just missed them. I just like having a bit of vanity from time to time and that’s a small treat for myself. Besides the basics are not so heavy to bring along 🙂 The same happened for me with books. I brought an e-reader because it’s handier and lighter but I missed the feeling of turning pages and reading a real book. After a while I decided to take books that I find and exchange them along the way. That has worked pretty well.

It’s true that the backpack needs to be light enough to carry around for some time but it needs to have things you actually like.

We don’t travel as cheap as possible

When we started in Argentina we were able and happy to travel cheap. Sleep in dorms, walk instead of taking a bus etc. But now we got tired of people turning on the light at night, coming back drunk or snoring. Thankfully Japan has actually forced us to lift the standard since economic guesthouses are more expensive than renting a small studio on Airbnb. It made us realize that we really have to limit dorms and shabby places to the minimum for the sake of our sanity. Sharing with others and meeting new people is great but we also need our own space and privacy.

We treat ourselves

Sometimes we go to the cinema or we buy ourselves something small. We try to lead a normal life on the road and treating ourselves is an essential part of it.

We cook

Eating out tends to be more expensive than cooking. More importantly budget eating out lacks in vegetables, nutrition value and many times its deep fried. That’s why we prepare our meals as often as possible. We eat a lot of vegetables, fruit and we drink a lot of water and tea.

Food is an important part of any culture and so we always try local cuisine and many times we try to prepare it ourselves as well. Cooking local means also lowering the costs, ingredients used and grown in the country are way more economic than those brought from abroad.

We stop

We never stay in a place less than 2 days (3 nights) and generally we try to stay way longer, preferably at least a week. We like exploring places slowly, being able to come back to a spot if we want to. We love stopping, observing, sitting down and chatting with people passing by. Many times we have lots of places we want to see in a day and we decide to stay at the first stop just because it’s magical and has a great vibe. We love the feeling that we have time to do so. Seeing less is often more for us.

Some spots change completely with light, seasons, and atmosphere. Canals in Amsterdam are not the same place at dawn as they are in the middle of a hectic day. Japan during cherry blossom is a completely different experience than during the winter months. Why rush if we don’t have to?

We emerge in a culture

We read, ask and observe as much as possible. That’s my favorite part of the journey. It’s a continuous, never-ending learning process. That’s partially why we prefer to stay in countries with longer tourist visa's. To feel that although we came with so little knowledge, we broaden our horizons and scratch the surface of understanding at least a bit.

Disappointment is part of the journey

Online research creates expectations and those are a perfect recipe for disappointments. We have seen so many places that didn’t impress us at all and they stood high on our bucket list. It’s part of the journey. If we didn’t see those we would probably still think they were amazing and regret not going. At least we know. It’s important to understand everyone is different and for someone Machu Picchu can be a life-changing experience. We know that Peru has so much more to offer and many of the Incan ruins are a true Indiana Jones treat so we didn’t feel impressed with overrated and crowded MP. We were still happy we saw it though.

We enjoy small things

We appreciate when the sun is shining but we are also happy when it rains. We enjoy the time we get to spend with people that inspire us and we try to let them know that. Every day we remind ourselves of just how lucky we are to get this opportunity from life and how important it is to be conscious about it.

We accept

Bus is going to be late? It will come tomorrow? Well than we have time to read a book, update the blog, talk to people around us. In long queues and never-ending waiting times I learned to crochet. Something I always wanted to be able to do but never took the time to learn.

Travel taught us adapting and making the best out of circumstances that occur. Why to drill and get mad at things you can’t change? It’s lost energy. It’s better to take a different approach and “row with the oars you have”as the Dutch say 🙂

How much does it cost to travel in Sri Lanka? Our budget and tips

Coming from Oman Sri Lanka was a breath of fresh air to our pockets. Almost everything was cheap and for those who want to lower their standards even further and get cozy with rats it can be even cheaper 🙂

On Sri Lanka we spend a total of 1311 euro over 29 days. So that makes almost 23 euros per day per person.

So let´s break it down:)

Where did we go?

Starting from Colombo we travelled along the coast stopping in charming villages and towns down to Mirissa. After seeing whales we started going more north to enjoy some tea in Ella, the famous train from Ella to Kandy and finally the cultural triangle. For the last few days of our stay on Sri Lanka we chilled out on the coast close by Colombo.

How did we travel?

We wish we could say "safe" but honestly the buses in Sri Lanka were really scary especially along the south coast. Whenever we could we tried to take a train rather than the bus. But on the positive side the transportation of all kind was really cheap and offered really breathtaking views over tea plantations, rice fields, lakes, seaside and whatever you could imagine. Many times we saw elephants from buses and not only passing the temples.

For the famous train passing through tea plantation we paid 800 LKR (around 5 euro)... for both of us. And that was a 7 hour train so probably the most expensive that you can get. It was 3^rd class but it was comfortable and we were sitting without a problem.

Buses are a bit more expensive, probably because you pay for the adrenaline shot that you get in there… So a short ride from Kandy to Dambulla costed us 200 LKR (1.2 euro) for us both.

Tuk tuks are obviously the most expensive option except for a private car with a driver of course. They require quite a bit of bargaining skills and patience. Within a city or just outside for a short ride we would pay maybe around 120 LKR (around 75 cents).

In Colombo and surrounding areas along the coast we used UBER which turned out to be cheaper than local tuk tuks. For that price we were expecting a Flintstone-like vehicle but to our surprise we were always picked up by a car.

Overall on transportation we spend a total of 77 euros.

Where did we stay?

Accommodation was the biggest part of our spending and cost us 557 euro. That said we slept in really few shabby places and we treated ourselves with nicer places to sleep twice. We even rented an apartment which was ridiculously cheap.

Only 4 nights we spent in dormitories not even because we were open to spend extra on private rooms but actually because private rooms were often cheaper than two beds in dorms. For 3000 LKR (around 19 euro) we already had a nice double room with a private bathroom in most cases. For just additional 1000 LKR we stayed in a charming, little cottage with a private terrace overlooking a green, lushy tea region. Rowinrich Cottages was definitely our favorite accommodation where we stayed just for 5 nights. We wanted to stay there forever 😀

Another treat was an Airbnb apartment in Mount Lavinia for 30 USD. It was worth every dollar of that price. We had our own kitchen where JD could cook his amazing curries, great, spacious living room, aircon in the bedroom and a stunning, huge terrace with plenty of trees and plants of many kinds.

What did we eat?

On food and eating out we spent a combined 514 euros. The prices of restaurants on Sri Lanka were surprisingly high. In some places especially along the coast we couldn’t find anything that wouldn’t cost us a day in a bathroom, for under 10 euros per plate. Thankfully in many spots we had a kitchen so we just cooked ourselves buying a lot of vegetables, seafood and occasionally meat. Whenever we cooked we were definitely not saving on ingredients of any kind and still it was mostly cheaper than eating out. The only delicious and really economic restaurant was Matey’s hut in Ella where we ate every day. Everything there was prepared fresh with love and passion. Prices were very low and we were leaving happy, full and ready for any adventure for 1000-1500 LKR for both of us (6-9 euros).

Along the coast we went to a few hip restaurants and bars and generally for both of us we would pay around 2500-3000 LKR (16-19 euros).

How expensive are museums, tours etc?

On tourism we spend 147 euros. In general entrances to museums, temples and sights were cheap or free BUT in the cultural triangle the prices are just insane. For seeing Sigiriya Rock we paid 9000 LKR (56 euros) for both of us which is just a ridiculous price considering that you’re only visiting ruins on top and bottom of a rock which don't resemble more than few walls…. Honestly we were not even impressed. Well maybe we were stunned by the crowds but that’s it. It would have been a nice trip for 10 dollars but it’s not worth the whole price we paid.

Polonnaruwa ruins which also belong to the cultural triangle cost us 7500 LKR (for both, 47 euros) so also overpriced in our opinion. But those were at least pretty extensive and included many ruins and temples. It was also not that crowded in the morning.

Whale watching tour was surprisingly cheap and we paid just 4000 LKR for the two of us. We were sharing a boat with probably around 30 Chinese people which at times was challenging. All of them were running around from one side of the boat to the other trying to get the best shot of the whales. The boat was swinging like crazy but no one seemed to care except for us.

Many other sights were pretty cheap and our favorite was a temple carved in a rock in Dambulla (free of charge).

Where did the rest of our money go?

Most of our 16 additional euros we spend on mobile internet. For 649 LKR (around 4 euros) we bought a simcard from Dialog together with 4GB data during the day and 5GB data throughout the night time. We put some additional money on the phone to be able to call and text and honestly it was a great investment. The mobile internet was just great and came in very handy in so many situations especially that in some places where we stayed the internet was not really that good or sometimes even non-existent.

Our tips to save money on Sri Lanka

Bargain, bargain, bargain!! On Sri Lanka prices are very negotiable. So before you rent a tuk tuk, a room or anything try to set the best price possible.
Take UBER. In Colombo and nearby towns you can get better prices by just requesting an uber than you would get bargaining with a tuk tuk driver. And you will be picked up by a normal car:)
Know the way! If you’re taking a tuk tuk make sure that the driver realizes that you know the way. We found that if you actually show on the map point A and B and tell them the amount of kilometers, you get a better, more honest price.
Train! Trains are generally cheaper and safer than buses so whenever you can try to use them.
Volunteer! Although we didn’t try it we met quite a few people volunteering via Workaway. It’s mostly volunteering in hostels and guesthouses but if you’re on a tight budget you can save on accommodation and food.
Check out double rooms! In many cases we paid less for a double room than we would for two beds in a dorm.
Check out the seasons! Sri Lanka has two monsoon season so it’s advisable to check them out before you go. We really wanted to see the whales so we went there in January which is also the peak of the high season. I’m sure that later on it would have been much cheaper.
Share! Costs or taxis and tours are often calculated per car so if you’re with more people it’s way cheaper.

P.S. Exchange rate used for the overall budget 1 EURO = 159 LKR

How we went to the Moon- our trip to the Kalouts desert

Kalout desert was our favorite sight in whole Iran. We are always more than happy to skip the crowds and in the Kalouts it’s not even a challenge. There we could feel like tiny ants in the big world, surrounded by all this giant rocks shaped by erosion.

How did we get there?

We didn’t really dare to rent a car in Iran but that would definitely be an option. Instead we organized a tour going from Kerman which is the most popular way of going to the desert. The guides have pretty varied prices and some of them are pretty open to negotiation so it’s worth giving them a call to find out the details. I preferred to call them also to check out their English … quite many of them couldn’t respond my basic questions so it was clear they wouldn’t be able to respond more complicated ones out there in the desert. In final end we went with Ali from Visit Kalouts.

How much did it cost?

We paid 150 euros for us both which wasn’t the cheapest but pretty close to it. We were really satisfied with our guide Ali, his English was good, he was friendly, patient and happy to explain everything. We chose him because we felt his company had the best idea of what there is to see around the desert and the most organized plan. Others seemed just to want to drive through without much plan.

What it included?

Practically everything, transportation, food, accommodation in a rather basic house (2 days, 1 night), flexible schedule. If we wanted to stay somewhere longer, sleep longer or wake up in the middle of the night, it was all possible.

What did we see?

Except for the amazing giant stones shaped through erosion we saw how the people in the desert lived. How they dealt with water, their water system and reservoir and even a salty river. Yep plenty of water in the desert.

How about Kerman?

Initially we didn’t plan to visit Kerman, we just wanted to skip it and use it just as a stop to get to the Kalouts but after our tour we still had a bit of time before the night bus and Ali and Shiva (Ali’s colleague) proposed to give us a little tour. So we walked around the main square, the bazaar and local library. We realized that the place had much more to offer than we initially anticipated. It was quite pretty and had one hidden gem. A tea house opened in an old bath house in one of the corners of a bazaar labyrinth. Sitting there surrounded by all the beautiful tiles, Iranian carpets and even a fountain we were just wondering how come all of the people love the heating so high. We were literally melting away. I guess it was another way to imitate the weather like if it was summer.

At some point we got hungry and wanted to order food but it turned out to be impossible because they only served lunch and it was already after the time. But impossible in Iran can be solved … with money I guess. So we met a nice Iranian man that lived all his life in Holland and described himself as an almost royalty in the region. His new friends couldn’t walk around hungry so he disappeared for a few minutes and came back inviting us to the restaurant part of the place. We got served whatever we wanted and the food was delicious. We were a bit hesitant when we were walking up to the counter, we thought we might end up paying for reopening the restaurant but the meal was actually really cheap. Power of money and connections in Iran…

Not such a paradise… on Qeshm Island

Persian Gulf, island, sea and sun should be a recipe for a perfect place. It sounds just about as exotic as it gets… right?

On the main land we already heard stories about the islands in the Persian Gulf. Kish was supposed to be an Iranian Ibiza where people are loose, guys can even show some legs in shorts and life goes on between resorts and beaches. We didn’t get the chance to see that but prices of hotels indicated that it had to be spectacular.

On the other hand Qeshm was supposed to be in between the main land and loosy Kish. We were really excited to see how that would be and so we found the nr 1 homestay on the island and packed our bags.

Assad started his homestay (Assad’s homestay) from couch surfing, just like many Iranians he was interested in foreigners, wanted to meet them and show them around. Now it’s a rather booming business. In high season he is booked the whole time. From one maybe two rooms he went to four and more are in the planning. It’s a very basic accommodation but a good opportunity to meet other people and pair up with them to see the island as you absolutely need a car. We just felt that the charm of the little homestay was disappearing with it being more and more popular and more and more business- like. Assad was not really interested in meeting people as such anymore. At this point he wanted to earn and he wasn’t hiding it at all which made us uncomfortable at times.

We also realized that 13 euro per person (full board) it’s actually expensive taking under consideration that food is very simple and basic, location is in the middle of nowhere and a hotel in the main town with great internet (the best in Iran actually) was just 20 euro. When we looked at the map we actually thought we would be staying close to a beach where we could stroll in the evening and maybe enjoy a sunrise once or twice. It was filled with garbage like just about the whole island. Really a sad sight…

That said we met an incredible Iranian-Canadian chef who made our stay there just unforgettable. Not only did he bring great food to the house but also a fun atmosphere and some smuggled beer (Sssshhh). 8% warm beer from the Philippines, drunken secretly could have never tasted better.

The sights

Qeshm is not a beach destination. As a woman I would have to swim in all my clothes anyway so I didn’t mind that much. It also misses the impressive architecture of the main land. With the food we were also not particularly impressed. But there were two sights that made this trip all worthwhile…

The Star Valley

Locals believed that a huge star fell onto their Island and created 7 to 15 meters columns. Nowadays we all know that it was rather water and wind erosion. Walking in between the columns is just unbelievable but it’s the standing above part that we loved the most. Looking from above it looked like a massive plateau with holes everywhere. It reminded us of the Kaluts a bit but then more dense and packed together.

The Chahkooh canyon

The Chahkooh canyon was a number 1 sight on the Island and one of the Iranian highlights. It was not just one long canyon like we expected but an extensive labyrinth of passages going further and further on every turn. We could just walk around, explore, climb everywhere and looking up we always had a long, long narrow tunnel going up. JD thought it was a perfect location to shoot “127 hours” part 2 if they wanted to.

Other than that…

We really thought there was nothing else to see unfortunately. The main town didn’t have anything special except for beautifully dressed women, some even in traditional facial masks. Nearby Hengam island had a little bit less littered beaches and it was not crowded but that’s about as positive as I can be about it. The nearby Mangrove forest we admired from a motorboat in extensive gas fumes rather than fresh air. We didn’t see any animals. No wonder, the water was dirty, oily and plastic was also not foreign to the place anymore.

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NAOSHIMA- THE POWER OF ART

NAGORO- THE WEIRDEST VILLAGE OF JAPAN

HOW TO TRAVEL LONG TERM WITHOUT GOING CRAZY?