Colleen Pizarev is the Vice President of International Distribution for PR Newswire. She has the ability to put a humorous twist on situations that most would find harrowing! Here is what Colleen has to share about her current trip to Tokyo and Seoul….
I’ve had requests from some of my colleagues to blog about what I do in my free time on my trips abroad. OK - I’m listening! My only free day was in Tokyo this trip, so here’s the blog about my day. I hope you enjoy a laugh at my expense.
After a successful day of meetings with our Japanese partner, on Friday, I was looking forward to spending my free Saturday visiting some of the sights of Tokyo. Since the weather took a brief turn for the better, I decided to visit the National Museum complex, and then stop in at the Sensoji Temple. To get there without spending a fortune on taxi rides, one must navigate the Tokyo Metro system. Hey - I’ve taken subways throughout the world - how tough could this be??
I proceeded to immediately get lost in the underground passageway maze trying to find the Ginza line. Serves me right for thinking I could find my way on my own. After consulting many ‘You are here’s’ (at least I think that’s what they were - it was all in Japanese) I found myself in the wrong subway line entrance. Of course, it was as far away from the correct one as possible. After another 15 minutes wandering around, I found the correct line, bought my ticket, and then proceded to decend the steps to the line going in the opposite direction from what I wanted.
I eventually got on the correct subway train to the relief of all the other passengers who had to detour around me. I got a lot of amused looks as I was wandering around, completely lost. I think all the other tourists I saw earlier were still trying to find their way in the underground maze, because I was the only non-Japanese in any of the subway cars or passageways I encountered on my journey. For all I know, they may still be there.
Finally made it to the National Museum. After I figured out how to get through the skyway to the entrance, I was immediately enchanted - the cherry trees in the park in the museum complex were still in bloom and it was an incredible sight. I was soon snapping pictures just like a native, and enjoying every minute. In the museum itself, I saw an incredible collection of Japanese art and artifacts. It was a bit humbling to see intricate carvings and bronzes that were created when my ancestors were either worshipping trees or painting their faces blue.
After walking a few miles in the museum’s three main buildings and gawking at the exhibits, I headed out to the serenity garden, complete with hermitages and a lovely pond. I had an enjoyable hour snapping pictures, shooting video, and being showered by falling cherry blossoms. At one point it looked like snow. Breathtaking!
Now off to the Temple. Another confusing subway ride later, I arrived at the correct station. I followed my map and came to a crowded outdoor street market. All the little shops and stalls had colorful paper lanterns and artificial branches of cherry blossoms hanging from the doorframes. There are foodstalls, souvenirs, kimono/obi shops, sweetshops, and lots and lots of people milling about. I tried to get to the temple, but couldn’t push through the crowds. It was like swimming upstream in a river full of fish all going the other way. I then decided to tag along behind a determined elderly couple and let them run interference for me. They shouldered people aside like NFL runningbacks - it was amazing. I’m just glad I was behind them and not in their way. A few German tourists had the same idea, and we formed a kind of tail to this redoubtable couple. Eventually we all made it up to the temple complex and the resulting sights were worth it.
It’s a beautiful place. This is Tokyo’s oldest temple site, with history dating back to 628. No, I didn’t forget to put a ‘1’ in front. It’s dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy and happiness. The original temple was destroyed in 1945 in a bombing raid, and the present structures were built in 1950 in the traditional Japanese style. Wandering through the complex and the beautiful attached garden complete with bridges, statues and koi pools rounded off the day nicely.
It was getting late, and threatening rain, so I decided to head for the hotel. I was really getting the hang of the subway system, and made it back to my target station without mishap. An astonishing thing, at that point. I was starting to get a bit cheeky with success. Ok - when that happens, life decides to slap you in the face. I then had all the fun of getting lost once again in the underground passageway system for over 30 minutes. Just when I was about to give up and find a cab, I finally found the escalator to the hotel entrance. About time - my feet were sending distress calls!
The next day, I headed out of Tokyo on my way to Seoul. I had a taxi take me to Tokyo Station, rather than try to do the underground passageway again. I figured that since I made it into Tokyo on the Narita Express, I should make it back again without too much trouble. Right. Anyone see those pigs flying by? No, I didn’t think so.
I arrived in Tokyo Station, and after about 15 minutes of wandering around looking at the signs, I found the correct ticket office for the Narita Express. Do you know that there are 4 different ticket stations with the airplane sign in front, but only one actually sells tickets to the airport train? Neither did I.
I arrived at 11:00am. The ticket guy tried to put me on the 11:03am train. Yeah, I don’t know much about Tokyo trains, but I do know that I can’t go 4 floors down and heavens knows how many miles horizontally in 3 minutes to catch the train. Next challenge - find out which train to take next - local train, or wait for another hour for the next express train?
That gnarly decision made, I now had 1 hour to wait for the next express train - 3 levels down. The guy at the ticket counter seemed upset I didn’t take the bait and miss my train. Good thing I have time before my flight - I needed it to find my sense of humor - it seemed to be still lost in the second level of the train station. I find the right track (on the first attempt, no less - I really am getting good!) and sit to wait it out - with a good trashy novel.
The first person to sit next to me had some kind of cold, flu or whatever malaise is striking Japan at this time. For the past 2 days, I’ve seen many people travelling about with disposable hospital masks over their faces. They were even more prevalent in the waiting area. I was wondering what they knew that I didn’t. Oh well, if I come down with some kind of disease, at least I’ll know where I got it.
I finally made it on the correct train - first time through… a new record - and we chug on toward the airport. Fortunately, the flight is on time, and I make it through to Korea without any further mishap - if you don’t count the extremely sick young girl sitting next to me. I was the only westerner in coach, and the JAL fight attendants seemed most distressed that I hadn’t been upgraded. Each of them came up to apologise to me during the flight. Why - were there more germs in economy than first class? Now I’m getting nervous!
We finally landed in Korea - after only being stacked up for about 45 minutes. This is the best on-time record I’ve had this trip. Things are looking up. Then the other shoe drops. The BusLimosine people put me and 6 other people on the wrong bus for Seoul from the new airport at Incheon. The bus had to turn around and take us back to the airport. By the time I arrived at my hotel, I was an hour late for my dinner meeting.
I’m staying off further public transportation in Korea. With my luck, I’ll end up north of the DMZ. If I’m never seen again, please notify the embassy that I probably got on the wrong train and am in North Korea somewhere. Hmm. I wonder if there is any business I can do there?
