Japan in September

Japan in September was a sweltering mess. It has been more than two decades since I have been so hot. I sweated buckets and the heat with all that humidity was almost relentless. People are gritty and very hard working with an all encompassing fascination with technology. I spent a lot of time traveling with almost a new city every day. Trains are amazing in terms of punctuality, orderliness and attention to detail. I finally got to travel on the Shinkansen, which considering the time it was first introduced still continues to fascinate. Despite all the naysayers here, I still think we need to have such superfast connections here in the country. Especially considering the mess we have at the airports in the eastern corridor. Ever tried to take of on time during peak periods from Philly, New York, Newark or Boston you would know what traffic jam is all about. Put weather in top of that and it is really painful. Japan is well connected with such trains and mostly use planes for longer distances.

I was very impressed with Kyoto, its older quarters and the beauty of the country side. Went to Kofu the wine country and even had a great dinner sponsored by Daihatsu in a vineyard, sampling some of the local vintage. Food everywhere was great. I would recommend Japan except not when it is hot.

August in Toronto

August in the northern climes is always pleasant, especially up north in Canada. This year we spent a wonderful week in Toronto with Anil and family. The cosmopolitan hub which Toronto represents comes to its liveliest corsendo during this peak summer month with everyone trying to take in every bit of the summer breath as possible before the long winter drag begins. This is amply demonstrated in the summer festival downtown with all kinds of local food, music, jugglers et. al. I like Canada, a more serene, less stressful neighbor with vast skies and land to boot. Next time I will explore the local street food in Toronto and take in some of the local music scene.