Tokyo and Melting Bears

 02 April 2025

Continuing our day in Tokyo, my friends and I explored around the Shibuya area. The cherry trees (sakura) were almost in full bloom on this rainy day.

This is not THE Shibuya crossing but it is a busy one and there is this funky building with a garden up top where you can get a great view from above. 

Inside the upper floors was a food court, with various stalls and some seating outside (which was all wet). We also were lucky to stumble on this absolutely wonderful art cooperative for people with disabilities.

The current collaborative project, which we were invited to participate in for free, was making a heart from colored masking tape over a template, then peeling it off and sticking it onto the window. 

They had a variety of merchandise for sale made by the disabled artists. I bought a canvas bag with the words "it's a dog" because the artist drew a dog but it looked like a cat. 

PHOTO PLACEHOLDER

We also found them out on the street in another location, promoting World Autism Day. ♥

More street art in an underpass, showing some famous Japanese animated characters.

Rainy day in Shibuya. We popped into the liquor store because one of my friends is a whiskey aficionado. 

This plum wine has gold flakes in it. Google Translate seems to think otherwise...

And now for some dinnertime fun! This hot pot restaurant is called Kumachan Onsen (Little Bear Spa). You will soon see why.

The table has a hot plate built in where you place your hot pot. 

Each person chooses the color of their bear, which is made of gelatin and is flavorless, and what they want to add (meat, vegetables, tofu, soup flavoring). The noodles, salad, and pickles are included. I chose a tonkotsu flavor base which is in the small dish at the top of the picture. 

Once you turn on your hot plate, the bear begins to melt, tipping over and turning into a kind of adorable yet tragic figure as it melts into its "bath". 

Once there is enough liquid, you can add the flavoring and ingredients into the hot broth. There is a "sauce bar" where you can create your own dipping sauce. You eat it by picking things out of the hot pot and dipping them in your sauce to cool them enough to eat. 

Even the toilet was cute. (The control panel on the wall is for all the functions of the famed Japanese toilet.)

Mega Donki anyone? (It's a famous dollar store in Japan called Don Quixote, with the amusing nickname of "donki".)

The lights are beginning to come on and Shibuya is coming to life for the evening. I was tired and headed back to my capsule hotel for the night. 

Now THIS is the famous "Shibuya Scramble" crossing. The photo doesn't quite convey the feeling of how many people are crossing at once in different directions and trying to get across without colliding with someone is quite a challenge. 

And that's a wrap for the day. 

Murals in Vigo

16 July 2022

Today we walked all over Vigo hunting for mural artwork, something I have been meaning to do for a while. (We also visited Parque do Castro, but that is another post.)

This first one is near Plaza de America, but tucked away behind some buildings where you wouldn't see it just driving by. I recall seeing it when I first came here as I stayed in Airbnb's in this neighborhood.

This mural, with a ship motif, is next to a bar called A Cantina do Fonso (Fonso's Canteen in the Galician language), so we decided to start with drinks and tapas.

We had cider and wine, both regional specialties produced here in Galicia. Here in Galicia they usually bring some kind of tapa with each round of drinks you order. The tradition of tapas is said to have originated from bartenders putting a piece of bread, ham, or cheese to cover the drink and protect it from things falling in (medieval times were good times), hence the word tapa which means cover or lid. This one is empanada gallego, a kind of pie or tart baked in a large round or square and sliced.  

We ordered a cheese tray and a tray of pickled anchovies (not realizing it also came with cheese). I discovered that while I really like the dried salted anchovies, the pickled ones are not for me. The cheeses in Spain are always good, but the blue cheese was out of this world.

Walking up the stairs of that mural, we came to another set of murals. These two musicians were on garages on either side flanking the staircase going up in the following images.

The staircase had a fishing theme and there were murals on the sides as well, below are some details of those.

Couldn't resist taking a silly selfie here at the top of the stairs!

Looking back down, there is a mosaic of an anchor and a view of the ría or estuary in the background.

Wandering along the street, we passed by another one.

This photo I took because of the profusion of morning glories blooming over this abandoned building site.

Those of you who follow my blog know that I have a thing for doors...

Next we wanted to ride the funicular. You know the streets are steep when they have not only stairs, but elevators and funiculars to take pedestrians up to the next street. We were hailed by a pair of tourists sitting in the cafe who wanted to chat before we went up.

Across the street from the funicular was an elevator going back down to the street we started on.

Here is how the funicular looks from the bottom:

And from the top:

And the hill goes up further via this set of stairs. Each mural is so unique and different.

This is the wall of a school. I didn't get a picture of the brightly colored mural peeking in the background, but this literary themed mural features Don Quixote, a tiny image of a windmill, and stacks of books.

The gate and fence to the right of the mural were also interesting. The large gray stone blocks and wrought iron are elements I associate with the building style of Vigo's heyday.

Next we come to this beauty, which reminds me of Alice in Wonderland. It has so many details it might deserve its own blog post.

Perhaps some inspiration from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" as well. ♫ "Be our guest, be our guest..." ♪

And another I hadn't discovered before. 

This one is at a main roundabout, Plaza de España, and it wraps around three sides. This is a side street. The sleeping woman's skirt becomes the night sky and the mural is longer than seen here.

This is the side facing the roundabout.

And this side goes up the next side street fanning out from the roundabout.

 

Door!

This one we saw from a distance but is nevertheless magnificent.

I also have a thing for manhole covers which look different in every city.