Awaiting boarding
The ferry is at 6pm and the lady in the ferry office told me to turn up at the terminal for 5pm, so with an afternoon at my disposal and the weather finally turning bright I've being going around some of the sights again and taking in the views that have finally emerged from the sea murk. I've just taken a cable car to a viewing spot up the hill. Great views across the bay and to the extensive dockyards and islands beyond, the tops of which are still shrouded partially in cloud, but otherwise the sun was shining brightly, and Vladivostok was looking an entirely more attractive city than it was yesterday. It's still littered with god-awful highrises, but in the setting of hills and water it nevertheless generates some appeal!
It'll be interesting to see how the body language works in Japan. In Russia it took some getting used to, as it's quite normal for people to eye each other up. At home this would either mean "I like the look of you" if it was a girl or "I don't like your face and want to deprive you of your valuables" if it was a bloke. However in Russia it's normal, and while in the beginning I was feeling greatly complimented and simultaneously in fear for my life, now I know that's just how the Russians work. For instance up at the viewing point I was walking around with my camera taking photos. I've now come to the conclusion that although a lot of Russians may look as if they're from some dodgy council estate they're actually not going to do you any wrong. In any case as I was walking around this guy leaning over the viewing point was watching me as I walked past. It was for a duration whereby in the UK I would have been quite within my rights to approach the fellow and enquire if he was somehow afflicted or otherwise if he had an issue that could be resolved through the repeated application of my fists against his person. However it's Russia, it's full of Russians, and the guy actually got on with taking photos with his family there. It's just how it works.
Now in Japan I suspect it'll be entirely different again. I've heard that when you walk into a shop there it's customary that the entire staff welcome you, and they continue to do so as you progress around the shop. I'm sure the first time it'll probably startle the hell out of me I'll be momentarily dumbstruck, but at the same time it'll make sure a refreshing change from Russia where the whole system of commerce is entirely devoid of pleasantries, unless it's some business contact whereby you give them a hearty mafia style handshake. I'm expecting Japan to be more refined than Russia in certain ways, although I've also read that it's normal for men to gob and pee on the streets and that it's quite a patriarchial society. I can live with that, even though it's not ideal in my mind, so long as it's another instance of an excessive testerone fuelled culture as is the case here with fast erratic driving, endemic drinking on the streets with broken bottles and glass everywhere to match. I've also found that I get funny looks as a guy in Russia if I use an umbrella or raincoat and if I drink anything aside from beer. That's how it is, and to be honest it's an aspect of Russia I'd be glad to see the back on.
Perhaps the Japanese will be similarly alcoholic, who knows! But you do get the impression that they seem to keep things a bit cleaner and have a way of enjoying themselves that we can perhaps better relate to from our culture. Ok, spending a night listening to kareoke might not be my ideal image of an evening, but if there's good company and jovial atmosphere, why the heck not!
I'd better head off as I'm going to get some lunch before checking in to the ferry. It'll be interesting to see who uses the ferry. My guide around Vladivostok yesterday said that on average the people in Vladivostok earn around 500 US Dollars a month, so I can't see many of them will be forking out the 300 dollars fare. I've read it's largely businessmen who go to Japan to take a ferry full of second-hand Japanese cars back with. Certainly every car in Vladivostok is Japanese or perhaps Korean. Not a Lada in sight. Even the police here drive Japanese cars which puts them on a better footing than the Moscow police!
For those who have been texting - I've been told foreign mobiles don't work in Japan so it might be e-mail and Skype from here on in. I'll let you know in any case. Farewell from the edge of the world!
It'll be interesting to see how the body language works in Japan. In Russia it took some getting used to, as it's quite normal for people to eye each other up. At home this would either mean "I like the look of you" if it was a girl or "I don't like your face and want to deprive you of your valuables" if it was a bloke. However in Russia it's normal, and while in the beginning I was feeling greatly complimented and simultaneously in fear for my life, now I know that's just how the Russians work. For instance up at the viewing point I was walking around with my camera taking photos. I've now come to the conclusion that although a lot of Russians may look as if they're from some dodgy council estate they're actually not going to do you any wrong. In any case as I was walking around this guy leaning over the viewing point was watching me as I walked past. It was for a duration whereby in the UK I would have been quite within my rights to approach the fellow and enquire if he was somehow afflicted or otherwise if he had an issue that could be resolved through the repeated application of my fists against his person. However it's Russia, it's full of Russians, and the guy actually got on with taking photos with his family there. It's just how it works.
Now in Japan I suspect it'll be entirely different again. I've heard that when you walk into a shop there it's customary that the entire staff welcome you, and they continue to do so as you progress around the shop. I'm sure the first time it'll probably startle the hell out of me I'll be momentarily dumbstruck, but at the same time it'll make sure a refreshing change from Russia where the whole system of commerce is entirely devoid of pleasantries, unless it's some business contact whereby you give them a hearty mafia style handshake. I'm expecting Japan to be more refined than Russia in certain ways, although I've also read that it's normal for men to gob and pee on the streets and that it's quite a patriarchial society. I can live with that, even though it's not ideal in my mind, so long as it's another instance of an excessive testerone fuelled culture as is the case here with fast erratic driving, endemic drinking on the streets with broken bottles and glass everywhere to match. I've also found that I get funny looks as a guy in Russia if I use an umbrella or raincoat and if I drink anything aside from beer. That's how it is, and to be honest it's an aspect of Russia I'd be glad to see the back on.
Perhaps the Japanese will be similarly alcoholic, who knows! But you do get the impression that they seem to keep things a bit cleaner and have a way of enjoying themselves that we can perhaps better relate to from our culture. Ok, spending a night listening to kareoke might not be my ideal image of an evening, but if there's good company and jovial atmosphere, why the heck not!
I'd better head off as I'm going to get some lunch before checking in to the ferry. It'll be interesting to see who uses the ferry. My guide around Vladivostok yesterday said that on average the people in Vladivostok earn around 500 US Dollars a month, so I can't see many of them will be forking out the 300 dollars fare. I've read it's largely businessmen who go to Japan to take a ferry full of second-hand Japanese cars back with. Certainly every car in Vladivostok is Japanese or perhaps Korean. Not a Lada in sight. Even the police here drive Japanese cars which puts them on a better footing than the Moscow police!
For those who have been texting - I've been told foreign mobiles don't work in Japan so it might be e-mail and Skype from here on in. I'll let you know in any case. Farewell from the edge of the world!
posted by Daniel at 3:59 am
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