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My trip to Japan.

Six April days which did not shake the world

Gorinsky
2004-05-17 21:47:34

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Boeing 747 was almost empty. Soon after taking off from Newark and eating delicious dinner, I extended myself to the two adjacent seats and fell asleep. I opened the eyes in several hours. It was right in the middle of the dark window: a huge white spot with a magnificent triangular tail. A comet passing this corner of the Universe and dragging away human lives without knowing that.

A two-hour stop in Alaska. One picturesque bunch of Korean Air stewardesses was replaced by another. 8 more hours of flying to Seoul. Russian pilots did not test their missiles that morning and our plane safely made it to Korea. More waiting and flying. Finally, I arrived to Kansai International Airport recently built on an artificial island in Osaka Bay. The fact that the island is artificial does not make it look more impressive. At the same time, the airport itself is beautiful and (unlike the most other places in Japan) spacious.

A high-speed ferry was quick and smooth. In thirty minutes I crossed the bay to find myself on Port Island. My Kobe Portopia Hotel looked like a gigantic lighter erected towards the skies.

The country is very clean and neat. And surprisingly peaceful. I did not see expected rushing and fussing. Life provided mostly pictures of serenity: brightly dressed policemen friendly chatting with pedestrians; girls strolling along very narrow streets; girls riding very small mopeds; girls... Something must have been wrong with my age (and sex?) perception - I felt as if eighty percent of people on streets were women between age 10 and 25.

About Japanese women - I found them quite attractive: slim, well-dressed, and polite. There was an impression that they were not sure in their beauty and even had some complex on this point. Anyhow admiration of the West was obvious; billboards were filled with European models. Retailers proudly posted big letters "MADE IN ITALY" in their shop ...