DAISUKI - Super Like!
Vacation is officially over once I land at Narita International Airport. Good bye to the daily morning fabulous buffet breakfast at the hotel. So long to the big king sized bed with six fluffy pillows to play. Sayonara to relaxing massages and fascinating facials everyday. No more eating and drinking at fancy restaurants and bars. Yes, I confess. Japan is too expensive for this kind of lifestyle.
Masarap magbakasyon. Pero masarap din bumalik sa Japan after a long vacation. Kapag naubusan ka ng datung at sinimulan mo ng gumamit ng credit card, meron ng ibig sabihin iyon. Kapag nakita mong umiitim na ang balat mo at kumakapal na ang foundation sa mukha mo kahit hindi ka nagpahid, meron na rin ibig sabihin iyon. Kapag naiinis ka na sa traffic, nabibingi sa ingay at nahihilo sa mga sari-saring amoy, isa lang ang sagot doon. Kaeritai ka na sa Japan! You miss the cleanliness, beauty and orderliness of surroundings in Japan. You miss the polite, apologetic and courteous people of Japan, also.
To enjoy and discover the hidden wonders of Tokyo when arriving at Narita International Airport, I always take the airport limousine bus to central Tokyo. There are so many good views to see. I sleep through the first half of the travel. Once the bus gets into the central Tokyo area near Odaiba, I begin my touristy adventure and marvel at how different Tokyo is compared to the other cities I just came from. Tokyo is different. Buildings are modern and clean. Roads are well paved and painted. Trees are trimmed and groomed. Cars speed on a regular paced flow. No honking of horns. No smoke billowing from the car’s exhaust pipes. All is well. All is peaceful. This is Tokyo and I feel glad to be back home.
Whether you land in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya or any major cities in Japan, the feeling is always the same. You are always glad to be back in Japan…alone but not lonely, employed but not rich, well fed but not fat. We are just happy to be here.
The Philippines is still waiting for the big news this coming June from the Japanese government whether to waive tourist visas to Filipinos or not. The Japanese government is still studying it carefully and they should! So don’t tell your friends to book a ticket to Japan yet. Not so fast.
Pero kay rami ko ng nakikitang mga Pinoy tourists here in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka since April. They usually come in groups of families. Last April, I had to play tourist guide to some friends also. Basta huwag lang Disneyland. Please lang, nasusuka na ako kay Mickey Mouse. Sabi ko kay Bong, “Baka magdala lang ako ng Dora rat killer sa Disneyland.”
Saan ba ang mga magagandang lugar para dalhin natin sila? Nandyan ang Mt. Fuji. Huwag na lang kayong umakyat. Mt. Fuji is best viewed from a distance. Pati na rin ang Tokyo Tower at Tokyo Skytree. Magbabayad pa kayo kapag umakyat kayo sa itaas. Dyan na lang kayo mag-selfie sa ibaba. Libre pa! Maraming mga templo sa Kyoto at sa lahat ng lugar sa Japan. Huwag kalimutan pumunta sa mga castles, parks, lakes and mountains. Super beautiful ang nature sa Japan lalung-lalo na during spring and autumn. At siempre, kung winter, punta kayo sa north especially in Hokkaido. Huwag pilitin ang sariling mag-ski or snow boarding at baka mapipilayan lang kayo tulad ng friend kong si Arnold. Akala niya, ganoon kadali. Buti pa, magkodakan na lang kayo sa snow! O kaya, build a snowman para mas bongga! Summer in Japan is not fun. Kasi, feeling ko, mas mainit pa rito kaysa sa Pinas. Hindi sila mag-eenjoy dito during summer. Baka hindi na sila lumabas ng hotel room na naka full-blast ang air-conditioning. And then, pag-uwi nila sa Pinas, they will tell their friends why they got sick, “Kasi ang lamig nga sa Japan!” not mentioning to their friends that they are referring to the freezing temperature of the hotel room.
Totoo, masaya ako na marami sa ating mga Pilipino ay madaling makakuha ng tourist visa dito. Pero totoo rin ang sabi ni John, “Biruin mo, kapag tayo ang umuwi sa Pinas, linilibre natin sila. Pagpunta naman nila dito, tayo pa rin ang maglilibre sa kanila.” Mukhang hindi yata pantay ang laban. Win-win pa rin sila.
Kaya sa susunod na magsabi ang mga friends ninyo sa Pinas that they want to meet you in Japan, ask them when and tell them you are out of the country! Parang mga ninong at ninang na nagtatago tuwing pasko.
Ano pa, Inday, at nagbagsakan na ng airplane ticket fare ang mga airlines! Kung dati rati ay pitong lapad na ang pinakamura, ngayon, sa dalawang lapad, makakauwi ka na. Pumasok na rin ang Cebu Pacific Airlines sa Osaka, Nagoya at Tokyo na kung su-swertihin ka sa mga promo nila, sa presyo ng isang piso, makakalipad ka na! Ako noon, nakauwi ako sa Pinas via Cebu Pacific at 99 yen only! Punta lang kayo sa online website nila. Mas mura pa kesa sa 100 yen shop! Mura nga yung ticket, pero ang gastos ko naman sa Pinas, lapad-lapad! Feeling poor ako pagbalik ko sa Japan. O, gusto mo pa rin umuwi, Inday?
Now that vacation is over, I am back to my simple toasted bread, small salad and coffee for breakfast. Sleeping and waking up on my Japanese futon. Life is, indeed, simple in Japan. Nothing grandiose and nothing fabulous. No maids. No cars. No traffic. No pollution. Yes, I am loving my life here. Japan, DAISUKI!
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