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Friday, April 28, 2017

Travel Guides in Real Life


   Why do I expect foreign destinations to look like they do in the travel books?  I might just as well believe in unicorns.
   I spent three weeks in Japan and Korea (yes, as a dratted tourist).  We timed the trip to fall between  my ankle surgery recovery and a show that has to be hung next week.  I knew it would be Cherry Blossom time in Japan, but assumed I would be visiting other places, away from the blossoms.  Apparently a lot of people assumed the same thing.
   Wouldn't be lovely if Photoshop had a program to remove tourists?
   Kyoto was particularly bloated with Chinese tourists.  Many of the women took advantage of the kimono hourly-rental program.  Our guide, a Geisha expert,  dismissed their tourist kimonos, repeatedly muttering 'polyester.'  I wouldn't have thought I could tell the difference, but I became quite adept.  Generally, authentic kimono owners don't carry Hello Kitty purses.  Or sport selfie-sticks.  I will never understand the selfie phenomenon.  (Aren't there more interesting things to see than yourself?)
 Travel is supposed to broaden the mind, not make you crabby.   I wish I had seen what I went to see.

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