Dinner At Zen Steak & Sushi

Last evening, I headed into Gallup to Zen Steak & Sushi for dinner.

When I got there, I noticed that they changed their hours. It used to be that they would open at 4:00. Now they are open 11:00 to 9:00 (or 10:00). This was fine by me.

But the hours change didn't sit well with Mike, their longtime sushi chef. He decided to take "early retirement" and head back to Taiwan. So he left. It is too bad, as he was good at his work.

Last month, he told me that the restaurant and the King Dragon Chinese restaurant next door has new owners. So now, they're making changes to both.

Another change: Zen Steak & Sushi is no long serving steak. It appears that a name change is in order. Zen Steak and Sushi?

There will be additional changes, including adding Korean barbecue and other things.

While I was dining at the counter, a large (tall and muscular) Navajo man came in and sat a couple of seats away. I rarely see Navajos there, as they generally don't eat fish (a cultural thing, he said). We had a good chat with a waiter (who has been there 12 years). I quipped, "the restaurant would get more business from the reservation if they served mutton sushi, as they seem to eat a lot of mutton." He and the waiter had a good laugh over that. He enjoyed his platter of sushi. 

The restaurant had a full bar, but the sale of the business didn't include liquor sales (the new owners are applying for a liquor license). 

Since Zen Steak & Sushi is the only game in town, I hope the business does well under the new ownership. Just hope they don't screw things up.

Chinese Food This Evening

This evening has been the first time in a while that I had Chinese food.

Russell Azbill and I went in to Gallup this afternoon for some grocery shopping. Well, we didn't do any grocery shopping as the market was crowded and we couldn't find parking. We guessed that people were shopping for their Super Bowl parties tomorrow. 

We went to the King Dragon Chinese and partook with their buffet.

Above, the King Dragon's Buddha at the entrance. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

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Now I Can Get The Jeep's Brakes Fixed

Above, I can now finally get the Jeep towed into Gallup to get the brakes fixed. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today, I had to return a piece-of-junk garden hose to Home Depot that I bought yesterday.

The stupid, cheap thing kinked up every three feet of its 50-foot length. It got so bad today that I just gave up and returned it and got a better one.

I was planning to go to Gallup this afternoon, but I went earlier instead to take care of the hose matter. As I was craving Chinese food for some reason (something I never do), I decided to go to King Dragon Chinese Restaurant that is nearby Home Deport.

I went there after my business at Home Depot was completed. I had sweet & sour chicken. It was good!

Above, today's lunch. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The day did start out great, though.

I used up my four roadside assistance calls for this term with Auto Club when I locked my keys inside the Mustang a month or so ago. I was going to use that one for the Jeep to have it towed to the mechanic to get the brake leak problem fixed. 

I asked what my out-of-pocket cost would be if it were towed through them. They said $90 plus $7 to $10 per mile after three miles. That would make my cost around $300. No thanks.

Then, I went to the website for Hagerty Classic Insurance, the classic car insurer who insures the Jeep. I spotted a section listing, Roadside Assistance. I did not know if I had roadside assistance in my policy. So I called. 

The representative checked and said I have it with my Hagerty Club coverage. Hooray!

I then called my mechanic and set up an appointment for May 2. Finally, I can get the Jeep's brakes fixed.

Had I known that I had roadside assistance through Hagerty, I would have had the brakes fixed weeks ago.

Not a bad day.

Mountain View Cemetery Plaque Dedication

Above, the plaque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Led by Noble Grand Humbug Gary "Ma Bell" Wilson (who is also the chapter historian), a plaque was dedicated yesterday at the Mountain View Cemetery honoring Chinese migrants who helped conquer the wild west during the 19th Century.

Several of them are buried at Mountain View in unmarked graves.

Prior to the plaque dedication, there was a funeral service in progress about 150 yards away. Thankfully, the brothers were in their good behavior so no obscene yells (like "F*ck the Humbug!") were uttered during the funeral.

The layout and general configuration of the graves were nothing I've seen before.

More photos:

Above, Mountain View Cemetery. Where's Arch Stanton? Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the plaque before the unveiling. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Clampers beginning to assemble. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, more Clampers arrive. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, say cheese! Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, NGH Gary Wilson. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the unveiling. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

 

Above, after the unveiling. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Mountain View Cemetery graves. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, the unveiled plaque. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This Weekend's Clampout

Today will be mostly spent packing up for this weekend's clampout with the Lost Dutchman Chapter No. 5917 + 4 of E Clampus Vitus.

We'll be in Kingman, Arizona for the event which will include a plaque dedication at the Mountain View Cemetery. (That one's easy to remember as actor George Reeves is at Mountain View Cemetery in Altadena, California.)

The territory for the Lost Dutchman Chapter are the states of Arizona and New Mexico. As the temperatures are beginning to cool down at home, it will be nice to enjoy the 90-plus degree temperatures in Kingman.

The plaque's text:

MOUNTAIN VIEW CEMETERY

THIS MONUMENT ERECTED TO PERPETUATE THE

MEMORY OF THE CHINESE IMMIGRANTS THAT REST IN

THESE UNMARKED GRAVES

CHINESE IMMIGRATION BEGAN IN 1849 DURING THE CALIFORNIA GOLD

RUSH.THOUSANDS OF CHINESE, MOSTLY YOUNG MALE PEASANTS, LEFT

THEIR VILLAGES IN THE RURAL COUNTRIES TO BECOME LABORERS IN THE

AMERICAN WEST.THEY WERE RECRUITED TO EXTRACT METALS AND

MINERALS, CONSTRUCT A VAST RAILROAD NETWORK, RECLAIM

SWAMPLANDS, BUILD IRRIGATION SYSTEMS, WORK AS MIGRANT

AGRICULTURAL LABORERS, DEVELOPE THE FISHING INDUSTRY, AND OPERATE

HIGHLY-COMPETITIVE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES. THE CHINESE

POPULATION IN THE UNITED STATES WAS ABOUT 110,000 WHEN IT WAS

ENDED WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT OF 1882.

DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 29TH,2018 (CY 6023)

LOST DUTCHMAN CHAPTER 5917+4

ANCIENT & HONORABLE ORDER OF E CLAMPUS VITUS®

Man Shoots Up Former United Pacific/Reliance Building, Kills Self

Above, the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles. Photo by South China Morning Post.

Life is strange.

I just saw a story involving the Chinese Consulate office in Los Angeles. A man, a Chinese national, shot up the building before turning the gun on himself.

According to the South China Morning Post:

A man opened fire on the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles on Tuesday morning before turning the gun on himself and taking his own life, police said. 

The man, a Chinese national, fired “multiple rounds” at the consulate building in the Koreatown neighbourhood, said Officer Mike Lopez, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman. 

The man, whose name was not immediately released, then fatally shot himself in his car outside of the building, Lopez said. 

Investigators said no one else was injured in the shooting.

What interests me in the story is that the Chinese Consulate occupies the building on Shatto Place where I began my career as an insurance claims adjuster with United Pacific/Reliance Insurance Companies. We occupied the first and third floors and the American Arbitration Association occupied the second floor.

I stopped by there a few years ago and chatted with the officials at the front desk.

To read more, go here.

 

Japan: Don't Talk Loud, Fart or Soil Public Toilets

Above, a challenging meal. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

There are some behaviors by foreign nationals visiting Japan that they would like to curb.

The Daily Mail reported:

Welcome to Japan. Please do not burp, fart, or soil public toilets. 

These are just three unwanted habits a Japanese tourism board has highlighted in a brochure in a bid to stop holidaymakers behaving badly when visiting. 

Following a spate of perceived bad behaviour on the part of Chinese tourists, the Hokkaido Tourism Organization decided to print a guide on etiquette. It stresses that speaking loudly in public, farting, meals not being finished and queues being jumped are all frowned upon.

The article includes pages from the guide on proper etiquette while in Japan.

To read more, go here.

Why The Chinese Are Coming To Japan

Above, the golden pavilion of Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This really doesn't pertain to us, the American traveler to Japan, but I thought a new article in the Japan Times was an interesting read. It is about what motivates the Chinese to travel to Japan.

Japan's tourism industry has been booming of late, primarily due to the large numbers of Chinese tourists.

Why are they coming in such a massive way?

The article states:

NAGOYA – While Chinese tourists’ shopping sprees in Japan continue at such a pace that “explosive buying” has become the buzzword of the year, an academic survey has shown that Japanese landscapes, culture and art may be more alluring than the bright lights of famous shopping districts. 

The survey by Wang Yin, a Nagoya-based Chinese postgraduate student researching Chinese tourist behavior, found 29 percent of Chinese respondents cited “viewing countryside” as a reason for visiting Japan, followed by 26 percent who nominated “appreciation of traditional culture and arts.” 

This compared to 15 percent who cited “convenience in shopping” as the motivation for their visit.

I've encountered a few Chinese tourists and found them friendly and willing to talk about their visits. We saw quite a number of Chinese visitors while we were in Kyoto in October.

To read more, go here.

Japan May Reach 20 Million Tourist Goal Five Years Early

Above, the Dotonbori restaurant district of Osaka. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Japan Times reported that foreign tourism numbers in Japan for the month of October hit a new record, which was blogged previously.

Along with October's figures, it appears that Japan is on track to meeting its annual goal of 20 million foreign visitors, five years ahead of schedule. All this is due to the huge influx of Chinese tourists.

As we were in Japan in October, we did notice quite a number of Chinese tourists. I met a Chinese fertilizer salesman from Shanghai at the Narita International Airport. He said he travels to a number of foreign countries, including the U.S.

The Wall Street Journal reported:

TOKYO—Chinese tourists have pushed Japan within reach of its ambitious tourism target—five years ahead of schedule. 

Japan has attracted 16.3 million foreign tourists already this year, beating its previous full-year record of 13.4 million as the number of Chinese visitors has more than doubled, according to data released Wednesday by the Japan National Tourism Organization.

It will be interesting to see if Japan does indeed reach 20 million foreign visitors this year.

To read more, go here.

Government To Promote Japanese Toilets Overseas

Above, a hotel Japanese toilet. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Recently, there have been news reports on how Japanese toilets (and just toilet seats) have caught the fancy of Chinese and other foreign visitors to Japan. The Chinese, in particular, have been buying Japanese toilets to bring them to their homes in China.

Granted, Japanese toilets (no, not the traditional squat kind) are interesting to use.

Now, the Japanese government is promoting them for exporting to other nations.

According to the The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun):

The government is to begin promoting Japanese toilets overseas by supporting firms with obtaining an international standard and introducing an award system, it has been learned. 

Several ideas will be included in a growth strategy to be compiled this summer as clean toilets equipped with specific features will be a plus for tourism, sources said. 

Japanese toilets have received global attention with their warm-spray and bidet options, simulators that make flushing sounds and other functions. They have received recognition for their environmental aspects as they flush using a small amount of water.

To read more, go here.

The Average Tourist From Different Countries

Above, a Malibu Beach sunset with a Channel Island in the distance. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Generally, this blog's focus when it comes to travel is usually Japan and some places of interest in the United States (such as national parks).

Business Insider has posted some interesting trends about foreign tourists who come to the U.S. from nine different countries.

They begin with:

Australian tourists are relatively rich, Chinese tourists are relatively young, and Japanese tourists really like packaged tours. 

These are just some of the trends we observed in the latest data on visitors to the United States from the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries. Overall, 66.7 million visitors from around the world spent $165.6 billion in the U.S. in 2012. We focused on the nine countries with the most visitors, not counting Mexico due to inconsistent data.

Since this blog focuses mostly on Japan, I'll give you a little tease on what they wrote about Japanese tourists:

3.7 million people from Japan visited the U.S. in 2012, spending $16.5 billion. 72% of them visited for the main purpose of vacation.  

The average age of a Japanese male visitor was 44, while the average age for females was 36.

The nine countries are Japan, Brazil, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, South Korea, France, Australia and China.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-average-tourist-from-different-countries-2014-5#ixzz33BZ9KzZj

Chinese Wonder Why Japan Doesn't Hate America For The A-Bombs

Above, the A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

JapanToday posted an interesting article.  It is on the bewilderment of the Chinese who ask, "Why doesn't Japan hate America for dropping the a-bombs?

According to the article:

TOKYO —History has a way of creating awkward situations for future generations. I can’t think of how many times I’ve attempted friendly conversation by asking a Japanese local where they’re from and been blindsided by the answer, “Hiroshima.” I, with my American perspective, will then fall into this comically long pause as I wonder how appropriate it would be to apologize on behalf of my country for turning their city to dust, but the fact of the matter is that most Japanese people bear absolutely no grudge towards America for the atomic bombings of World War II. 

Apparently this is difficult for some Internet users in China to comprehend, as there was recently a thread on one of the country’s most popular bulletin board sites asking “Why doesn’t Japan hate the USA for bombing them with two atomic weapons?” 

Interestingly, when I visited the Hiroshima Peace Museum, the displays dealt with the a-bomb attack on the city as "matter-of-fact" without any anti-American propaganda (at least none that I could see).  Likewise, the similar museum in Nagasaki also dealt with the a-bomb attack in the same way.

Above, the Fountain of Peace in Nagasaki's Peace Park.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In my view, I think we are on good terms with Japan because of they way we treated them during the occupation years. They were treated with respect and in friendship. We got to know the average Japanese citizen and they got to know us.

In my visits to Japan, I never met with any hostility.  Quite the contrary, the Japanese are very friendly and, despite their formal image, are quite fun-loving.

To read the full article, go here.

Chinese P.O.W.s Killed By Nagasaki A-Bomb Memorialized

Above, the walkway to the Peace Statue in Nagasaki Peace Park. Foundation
remnants of the P.O.W. prison are visible in the grassy areas on each
side of the walkway.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Chinese prisoners of war who were killed by the atomic bomb in Nagasaki, Japan now have a new monument.

The Japan Times reports:

NAGASAKI – A memorial ceremony to commemorate Chinese who were imprisoned in Nagasaki Prefecture on spying charges during the war and who later died during the U.S. atomic bombing in August 1945 was held Sunday at Nagasaki’s Peace Park. 

At the ceremony, a new monument bearing a plaque explaining how about 40,000 Chinese were forcibly brought to Japan during the war to make up for a nationwide labor shortage was unveiled. 

Of those people, about 1,000 were forced to work in mines in Nagasaki, the plaque explains in Japanese, Chinese and English.

Above, the remains of the P.O.W. prison at Peace Park in Nagasaki.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Portions of Nagasaki's Peace Park is built on the site of the P.O.W. prison. Remnants of the prison's foundation are still visible.

Although Nagasaki had not appeared in a kaiju movie, the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima influenced the creation of the Godzilla character. Accordingly, Nagasaki's Peace Park is spotlighted in The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan on page 47.

To view the full article, go here.