The lessons learned from a disaster: Japan earthquake 2011

Japan lies in an area around 4 tectonic plates. Hence, it is one of the most dangerous places to live on earth, in terms of being prone to earthquakes. Surrounding Japan is the vast Pacific Ocean. Because of the topography of Japan and the unpredictable nature of calamities, disaster preparedness is unrivaled in this country. As a nation, the Japanese have learned many lessons from it's previous skirmishes with nature. Aside from earthquakes and tsunamis, its southern section is often battered by storms during the monsoon season.

Yet no matter how prepared we are, nature finds its way to being unpredictably ferocious and ghastly. it can reel an ugly head and it was a beautiful cool spring afternoon when the magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit the northeastern part of Japan on March 11, 2011. The aftershocks came a few minutes apart. While the houses and buildings in Japan were built to withstand frequent tremors, it was not prepared for a deadly aftermath. After a few minutes of silence, an angry wall of sea resulting from the earthquake had rocked the seabed. Moving at great speed, it had wiped out the city of Sendai. What survivors were able to capture on video and shown in various news stations was frightening as wave upon wave of water swallowed life in all forms, and pummeled a town to oblivion.

And as if the wrath of nature had just devastated a whole prefecture, the man-built nuclear reactors in Fukushima prefect had given in. In 24 hours, reactor 1 had blown up and a meltdown was inevitable. To this writing, several reactors in the Daiichi plant were still not contained. As the Japanese government scrambled to fix the nuclear crisis, it was inevitable that this daunting problem would be their most challenging since World War II.

People scrambled to get out of Japan while many sent aid to Japan as well.

What is most astonishing is the resolve of the Japanese people, their extraordinary courage and discipline during this time of crisis.

As kibitzers we simply watched the news on how the Japanese braved the cold, the hunger and the pain of loss. There was no howling or hysteria. There was no looting. In the various aid centers that housed the displaced people, you could see a sense of pride in the way they queued for food and water, in their sharing of clothing and shelter among each other, in the way they were handling the crisis and in their resolve to build again from the rubbles.

The Fukushima 50 story of 50 people who work in the Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant who volunteered to risk their lives so that many will be saved was a story of unprecedented heroism. They knew that in spite of the health risks to them, they said their last goodbyes to their families and loved ones and gallantly braved the odds to save a nation and its people.

And then it snowed during the rescues and recoveries and the death toll became insurmountable. Yet they braved the wrath of nature to save lives overcoming these odds.

While some country heads and kibitzers in media express global concern over another nuclear reactor meltdown and how it would affect neighboring countries, the Japanese are being faulted for not asking for more help and not being "truthful" about the situation with respect to the nuclear reactors in Japan.

I have been to Japan several times because our head office is located there. Each of these trips are filled with good memories. The people are kind, warm and respectful. In spite of the fact that they have the most advanced technology in Asia, if not in the world, their people are deeply rooted in a culture of respect and tradition.

I blog about this today as I condole with the Japanese people during this time of crisis. I salute them and bow to them for the kind of discipline and indefatigable love of country and people. No country in the world has seen this kind of determination to rebuild from the rubble without having to resort to having to take advantage of those who had less. I envied them while I watched in horror at the scenario and awe at how they resolved to overcome the adversities of war, nature calamities, economic recession and life in general.

Random thoughts occurred to me while writing this blog. In spite of the tremendous advancements in technology and science and the internet and hi-fi sci-fi gadgets technological companies have created, we have never unraveled the mystery on how to detect an oncoming earthquake or prevent nature's unpredictable behavior and its aftermaths.

I guess nature is so much like the science of medicine. We will never have answers to finding a cure for AIDS, for cancer, for long life, for regeneration of youth and other mysteries that have never been unraveled in spite of the advances we have made.

There are some questions that do not have answers...yet.

Transfiguration in the Catholic religion is not just a story of Jesus Christ, "it is about hope rising, courage emerging and love lifting us up."

Because the Japanese have found life's mission and purpose, they will overcome all odds.

We can learn a few lessons from this noble race.

[Photos from the following:
(AP Photo/Asahi Shimbun, Naoko Kawamura)
(AP Photo/Kyodo News)
(AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
(AP Photo/The Yomiuri Shimbun, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto)

There are moving photo essays from this website. I highly recommend it to all.
http://photos.nola.com]

Tokyo - Lost in translation but loving it!

The perfect combination of a destination holiday is Sunny and Cool weather.

This made the 5 days trip to Tokyo, Japan both relaxing and memorable.

For those making a trip to Tokyo, a few tips:

1. DO NOT attempt to take a cab. You are bound to get lost in translation. If you plan to take a cab to go somewhere, ask for a Japanese translation of your destination. Your hotel should also provide you a calling card just in case you reach your destination and would not know how to get back. Believe me, you will never understand each other and will end up getting frustrated and poor! Cab fare is not cheap. To compare, the Narita Express from the Narita Airport Terminal 1 to the Tokyo Station is around $27.50 one way. The limousine service by the hotel on a Lexus or BMW is $575.00. A cab fare is about $300.00 without traffic and non-inclusive of the toll charges, which is charged to the passenger.

2. Plan your trip way ahead. Do not plan when you are in Tokyo. It would be a waste of time trying to figure out where to go and what to do. There are several districts, all unique in itself. Shopping is all the same in the various districts. For example, if you plan to do some shopping at high end stores, the Ginza district and Omestasando will have what you're looking for - Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hermes, Bulgari...name it, you've got it!

3. Each district has a highlight in itself. For example, Ginza is home to fashion and glitz and glamor. Several department stores including the French department store PrintTemp and Laduree Paris patisserie are found in the Ginza district. Then there is Daimaru, Matzusakaya and Mitsukoya. Walk along the side streets and you'll find Brooks Brothers, Gucci, Hermes, Apple, Sony, Gap, and oodles of stores including UNIQLO and Forever XXI. The latter two are great buy stores because they are reasonable in price. But name brands are extremely expensive. Do not attempt to buy at the Duty Free Shops in the airport. They have very limited choice. If you want to buy a designer item, you'll need to do this in the city. If you have the money to burn!

4. Don't forget to have money changed at the Airport. And that means have ALL your dollars changed. Do not scrimp! They will not change your dollars in any department store. Some hotels do not provide a money change counter. The current exchange is $1.00 = 89Y. That means that your $1000 is about 89,000Y. If you don't shop, this should last you the 5 days (for food and transportation alone). This is on the presumption that your hotel is all paid for already!

5. Eating out in Tokyo in definitely a must! The food is wonderful and most of the bars are full at night. Drinking and eating is the way to unwind and cap the day. You will need to share a table with others though. And don't forget, many of the local restaurants DO NOT have an English menu. You may end up having to point at the picture. But what you see isn't exactly what you'll get. And since the prices are listed in Japanese, you may end up fainting at your bill. If you're not sure what to order, or are practically scrimping on cash, go to any Makudunorado (McDonald's) or KFC restaurant. That way, you'll still manage to survive on the measly cash you brought with you. There are, however, a lot of noodle restaurants in the shopping malls. Sad to say, they don't live up to authentic Japanese dining. Experiment, give it a try. And when all else fails while you're lost in translation inside a Japanese pub, look at what the next person beside you is eating and point, point, point. Tell the waitress that's what you want to eat!

Incidentally, servings are not extra large and one order is good for ONE person with a small stomach.

6. Bring a pair of comfortable walking shoes. You will need this. Do not attempt to wear your high heeled shoes. You're bound to break them. Remember, Tokyo is a walking city. Cab fare is expensive. The trains are highly efficient, but you'll still need to do a lot of walking from point A to point B. Burn those extra calories! Believe me when I say that after a day out, you'd have burned 500 calories easily.

7. Memorize the subway lines. The Tokyo Station is HUGE!!!! Darn, you can even get lost in the subway. For foreigners (like me), get a SUICA pass when you get to the airport. It will give you a ticket already to the city and at the same time have credits for entrance and exit on the subways. Not a lot of people speak English in Japan. Even in the subway area where there is an information counter, you may not be able to communicate well with the man behind the counter and you'll just end up in an area you don't even know. Remember, people rush back and forth. DO NOT STAND in the middle of the passageways. Know where you intend to go so that you can ask for assistance with your hotel concierge before embarking on your trip for the day.

8. If you plan to go to Disneyland, I suggest you go to DisneySea. Of all the Disney theme parks in the world, only Tokyo has the DisneySea and it's an adventure you will surely not want to miss! It's more adult themed so you won't see a lot of children there. But for the young ones (and the young at heart) this is one place you'll want to go to over and over and over again. And you'll see everyone carrying a Duffy, the official Disney Bear. Only Tokyo DisneySea has this character and you'll see everyone (practically everyone) carrying a Duffy. It's believed that owning a Duffy bring good luck to those that have it. I just couldn't resist getting a Duffy, if only for the luck it would bring.

9. No scrimping! If you wanted to go to Tokyo for a vacation, do not scrimp! It's a very expensive city. Very expensive is an understatement. The 10% tax and 5% service charge alone will kill you. Which means that if you're having lunch for 950Y, the whole menu will cost you over 1100Y (about $12.50). For a family of 4, about $50! That's just one meal. A McDonald's meal is about 690Y. That's without fries or drinks or whatever you had in mind.

10. Tokyo (Japan for that matter) is so clean that you won't even find a trash can on the road. Yes. No trash can. You will find it only in specific designated areas. Which means that you'll need to carry that trash on your hand until you find a trash can. It's their way of conserving garbage. The Japanese are so disciplined that you'll notice no one crosses the road until the stoplights say so. You'll also notice that they give in to the disabled and senior citizens. In the subways and train stations, you will need to get up from your seat for the underprivileged.

All in all, this was both a great way to spend spring - relaxing and culture tripping.

And whatever minimal communication skills I had in the Japanese language, getting lost in translation was half the fun.