Tuesday 18 September 2007

Land of the extravagance

My first encounter with the extravagance of Japan was during my visit to Osaka about 1.5 years ago. I was totally overwhelmed when I discovered my laundry packed threefold: first wrapped in paper, then individually packed in plastic bag and finally all laundry were packed inside yet another bigger bag.

This is where I will be putting up at for this week. Not a huge room size but look at the gadgets packed inside the room. Massage chair and LCD TV! Goodness, what kind of extravagance is this? Of course, the hotel also throws in unlimited internet connection at no cost at all.


Central remote control of the drapes and day curtains... the last time I saw this was in the boardroom of my old office. I would never expect to find this in a hotel room, especially when er... this ain't that particularly big a room.



Clean and bright bathroom is something I have always appreciated when I travel.


Such a cute iron and board. Why do Japanese stuff have to be so cute and compact?

And this is my dinner, beautiful isn't it? And big, of course along with it came a "big" price tag too. This cost Yen5,777 (before taxes) which is equivalent to about US$50.


I feel embarrased as it is now, to indulge myself in a lifestyle like this which I consider excessive and extravagant. It is hard for me to understand that while some are obssessed with quality, trying to offer only the best, there are others who have few, so few that it is barely enough for subsistence.

Do you feel the sufferings of many others when you look up into the sky, the same sky that the sorry ones are looking at too? If angels are there, please do not look to our side only because someone far away is yearning for you too.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ring is living the life of a queen this week?! *green with envy*

Nobody said...

Barely a queen.

I was almost crushed by the massage chair.

I've no use for the LCD TV as all the programmes are in Japanese.

Anonymous said...

Hi, very interesting post, greetings from Greece!