World Trip Continues...

Since April 22nd I have been on a trip around the world and will be until July 27th.

Please check out the site here:

world.thelejo.com

About thelejo: The Leadenhall Journal

About thelejo.com

Welcome to The Leadenhall Journal or thelejo.com. Starting off, I'll answer where the name thelejo came from. Back in 2007 I decided I wanted to start a blog to put some of my ideas, photos, observations etc... Rather than using a website with just my name, I tried to find a title which I was comfortable as using as my site name. What I found was the Leadenhall Market which is a covered market in London. I liked the name "leadenhall" and rather call this a blog, I called it a journal. Hence, the leadenhall journal : thelejo.com.

About Charlton

Hi, I'm Charlton, the author of this journal. I started off in Cleveland, Ohio in 1981 and spent the first eighteen years of my life there. After my time in the Midwest I moved to San Diego to go to San Diego State University where I majored in Finance. After graduation in 2004, I worked in consulting and finance before taking time off in April 2009 to travel and go to graduate business school. In my spare time I work on my photography, travel, and watch Cleveland Indians baseball and Chargers and Browns football.

Where You Can Find Me

Flickr
Facebook
Twitter

My Trip Sub-Sites

world.thelejo.com
April to July 2009

asia.thelejo.com
November to December 2009

A Trip to Tsukiji

4am, the end of November...

I've been sitting awake in the dark for about a half hour now. Jet lag is rough you can't fall asleep when you want to and you can't stay asleep once you are sleeping. No matter. Getting up early is the name of the game if you want catch all the action at the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Stumbling groggily out of my hotel I was confronted with an empty street. I saw a homeless man sleeping in front of the closed enterance of the subway so my theory on taking the subway there was quickly proved wrong.

After heading toward the market, I was able to flag down a taxi which dropped me at the enterance of Tsukiji. Immediately I knew why this is one of Tokyo's most popular "attractions". There were workers standing and eating noodles in dimly lit stands. Seafood and other foodstuffs were being loaded and unloaded in delivery trucks. I wanted to see the tuna auctions and asked as passerby where to go. As he probably was tired of all the tourists he grumbled something and waved me off. Clearly he didn't want to be disturbed.

I pressed on and decided to find what I was looking for myself. One of the first things I learned was that Tsukiji is huge. Its a maze of seafood products. Scallops, urchins, and every type of fish can be found around here. 

The next thing I realized was I had to be careful not to get run over. The market has an endless supply of of these strange carts which transport all the food. These carts are everywhere and will run over anyone in a moment's notice. I'm sure this includes naive tourist, and especially me. Fortunately, I was lucky and made it out without getting run over by a fish cart.

As I got deeper in the market I figured one of two things would happen. I would either run into the water where some of the seafood originated, or I would find the tuna auctions. Fortunately the latter happened. I watched these giant tunas getting transacted for a half hour or so. Secretly I wondered if I would get thrown out if I placed a bid.

After the excitement wore off, I made my way out of the market. On the outskirts of the market there are many shops where you can purchase all sorts of fish and seafood related trinkets including knives, windsocks and more. Also, I took the requisite breakfast of sashimi. The fish was phenomenal. It was fresh and delicious. By the time I was done eating I had had tuna, scallops, shrimp and yellowtail.



By the time 8am rolled around, I was heading back to my hotel. As Tokyo was making its way to work I was making my way back to my hotel. It was satisfying knowing what I had experienced so early in the morning. This was a great experience that I would hope anyone who is interested in food would get to try. One day I hope to make it back, but until then I will keep dreaming of all the tasty seafood!

Money of the World

So I think I'm going to trade all the money I've accumulated from traveling back into good old Dollars. Before I do so, I took some pictures of the money. It's hard to beat all the cool colors!

Check out the rest of the photos here:
MONEY!

Northern Sky

Just another San Diego night setting in. Taken with my new (but used) Nikon D200.

Underwater in the Stock Market

Welcome to the biggest bear market many of us have ever seen.

Wow. The last seven days (really five months) have been tough. Look at this market, really in most people's lifetime this is absolutely unprecedented. Every single time that I thought we were at a floor the bottom fell out. Then it fell out again... and again... and again. Clearly right now even with the weak overall fundamentals much of the trading is going on emotion. It is also apparent that this bailout/rescue package just isn't going to get it done at least not yet. Who knows if the plan which is in the works to buy an equity stake in banks will be successful either.

I was thinking today right now will probably end up being a pivotal time ten, twenty plus years down the road. The reason I say this, there are a lot of people who have kept their money in cash and can buy the deep discounted stocks that are out there. That's what I would like to do is find the good values. However there are two things holding me back. First, is this really the bottom? I don't know, I have a hard time seeing this market go further down, but I thought that the last few times too. Secondly, even if the market starts returning, it will be a challenge to pick stocks that are a good price but aren't land mines which will explode in your face down the road. That is the key. If I knew I would do it. If the finest financial minds knew we wouldn't be in this mess (as much) and we'd be better off.

Right now my goal is patience and hopefully with a little luck I'll be able to get back into the market (with fresh money) at the right time.

Forever Flame

RIP Uncle