Ha Long Bay I

On day #2 we took a 4 hour ride to Ha Long bay.

Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest. The Bay is a World Heritage Site and, like many attractions in Asia claims to be “the Eighth Wonder of the World.”

We boarded our boat, the Lagoon Explorer.

Our restaurant...



Our room...



Our view...



Our shower!

Hanoi

For the past two years, Beth and and I been fortunate to travel to some amazing places. As our time in Okinawa is almost complete, we planned our last vacation to the countries of Vietnam and Cambodia. We both believed we saved the best for last...

Our first stop, Hanoi City. The landmark Tortoise Tower rises from Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake.


Exploring the streets of Hanoi...



and making new friends.


Busy streets near the hotel cluttered with motorcycles. Amazingly it was quiet at night!

4th of July

For our last fourth of July in Okinawa, Beth and I traveled to IE (Ieshima) island. It is about a one hour drive from our home and then a 30 minute ferry ride.

Beth and Bijou on the ferry.




One of the main scenic spots is Gusukuyama, a mountain on the center of the island. We met a local Okinawan at the beach who took us to the top.

Gusukuyama, which is called fondly by the nickname of Ijimatacchu, stands slightly toward the east and faces the center of the island. The mountain is 172 meters above sea level. Halfway up the mountain, there is a place called Gusukuyama-utaki, where it is thickly wooded and where people go to pray for safe voyages, good health, and good harvests.



View from the top of Gusukuyama...

Tropical Okinawa...

Another stop was the Ernie Pylie monument.

Ernie Pyle, the son of a farmer, was born in 1900. After studying journalism at Indiana University he found work on a small newspaper in La Plante, Indiana. In 1923 he moved to the Washington Daily News and eventually became the paper's managing editor.
In 1932 he was commissioned to write a travel column for the Scripps-Howard newspaper chain. He did this until the outbreak of the Second World War when he became a war correspondent. He moved to England in 1940 where he reported on the Blitz for the New York World Telegram.
Pyle went with the US Army to North Africa in November 1942. This was followed by the invasions of Sicily and Italy. He also accompanied Allied troops during the Normandy landings and witnessed the liberation of France. By 1944 Pyle had established himself as one of the world's outstanding reporters and Time hailed him as "America's most widely read war correspondent."
In 1945 Pyle was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for journalism. Later that year he went with US troops to Okinawa. On 17th April, 1945, Ernie Pyle was killed by a Japanese sniper while on a routine patrol on 18th April, 1945.

For more information on Ernie Pyle see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Pyle

http://www.journalism.indiana.edu/news/erniepyle/

For more information on IE Island see:

http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/007/english/point/ie/index.html

Tokyo

From Yudanaka, we took a train to Nagano and transferred to the bullet (Shinkansen) train for a 140 mile trip to Tokyo.


We stayed at the the military hotel, the New Sanno; highly recommended after a week of traditional Japanese inns. This was our first trip to Tokyo since moving to Okinawa.

In addition to several tourist stops, such as the Imperial Palace below, we caught an act of Kabuki Theater, a popular Japanese form of theater.


Cherry blossoms, a Shishi lion, and the Yushima Tenmangu Shrine. Built in 458, the Shrine is entirely made of Japanese cypress.



Nakamise street- lined with ~100 stores from the Edo Period. The Sensoji Temple in the distance is the oldest temple in Tokyo (and also most crowded).



Our last stop was the Ginza district (the Manhattan of Tokyo).

Jigokudani Monkey Park

While Beth was excited about the Geisha, I was excited about the monkey Park. The Jigokudani Yaen-koen Monkey Park is a half an hour walk from Kanbayashi Onsen. Our hopitable host at the Shimaya Ryokan dropped us off at the base of the mountain where the park is located. The park, established in 1964, is a place to observe over 200 free-ranging Japanese Macaque up close.



The Macaque have their own private onsen (hotspring).

Trivia: the three monkeys who "hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil" were based on the Japanese Macaque. The three truths of the Tendai sect of Buddhism are Mizaru (see no evil), Kikazaru (hear no evil), and iwazaru (speak no evil). The Japanese verb ending-zaru and the word for monkey (salu) are similar in sound. Perhaps the use of the monkeys represents religious symbolism.


I am not sure I would drink the water...






Excuse us Mrs. Haegen!



For more information see:
http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/english/top/english.html

Yudanaka

On our way back to Nagano, we stopped overnight in Yudanaka. This town is famous for its onsen (hotsprings) and the Jigokudani Yaen-koen Monkey Park.


We stayed at the Shimaya Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. This is a great way to experience the Japanese culture and we were pleasantly enamored with this family-run guesthouse. Extremely hospitable, we strongly recommend this inn for travelers in the Yudanaka area. For information about the Shimaya Ryokan see:
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/db/nagano/shimaya.htm

Our room with tatami mats, a traditional table, and cushions (zabuton). Where's the bed?


Not to worry; our bedding was laid out while we were exploring the town.

Notice the fine display of the Yukata, a loose cotton kimono symbolizing "relaxation and leisure time."



Scenic Yudanaka!



We spent most of our day at the Jigokudani Yaen-koen Monkey Park. See Beth below doing her best monkey imitation...

Shiga Kogen

From Kyoto, we took a very scenic train ride to Nagano and, from Nagano, a short bus ride to Shiga Kogen. Shiga Kogen is the largest Ski Resort in Japan (21 interlinked resorts). Never a line more than three people deep and to our good fortune it snowed about 3 inches on the second night.







Another Torii...


The Sunroute Hotel.




For more information see:
http://www.shigakogen.gr.jp/english/

Geisha

In Gion, we had the opportunity to see Geisha. After, a very exhausting day of walking from temple to temple, we took a break on a side-street of Gion. Shortly afterwards, we observed a pair of Geisha on their way to an ochaya (teahouse). This was a very exciting moment for Beth!




Even more exciting was a tea ceremony we attended in the oldest Geisha district. On our way to another shrine, our cab driver pointed out that a tea ceremony was being performed at the Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine. It turns out that this tea ceremony occurs once a year, Feb 25th.


Geisha preparing the tea at the Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine.



The tea ceremony dates back to the 15th century in Japan. The ritual (chaji) consists of a light meal and whipped powder tea (matcha) which is served by a host to a few invited guests. In Japan, the tea ceremony is a unique moment to be treasured.

Kyoto II

Your first impression is that Kyoto is similar to other modern Japanese cities. However, you quickly realize the historical significance of this city demonstrated by the numerous historical monuments found throughout the city. You spend a lot of time walking from monument to monument. Beth would suggest signing up for a guided tour to see the city's famous sites.

Next stop, the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple. Obviously a famous site, as the locals were outside petitioning this site to become the eighth wonder of the world.


The Kiyomizu-Dera Temple with Kyoto in the background...


A favorite spot of Beth and mine was the Fushimi Shrine... also a famous shrine. This shrine is dedicated to Inari, the deity of sake and rice. It is formed out of hundreds of torii (gates).




The view from the top of the shrine with the town of Fushimi below.




Beth showing off the Sanmon (gateway) of the Nanzen-ji Temple... Another 14th century zen temple.

Kyoto

For our birthdays, Beth and I visited mainland Japan. We spent nine days in Kyoto, Nagano, and Tokyo. First stop , the old imperial capital of Japan, Kyoto.


Our first tourist stop was The Nijo Castle. This castle was created by the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in the sixteenth century. This picture is taken at castle's gardens.




Next, we headed to Philosopher's walk, a cherry blossom lined canal meandering the base of the scenic Higashiyama (Eastern Mountains). Although we were early, there were many cherry blossoms in bloom.




The most famous site was the Golden Pavilion also called Kinkaku-ji, a glimmering legacy of medieval Japan. It was built by the third Ashikaga Shogun in the 14th century. This is all very impressive until you find out that it was destroyed by arson in 1950 and was later rebuilt. Never the less, it makes for a popular picture spot.