The Night Zoo: Where is your father?

     To be honest, I do not like to go to zoos or aquariums so much. I do not feel happy to see animals imprisoned. I feel rather depressed. But I do not deny their importance of existence. They deal with protecting endangered species, and provide opportunities to observe creatures directly, especially to children. They make children happy, and make their family also happy. I was frisky as well when I was a little child, shouting “That’s an elephant!”

     I who had been avoiding visiting zoos for a long time went to a zoo last month. What brought me there? It was the “Night Zoo.” There is a zoo named Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya. They opened at night during the obon holidays. That was the first time in three years. They usually close at 5:00 p.m., but opened until 8:30 during the period. It was a rare opportunity to be in the zoo at night, and they had not held the event for three years. Besides, it was not raining. That was why I decided to go to the “Night Zoo.”

     We had thunderstorms in Nagoya area in mid-August this year. So, they had to close the zoo many times during the Night Zoo event period. But it stopped raining in the evening when I went to the zoo that day. It was terribly hot and humid in the zoo, which was filled with swarms of people. It was quite dark in the zoo for the same of the animals. So, there was no music, either. But the atmosphere looked like a summer festival. Children were cavorting.

     I expected to hear lost children announcement many times, but I never heard even one. Instead, I heard mothers’ and children’s conversations several times:

     “Where is your father?”
“Donno.”
“You should’ve taken care of him!”
“Why me?!”

It seemed there were many lost fathers in the zoo that night…

     In the dark park pond, many couples were pedaling the swan-shaped boats. No lights, no music. They just needed an intimate space where they could be alone. I understand that, but the pond has a jinx: Couples who ride thsese boats in the park will break up soon…

     Animals looked tired. If I were an animal in the zoo, I would cry out, “I’m tired! Go home, humans!” In the darkness, I was not able to see many animals. Instead, I watched many people. It was so crowded and dark that I did not have anything else to see. Anyway, I enjoyed an extraordinary summer night.

Shirotori Garden English Guided Tour : Shirotori Garden, a hidden scenic point in Nagoya

       “This garden’s name, Shirotori, means white birds, such as swans. Many birds have found sanctuary in this place and gather. That’s why this place was named Shirotori….” The guide started leading the participants in the park…

     There was an interesting event in Shirotori Garden near Atsuta (-Jingu) Shrine last Saturday. They invited some foreign ladies who live in Nagoya and got them to talk about Japanese culture showing their own art works. Actually, the event had other programs: Tea ceremonies and English guided tours. I decided to take part in a guided tour at 10:30 and then go to the talk show at 11:30.

     It was my first time to visit the garden, though I have lived in Nagoya for a long time. One of the reasons is that the park requires an entrance fee: 300 yen for adults, 100 yen for citizens of Nagoya aged 65 or older, and free for children under the age of 14. If you come to the place with a one day ticket for Nagoya City’s public transportation, you can enter for 240 yen (20% off!).

     The English guided tour was supposed to start at 10:30, but the tour had already started when I arrived at the gate before 10:30. One of the staff members explained that they had made a group depart earlier because more people had gathered than they had expected. According to her, the next group would depart later. But I decided to join the first group because I found two of my friends in it.

     This place is located by the Hori-kawa River. The river was canalled to carry building materials for Nagoya Castle in the Edo period (the 17^th Century), and the site of this garden used to be a pond for keeping the timber. After the completion of the castle, the place had been used as a lumber port. But Typhoon Vera a.k.a. the Isewan Typhoon in 1959 brought big damage to this area and the timber yards were decentralized. By the beginning of the 1980s, the lumber port was no longer required because of the decentralization and increasing imported materials.

     Then, it was reborn as a Japanese garden for the World Design Exposition in 1989. After the event, it was opened to the public. This garden features a path around the pond and is designed to express the landscape features of central Japan. For example, there is an artificial hill near the gate of the garden. It represents Mt. Ontake in Nagano Prefecture. The big pond in the center of the garden represents Ise Bay and the stream the Kiso River. The garden even has a mock spot called “Nezame-no-toko,” which is a famous scenic place in Nagano Prefecture.

     The garden has a cypress tree planted by Ms. Wangari Maathai, who was a Kenyan political activist and recipient of the Novel Peace Prize in 2004. She was very popular in Japan because she promoted an environmental protection campaign in 2002 using a Japanese word, “mottainai,” which expresses a sense of regret and concern over waste. It also has a tea house and Suikinkutsu, which is a garden ornament and music device.

     Many flowers and trees are in the garden, and they show you different expressions each season. Hydrangeas and gardenias were in full bloom when I visited the park. The beautiful autumn leaves will welcome you in the fall. Even after snow, you will find breathtaking scenery there. The entrance fee of 300 yen is reasonable for the beautiful site. Why don’t you come by Shirotori Garden when you visit Atsuta (-Jingu) Shrine?

My Travel in Vancouver 9 (Day 4 Part 2) ~ Falafel King & English Bay Beach ~ This place is safest!

     I wouldn’t want to wait for a bus alone here if it were a rainy night now…I was waiting for a bus at Lost Lagoon Road after the horse-drawn tour. It was an isolated bus stop by a concrete tunnel under the raised highway and away from any popular sites of Stanley Park. I did not see or hear anyone around there. Although I was standing by the bus stop, I was worried whether a bus would really come. The bus stop had no timetable. My only consolation was that the weather was nice. To my relief, a bus came soon. To my surprise, suddenly about half a dozen people appeared as if from nowhere when the bus came into view, and they got on the bus before me.

     In just a few minutes, the bus came to the place where I was going to get off. I got off the bus near Denman Street and started walking to a Lebanese restaurant. I had happened to read many recommended reviews of the shop’s “Chicken shawarma platter” on the Internet previous night. I had never tried Lebanese food. It was almost noon and I was hungry.

     Interestingly I found many bike rental shops on my way at Denman Street. While wondering why, I heard a familiar language. I turned around, when half a dozen bikers wearing the same silver “Alien”- looking helmets were about to park their bicycles before a grocery store. They appeared to be female Japanese tourists. Probably they were going around the city by rented bikes. From the sound of their voices, they seemed to be over the age of 60. Japanese seniors are quite hale and hearty! They might have rented their bicycles around here.

     Passing by a community center, a secondary school, and public library, I found a green canopy of the Lebanese restaurant ahead: Falafel King. When I opened the door, I was enveloped by a spicy aroma. The shop was tiny. There was a small table with two chairs by the wall and a counter table with several seats by the windows inside. I found an empty seat at the counter, but hesitated for a moment to eat there because all the other customers were big young men. At first glance, I felt it was no place for a middle aged Asian woman to dine alone. However, I was relieved a few seconds later. When I looked around again calmly, I found that all the customers were wearing the same clothes with the same word on their backs: POLICE.

     Yeah, I saw a police car outside from the window. This must be a favorite restaurant for police officers of Vancouver and the safest place in Vancouver now! That was why, I replied brightly, “For here,” to the question of the shop master. But I could not answer to his next question. He asked me what to order, but I did not remember the name of the recommended food on the Web. So, I said, “Actually, I don’t know the name, but many people recommend it on the Internet. It’s chicken something…” To my surprise, he completely understood what I wanted to eat, and started preparing my lunch.

     Chicken shawarma platter. Chicken shawarma is the same as the Turkish “Doner kebab.” The chef sliced the grilled chicken dynamically and piled it on the rice. Then he put a salad of parsley and tomatoes called taboule and mashed chickpeas called hummus on the same plate. “Sauce?” he said and I asked him to put it on. Although a police officer who had ordered right before me had declined the sauce, which seemed to be a little hot, I decided to try it. Actually, Chicken shawarma platter was not just the one plate. It was served with a flatbread. Can I eat the whole thing? The lunch was delicious. I liked the Lebanese food very much. But I could not finish it all. When I told the chef that I was full, he gave me a take-out container. How kind!

     After lunch, I dropped by Safeway, the supermarket, to buy some batteries for my camera, and then took a walk downtown. The weather was incredibly nice that day. People looked like they were enjoying the sunshine. There were many food catering vans at the side of the road here and there. It was a great day to have lunch outside. After strolling about the town and shopping, I went back to my hotel to rest, and then I walked to English Bay Beach in the evening. It was after six o’clock, but it was still light outside because the sunset was after eight.

     Many people were spending their time on the beach. Some were reading books, some chatting with friends, some drinking coffee, some walking dogs, some cycling, and some just sitting on the bench looking at the sea. I felt like time was going by more slowly there than in Japan. Now you have read my travelogues this far, maybe I looked busy as a bee during the trip in your eyes. In fact, not only me but also many Japanese tourists tend to bustle around in their travels. I felt a fool hopping around when I looked at the people relaxing on the beach…

     In the bus to the airport next morning, I met a Japanese boy who was from Okayama Prefecture. We had not seen each other during our stays, but we were at the same hotel. When I told him what I had thought at English Bay Beach the previous day, he said that he had thought almost the same thing, “Yeah, I thought that, too. And if I was relaxing on the beach or park by myself in the evening, most people would regard me as a jobless man or psychopath. Then, they would cast pitiful eyes on me or call the police!” Too true…

     Now I am back to a normal life in Japan. The days in Vancouver seem to me like a short dream. Ah…I want to go somewhere again!

My Travel in Vancouver 8 (Day 4 Part 1) ~ Stanley Park ~ I had thought you would be an older man with a beard!

   

      “TO THE USE AND ENJOYMENT OF PEOPLE OF ALL COLOURS CREEDS AND CUSTOMS FOR ALL TIME ~ I NAME THEE STANLEY PARK.” These words are engraved on the pedestal of the statue of Lord Stanley, who was a British politician and became the governor general of Vancouver in the late 19^th century. Although the message is ironic by the thought that the park was made by expelling many indigenous people from the land, I think it was an advanced notion at that time. Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America, is a relaxing and amusing place for citizens and tourists in accordance with his wishes.

     The scale of this urban oasis is about 1000 acres and its perimeter is around 8.8 kilo meters. It takes you three to four hours to walk round and a half day to visit its main attractions, such as Totem Poles and Vancouver Aquarium. I would have liked to see totem poles, but I had no stamina to roam around trails in such a vast green space which in fact is larger than Central Park in New York. So, I decided to use “horsepower.”

     It was my fourth and final day in Vancouver. The weather was unusually nice that day since morning. I walked to West Pender Street through Broughton Street and took the bus. Then I got off at Stanley Park Drive and walked to the ticket booth of Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tours. It took just 15 minutes from my hotel.

     There was a fairy-tale-looking carriage with two cute horses in front of the ticket office. A man was stroking the horses when I arrived. I thought he was the driver. There was a young woman a short distance away from the carriage who was checking her watch many times. I thought she was waiting for her boyfriend to join the tour together. But I fell short of my prediction. The man who had been stroking the horses got into the carriage and sat next to the woman in front of me. They were husband and wife from New Zealand. And the young woman was our driver and the tour guide. I was very surprised to see her sit on the driver’s seat because I had imagined coachmen would be much older men with beards. What an anachronism!

     The tour participants were just the New Zealand couple and me. The carriage began moving at the driver’s whistle, rocking from side to side. It probably plodded at about five kilometers per hour. Many people stared curiously at us on the way, and some took photos. Soon after the departure, a small island came in sight on the right: Deadman’s Island. What a horrible name! The coach-woman started explaining about the island…

     When the first British settlers came to the place, the island was being used as a kind of graveyard by indigenous people. Many years earlier it had been the site of a bit battle between two tribes, in which many warriors had been killed. The island’s horrible name seemed to be after the bloody history. Actually, the island became a real “Deadman’s Island” in the late 19^th century. The place was used as quarantine and burial ground for smallpox victims… The small island is used as a facility of the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve today, and civilians cannot set foot on it…

     Passing Deadman’s Island, Canada Place’s white and elegant appearance came into view. The building, which has often drawn comparison with Opera House in Sydney, has a convention center, a hotel and so on. Then the carriage came to Totem Poles Park, which was the place I had most wanted to visit in Stanley Park. The passengers were given seven minutes to walk around and take photos there because the place was the most popular in the tour.

     I had not had any photos of me since I arrived at Vancouver because I was traveling by myself and did not have any chances to ask someone to take my photos. I visited places where you do not usually take photos, such as museums, markets, and a church. In Capilano Suspension Bridge Park, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Vancouver, I did not come across anyone while walking the trails. Even if I had met someone there, I would not have asked him/her to take my pictures in such a heavy downpour. Finally, I was able to have my photos taken there in Totem Poles Park. They are nice mementos of my trip to Vancouver.

     The two horses were drawing our carriage slowly. After Totem Poles, something familiar came into sight on the right. I have never been to Copenhagen, but I knew about the statue of the Little Mermaid. When I was wondering why a replica of the famous sculpture was in Vancouver, the guide solved the mystery. Actually, it was not a replica at all. It was a totally different art work called Girl in a Wetsuit! Yes! A second look confirmed that the girl was not a mermaid or naked. She was wearing a wetsuit and swim-fins on her two feet! According to the creator, scuba diving was beginning to become popular when he made the sculpture, and he did not know about the statue of a mermaid in Copenhagen…Really?

     Then we went through a trail in the native coniferous forest and back to the starting point. The tour took about an hour. Unfortunately I could not completely understand what the driver and the New Zealanders said, but I had a nice relaxing time in the horse-drawn tour. When I thanked and told the driver that I had been surprised to see her sit in the driver’s seat because I had imagined the coachman would be a much older with a big belly and beard, she burst out laughing. She was young and beautiful, and her laughter was also young and beautiful. She controlled the horses skillfully and knew not only the park but also Vancouver well. She is a nice driver and guide. My decision to use the tour was right. I was able to learn many things through it and to save my energy!

My Travel in Vancouver 6 (Day 3 Part 1) ~ Granville Island & Yaletown ~ Can I Put on a Pickle on the Sandwich?

     “Ah!” I was nodding in understanding when I saw the TV commercial on my third night in Vancouver. I was relaxing on the bed and watching TV in the hotel. I don’t remember what  the commercial was, but it was set in the kitchen of a restaurant. Two chefs are looking seriously at a sandwich, when another chef appears with a slice of gherkin pickle and puts it on the sandwich. Then the three chefs nod with a satisfied look… As I was watching this, I recalled an event that had taken place that morning.

    “Can I put a pickle on the sandwich?”
     “Sorry?”
     “Can I put a pickle on the sandwich?” The clerk said that again dangling a slice of cucumber pickle in front of her face.
     “Ah, yes, please.”

     I was in the food court of Granville Island Public Market in the morning. Granville Island has “island” in its name, but it is not an island. It is a peninsula and a shopping district. I came there to have brunch. While a lot of delicious-looking foods were beckoning me, a sign board caught my attention: Try Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese on a Bagel! So, I decided to try it. A cheerful clerk was making my sandwich at a brisk pace, asking “onion okay?” and so on. Then came the above question.

     The reason why I did not understand her at first was because I had never seen pickles put “on” sandwiches. In Japan, pickles are put “inside” sandwiches or on the side of the plate, as far as I know. However, the men in the TV commercial also put a pickle “on” a sandwich as the finishing touch. Is that a Canadian or North American (or other countries also?) custom? I did not know that! Anyway the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagel sandwich with a pickle on it was very nice.

     After the meal, I explored the market. There were many fresh vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, cheese, etc. Even window-shopping was nice. Actually, Granville Island has more than 50 shops and facilities including a brewery and a totem pole workshop. I was going to plod around the island, but it started raining while I was shopping in the Net Loft, and then the rain became harder and harder. I gave up walking around outside, and went to Kids’ Market to look for English teaching material for a friend of mine, who has many English classes for young children in Japan.

     There were many families even on the weekday morning in Kids’ Market. Children were running around squealing with joy. The inside of the building is a tiny town for them. There is even a bridge inside. I bought a CD with instructions for teachers or parents there, and went out. It was still raining hard. I was discouraged about spending time on the island and decided to go back downtown.

     Actually I did not go back downtown directly. I got off the bus in Yaletown, which is on the opposite shore of Granville Island. It is a trendy district of Vancouver with retro-looking red brick buildings. The old warehouses and railway sheds of the 19^th century have been renovated and reborn as fashionable boutiques, cafes and restaurants. One of the buildings is now a community center and displays the locomotive engine, “Engine 374”, pulling the first transcontinental train in 1887. You can see its handsome black body for free.

     I noticed that it would be convenient to go to the Roedde House Museum from Yaletown when I was studying the Google map. You get on the bus going along Davie Street and get off at the fifth bus stop, and then walk for several minutes. It will take just 10 minutes. But the museum opens at 1 p.m. and it was still around 12:30 when I was in Yaletown. If I had used the bus, I would have had to wait nearly 20 minutes in front of the house. The Google map said that it would take 18 minutes by foot. Fortunately the rain was stopping. So, I decided to walk to the museum at a leisurely pace.

    Multi-petalled cherry blossoms were in full bloom when I visited Vancouver. I saw many trees with the pink flowers here and there. I enjoyed taking a walk in the drizzle admiring the beautiful flowers of roadside trees and gardens of houses along the street.

     The Roedde House Museum stood in the rain in a quiet residential area. It was a couple minutes before its opening time when I arrived at the museum. So, I walked around the house peeping inside through the windows. Through the curtains, I saw a man sitting on a chair, reading something. I walked back to the entrance with tiptoe steps and checked the watch, which said it was a little after one. The door was closed. I turned the knob. But I could not open the door…(to be continued later.)

My Travel in Vancouver 5 (Day 2 Part 3) ~ The Bill Reid Gallery & Christ Church Cathedral ~ : You are the first person to buy!

     I certainly said “adult” when I bought a ticket at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art…But the lady at the counter treated me as a “student” somehow…

      The Bill Reid Gallery is just a one minute from the Pendulum Gallery. Bill Reid was a Canadian artist of Haida tribe origin. I looked at some of his art works at the Museum of Anthropology the previous day. So, I came to the gallery after the Pendulum.

     When the lady at the ticket office said, “You’re a student,” I denied it, “Oh, I’m not a student.” But she said something and unfortunately I could not understand exactly what she said with my English abilities… Or…should I say “fortunately”?

     There were many elaborate art works of Bill Reid in the gallery. I love First Nations’ designs. They look “naïve” at first glance, but they are artful and sophisticated. They have both boldness and sensitivity. I had a wonderful time there surrounded by my favorite art.

     A cathedral stands with stealth among modern glass-scrapers behind the Bill Reid Gallery: Christ Church Cathedral. I visited the church after the Bill Reid Gallery. Opening the door, I was enveloped by heavy silence. I stepped into the world of the 19^th century. The light source was the faint sunlight through beautiful stained glass and flickering candle lights. Adjusting to the dim light, I found a cleric at the counter.

     “Excuse me.” I whispered because the place was really quiet.
     “Yes.” The holy man looked up at me from his book or something.
          “Can I look around inside?”
          “Of course.” He smiled.
          “Um…How much…?”
          “Oh, you don’t need to pay.” He looked a little surprised.
          “Oh, really? Thank you. And can I take some photos…?”
          “Sure. And you don’t need to pay for that, either. Take your time.” He said that with a big smile.

     A man was sitting on a bench with his eyes closed. I also sat on a bench and closed my eyes. The scent of delicate flowers hit my nostrils. I felt as if my tangled nerves were untwining slowly. After how long time I don’t know, I opened my eyes and scanned the place. The sitting man was still there. I started walking on tiptoe to look at the stained glass…The panels were wonderful!

     Leaving the cathedral, I dropped by Urban Fare, the grocery store, on the way to my hotel. A sales clerk caught my attention while I was shopping.

     “Why don’t you try some tea?” She said that and smiled at me. Suddenly I realized how tired I was. I had not drunk anything at all after brunch. I approached her and chose an herbal tea: Chocolate Spice. “Where are you from?” The clerk started a conversation.

     She said that she had come to the shop from Capilano, where I had been in the heavy rain that morning. We talked about Canada’s rich nature while I was sipping the tea. The paper cup was empty, and the chocolate-colored liquid was soon absorved into my cells. Then I felt revived.

    “How was that tea?”
     “Very nice.”
     “That’s good. You can take a sample. Which one would you like?”
     “This one,” I picked up a box of Chocolate Spice tea.
     “What do you mean? Do you want that as a sample? Or…are you going to buy it?“
     “I’d like to buy this.”
     “REALLY?” She was surprised and stared at me for a while.
     “Any problems?”
     “No, no, no…Actually, you are the first person to buy anything from me today!”
     “REALLY?” It was my turn to be surprised. “Well…Congratulations!”
     “Thank you! Enjoy your trip!” She looked really happy.
     “Thanks!” I got on the way back to my hotel in a cheerful and agreeable mood.

 

My Travel in Vancouver Part 1 is HERE.

MY Travel in Vancouver Part 2 is HERE.

My Travel in Vancouver Part 3 is HERE.

MY Travel in Vancouver Part 4 is HERE.

My Travel in Vancouver 3 (Day 2 Part 1) ~ Capilano Suspension Bridge Park ~: Don’t forget to get a free poncho!

     The weather forecast is treacherous in Vancouver. If you see a sign of an umbrella even with a mark of lightning in the morning, you might not need an umbrella at all. In fact, the weather forecast for that week was for rain every day, but it had cleared up the previous day. So, it might stop raining. I thought that when I looked up into the sky in the morning of the second day in Vancouver. It was drizzling. Most people were walking briskly without umbrellas. It might clear up by the time I got to the park. I decided to go to Capilano Suspension Bridge Park and walked to Blue Horizon Hotel. There is a free shuttle bus from there a few-minute walk from my hotel.

     The bus arrived at the hotel around 9:10 a.m. The driver was a cheerful woman. There were about half a dozen people in the bus. The bus stopped at another hotel on the way to Capilano after I got on it and then headed straight for the park. Unfortunately the rain was getting heavier and heavier. I could hardly see anything from the window because of the pelting downpour. The driver tried to cheer the passengers up and said, “Well…it might stop raining by the time the bus arrives there. Let’s see what will happen!”

     But there was no sign of the rain stopping when we arrived. “…and we have a restaurant over there…uh…it’ll open at 11:30 though…Oh, there’s also a café. They have hot coffee and sandwiches, you know, and so on. Don’t forget to get a free poncho at the information counter. Have a good time!” The driver dropped off the passengers smiling. But the weather was quite the contrary to her radiant attitude. I set foot on the parking lot in the pouring rain.

     “Are you a BC resident?” I could not understand what the lady at the ticket booth meant for a second. She seemed to be asking whether I lived in the Province of British Columbia. So, I replied, “No.” She did not say anything about her previous question but the fee, “$30.19.” The usual admission fee is $31.95 in the low season (it seems to be $35.95 plus tax now!), but they discounted 10% because of the weather. I checked out why she had asked if I was a citizen of the province later. If you are a BC resident, you can get annual pass at the same price.

     When I passed the gate, I was surrounded by comical looking First Nations’ wooden sculptures. I greeted them and stepped forward. Then that famous structure appeared in front of me: Capilano Suspension Bridge. It is the longest (140m) and the highest (70m) suspension bridge in the world. I saw some tourists in the same yellow ponchos swaying ahead. I took a step gingerly onto the wobbly board. It was my first time to walk on such an unsteady thing. Amazingly I wasn’t fazed at all. It was nice to hear the sound of rain and the river current in the middle of the bridge. I felt as if I was melting in the rain and becoming a part of the canyon.

     After exploring a few trails, I decided to go back to the town because I was drenched and felt cold. Besides, I was hungry. I thought about having some coffee at the cafe in the park, but I did not see anyone there. So, I returned my poncho and went outside. Luckily the bus came soon. It took about 20 minutes to Lonsdale Quay. While riding the bus, it almost stopped raining…

     You can get on a ship called SeaBus at Lonsdale Quay and then go downtown easily. It takes about 15 minutes, and the ship departs every 15 minutes. Before hopping on the ship, I decided to have brunch at Lonsdale Quay Market. There are more than 80 shops and restaurants in the market. You can buy vegetables, spices, cheeses, cake breads, accessories, book, Canadian souvenirs, beer…etc. I had a delicious chicken panino with coffee there. It seemed to stop raining while was enjoying a leisurely time…

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Travel in Vancouver 1

My Travel in Vancouver 2

Japanese Version is HERE.

 

 

 

My Travel in London 1 ~ Westminster ~: Would you stop climbing up my leg, please?

      I opened the curtains and looked out of the window. It wasn’t raining. “Oh, I’m lucky!” I was at a room of a hotel near West Brompton Tube Station in London on the morning of March 19. I arrived at Heathrow Airport the previous night, when it was raining hard. Besides, the weather forecast on the Internet had said the week’s precipitation would be more than 90% when I had checked in Japan.

     I got dressed immediately and headed to the restaurant in the hotel for breakfast. I was supposed to have continental breakfast, but I upgraded it to a hot meal by paying £5.50. It was at around 6:30 a.m. but there were more than 10 people in the restaurant. There were fruits, salads, sausages, bacons, hams, fried eggs, scrambled eggs, omelets, bread, cereals, juices, tea, and coffee on the counter. Everything  was delicious, and I ate too much.

     It was my first time to visit London. Actually, it was also my first time to go abroad by myself. I was thrilled to plan where to go that day while having breakfast. I had many places I wanted to see. I got up early because I wanted to spend my time well. After finishing breakfast, I left the hotel before 8 o’clock.

     It was about a five-minute walk from the hotel to the underground station. A man was giving Metro, the newspaper, to people in front of the station. Wow! You can get a newspaper for free in London! It was my first time to use the subway in U.K., but I was able to pass the gate smoothly with an Oyster, which is an IC card for taking buses, subways and trains in London.

     London’s subway is very easy to use. If your destination is west from your present place, you just go to westbound platform. That’s all. So, I did not need to check the underground map during my trip. First, I changed the train at Earl’s Court, and then got off at St. James’s Park Station. My first destination was Buckingham Palace. I walked through Petti France and got to the palace. It took about 15 minutes from the station.

     There were no tourists near the palace. I just saw some people who appeared to be in a hurry to get to their offices. It was before 8:30. It might have been a little bit too early for sightseeing. I heard something like drums while I was taking photos of the palace. I started walking towards the sound, and saw some guards were marching in Wellington Barracks. I was happy to see moving guards because the guards at Buckingham Palace looked like statues…

     The place I was standing and looking at the march was an entrance to St. James’s Park. I decided to walk through the park to my next destination: Westminster Abbey. People were passing by at a quick pace. They must have been in a hurry to their work places, but I was in no hurry. I was walking at leisure. There were many birds and squirrels in the park. When I stopped walking to see the squirrels, one of them came to me and started climbing up my leg. “Would you stop climbing up my leg, please?” I said that in Japanese. Oh, it understood Japanese! It stared at me for a while, then climbed down and went up to a fence and saw me off. Daffodils were beautiful in the park…

     When I arrived at Westminster Abbey, I saw hundreds of people waiting to enter the church. Most of them were students on school trips. I lost my drive to see the inside of the building when I saw so many people. So, I went to Dean’s Yard instead of the abbey. You can go there through the gate of the yellow building next to Westminster Abbey. There is a building called the Cloisters near the yard. Actually, I was going to a café named Cellarium in the building. But I didn’t have some tea there because it was before 9 o’clock, when they would open, and I was still full. That was why I just walked around the corridors peacefully.

     There was a demonstration in Parliament Square across from Westminster Abbey and Big Ben. The participants looked like students. All of them were wearing the same masks of Mr. George Osborne, the Chancellor of the Exchequer of U.K. and holding the same bags written “IF”. Afterwards I discovered that it was to remind the chancellor to keep his promise on overseas aid spending before he revealed the 2013 budget next day. It is wonderful that young people are interested in politics and think seriously about the world. Sadly most Japanese students are not interested in such issues…

     After seeing the flashmob, I left Westminster and headed for St. Paul’s by tube. I’ll write about Holborn and City area next time.

The Trip to Shimanami Kaido in the Autumn 2: Travelling often involves troubles, right?

(“A Trip to Shimanami Kaido in the Autumn 1” is here: http://wp.me/p16bjt-oQ)

    

     “Oh, I forgot my eyelash curler!”    
     “You can use mine. Here you go.”    

     Next morning we got up around seven and had simple breakfast at the hotel in Imabari. We were discussing where to go while eating bread.

     “Why don’t we go to Imabari Castle?”
     “That’s a nice idea. When does it open?”

     We almost decided to visit the castle after the meal. But Nakako found interesting information on the magazine which she was scanning. That was about a shop where local specialty products are on sale in an island called Oshima. So, we left the hotel and headed for the island through “Shimanami Kaido” expressway again.

     Actually, we found out the shop was not so attractive when we arrived at the island. There were not so many things to buy or look at inside. We were disappointed and began talking about our next destination. Motoko said, “I saw a signboard of an observation deck along the way. It’s near the tollgate. Why don’t we go there?” We unanimously agreed to go there.  

     The observation deck was on top of Mt. Kirozan, which is over 300 meters high. A big stone turtle greeted us when we climbed up the mountain. There is a legend about a turtle in the mountain: One night a traveling monk came across a turtle carrying a golden Kannon statue on its back by the sea. He enshrined the statue on a mountain. And the mountain is, as you see, Mt. Kirozan. Now we can’t see the statue anywhere, though…

     The view from the deck was spectacular! We were able to see 360 degrees of the panorama of the Seto Inland Sea from there. The mountains’ green, the blue sky and white clouds, and the blue and shining ocean under the sun. That was breathtaking scenery. We were really glad to come to the place. We enjoyed the landscape and then had ice cream with salt because the area’s one of specialty products is salt. Ice cream and salt sound strange, but interestingly they go well. 

     Then we headed for Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture. You know, the rest of our three purposes was to see cats there. We rode a cable car at the town. There is a mountain called Senkoji-san. Interestingly there are two Buddhist temples and a Shinto shrine on the mountainside. You can go up to and down from the mountain with the cable car. Luckily we were able to see cats on top of the mountain. We were able to fulfilled our three intentions of this travel.  

     After the mountain, we had lunch in Mihara, which had been our rendezvous point. Hiroshima area’s popular food is okonmiyaki, or pancake cooked on the hot plate with pork, an egg, shredded cabbages, and sea food and etc. So, we had okomiyaki for lunch. That was delicious. 

     Actually after lunch, I had to leave for Nagoya. They kept traveling in Hiroshima next day, but I had to say good-by to them in Mihara. I relaxed and fell asleep soon when I got on the Shinkansen and found a vacant seat.

    

     Next time I woke up, I didn’t know where I was. The train was stopping at a station, which I had never heard of. Out of my trance, I suddenly noticed that I had got on a train going to the opposite direction. OMG! I was in Yamaguchi Prefecture! Well, travelling often involves troubles…Right? Anyway, I had a great time with my friends through the trip to Shimanami Kaido! 

Technorati タグ: Shimanami Kaido,the Nishiseto Expressway,Onomichi,Hiroshima,Mihara,okomiyaki,cable car,Kirozan,Mt. Kiro,Oshima,Seto Inland Sea,Seto naikai

Aichi Greenery Center in Toyota: A good place for thinking about wasteful uses of tax money in its artificial nature.

                                         

      This place might flourish once…I thought that when I saw some abandoned booths and buildings in the site. I was in Aichi Greenery Center in Toyota on one day in June.

     Aichi Greenery Center opened in 1976. It is about 2.6 hectares in area and separated into some gardens such as Australian Garden and Japanese Garden. I had wanted to go to the place once for a long time since I heard of the existence. I had imagined that many wonderful gardens with beautiful flowers and trees, and that myself who came back refreshed from there.

     Yes. In a sense, the place was beautiful. But I felt something was wrong there. There were few people in the vast park. I didn’t see any families enjoying their holiday. There is a park near my apartment, and it is always filled with families, who are playing sports, eating lunch, or lying on the lawn. However I just saw a man who was buying a drink at a vending machine, a woman who was walking her dog, and two staffers there.

     No one visits, but the gardens are cared neatly. I felt I was in a film set because the place was too immaculate probably. I didn’t hear any human voices but heard birds singing. I thought it was interesting that the collaboration between artificial nature and nature.

     As I wrote in the beginning, I think the park might be filled with many people at one time. I saw many unused facilities. Those inactive buildings were creating an aura of deserted place with the spick-and-span gardens. I left the place earlier and came back unrefreshed to Nagoya…

     Well, you may not want to go to the site after reading above at all, but it might be a nice place for meditation or thinking about wasteful uses of tax money without any interruption…