Wait, Judy, aren’t you the one who keeps complaining about the heat, but then you go on a day hike?? Umm, yes, but our friends, the Roy’s, are a very active family so any outing with them will involve some form of exercise, usually hiking. Jules and I braced ourselves for the usual onslaught of […]
ANIMAL
Hokkaido, Part VII: Kushiro & Tsurui
We said goodbye to our seaside home and drove south to the city of Kushiro for its Ainu culture, famed marimo balls and red-crowned cranes. Our first stop in Kushiro was in Ainu Kotan Village next to Lake Akan at the tiny rustic restaurant Poronno serving traditional Ainu cooking. Although the Ainu are the indigenous […]
Hokkaido, Part VI: Shiretoko & Rausu
We were all bundled up for our guided hike this morning through the Shiretoko Five Lakes region inside the Shiretoko National Park. Because of its remote location Shiretoko is home to many endangered species, and the goverment takes great pains to protect it. From May 10 to July 31, during peak brown bear season, an […]
Hokkaido, Part V: Shari & Shiretoko
Sadly, we had to say sayonara to the beautiful Auberge Kita No Dan Dan hotel this morning for the drive east to the town of Shari. Coastal route 244 took us to Kitahama Station, the train station closest to the drift ice that comes from Russia across the Sea of Okhotsk in the winter. The […]
Hokkaido, Part IV: Asahikawa & Abashiri
Time for some city life. Our next destination would have been too long of a drive from Biei, so we stopped off at Asahikawa, Hokkaido’s second largest city, for its famous zoo and shoyu ramen. The Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa is one of Japan’s most famous due to its unique enclosures, which allow visitors to […]
Hokkaido, Part II: Noboribetsu & Lake Toya
We picked up our rental car today complete with an Audrey Hepburnish-voiced GPS navigation system advising us to “take a break” when we drove for two hours without stopping. Yet another reason why we love Japan. The nicest rental car employee on the planet patiently guided us through our route and even calculated tolls for […]
Calla Lily Festival in Yangmingshan National Park (竹子湖海芋季)
Philip’s mother and sister, Kim, arrived in Taipei two days ago for a week long visit where they lucked out on unusually fabulous weather, full of sunshine and warm temperatures. We spent a day at one of our favorite local national parks a half hour drive from our home, the Yangmingshan National Park, where the […]
Japan, Part IV: Kyoto (京都)
After taking it easy the day before we were all set to go hard again. We set out early to beat the crowds at one of Kyoto’s iconic sights, Kinkaku-ji Temple, or Golden Pavilion. This Buddhist temple is popular for its gold plating and reflection in ‘mirror pond’ and the gorgeous surrounding landscaping. Despite […]
Vietnam, Part IV: Hà Nội
The three hour journey back to Hanoi from Yen Duc Village gave Philip the chance to spot his must see national animal of Vietnam…water buffalo! Despite modern machinery, water buffalo are still used in rice farming here, since they are able to navigate the deep, muddy fields of the rice paddies. Along the highway, we […]
Vietnam, Part II: A cruise to Bái Tử Long Bay
Our van picked us up bright and early for the four hour journey east to Ha Long harbor for our overnight cruise to Bai Tu Long Bay, a less touristed area than the popular Ha Long Bay. This area is considered one of Vietnam’s most valuable natural assets due to its unique ecosystem and […]