Staying Awhile in the Evergreen State-Spokane

Runners, a cluster sculpture along Riverfront Park, Spokane

Finally, I have almost cleared this blog of all backlog; almost a thousand pictures and sixty stories of every place we have visited in North America has been posted (from June of 2009 up to the time we returned to Washington from Alaska in mid-September this year). Now I write of everyday adventures in this, our home state where we are currently taking care of some medical/dental concerns, complying with steps towards my naturalization, and visiting with family and friends during the holidays before we move on to a short tour of the Philippines and parts of South East Asia early next year.



Spokane Falls, as seen from the Sky Bridge

 We begin with Spokane, the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region and the third largest in the American portion of the Pacific Northwest, behind Seattle, and Portland, Oregon. The city is located on the Spokane River in Eastern Washington, 110 miles south of the Canadian border and just approximately 20 miles from the Washington-Idaho border. So it was easy for my daughter Claudine and her family to drive down from Calgary in Alberta, Canada (10 hours) for a reunion with Bill and me and my other daughter Trisha and her family who live in Seattle (5 hours).



the entry to Expo '74 at Riverfront Park

 This is great to know for all fathers: Father's Day celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 20, 2010. A Spokane woman, Sonora Smart Dodd, is often referred to as the "Mother of Father's Day." 16 years old when her mother died in 1898, she and five younger brothers were raised by her father. In 1909 she heard a Mother's Day sermon at Central United Methodist Church. This inspired her to propose that fathers receive equal recognition. With the assistance of Rev Dr. Conrad Bluhm, her pastor, she took the idea to the Spokane YMCA which, along with the Ministerial Alliance, endorsed and helped it spread.

the 1906 carousel at the Riverfront Park



the marbled lobby floor at the Square

 Spokane hosted the first environmentally themed World's Fair in Expo '74, becoming the smallest city yet to host one. This event transformed its downtown and the fairgrounds became the 100-acre Riverfront Park which is now the city’s pride. My friend Fides and husband Benjie from the Philippines who now make Seattle their home spent Saturday of a weekend there with us. The following day was spent in the neighboring city of Coeur d’Alene which lies directly east of Spokane County in Kootenai County, Idaho. Their population is over 600,000 and they are expected to be combined by 2013.

the giant red wagon at Riverfront Park



the netted cityscape

 At the Park are a giant red wagon and other children’s playthings, a bridge that runs through the river, a Clock Tower, a carousel that dates back to 1906, a netted cityscape under which are children’s rides, an intriguing cluster sculpture of runners on the sidewalk (depicting the famous annual Daffodil Run), and a Sky Ride that took you to the famous Spokane Falls. Just across is the Riverfront Park Square, a shopping mall with an interesting sidelight: a marbled lobby floor map of the Pacific Northwest’s lakes and rivers. The Spokane area alone has 76 lakes and numerous rivers for various water sports and great camping.



the Bing Crosby Home, housing his memorabilia at Gonzaga

 We also went to the Gonzaga University campus (sports fans should know why the university has become, maybe not an Ivy Leaguer, but a reputable academic institution.  We were surprised to find the Bing Crosby House there (he is its most famous alumnus). And the church stood elegantly on the beautiful campus in autumn.  That was where we chose to hear mass and we were awed at the individual healing sessions each family group in attendance received. Our bonds as friends were certainly strengthened and our faith renewed

the start of the world's longest boardwalk



the 14th hole, men's tee, women's tee box, island hole, and ferry station  

 In Coeur d’Alene, we found the world’s longest boardwalk which surrounded a hotel and its marina of water toys for the big boys. The city is also known for the world’s only floating golf course. The 14th hole of the Coeur d’Alene Golf and Country Club Resort is a small island on the Coeur d’Alene Lake. You tee off from the shore if you are a man and from a nearer tee box if you are a woman. The distance from these vary day to day and one only gets 2 shots after which you are ferried on a small boat to the island hole to finish with a 2-stroke penalty. Challenging all golfers!

the two cabins on the right where my family stayed

grandsons trick-or-treating ar the RV

But the highlight of our stay in Spokane was our campground, K/M Ponderosa Falls, one of the best maintained campgrounds we have ever been to. That was where we had an early Halloween reunion with my two daughters and their families. My grandchildren had many merry days at the heated indoor pool, the video arcade, the playground, the 18-hole mini-golf course, the dining area with all the games and a huge TV, the little carousel, the pool and billiard tables, dart board, and all-day free popcorn! The 2 families rotated cooking and dishwashing duties. I gave the little boys bright orange cloth pumpkin lanterns to Trick-or-Treat around the 2 cabins and our RV.

the indoor heated pool with my grandsons!

pool, pingpong, and card tables

This is what this cruising lifestyle is all about: great sights to look at, wonderful campgrounds to live in, and loved family and friends to visit with! Next week it will be about Beachwood, Washington and neighboring Vancouver where we had more visits with family and friends. The following week we will talk about Monroe and neighboring Bellevue and Seattle where we spent Thanksgiving and my birthday celebrations, and, last, Chehalis in southern Washington with neighboring state capital, Olympia, where we will spend the Yuletide Season. Literally, what more can one ask for???

the family dining area!

 

the 18-hole mini golf course!





Tokyo Sky Tree

The Tokyo Sky Tree is a is a broadcasting, restaurant, and observation tower and is expected to be open to public by Spring 2012. 

Even before its completion, the Tokyo Sky Tree has become an attraction for visitors to Tokyo. Construction of the tower is scheduled to be completed by December 2011 at a record height of 634 meters, making it surpassing Tokyo Tower which stands at 333 meters. 

Tourists are already flocking to take photos of the yet to be completed tower and restaurants are selling tower-themed menu items.  We didn't go near the tower while we were in Japan in September but as we were based in Asakusa, the tower majestic height can be seen from almost every street in Asakusa. We can't miss it, jutting out and dominating the skyline. We saw locals and tourists alike stopping and photographing the tower from almost every angle.

Like I said, we didn't go near the tower but we managed to get a few shots of Tokyo Sky Tree from various places in Asakusa. Of course, the tower is in the background of every photo.

Losing Sleep Over A Scandal

No, not a real scandal but over a Korean drama titled Sungkyunkwan Scandal. I have been sleeping late for the past week, watching whatever episodes that I've downloaded over and over and over and over again. I'm trying to pace myself and not watch the whole episode in one go by not downloading them all,so I've only watched 16 epsiodes so far.

I've always have a soft spot for romantic Korean drama, but the last time I was this obsessive was over Coffee Prince.

The drama was set in Joseon era, in Sungkyunkwan, the nation’s highest academic institution, founded in 1398. For info, Sungkyunkwan is still in existence in modern day Korea. It is the oldest national university in Korea and all of East Asia. Interesting fact, no?

There is a  bit of similarity of the story because it is about a girl cross dressing as a boy to make a living. In Coffee Prince, it was a case of mistaken identity (or rather mistaken gender) that started the relationship; in Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Kim Yoon Hee (which was played by Park Min Yeong) had to dress as a boy to make a living. The stakes are different, since the consequences of being found out are severe, it’s no longer a matter of losing the guy’s trust and/or love but of failing your family and facing severe punishment and possibly death. 

The story is of a girl beating all odds to enter a higher learning place which was forbidden to women back then, in order to help her mother and sick brother. A heroine slogs through all odds and triumph in the end; I'm such a sucker for this kind of storyline.

And watching three beautiful men (those three in the photo above) doesn't hurt either. Koreans does have a knack to make a strait-laced guy looks hot! And watching this drama makes me even want to try wearing a hanbok someday. If you want to know a bit about Korean traditional dress, click here for more info.

Anyway, enjoy this soundtrack from the drama.

Exploring the Southwest, Part 2

We were supposed to proceed to Nogales in Arizona for our Mexican extravaganza (and a scheduled family reunion in Mazatlan) but we decided to first visit the only living sibling of my late mother in San Diego. On the way we found GEMS: a desert recreational area in Ocotillo Wells, the apple town of Julian, and Ramona Canyon RV Resort in California and the Casa Grande Ruins, the Saguaro National Park, and Tombstone in Arizona on the way back east.  Then we decided to join Thousand Trails. 

 First we chanced upon a huge ATV rally with ‘toys for the big boys’ jam packed in a desert made colorful by the event. The Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area is more than 80,000 acres of magnificent desert open for off-highway exploration and recreation.  The northwestern boundary connects with the half-million acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, open to highway-legal vehicles. Asking Bill if this is one thing he would like to do, he said, ‘No, that’s not my sort of thing.’

Then we happily stumbled upon Julian, an unincorporated community east of San Diego, population: 1,621. Although Julian's picturesque setting attracts tourists, recreationalists and antique lovers, the town is most famous for its apple crop. The variety grown locally is considered less sweet than most traditional types, but pies and cider made from the fruit have garnered great popularity for nearly 100 years. And we were there at the heart of the Apple Festival! So, we lined up for some great apple pie!

Local shops can keep you for hours (my fave sweater I got there for only $8!). But what we cannot forget is the Old Julian Cemetery where we found the only parking space left.  As we were about to leave, Bill accidentally hooked the rear bumper onto the arch post at the gate.  But along came Daniel Lewis, secretary for the cemetery’s association. He literally and single-handedly extricated Star (and us) from the dilemma.  His book, Last Known Address, about the cemetery’s history, is now a prized possession.

At nightfall we arrived at the Ramona Canyon RV Resort.  And In the chilly October night, we treated ourselves to an outdoor steaming spa.  The next morning, after a horseshoe battle fought and won by Bill, we went to the karaoke event at the Clubhouse and, of course, I poured my heart out in several songs! The next day, as we were about to leave, several of us got together for a farewell potluck and our hook into the RV cruising lifestyle was forever sealed!

We never did go around San Diego. We visited Tia Juana, the only living sibling of my mother, almost 90, her devoted son Polly, Ate Tesing, her daughter, and Kuya Ute, her husband. It is always nice to visit family but we had to go to Menifee where we were to sign up for a 3-year Thousand Trails membership. It was like graduating from the daily search for the best deal in campgrounds.  Now we can plan better ahead, have more choices, and be finally at Phase 2 of the RV Cruising Lifestyle! 

Back to the journey to Nogales, our first stop was Casa Grande Ruins in Coolidge, Arizona. The national monument was constructed by the ancient people of the Hohokam period, who farmed the Gila Valley in the early 13th century. "Casa Grande" is Spanish for "big house" referring to the remains of a four story structure that has managed to survive the extreme weather conditions for about seven centuries. It now has a distinctive modern, thereby controversial, roof covering built in 1932 for protection.

On the way to our campground in St. David, Arizona, we drove through the Saguaro National Park. The two sections of the park conserve fine tracts of the Sonoran Desert where the saguaro cactus thrives.  The St. David RV Resort is beautiful with its own lake and pool and there was a crafts sale and other activities.  But what we liked the most was the short trip to Tombstone, a former silver-mining boomtown most remembered for being the site of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

The most famous graveyard of the Old West is Boot Hill where various victims of violence and disease in Tombstone's early years, including those from the O.K. Corral gunfight were buried. Saloon ladies on Allen Street in which the gunfight occurred in 1881 is also preserved. Bill found his sexy lady (with my permission!). However, since much of this street fight occurred in Tombstone's Fremont Street, daily reenactments are also viewable! So I also found my Wyatt Earp!

According to Guinness, the world's largest rosebush was planted in Tombstone in 1885 and still flourishes today. This Lady Banksia rose now covers 8,000 sq ft of the roof on an inn, and has a 12 ft circumference trunk. Unfortunately, the rose bush was not in bloom when we were there. No wonder Tombstone receives approximately 450,000 tourist visitors each year and is a National Heritage Site.  Gems abound wherever we go but our 2009 Thanksgiving Holiday beckons!

 So off we headed for Nogales, what we believe is the better point of entry to sunny Mexico!

My Newest Creation - Louise's STRING SCARVES / Scarf

At a craft show I saw a scarf that gave me the idea to make these scarves because I have tons of all kinds of yarn.  They are just multiple strands of all different kinds of specialty yarns, knotted in the middle and on both ends.  They sold like crazy at the last show. It is important to use at least 5 different yarns, threads etc.

Blues, with fun fur

Greens with fun fur

Pinks and lavender with dusty pink fun fur

Tan, grays and fun fur

Red, Purple and pink with fun fur and red & purple eyelash yarn

Blues, white and browns with fun fur

1. 

Tan with bright green, yellow and orange fun fur.

And of course being the eBayer I am, here is a link to those currently listed. 

String Scarves / Scarf Listings on eBay

Breakfast Of The Day - Seating With Legs Folded At Uematsuya

I posted about our stay at Uematsuya and enjoying the onsens earlier. After spending the evening soaking in numerous onsens, we woke up refreshed and with an excellent appetite. We had dinner served in our room the night before but for breakfast, it was served in a traditional Japanese-style dining room.

The tables set for guests to enjoy breakfast.  If you have trouble sitting with your legs folded, don't wear a yukata to breakfast. You'll have a hard time hiding any body parts you don't want other guests to see. 

Our breakfast that morning. All those in the photo are a portion for one person. The breakfast served here was less elaborate than what we had at Taenoyu Onsen last year but still, it was a really good breakfast.

Some close-ups.

You know I am very much pampered by my husband when instead of me serving the rice, it is always him handling this task even at home.

Breakfast Of The Day Part II - At JAL City Hotel

Another breakfast-themed post from me. ;-)

We spent one night at Hotel JAL City in Sendai, utilizing my JAL coupon that I exchanged with my frequent flyer mileage. We got our room for 16,000yen per night which includes breakfast for two.

Our breakfast coupons.

The dining area. It has a rather "upscale" and sedate feel to it that wearing shorts when entering the restaurant feels improper for me. :D

The buffett area. The selection may not look much, but there were ample selection of food here; be it Japanese style or Western style breakfast.

My breakfast for the day. A variety of bread & pastries, along with a bow of piping hot rice, and an assortment of side dishes.

and what breakfast in Japan would be complete for us, without some sticky, gooey Natto too!

As you can see in the first photo, there were only two breakfast coupons and we are a party of three. Well... to save cost, only Mommy and Daddy went down to have breakfast while Raimie watched TV in our room. Being "naughty", I stashed away some bread and jams for Raimie in my bag that I took along with me. 

Have you ever stashed anything away to bring back from the buffett table? :p