A taste of kitschy cool Florida . . . Weeki Wachee Springs

WOW! I never thought I’d get a request for a post . . . but . . . this post is by request for one of Florida’s oldest and natural attractions . . . 

Weeki Wachee Springs

The attraction was a childhood favorite of mine and I remember visiting the attraction many times.  In fact, somewhere in my mom’s archives are photos from the visits.  I’ll include them in the future if she can find them.

Pre-Disney World tourist attraction days of the 1950s/60s were the glory days of Weeki Wachee Springs, boasting attendance of 500,000 people per year.  It is said that Elvis Presley and Esther Williams were among those who visited and/or made films and television shows there . . . naturally . . . it was owned by ABC, the American Broadcast Company, who heavily promoted the attraction. 

The feature attraction?  Live underwater mermaid shows!  The ladies came from all over the world for a chance to audition for the role of a Weeki Wachee Mermaid, who were dressed in fancy outfits complete with fins . . . and considered celebrities throughout Florida.  They perform in an aquarium-like setting set in the spring of the Weeki Wachee River.  The current theater was built in 1959, embeded in the side of the spring 16 feet below the surface . . . it seats 500 people.

The show was originally based on underwater air hose breathing techniques created by a former Navy man, Newton Perry, who trained SEALS to swim underwater in World War II.   

Weeki Wachee Springs, known as the City of Live Mermaids, is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida at the crossroads of US 19 and State Road 50, about an hour north of Tampa.  It is currently owned by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and a part of the Florida State Park System.

The spring is the only one of its kind in the world with the deepest fresh water cave system in the United States.  The park itself is 538 acres . . . the only water park that is completely fed by freshwater springs.

Along with the mermaid show, they offer canoe and kayak rentals, volleyball and swimming at Buccaneer Bay which is a water slide attraction with a beach-like setting of white sands and relaxing covered picnic areas. You can also have your picture taken with the mermaids or take a riverboat ride down the Weeki Wachee River and enjoy a taste of untouched Florida.  They even offer a summer Mermaid Camp for the kids. Visitors can join the Sea Diver Program and swim in the springs

Hours of operation vary by season . . . check their websitefor the schedule.

A quote from the Weeki Wachee website . . . The City of Live Mermaids is more than just mermaids . . . it’s a truly original piece of Florida’s rich heritage.

Trains, Trains, Trains - Airport Rides

Writing about enjoying the scenery while on-board the numerous trains in Tohoku, I thought I'd put up some photos of the trains we boarded to get to our destinations. On each visit to Japan, we try to get on interesting trains or new trains that we have yet get on-board. Zaini is kinda a train otaku, you know. We are so looking forward to boarding the new shinkansen from Osaka someday.^^

I have this project of getting shots of each of the train heads we got on, but sometimes that can be hard to do especially when we were rushing and running late to get on them or when we weren't either on the first or last stop. Did you know that I made everyone missed our train from Tokyo to Akita because I was busy chasing  and snapping trains last year?

Three trains that you might get on from the airport to your destination. The first one is the Narita Express (N'EX) that covered the route from Narita Airport Terminal to Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya, Shinjuku,Ikebukuro and Yokohama.

The second photo is of the Limited Express Rapi:t that covers Kansai Airport to Namba Station. It sure has a pretty cool looking head, don't you think? Much like a mask.

The third one is of the Kansai Airport Limited Express Haruka connecting Maibara through Kyoto Station to Kansai International Airport in Osaka.

After this, I think I'll post up photos of trains we took in Kyushu and move my way up to Hirosaki (maybe once a month post about trains?) Why Hirosaki, you ask? Up to 2010, Hirosaki was the uppermost part we've been to. The southernmost would be Kagoshima-Chuo.

Ume Blossoms

The Japanese plum or ume is associated with the start of spring because plum blossoms are some of the first blossoms to open during the year. 

We got to view them during our visit to Kanazawa Kenrokuen and these photos were taken at the Palm Grove Garden there. 

The Plum Grove Garden was landscaped from 1968 to 1969, as part of a project to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of the Meiji period. Saplings for the plum grove were gathered from famous places for plum trees such as Kitano Tenmangu shrine, Dazaifu Tenmangu, Yushima Tenmangu and Kairakuen. There are now 200 trees of 20 varieties of plums the in the grove. The dark pink and white blossoms are at their best in March.

I know the photos are a bit wanting but hope you enjoyed them nonetheless. ^^

Spring has arrived in Florida!

One of the things I love most is sitting outdoors and watch nature in action.  The weather has been gorgeous and I have spent more time outdoors this week than I have in a very long time.  Maybe they were here before, but I wasn't paying attention . . . the robins have arrived!  They are the sign for me that Spring has arrived and I couldn't be happier!!


We actually reached the 80's last week and the air conditioner has already been off and on for a week or so.  I really love open windows!  The Captain and I have been busy cleaning up the property . . . he finished off the fence, so now the back yard is totally private :) . . . YES!!!  I AM HAPPY :)


Humidity has not arrived and I am very grateful for that . . . I can handle the heat without it.


I love living in Florida :)

Mekari Park On A Rainy Day

We got to visit the Neo-Renaissance style Mojiko Station one rainy day in 2008 and met up with the very kind Hanny who was generous enough to spend her precious time with us touring her home-away-from-home in Kitakyushu.  After a really delicious and filling tempura lunch we headed to Mekari Park (or was it the other way round? Can't remember the exact detail now, old age creeping up on me!)

Mekari Park is situated on Mount Kojo on the western tip Setonaikai National Park. The view of Kanmon Bridge that links Kyushu and Honshu from the Kojozan Observation Point is absolutely awesome. Of course, best viewed on a clear day but it was pretty nice that day too.

Raimie and I with our good host, Hanny. Raimie got along famously with Hanny and was walking hand-in-hand with her, Mommy and Daddy completely forgotten. If you read my previous post, that was Raimie holding Hanny's hand with Banana Man.

Raimie with the Mural of the Battle of Dannoura between the Genji and Heike in the background.

Instead of going on the Kanmon Bridge from Kyushu to Honshu, why not visit the Kanmon Pedestrian Tunnel and go underground? The tunnel runs underwater and after about ten minutes' walk you will emerge in Shimonoseki in Honshu. Cool eh? Plenty of runners in the tunnel while we were there. We were told they were high school students training there.

What else to do if you come to this area? Don't forget to visit Mojiko Retro. There's a building Einstein used to stay in with his wife that you can visit. You can view (and walk on) the only pedestrian drawbridge in Japan too.

And to think that we almost didn't make it here. I actually contacted Hanny to confirm us stopping at Mojiko Station about an hour or so before our arrival and made the call from a public phone inside a train! Thank goodness Hanny was kind enough to meet us despite the last minute arrangement. 

Celebrating, Shopping in Massive Manila Malls OLA

parade along Ayala Avenue

yellow ribbons along Paseo de Roxas

We arrived on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution that toppled Marcos who ruled the country for 21 years, the last 14 under martial law, with his wife Imelda of 3,000 shoes. The trees were all tied with yellow ribbons in memory of Ninoy Aquino who, upon arrival from exile in the US, was felled by the bullet of an assassin at the Manila International Airport (now named after him). TV channels were playing videos of his speech about why he needed to come back to free his people, his hopes during his last minutes inside a China Airlines plane, and his dead body sprawled on the tarmac.

Ninoy at Ayala Ave cor. Paseo de Roxas, Makati 

Later in the day there were celebrations at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas in Makati which has become a podium for political expression by the lower and middle class. There, a statue of Ninoy lords it over the high-rises. His heroism led to the ascendancy of his wife Cory and the recent election of his son Noynoy as Presidents of a free Philippines. It was exhilarating to reminisce these moments in history when I was an idealistic yuppie participant. Our taxi driver was so proud. He felt that many countries (Egypt, Libya, and others) are now on the road to freedom because of our example!

Greenbelt Park Mall by night

our new home in Makati

But now we have settled in our new ‘home’ at the Prince Plaza 2 Condominium in Makati, the financial center of the Philippines. It is a comfortable 45 sq. m. (around 400 sq. feet) room, slightly larger than our RV! And it is right within the Greenbelt Park Mall, a complex of 5 malls around a green oasis with an open domed church in the center. During masses the malls and their shoppers are transformed into one giant community of worshippers! After all, the Philippines is 90% Catholic. But this post is really about a woman’s first impulse in a new country…shopping…which is one of its major attractions.

The Mall of Asia

The third largest mall in the world (after The South China Mall and The Great Mall of China in China) is The Mall of Asia with over 4.2 million square feet of floor area. It is in a reclaimed area known as Bay City in Manila Bay. An Esplanade faces the water and a boardwalk that features zip lines, performers, play areas, Segways, a Manny Pacquiao (the country’s hero-boxer) statue, and the famous Manila sunset. Inside are an ice skating rink, a Science Discovery Center, a Kid’s Universe, a convention center, an office complex, and over 1,000 stores in 2 levels of 4 buildings connected by walkways along the bay.

roaming around the boardwalk on a Segway

Beside the Greenbelt Park Mall is the larger Glorietta Mall, carved out of four buildings joined together into one complex creating a giant lobby at the center, both owned by the Ayalas along with 15 others. And nearby is Power Plant Mall at Rockwell Center, perhaps the most upscale of them all. In Ortigas is MegaMall, still the 8th largest mall in the world, owned by the Sys who also own Mall of Asia and 53 other shopping centers including SM City of North EDSA, the 7th largest and SM City of Cebu, the 12th largest.  Eastwood City is a unique little complex of office spaces and boutique but upscale outlets.

Manila Bay behind the mall

Then there’s Building 168, a mall within Divisoria - the Philippines’ Chinatown - where the goods, either Philippine handicrafts or shipments from China, are dirt cheap. One can easily get there via the above-ground MRT system now linking most of Manila and the 15 cities that comprise Metro Manila.  Two other tiangge-like (like flea markets) malls are the Greenhills Shopping Center which was converted into thousands of stalls and the new Tiendesitas (small tiendas or stores) which house Fashion, People, Food, Novelty, and Antique Villages. These are places to go to for bargains, other than the ukay-ukays!

Manny Pacquiao on the boardwalk

Metro Manila is truly a shopper’s paradise. Global brand names, Philippine handicrafts and designs, China and other Asian goods, and, yes, fakes that are so like the originals give everyone whatever is the best value for his money. Four of the Top 12 Largest Shopping Malls are here. And the Filipino people are so warm, friendly and hospitable that customer service in the country is legendary! Besides, every one of them, from the cab driver to the cleaning lady to the sidewalk vendor, speak English (actually, Taglish, a nice blend of Tagalog and English) which is in our constitution as our secondary language for business and for education.

a row of tiendesitas

At The Station : Mojiko Station

Mojiko Station on a wet day in 2008, waiting for Hanny, a blogger friend we were meeting up for the first time to pick us up.

Zaini agreed to make a stop here while traveling from Hakata Station to Hiroshima because I really, really wanted to see this particular train station despite the less-than-ideal weather condition that day.

Built in 1914, Mojiko Station is modeled after the European style of a terminus station. It is the oldest station in Kyushu, and in 1988 was declared as an important cultural asset.

The Moji banana sellers have traditionally performed their song (banana no tatakiuri) in and near this station. The bananas were imported from Southeast Asia and the brown and half rotten ones were sold immediately along the portside.


I'm guessing that's why there is the Banana-man statue in Mojiko Retro area, because of the famous banana sellers. Don't forget to buy some bananas from the Banana man (men/women?) when you come to this town! :-)

We also drove around the area and visited Mojiko Retro. I now realised that I wasn't exhaustive about my trip reports of our visit there way back in 2008. Maybe I should remedy that someday, either by posting up old photos or a re-visit to the place? 

I'll go with a re-post on the area first before making the trip again, if you don't mind. I'll start with some photos taken at Mekari Park soon. ^^