A Tree, Seen By The River

A second post on Tokyo Sky Tree, in celebration of its grand opening on May 22nd, 2012. Not gonna ramble on and on about the tower, as you can read about it my my previous post.

Photos were taken last year, during our trip there in December and all these photos were taken while strolling along the Sumida River.

All photo credit goes to Zaini. Sorry about the dot in the photos. WSYISWG or in this case, here are the photos, blemish and all. At least, one would think twice before nicking these photos! xD

Baking with Chocolate, Building with Steel OLA: Pennsylvania, Part 1

Hershey's Kisses being packaged in Hershey, Pennsylvania factory...

with Terry Allen in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania gave us so many finds so this is just Part 1! Hershey, Pennsylvania,baked with chocolate, offered us the opportunity to be children all over again!  Further west is Pittsburgh, the city built from steel, where Bill met with a colleague, Terry Allen, from Fiserv Document Solutions where Bill served as President.  

Hershey, Pennsylvania

the real Hershey factory in Hershey, Pennsylvannia

The Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania

Contrary to popular belief, Hershey, Pennsylvania is a census-designated place (CDP) in Derry Township, Dauphin County with no legal status as an incorporated municipality. With a population over 12,000, it is popularly called ‘Chocolatetown, USA, the Sweetest Place on Earth.’ It is a must-see for children of all ages (like 68-year old Bill and 63-year old Carol): Chocolate World, Hershey Park, Hershey Factory, Hershey Museum, Hershey Hotel, Hershey Garden, Hershey School among all Hershey things!

the Hershey Hotel in Hershey, Pennsylvaniad

view o Hershey factoryy and Hershey Park from atop the hill
 at Herhsey Garden, Hershey, Pennsylvania

The Chocolate World was where we stayed the longest. Its Chocolate Factory Tour is free and so we took it twice! We also saw seen a film about the history of Hershey. It was the best 3-D (actually it was 4-D) film we have ever seen. Then we learned all about the different kinds of chocolates…how they taste, sound, and look! Even the gift shop is by itself an amazing experience with all kinds of chocolate goodies. Good thing there were enough free samples to last the day and not spoil the diet!

Carol at Chocolate World

Bill with a 5-lb Hershey chocolate bar at the Gift Shop

The real Hershey Factory is at the center of downtown with two Hershey smokestacks prominently seen from anywhere around the city. We had quite a day looking for the best angle to shoot from. We finally found it atop the hill where the Hershey Hotel, the Hershey Garden, and the Hershey School were located. It also gave us a more panoramic view of the Hershey Park, a good-sized theme park (Guess what the theme is?). It was truly a whole lot of fun for new kids like us!

the Hershey smokestacks at Hershey, Pennsylvania

PPG Place in downtown Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The city of steel has grown to a city of charm. The PPG Place is a three-block area of glass buildings surrounding a charming little park. The Heinz Chapel stands on a corner of the beautiful campus of the University of Pittsburgh next to the Cathedral of Learning. The only National Aviary in the US, home to 600 species of birds, is at the city center.  And the Three Sisters, the only trio of almost identical bridges in the US span the Allegheny River in downtown Pittsburgh.  Self-anchored suspension bridges , they are built with steel and steel eye-bars instead of cables, and are all colored yellow!!! 

Three Sisters on the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

the Cathedral of Learning

I was also thrilled to find out that there will soon be a Philippine Room at the Nationality Rooms of the University of Pittsburg, a unique collection of 29 classrooms in the Cathedral of Learning depicting and donated by the ethnic groups that helped build the city of Pittsburgh. The rooms and the building are both designated as historical landmarks and are still utilized daily, mostly as study rooms, but also in an extensive intercultural involvement and exchange program.

the India Room, one of 29 of the Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh 

Duquesne Incline, hugging Mount Washington

The Duquesne Incline is a funicular that scales Mt. Washington, the highest Pittsburgh hill. Completed in 1877, it is 800 feet long, 400 feet high, and is inclined at a 30 degree angle with an unusual 5 ft gauge. But we drove up the hill instead taking the Incline and found a panoramic view of the city, Heinz Stadium, the many bridges that span the Allegheny River. We also discovered there the dramatic statue of George Washington and Guyasuta who probably served as a scout for the young Washington in 1753. 

Statue of Guyasuta and George WAshington atop Mount Washington, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

the Saint Anthony Chapel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

But our biggest discovery was Saint Anthony's Chapel, built in 1880 by Fr. Suitbert Mollinger, pastor of the Most Holy Name of Jesus Parish in Troy Hill. The chapel houses 4,000 to 5,000 religious relics, the largest collection outside the Vatican! Our guide told us how Fr, Mollinger built the collections, mostly from his own money through the years. We also found out that there are the three classes of relics: first class-from the body of a saint or one near sainthood, second class-an object once in the possession of a saint, and third class-something touched by a first or second class relic. The chapel is truly amazing!

Other Lovely Towns in Pennsylvania

the handsome Pennsylvania State Capitol, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

the original pretzel factory, Lilitz, Pennsylvania

Hershey is next to the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania which has the handsomest state capitol in the land!.And the Sturgis Pretzel House of Lititz, Pennsylvania, founded in 1861,is the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the US and remains active today. Just 6 miles south is Lancaster, Pennsylvania where the Hershey campground of the Thousand Trails System was our home for 3 weeks.

Amish Village in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Wheatland, home of James Buchanan in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Bill met with another colleague from Fiserv, Gene Natale, at the outskirts of Lancaster. Since I did not join them, Bill brought home photos of the Mennonite and Amish life which flourish in the area. Tours gave him the difference between their lifestyles. Wheatland, home of James Buchanan, 15^th president of the US when the country was at the brink of the Civil War, is also a landmark.

with Gene Natale in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is filled with great finds…from chocolate to steel, from universities to churches, from funiculars to bridges, from old to modern ways of living.  And we haven’t even talked about Philly yet!

At The Station : Dogo Onsen

It's a street-car/tram station. Quaint station.

The station is known as the doorway to Dogo Onsen; the oldest hot spring spa in Japan - all 3,000 years worth of history there. What stories can the onsen tell us? No wonder it is said that the onsen is an inspiration for the animated movie "Spirited Away". Even without knowing it before, I thought of "Spirited Away" when I saw Dogo Onsen. ^^

The Dogo Onsen station embodies the charm of Meiji era (1868-1912). However, the current building is not the original Meiji era building but was rebuilt in 1986 and identical to the original one that was outdated. Iyo Railway had initially wanted to turn the old station into a terminal building complete with a hotel and a shopping centre but locals (and local businesses) opposed to the plan and urged for the preservation of the station building.

I don't know about you, but I think it would be quite incongruous to have such modern replacement for the station, what with Dogo Onsen just a few minutes away from the station!

Not that the surrounding area really is in harmony with the 110 years old three-storey timber structure, important cultural property that is Dogo Onsen. heh

The Botchan Reesha, a diesel powered replica of the original Iyotetsu matchbox-like streetcar that operated in Matsuyama between 1888 - 19654.

The tram operates once an hour all year round (trips varies for weekends and holidays).

We didn't get on the Botchan Reesha on our way back to Matsuyama Station. We got on this instead. 150yen per trip.

The interior of the tram we took. Very retro looking interior, don't you think?

That guy in white pants was going for a run at a nearby park. He got on at a station near a hotel and got off a few stops later, but not before I saw his stuff (ID, phone, cash) neatly packed in a clear plastic case. That folks, is a sign of a runner, going for a run. Zaini mentioned that he should have just run from his hotel to the park. I totally agree with Zaini. hehe

Dogo Onsen

Dogo Onsen, located in Matsuyama, in the Ehime Prefecture has a long history and is one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan along with Arima Onsen in Hyogo Prefecture and Shirahama Onsen in Wakayama Prefecture.

Dogo Onsen has seen a number of imperial personages, aristocrats and cultured people including successive Emperors since ancient times. Especially since Dogo-Onsen-Honkan was built in 1894, it has become a more famous hot spring representative of the best in Japan.

Dogo Onsen was also depicted in the famous novel "Botchan" by Soseki Natsume (1867-1916) who was a great literary figure in that era. Thank you Minoru for the book, Botchan! I’ve got the English version, in case you readers are wondering. ^^

 

 

The wooden three-storied Dogo-Onsen-Honkan is designated a national important cultural property. A clock in Shinrokaku, which is a small tower on the roof, strikes three times a day in the morning, noon and evening respectively.

There is the "Kami-no-yu" bath on the first floor, and the "Tama-no-yu" bath and relaxation area for those who bathe in both baths are on the second floor. On the third floor, there are private rooms for users of "Tama-no-yu" bath and "Botchan-no-ma" which is a room associated with Soseki Natsume. Seeing the latter room is available on request.

Did we go in? No, we didn't. We are a penny-pinching family. We were just content looking at it from the outside. ^^

From Matsuyama Station To Dogo Onsen

Getting to Dogo Onsen from Matsuyama Station is easy.

In front of Matsuyama Station

 

You have the choice of taking the street-car/tram or any other wheeled vehicle to get directly to the famous onsen or you can be like us and do the hard way. You can take one right in front the Matsuyama Train Station. No worries.

Our way? Walk all the way from Matsuyama Station to Dogo Onsen. Come on. If a 9-year can do it, why can’t you? Right? Furthermore, you get to see plenty of interesting sights along the way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pretty interesting stuff to see, right? I'll post up more details on these photos and the places we visited or passed by along the way to Dogo Onsen some time soon. No, Rurousha - wait for the explanation in the next post(s). Be patient. xD But anyhoo, I know you know about them or if not; will research them anyways. Am I right or am I right? hahaha

 

In front of the Dogo-onsen station, there is a karakuri-dokei; a gadget clock and a tub( footbath?), which was used in the Meiji-era (1867-1912) in Hojoen.

The L-shaped Dogo shopping street stretches from Dogo-Onsen-Honkan to the street-car/tram Dogo-onsen Station. Souvenir shops and restaurants line the street and public bathhouse "Tsubaki-no-yu" is at the intersection of the L-shaped shopping street. It is a white-walled, storehouse-style building and creates a different atmosphere from that of Dogo-Onsen-Honkan, which was constructed in a wooden castle-style design.