A Scenic Ride On The Gono Line Part II

Plenty of people start their small talk with me with "So, you can't go to Japan this year?" lately. My answer has always been - "Why not? It's not as if the whole of Japan were affected. Things look pretty normal elsewhere, other than the North East of Japan." Call me reckless. Whatever. I live dangerously, me. XD

Check out daily Tokyo radiation level over at Metropolis.

I would head to Japan now just to show them, if I can. Unfortunately, the trip this year isn't a sure thing yet. No mention of an acceptable (read:cheap) airfare from any airlines yet. As a matter of fact, JAL had kind of retracted its promo fare that is supposed to come out today. Boo! And with some legal fees that Zaini and I need to settle some time soon, the cashflow is a bit tight for us at the moment. Well, there's always next year, I say. Though if we opted to not go this year, it'll be the first time since 2006 that we missed out on our yearly vacation to Japan.

Anyway, a continuation of previous post. On the previous post, I posted up photos of the coastline view on the Gono Line, taking the Resort Shirakami train - Buna. The train also travels through the countryside not only showcasing the beautiful vistas of the Japan Sea; the trip also highlights the Shirakami Sanchi highlands, as well as expansive panoramas of the Tsugaru Plain.

If you ever come to this part of Japan, why not get on-board one the Resort Shirakami trains and enjoy the view. The train trip is covered by both JR Pass and JR East Pass, for us visitors. :)

One can also get a glimpse of culture  as on certain trips as there will be live shamisen performance on-board selected trains.

More reason to get on them and experience it yourself. :-)

If you want to see their performance, make sure you board the earlier trains and not the last ones of the day.

Nature's Fury

March is usually a pleasant and dry month in Central Florida, sometimes too dry, but it is a beautiful, peaceful time before the tropical weather interrupts every afternoon with thunder, dangerous lightning and torrential rain.

It started yesterday with an all day storm that was welcomed after so much dry weather.  I even commented on my personal blog how I love those rainy days as long as I don't have to get out in it and the joy of hearing the rain hitting the awnings on the windows, making it so inviting to sleep the day away and catch up for all those late nights with no sleep.

Sightings of a funnel clouds and resulting tornadoes began early this morning and didn't end until early evening, pounding the area with heavy rain and hail escorted by torrential winds that did widespread damage in Central Florida.  The neighborhood is littered with fallen limbs, but thankfully no serious damage.  

We personally spent most of the day with no electricity or running water that is generated by an electrical pump.  It is the price we pay for living in paradise . . . the seasonal storms that result in electrical outages. 

The rest of spring will hopefully be normal for this time of year with low humidity and comfortable temperatures . . . today was just a preview to prepare us for the upcoming summer rainy season.

  

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention dodging tropical storms and hurricanes in between the daily storms . . . that is a normal summer in Central Florida.

It doesn't matter where you live . . . we all get a taste of nature's fury.

How does nature's fury affect you

 in your part of the world?

OLA: Marveling at Palawan's Beauty, Part 1

the entrance to the Subterranean River, 7th New Wonder of the World!

inside the Underground River

Palawan is the fifth largest (4,700 sq. miles) of 7,107 islands in the Philippine archipelago, after Luzon, Mindanao, Negros, and Samar. It juts out such that it has the westernmost point of the country.  Recently, it won a coveted spot in the 2011 National Geographic’s 7 New Wonders of the World for the world’s longest (8.2 km.) navigable Subterranean River! It is also home to the Philippines’ best dive spot: the Tubbataha Reef. Palawan is so isolated it is called The Last Frontier of the Philippines (just like Alaska is for the US. And it is beautiful for three special reasons.

One: It is a bastion of eco-tourism.

light at the end of the tunnel

For just under $100 each we took a one-hour flight to Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan, from Manila on a Cebu Pacific flight. The very next day, for just a little over $30 each, we joined a tour to the Underground River, a World Heritage Site, only a 2-hour van ride plus a 30-minute boat ride outside of the city. After a short walk through wooden planks in a forest inhabited by monkeys and monitor lizards, we took to paddle boats, marveled at the limestone karst mountain landscape outside and the stunning  formations inside its deep chambers, and sighed as the light at the end of the tunnel signaled the finish. Later we were treated to a scrumptious Filipino buffet on a beach resort on the way back to our hotels. 

an Asian bearcat

The efforts of Palawan at eco-tourism are quite admirable. The Palawan Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Center is home to about 2,000 endangered Philippine crocodiles (both salt and fresh water) in various stages of development. The largest at 17 feet is a 60-year old male. For just under a $1 per person, you can learn about them and the Asian bearcats, Asian white-bellied eagles, Philippine turtles, and other endangered species, endemic to the island.   

  

the Asian white-bellied eagle

a Christmas tree of fireflies

An interesting sidelight is the Firefly Watching Tour, at about $15 per person. After nightfall, sometimes even past midnight, more than 10 boats paddle waves of tourists to and fro the Iwahig River. This has been a protected area since 2008. Thousands of ‘lightning bugs’ cling to  nipa, nilad  (Maynilad, original name of Manila, means ‘with nilad’), and other trees on the lush 20 hectare mangrove forest on its banks, making a spectacle of Christmas trees year round! The river bed plankton also adds to the area’s luminescence when you dip your hands and wave them in the water on a pitch black night.

Pambato Reef in Honda Bay

Two: It is great natural playground!

We went on an island hopping spree for just a little over $20 each on Honda (meaning, open, deep as opposed to land-locked) Bay, home to 13 islands, 3 islets, emerald waters, and white beaches.  First stop was Pambato Reef, a man-made cluster of 2 floating connected huts where we fed schools of colorful fish and snorkeled around beautiful live corrals.

Snake Island off Honda Bay

Then our boat took us to Pandan Island where many pandan trees, whose leaves give rice and other dishes enhanced flavor and fragrance, prosper. There, not content with our Filipino buffet, we bought, for just $6, 6 crabs from a vendor who steamed them for us. Our last stop was Snake Island, shaped like a snake, its beach is 2 miles long.  Our guide pointed out an interesting islet: Lu-Li,  ‘lulubog-lilitaw’ meaning ‘sinking down/coming up’ depending on the tide.

the Lu-Li Islet of Honda Bay

Next: Part 2: Reasons Two and Three

A Scenic Ride On The Gono Line Part I

and taking the Resort Shirakami train - Buna. I posted about the trip earlier in the post : Day 4 In Japan - A 5 Hour Trip To Nowhere. Why did I call it a trip to nowhere? Not because there wasn't any interesting place to sightsee but because we took the train for the sole purpose of taking the train. We got on it at Akita Station up to Hirosaki and went back taking the Akebono train immediately after. Nuts? Yes, we are.

The day was a bit overcast so the photos kinda look gloomy. I used the "sports function" of my camera to take these photos, but as the function is best suited for the bright outdoors, it didn't turn out that great. Oh well...You live and learn.

I love traveling on this Gono Line because of the view. It was so lovely to see rolling rice fields with the seaview in the background. It might not be as fun-filled ride as the one on the steam locomotive "Ban Etsu Monogatari-Go" which we took in 2009, but the view one can see outside will not bore you at all. A highly recommended train trip.

Another set of photos taken from the train in a couple days' time.

Omikuji - The Fortune Paper

Omikuji at Senso-Ji in Asakusa

Omikuji at Godaido Island

When you visit the shrines or temples in Japan, you can probably see people reading a strip of paper or seen it tied on a stand or on a tree branch - those were probably Omikuji (おみくじ) you see.

Omikuji are paper fortunes from a “sacred lottery,” fortunes which foretell one’s good or bad luck regarding something that one is praying about to the god of the shrine they are visiting. The omikuji are usually received by making a small offering and randomly choosing one from a box or by shaking a box containing numbered sticks and taking out the fortunes by the same number, or getting them from a vending machine; hoping for the resulting fortune to be good.

Omikuji vending machine

Two visitors on Fuukurajima, buying a Daruma Omikuji

General fortune is usually written in one of these categories:
大吉 - Daikichi - Excellent luck
吉 - Kichi - Good luck
中吉 - Cyukichi - Fair luck
小吉 - Syokichi - A little luck
半吉 - Hankichi - Semi-good luck
末吉 - Suekichi - Uncertain luck
末小吉 - Suekokichi - Uncertain but a little luck
凶 - Kyou - Bad luck
小凶 - Syokyou - A little misfortune
半凶 - Hankyou - semi-misfortunate
末凶 - Suekyou - Uncertain misfortune
大凶 - Daikyou - Certain disaster

The fortune may also include predictions different subjects about love, lost articles, study, family,money, travel, childbirth; in other words, predictions for all needs.

After reading it, if the fortune is of bad luck, you should fold the fortune into a strip and tie it around a branch of a tree, or pillar or in a special place where the shrine indicates, so the predicted bad luck won’t follow you.

But if the fortune brings a message of good luck you can take it with you or put it on your wallet.

A purported reason for this custom is a pun on the word for pine tree (松 matsu) and the verb 'to wait' (待つ matsu), the idea being that the bad luck will wait by the tree rather than attach itself to the bearer. In the event of the fortune being good, the bearer has the option of tying it for the fortune to have a greater effect or can keep it for luck.

View Of Matsushima Bay

OK, this will be my last installment of posts on Matsushima.

Before I proceed, check out Todd's Wanderings' #Blog4Japan and help either by donating or spreading the word around. Little gestures count too.

Also, anyone wanting to know about the Zuiganji Temple, may want to visit "Rinzai Zen Zuiganji Temple Offered As Refuge for Tsunami Victims" article. Click on the link.

More photos of Matsushima Bay, taken last year. Let's appreciate its beauty and hope the area to return back to normal and its glory sooner rather than later.

Matsushima on a manhole cover. Even the manhole cover is beautiful. ^^

I will resume with normal posting after this, and it'll be of random places around Japan that we've visited over the years. Stay tuned!

On another note, check out Bangsar Village's effort to Help Japan. Fill up the donation box and help them fold one thousand cranes for Japan. ^^

An ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. 

View From Fukuurajima

The previous post was photos taken at Godaido Island. Now, some nice view we were able to see from Fukuura Island in Matsushima - which we got to by walking on the vermilion bridge.

Fellow tourists kept on offering to take our photos here.

Raimie who loves playing with the sand and chasing waves

And don't forget to support Blog4Japan and check out how you can help Japan's earthquake and tsunami survivors over at Todd's Wanderings site. Every little gesture counts!

WOW: Loving the Night Life in Manila!

Mall of Asia at night, from our car

‘I love the night life…I love to boogie…’ so goes the song. And, though it’s most appropriate in the Manila night scene (my gang and I used to roam Ermita, the tourist district up to the wee hours of Saturday mornings), Bill and I are more subdued on this trip.  But we still thoroughly loooooved it. All you night owls will, too! Being the call center capital of the world, Manila is buzzing with activity 24x7.

Savannah Moon dance floor

It’s disco for the young, but for us sexygenarians…it’s ballroom dancing fever. My dear friend Ann’s nth birthday celebration was an exclusive Birthday Milonga at the favorite hangout of Manila’s Argentine tango elite enthusiasts, Savannah Moon in Eastwood City. It was good they played some disco, rock n roll, swing, and Latin music so Bill and I were able to dance our night away!

World Pyromusical Competition at MOA 

At the famous Mall of Asia (third largest in the world, after 2 huge ones in China), the 2^nd World Pyromusical Competition (fireworks synchronized with music) was held. You should have seen the nightscapes glittering with entries from Australia and the Philippines (as host, not an entry). 2 countries were on display every Saturday evening and we were fortunate to have caught the last one!  Most of Manila must have been there and what ordinarily took us 30 minutes from the condotel to MOA took almost 3 hours. Lesson learned.

we were two of the millions watching

Contrast this to the quiet and elegant evening at gracious and elegant Nina Halley’s posh loft at Ritz Towers on Ayala Avenue, the main artery of the upscale part of the financial district of Metro Manila, Makati. We had wine and baked oysters on her veranda with a fantastic view of Manila by night.  Her buffet table was crowned by Spanish-infuenced cocido (beef stewed with plantain bananas, green  beans and cabbage, eaten with mashed roasted eggplants with plenty of garlic), baked pompanos, red egg salad, and lumpia shanghai (our tiny egg rolls). Brewed Batangas coffee, herbal tea with honey and cinnamon, and good dessert wine kept us company to the wee hours of the morning at her coffee room!

the view from Nina's veranda

Contrast this further to the noisy and informal sidewalk Thai restaurant that my beautiful daughter April loves to patronize.  Authentic Thai dishes are served at reasonable prices on red Monobloc tables and chairs while cars occasionally drove on the road between  the house where the meals are cooked and the sidewalk.  Just across the fence on the other side is another upscale section of Makati, Rockwell.

Bollywood, here we come!

I may have time to write about them later but we have already scheduled fine dining experiences at Burgos Circle, a new place in The Global City which is fast becoming the new business district to replace Makati.  And a dinner/fashion statement at Bollywood the in-Indian restaurant where my amigas and I will wear our new saris brought home by Dittas direct from Colombo, Sri Lanka where she is a consultant/CEO at an IT company.

photo show at the mall

Watching movies is also fashionably up-to-date with three theaters offering lazy-boy recliner chairs and flowing drinks and popcorn or whatever you may want to order.   We have been to one but we have also scheduled another which is supposed to have love recliners…for two! Another favorite past time are karaoke sessions in music lounges where you can book a room for a private party. With the Filipinos’ penchant for music, you had better book in advance or be content with Sunday afternoons when they are relatively free.

hanging out at Greenbelt Park

Then there are the parks! You already know that we are housed next to one, Greenbelt Park where we just chanced upon a photography show with free drinks one night. Our favorite hangout is also there, Felix, which serves all drinks at 50% off from 4-11 PM!  For coffee, you can choose between Seattle’s Best and Starbucks both fronting the green oasis at the middle where there is a stage that is used for mini-concerts. Evening masses at the open dome church is also cooler than morning or afternoon masses.

home away from the RV

There is really no dull moment at Manila by night. Whether you want more action like dancing or just simply watch concerts (Don McClean just had a concert in February and Justin Bieber is scheduled this month) you can find it here. For those who looooove the night life, Manila is definitely a place to be! And home is just right where the action is!