Another excellent Edublogs.org weblog
August 8, 2008 at 4:46 am · Filed under Uncategorized
Since June 4th, I have logged 46,300 miles. I have experienced the beauty of ancient Kyoto, the tranquility of Mexico’s beaches, and the splendor of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. As usual the summer passed much too quickly.
In two days, I embark on the next chapter in my life. I will arrive in the British capital and begin my tenure at the American School in London. To live and work in London, if only for a year, is a dream realized. The city is the perfect binding of the past and the present. Adventure awaits.
I look forward to embracing all that London has to offer. As look ahead, I am reminded of the words of Samuel Johnson: “Why, Sir, you find no man, at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.”
July 20, 2008 at 4:42 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
…is a a New Zealander expression that means “cool!” I’m currently in Los Angeles awaiting my seventeen hour flight to Australia. I will travel with Air New Zealand (via Auckland) to Cairns. Tropical North Queensland is the only place in the world where two World Heritage-listed sites — the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest — lie side by side. In parts of the far north, the rainforest touches the Reef, reaching right down to sandy beaches from which you can snorkel the Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is the only living structure on earth visible from the moon; at 348,700 sq. km (135,993 sq. miles), it’s bigger than the United Kingdom; it’s over 2,000km (1,240 miles) long, stretching from Lady Elliot Island off Bundaberg to just south of Papua New Guinea; it’s home to 1,500 kinds of fish, 400 species of corals, 4,000 kinds of clams and snails, and who knows how many sponges, starfish, and sea urchins.
July 6, 2008 at 4:28 am · Filed under Uncategorized
It’s early July and I’m vacationing with friends in Mexico. We are dividing our time between Isla Navidad and Punta Mita.
Isla Navidad, located just north of Manzanillo, was the center of Spanish naval contruction and the departure point of the subesquent trips in search of the route to China, Japan, and the Orient. Explorers sailed from this tiny port searching for the fountain of youth; they eventually discovered and conquered the Philippines.
Considered a sacred place by the Indians, Punta Mita is the point where Banderas Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and the Sea of Cortez come together. It’s magnificent, with white-sand beaches and coral reefs just offshore. Stately rocks jut out along the shoreline, and the water is a dreamy translucent blue.
I will return to Atlanta briefly before embarking on my last adventure for the summer: a trip to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
June 14, 2008 at 9:31 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Ever since reading John Hersey’s novel, I’ve longed to visit Hiroshima. The city has the unfortunate distinction of being the first city ever destroyed by an atomic bomb (the 2nd city — and hopefully the last — was Nagasaki, on Kyushu island).
It happened one clear summer morning, August 6, 1945, at 8:15am, when a B-29 approached Hiroshima from the northeast, passed over the central part of the city, dropped the bomb, and then took off at full speed. The bomb exploded 43 seconds later at an altitude of 570m (1,900 ft.) in a huge fireball, followed by a mushroom cloud of smoke that rose 8,910m (29,700 ft.) in the air.
There were approximately 350,000 people living in Hiroshima at the time of the bombing, and almost half of them lost their lives. The heat from the blast was so intense that it seared people’s skin, while the pressure caused by the explosion tore clothes off bodies and caused the rupture and explosion of internal organs. Flying glass tore through flesh like bullets, and fires broke out all over the city. But that wasn’t the end of it: Victims who survived the blast were subsequently exposed to huge doses of radioactivity. Even people who showed no outward signs of sickness suddenly died, creating panic and helplessness among the survivors. Today, blast survivors still continue to suffer from the effects of the bomb, with a high incidence of cancer, disfigurement, scars, and keloid skin tissue.
My afternoon visit to Peace Memorial Park and the images I saw in its haunting museum will linger with me for a very long time.
In the early evening, I took a ferry to Miyajima, a jewel of an island considered to be one of Japan’s most scenic spots. I’ve often seen pictures of its most famous landmark — a huge red torii, or shrine gate, rising out of the water. Erected in 1875 and made of camphor wood, it’s one of the largest torii in Japan, measuring more than 16m (53 ft.) tall. It guards Miyajima’s main attraction, Itsukushima Shrine. The island was breathtaking! And it’s no wonder that it’s considered to be the final resting place of the gods.
June 13, 2008 at 2:29 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
The weather was beautiful for a stroll along the Philosopher’s Pathway, a canal lined by trees that hugs the hillsides of eastern Kyoto. Slightly more than a mile in length, the shady lane was the perfect place to spend a warm summer afternoon. Along the way, I was able to visit Ginkakuji, the Temple of the Silver Pavilion. Contrary to its name, however, is isn’t silver at all. It was built in 1482 as a retirement villa for Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa who intended to coat the structure with silver in imitation of the Golden Pavilion built by his grandfather. He died before this could be accomplished. Other stops included the Eikando Temple and the Nanzenji Temple. I ended the walk at the Heian Shrine, an orange and green structure that was built in 1895 in commemoration of the 1,100th anniversary of the founding of Kyoto.
In the evening, I strolled through Pontocho, a small, narrow pedestrian lane lined with hostess bars, restaurants, and pubs. I walked the streets of Gion as well. This is Kyoto’s long-standing geisha district, and enclave of discreet, traditional wooden homes that reveal nothing of what goes on inside. I could hear gentle conversations, singing, and music from behind the paper screens. I wouldn’t dare go inside–even the Japanese don’t enter without a proper invitation!
I then enjoyed one of the most romantic experiences I’ve had here in Japan. I hired a small boat that was beautifully decorated with paper lanterns. The boat traveled lazily down the river as I watched the fisherman and their cormorants at work. It was the perfect summer evening.
June 12, 2008 at 12:09 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Today I travelled by Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Kyoto, the ancient cultural capital of Japan. Enroute I was treated to a spectacular view of Mount Fuji. Kyoto is, of course, historically significant and it is also the only major Japanese city spared from the bombs of World Word II. As such, it’s rife with temples, shrines, imperial palaces, and traditional wooden homes.
While in Kyoto, I’m staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn. It was built in 1818 and has operated as an inn since 1861. The innkeeper, Ms. Nishimura is the sixth-generation innkeeper. The facility is simple in design; it makes use of wood, bamboo, screens, and stones. My room has a lovely view of the garden and a cypress bath.
Tonight I will feast upon a shojin ryori, a vegetarian meal served at a Buddhist temple in the hills above the city. Afterward, I plan to explore Gion, Kyoto’s pleasure quarter. If I’m lucky, I’ll spot a heavily made-up geisha in her traditional kimono. Afterward, I’ll return to the centuries old inn for a restful night on my futon.
June 12, 2008 at 3:20 am · Filed under Uncategorized
I awoke this morning to pouring rain, so I had to revert to “Plan B.” I spent the morning indoors–learning about Japanese traditional cooking. With a local chef, I visited the market to select from the day’s freshest ingredients. Back in the kitchen, I learned to prepare “dashi” (Japanese stock) and how to use “miso” (soybean paste) in my daily cooking. I was also introduced to proper Japanese table manners.
The skies cleared in the early afternoon so I ventured to the Meiji Shrine, one of the largest and probably the most famous Shinto shrines in Japan. Millions of Japanese come there to pray over the first days of the New Year. I was fortunate in that I was able to witness a Shinto wedding ceremony.
I then strolled down Takeshita Dori (young peoples’ street). Teenagers from all over Japan shop in the boutiques that fill this narrow avenue and it is said that all trends begin along this famous boulevard. It was a wonderful place to engage in a favorite pasttime–people watching!
Later, I visited Roppongi Hills, a development that opened in 2003 and cost four billion dollars. I enjoyed a sunset view of Tokyo from the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower. It was a wonderful way to spend my final evening in Japan’s capital city.
June 11, 2008 at 3:56 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Today I enjoyed three of what are said to be the best travel experiences in Japan. To begin the day, I took a communal hot-spring bath. No other people on earth bath as enthusiastically, as frequently, and for such duration as the Japanese. I spent the morning at the Oedo-Onsen Monogatari. This Ed-themed public bath features hot-spring waters that are pumped up from the deep outdoor tubs. I experienced a traditional hour long massage to take away the stress of the previous day’s fourteen hour flight.
In the afternoon, I explored the department stores of Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood. The stores are huge, spotless, and filled with merchandise, some which you never knew existed. The store that I visited even had a first-rate art gallery as one of its offerings.
Following the shopping spree, I strolled the alleyways of Asakusa. This area conveys the atmosphere of old Tokyo better than any other place in the city. Sensoji Temple, located here, is the city’s most popular temple, and Nakamise Dori, the pedestrian lane leading to the temple, is lined with souvenir stalls and stores that sell traditional Japanese goods.
My day ended with a Kaiseik meal. The meal consists of dish after dish of artfully displayed delectables. While not inexpensive, it was perhaps the most beautiful meal that I’ve ever had.
June 11, 2008 at 10:02 am · Filed under Uncategorized
After a fourteen hour flight, I arrived in Tokyo to find bright, sunny skies and warm temperatures. After locating my hotel, I took time to explore the beautiful gardens of the Imperial Palace. The flowers were breathtaking. I enjoyed an evening stroll through Shinjuku where I saw more neon lights than I have ever seen!
This morning brought a visit to the Central Wholesale Market, commonly known as the Tsukiji Fish Market. I enjoyed the frenetic sights and sounds of this fascinating place. I was able to watch the fresh tuna auctions and then enjoy the worlds freshest sushi for breakfast.