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Return Trip from Victoria, BC

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Did you know there are over 200 Gulf Islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland of BC? This means when you are sailing between Vancouver and Victoria or Nanaimo, you get to see some of these islands which are small and uninhabited. How w ere the Gulf Islands formed? Around 15,000 to 11,000 years ago, the Cordilleran Ice Sheet covered most of BC and the southern part of Alaska. The ice sheet was as much as a mile thick. When it retreated, the ice sheet carved the landscape of the islands. Sailing between Vancouver and Vancouver Island Every so often you get lucky and you get the best ferry views between Vancouver Island and Vancouver by parking your car on the outer lanes of the ferry. The advantage of parking on either side of the ferry is that you get a window view. But only after the ferry leaves the terminal can you return to your parked car. On a nice summer sailing, I like to roll down my windows and get a whiff of the fresh sea air. I'll play some nice sailing music as...
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Best Japanese Beer in Japan

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In Japan, we are always wondering what the best Japanese beer is. Is it Sapporo, Asahi, Kirin or some other brand that we haven't heard of or tried? When it comes to the Japanese alcohol culture, it is usually not the beer that comes to mind but it is the sake. Nevertheless, Japanese beer is my go to and I enjoy at least a bottle or can every day when I'm in Japan. I find Japanese beer to be dry, crisp and refreshing. It has a clean taste and it doesn't leave a bitter tone in your mouth like some beers can. Which one is my favorite? I like them all but I'm open to trying anything in Japan and that doesn't have to include any alcohol in them. One thing I wanted to do in Yokohama, was to visit the Kirin brewery. From Google map, It looked easy to get to but I noticed there are set hours for a tour. It's probably worth checking the tour hours before heading over there. In Tokyo, it's hard to not notice the interesting building along the Sumida River that seems ...
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Location: Tokyo, Japan
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A Great Walk in Juyong Pass

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On our last trip to China, we walked and climbed the Great Wall. This was our second time to the Great Wall in Beijing, China but we have not been to this part of the wall before. This was the Juyongguan Great Wall also known as the Juyong Pass. There are two sides of the pass, east and west. The east side is gentler while the west side is steeper. The path is quite wide and the incline is gradual until the stairs. You can see the watchtowers dot the landscape. There are temples that are interesting to explore. After climbing the east side, we explored the west side. We found the stairs to be so steep, it was like climbing a ladder. I was almost on all fours climbing the stair.  From the vantage point, the wall is impressive as it winds up and down the hills. The stairs can be treacherous. It is all stone and steep. The steps vary in height too. Remember the stairs were built for horses and not for people. Also when we were climbing the stairs, we thought of all the people who were...
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Location: 73Q7+WH2 Juyong Pass, Chang Ping Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 102202
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Deer Cindy in Nara, Japan

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One of our favorite places we visited in Japan was Nara because of the bowing deer. According to legend, the sacred deer are messengers of the gods. When the deity Takemikazouchi no Mikoto came to Nara, it is said he arrived on a white deer which led to the deer being revered as divine envoys.  They estimate there are over 1,300 deer living and roaming free in Nara. They are known to be friendly and approachable, often interacting with tourists who feed them special wafers that are sold by vendors in the park. When a deer approaches you, you bow to the deer and the deer bows back. Sometimes they keep bowing. Be sure to have some wafers available before you bow to a deer. Some deer are known to charge when they aren't rewarded with a wafer, after being prompted to bow. Deer is so abundant in Nara and they can be quite naughty. They will nip you or butt you, if they are hungry and you aren't courteous to them. They are wild animals. This tourist is popular or does she have all th...
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Location: Nara, Japan
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A Stone Away from London, England

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On our cruise to Japan, we met a lot of Brits onboard. This helped jogged my memory on our visit to London, England.  When we visited London many years ago, we saw most of the attractions in London including the Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, the London Eye, British Museum, Piccadilly Square, Kings Cross Station (for Harry Potter's 9-3/4 platform) and various film locations for Harry Potter and Bridget Jones' Diary. Be sure to read about our experiences at each of these locations. We took a day tour to Stonehenge via Viator. We stayed near the Westminster Bridge and had to take the metro to Viator's office, near the Trafalgar Square. It was a bit of an adventure but I was glad it was a late morning tour. (Unlike the tour we took in Athens and in Tokyo, we had to meet up with the group at 7:30am) Unfortunately, it rained in London the day of the tour but the rain stopped when we reached the site. The bus ride was about an hour and 45 minutes from London.  When we arrived...
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Location: Salisbury SP4 7DE, UK
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Torii Gate in Hakodate, Japan

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Just down from the Mt. Hakodate Ropeway, you can visit the Hakodate  Hachimangu Shrine in Hakodate, Hokkaido , Japan , where you will find a beautiful torii gate as part of its main entrance . The torii gate separates the real world from the divine realm. Before entering a torii gate, it's customary to  bow as a sign of respect for the deity or sacred place .  Additionally, avoid walking directly through the center of the gate, as that pathway is reserved for the deity.  After bowing and entering the gate, purify yourself by cleansing your hands and mouth at the temizuya or chouzuya, a water basin near the entrance.   Want to see more torii gates? We were lucky to visit the floating torii gate in Miyajima. Want to read more about Torii Gates? Click on the links below: Torii Gates and its Symbolism
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Location: 2-5 Yachigashirachō, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0046, Japan
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A View to a Thrill in Hakodate, Japan

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Visiting Hakodate, Japan is not complete if you missed taking the Hakodate Ropeway up to the top of Mt Hakodate to take your breath away. This is truly one of the must-do's in Hakodate. I have to admit, it is a bit of a climb to get to the ropeway station. The elevation changes drastically. The road goes from flat to hilly almost instantly. Then it is a steep incline to walk up a few blocks to where you catch the gondola but it is worth it.
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Location: 19-7 Motomachi, Hakodate, Hokkaido 040-0054, Japan
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