Bordeaux France 21 November – 6 December 2024

Posted on December 9, 2024 by Sarah

Plum Village Rain Retreat 22/11 – 6/12/2-24

I first heard of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022) (fondly called by his followers as Thay) and the Plum Village when I attended a dharma talk given by the Venerable at the Coliseum in Hong Kong in May 2013. I later met two nuns from the Plum Village Tradition at the Buddhist study course at the Hong Kong Dharma Centre (2020-22). I began to read books by Thay in connection with the Master of Buddhist Counselling course at the University of Hong Kong (2022-23). My faith in Buddhism grew and I took refuge of the Three Jewels (the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha) in July 2023. After having spent my first one-week retreat in Hong Kong in November 2023, I look forward to joining a longer retreat. Then on a May day, I learnt about a 90-day Rains Retreat (October 11 to December 20, 2024) at the Plum Village Bordeaux which would fit in perfectly with my travel plan: I decided to join a two-week retreat after the end of the Costa Rica – Chile expedition on 18 November 2024. Things worked out smoothly and I arrived at the Lower Hamlet, Plum Village Bordeaux on Friday November 22.

Thich Nhat Hanh and Plum Village

Thay, a Buddhist monk, peace activist, poet, prolific author and teacher, is known as the “father of mindfulness“. He expressed an interest in training as a monk at the age of 12, pursued his goal at 16 and was ordained as a monk in 1951. Thay was a writer and a Buddhist teacher advocating for a humanistic, unified Buddhism. He accepted a Fulbright Fellowship to study comparative religion at Princeton University in 1960 and at the Princeton Theological Seminary in 1961 and taught Buddhism in Columbia University and Cornell University. He was fluent in French, classical Chinese, Sanskrit, Pali and English. In 1963, Thay returned to Vietnam and was tasked to help restructuring the administration of Vietnamese Buddhism. The following year, he proposed a call for an end of the Vietnam War and helped to establish an institute for the study of Buddhism to train future leaders and create a centre to train pacifist social workers based on Buddhist teaching. He was a prolific writer advocating peace and reconciliation. In 1964, Thay together with another monk founded the Van Hanh Buddhist University in 1964 and co-founded the School of Youth for Social Service with Chan Khong (1938), a nun and Thay’s first fully-ordained monastic disciple. He also created the Order of Interbeing, a monastic and lay group between 1964 and 1966. In 1966, he received the “lamp transmission” from Zen Master Chan That making him a dharma teacher and spiritual head of Tu Hieu.

In 1975, Thay was refused the right to return to Vietnam when the North Vietnamese took control of the south. He was also expelled from Singapore following illegal attempts to rescue Vietnamese boat people. Thay moved and settled in France and formed a small mindfulness community called “the Sweet Potato” and led mindfulness retreats in 1981. As the community attracted more and more people, Thay together with Chan Khong began to search for land for expansion and purchased land in September 1982 (which is now known as the Lower Hamlet). Later that year, they acquired land of the present day Upper Hamlet. Plum Village is where Thay and Chan Khong has realised their dream of building a community in a healthy, harmonious and nourishing environment with one another and Mother Earth. The New Hamlet which is 18km from Lower Hamlet was established later. Today, Plum Village has grown into Europe’s largest Buddhist monastery with some 200 resident brothers and sisters (monks and nuns) living in three hamlets and the Son Ha Temple (Foot of the Hill). New Hamlet and Lower Hamlet are for sisters while Upper Hamlet is for brothers to live and practice. All hamlets accept couples and families for short-term retreats. There are a further ten monastic practice centres in the Plum Village tradition in Europe, the USA and Asia, all founded by Thay himself.

A retreat is an opportunity to experience the art of mindful living. Everything is done in a spirit of meditation: daily schedule is centred on sitting meditation, walking meditation, mindful eating and mindful working (service meditation). “Noble Silence” is observed by all from 8:30pm to after breakfast the next day. One day a week is designated Lazy Day without formal practice schedule. The community gathers on Thursdays and Sundays for a full Day of Mindfulness in one of the hamlets (also known for short-term retreat stayers as a Lay Day)

Lower Hamlet

I stayed at the Poplar House, Lower Hamlet sharing a room with Sarah from the UK for the first week and then Grace from New York. I also met Catherine from Sweden and Candy from the Philippines who also stayed at the Poplar House which is close to the Great Hall. Over the retreat period in the Lower Hamlet, I met over 30 short-term stayers (1 to 2-week), 50 sisters and about 20 long-term stayers (for the entire 90 days). My life was centred around mindful living and noble silence though I did speak with others occasionally.

I find Lower Hamlet a paradise. Surrounded by vineyards, farmland and forests, the hamlet comprises a number of old charming rustic stone houses typical of Bordeaux rural region with old trees, woodland, rolling hills, orchards, meadows and vineyards. Together with a bell tower, a temple gate and pavilion, and a lotus pond, the hamlet has a most wonderful, natural, harmonious, and peaceful environment for mindful living and spiritual practice.

With the exception of the lay day, we had to get up early to join a sitting and walking meditation session in the Great Hall at 6am. The milky way and millions of stars greeted me as soon as I stepped out of the door of the Poplar House every morning except two days when it was raining or misty. After breakfast in the dining hall at 7:30am, I would watch the gorgeous sunrise near the temple entrance opposite a vineyard between 8 and 8:30 am. The colours were mesmerizing. One day, the valley was cloaked with mist: it was even more enchanting.

Mindfulness Day / Lay Day

During the rains retreat, lay residents have a mindfulness day on Sundays and Thursday. Each hamlet takes turn to host it. Lay residents gathered at the Upper Hamlet on 28 November, the New Hamlet on 1 December and the Lower Hamlet on 5 December. I was glad to be able to visit the Upper and New Hamlets. Each hamlet has its unique setting and atmosphere. But all are nature wonders filled with peace and joy: they are labour of love of Thay and Chan Khong for the benefits of their followers, Buddhists and mankind.

Upper Hamlet

Upper Hamlet is located on a flat expansive hill top about 3 km away and I had a lift in the morning. The great hall looks familiar as I had watched ceremony held there after Thay died in 2022. The programme was good beginning with a question and answer session followed by walking meditation. The walking meditation through forested woodland and the Buddha Hill was atmospheric. The total relaxion session with music after lunch was wonderful. I enjoyed the 50-minute walk downhill to Lower Hamlet. The sun was setting showing the best foliage colours.

New Hamlet

New Hamlet though smaller in size is compact and lovely. The day began with a dharma talk by Sister Chan Duc (Sr. True Virtue) who has been a disciple of Thay since 1986, was the first European woman to be ordained as a nun. (Sr. Chan Duc also gave a dharma talk at Lower Hamlet on November 24 when other came to Lower Hamlet for a mindfulness day.) Then at 11:30am, we had walking meditation up a hill through a plum forest. It was a sunny gorgeous day and the some 300 monastics and laymen walked in total silence. We had a dharma sharing session before returning to Lower Hamlet around 4:30pm. I was hoping to meet a sister from Hong Kong in this hamlet. But as she was not well, she had not appeared.

Walking Meditation

We had walking meditation everyday as a group at 11:30am. It begins with singing with lovely verses with profound meanings for meditation. I always find walking meditation most enjoyable. It is amazing to find one of the cats at Lower Hamlet always joins the walk. She must be a practising Buddhist in her previous lives. Whenever I had time, I would practise walking meditation on my own.

Remarks (to add)

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    Peru & Chile

    Posted on November 13, 2024 by Sarah

    Day 11 November 10: Callo (Lima), Peru

    We were glad to step ashore after two sea days. Passengers were offered three excursions and I took a 6-hour tour to Huaca Pucllana in the district of Miraflores and Larco Herrera. Huaca Pucllana is an impressive archaeological site belonging to the Lima culture of regional developments. Evidence suggests construction of the great pyramid here began around 200 CE, reached its peak from the 5th century onwards, and the maximum extension occurred in 700 CE. Built on a mud base by means of rammed earth or rectangular parallelepiped-shaped adobes in a vertical position, it was originally composed of a set of pyramids, plazas, courtyards and ramped entrances. During the occupation of the Huari (Wari) Culture (700-1100CE), the highest parts of the pyramid (25 metres) were destroyed and converted into an elite cemetery. The importance of the complex which had been abandoned for a long time, was investigated, preserved and restored since 1981.

    After visiting the Great Pyramid, we proceeded to Larco Museum where we had lunch after a guided tour. The museum is housed in a magnificent 18th-century vice-royal building: Rafael Larco Hoyle (1901-1966) acquired it for displaying his private collections showcasing some 5,000 years of Peruvian history and pre-Columbian art with tens of thousands of ceramics, pottery, textiles, masks, crowns, vases and metalware. Larco Hoyle became the director of the museum and developed the first Peruvian chronology of ancient cultures. It has a gallery holding the world’s largest collection of erotic ceramics. The whole building, the entrance of the museum and the ground are most beautiful with colourful bougainvillea and numerous flower plants. I had time only to take a cursory glance at the vast collections and shall return to visit this museum on my next visit to Peru. The expedition team invited a Peruvian group to come onboard to perform. Guests enjoyed the lively performance by the dancers and musicians.

    Day 12 November 11: Paracas

    We arrived at Paracas in early morning with choices of four activities. As many as 60 guests paid USD690 to take the world famous Nazca Lines scenic flight (I took the flight on my first South American tour in 1988). Sally, Lawrence and I opted for a 3-hour trip to the Ballastas Islands located some 20 miles from the coast. I visited these islands in 1988. But the trip this time exceeded my expectations as I have learnt more about bird species since my last visit. This preliminary understanding already makes a big difference and I love travelling in South America given its history, biodiversity and geology. I was thrilled to see as many as 20 Humboldt Penguins and countless Peruvian Boobies. The red-legged cormorants are abundant and attractive. Guano, once old “White Gold” before the development of chemical fertilizer, has put a white coat on the islands thus making the islands photogenic.

    As most passengers were back in the afternoon, the expedition team laid on lectures. I attended David’s talk on “Introduction to Volcanoes”.

    Day 13 November 12 At Sea

    First time seeing Buller’s Albatross

    Lectures kept me busy. I attended four lectures namely “Land Mammals of Central and South America”, “From Deep Time to Modern Mines: Geology and Copper in Chile”, “Hiram Bingham, the Acknowledgment of Manchu Picchu” and “Acoustics of the Underwater World”.

    Day 14 November 13 Arica Chile

    Arica is Chile’s northernmost city and the capital of the Region of Arica and Parinacota. Out of the four excursions on offer, I joined the tour to Lauca National Park. Three big tourist buses set off at 6:30am as it took over four hours to reach our destinations including a couple of acclimatization stops.

    Located over 4,000m above sea level, the park created in 1970 with an area of 137,883 ha covering foothills, lakes, lagoons, and high plateau, offers great opportunity to observe birds and waterfowls. The scenery is fantastic with the snow-cladded Taapaca (5860m), a Holocene volcanic complex as a backdrop. However I found it difficult for the body to adjust and felt exhausted and tired. Our local guide said we had reached 4,600m which was the highest point of the day. A few guests had to inhale oxygen when walking back to the coach. (In the evening, the expedition leader broke the sad news that a lady who joined the tour had passed away with cause of death not known). It was the first time I experienced such exhaustion: this could be a combination of aging and rapid ascent of +4600 in less than six hours. We spent over an hour by the lake before heading to Putre (3371m), a town with over 3000 inhabitants for lunch. We were back in the boat around 7 pm. A good but long day!

    Day 15 November 14 At Sea

    I had a good rest on sea day. I attended Peter’s talk on “The World of Seabirds“. He spoke passionately about the 400 species of seabirds ranging from his No 1 favourite – albatross, the bird that can fly over 600 miles in a single day and can live up to 60 or 70 years of age, to the smallest storm-petrels that weigh a few ounces. Peter’s wife Shirley talked about her “Journey to the South Pole” in the afternoon. I also joined a talk by Captain Sasha about navigation at sea on board the Silver Wind followed by another talk “A Map of Plants” by Tristan. An educational day!

    Day 16 November 15 Antofagasta

    I woke up at 4:40am with red eyes, had a porridge, and climbed into a coach at 5:30am with a pillow in hand. Today, three coaches set off for the Atacama Desert which took 4-5 hours’ drive. I love deserts and Atacama Desert with an area of 105,000 sq km is the driest nonpolar desert in the world. Though I have visited the area twice, I would always return whenever I have a chance. As I was exhausted, I dozed off till 10 am. Our first stop was a nature reserve to watch flamingoes for about an hour.

    Then we reached San Pedro de Atacama around 1 pm for lunch. We were supposed to set off around 2:45pm for the Moon Valley. Unfortunately we had about 100 people and the service was slow. We did not set off till 3:30 pm. As a result, we could only spent 10-15 minutes at the two photo stops- Three Marias and The Amphitheatre. I am always fascinated by the sand and stone formations in deserts that have been carved by water and wind. The range of colours and texture resembling those on the Moon, are captivating.

    The last stop was at Coyote for a traditional offering ceremony for Pachamama (Mother Earth). We rushed off at 7 pm and were back on the ship just before 11:30 pm. What a long day! I was glad I survived. The nice surprise today was the watching of the supermoon (known as the Beaver Moon) rising over the Atacama Desert. As we were in a rush, we could not stop for moon and star gazing. What a pity!

    Day 17 November 16 Isla Pan de Azucar

    I did not want to get up for the 9:15am briefing by the expedition leader. But being a professional traveller, I pulled myself out of bed in order to find out the arrangement of the zodiac cruising in the afternoon. I have actually visited Isla Pan de Azurcar when I joined a hike in the Atacama Desert. Since I was up, I went to Manu’s talk on the geology of the Atacama Desert. At noon, I took the last zodiac cruise of this expedition. Isla Pan de Azucar, its neighbouring islets and rocks are home for South American sea lions and marine otters in addition to bird species like Humboldt Penguins, Inca Terns, Kelp Gulls, Peruvian Boobies, Pelicans and Diving-Petrels, Red-legged Cormorants and Turkey Vultures. I recall seeing many penguins and birds on these islands which were teeming with wildlife. But this time, I saw only five penguins, few boobies, sea lions, diving petrels and vultures etc. Peter said the drastic drop of wildlife was a result of avian flu.

    Day 18 November 17 Coquimbo

    The expedition was soon coming to an end. Upon arrival in Coquimbo, a bustling port and major commercial and industrial centre for the export of mineral, fish products and fruits, I joined a 4-hour tour “Enchanted Valley Petroglyphs“. It was a scenic drive to the valley which has well-preserved petroglyphs. But the best part of the day was the 15-minute show with Peruvian boobies diving like bombs into the water to catch fish . I was able to watch with my camera in hand while waiting for passengers to join our coach.

    We only had five passengers on the second/last coach including Lawrence, Sally, a couple and myself. We had a wonderful local guide Claudia who speaks clear English and knows what she is talking about!

    Day 19 November 18 Valparaiso

    All passengers had to vacate the cabin by 8am and disembark by group starting from 9am. We said good-bye to the staff and expedition team members and disembarked before 10am. We took a transfer to a hotel not far from the port for USD30 which is reasonable. We all had a leisure day: I walked to the old town to see the art paintings and had a drink in a terrace while the rest accompanied by a local took the metro to the fish market and Vina del Mar.

    November 19-20 Santiago

    My brother and friends booked a 9-seater from November 19 to 21. On November 19, they dropped me off at a hotel near the airport where I stayed one night. On November 20, I took a free shuttle to the airport at 10am and my plane to Madrid set off as scheduled after 1 pm. I arrived in Madrid at 6am after a 12-hour flight. Unfortunately I had to spend ten hours in the airport as my connecting flight to Bordeaux would not depart till 4pm. As usual, I spent time to sort out photos. Time flied and I arrived in Bordeaux before 6 pm.

    Remarks (to add)

    Categories: Expeditions, My American trips | Comments Off on Peru & Chile

    Costa Rica to Chile 26/1–18/11/2024

    Posted on November 9, 2024 by Sarah

    My Third Expedition in 2024

    While on Silver Cloud travelling from Puerto Williams to Namibia in March, I signed up for an expedition from Costa Rica to Chile on the recommendation of Peter Harrison. I invited my brother Lawrence and his wife Sally to join. Then Sally’s sister Sylvia and her husband Chu Sir and their friends Stephen and Bonnie also decided to join.

    Pre-cruise: Los Angeles & San Jose 26 – 31 October

    As my niece, Lili, lives in LA, I decided to join Lawrence and Sally to fly to LA on 26 October to spend the weekend with her. We also took the chance to visit Ken, Lawrence’s classmate from primary school. On 28 October, I flew around 10 am on United Airline via Houston and arrived in San Jose at 8 pm. Lawrence and Sally and the other four all took the direct flight to San Jose with Alaska Airline and waited for me for almost an hour at the airport. We took a minibus to a flat with three bed-rooms downtown.

    We had a leisure day on 29 October strolling in the Central Market and the old town. I spent an hour and a half at the Jade Museum. Though the entrance fee is USD16 for foreigners, I am impressed by the collections of jade and ceramics and the illustrations. It is a nice surprise. As it started to rain after 2 pm, we all returned to the flat and had a good rest.

    On 30 October, we hired a 7-seater and drove three hours to the Arenal Volcano. Stephen was not feeling well and stayed behind. We hiked for an hour and a half in the park and were lucky to got back to the car before torrential rain poured down after 3 pm. A narrow escape. It was after 8:30pm when we got back and were totally exhausted.

    The boarding time was after 2 pm on 31 October. Sylvia, Chu Sir, Sally, Lawrence and I decided to visit the Butterfly Garden in San Jose. The garden is an oasis with lots of butterflies. We spent a delightful morning with butterflies. We arranged a minibus to take us to the cruise terminal. The journey took two and a hour hours because the traffic was heavy and the driver took us to the wrong terminal.

    Day 1 Puntarenas Costa Rica – Boarding

    Once we reached the cruise terminal, everything was plain sailing. I shared a cabin with veranda with Lawrence and Sally (Cabin 725) and had a comfortable bed set up in the sitting room in the evening. Everything looked familiar as Silver Cloud (that I took in March) is a sister ship of Silver Wind: the size, layout and decor of the cabin are the same. Before dinner, we met Captain Oleksandr Kolosov and the Expedition leader David during the briefing. The boat had about 240 guests. Seven of us had our first dinner in the main dining room on L4. But the service was slow: the waiter at our table was new and anxious. By the time I went to bed shortly after 10 pm, I was tired and had a good night sleep.

    Day 2 Playa Panama

    The expedition team arranged six itineraries for passengers. I decided to take the 7-hour ‘Palo Verde Wildlife and Traditions” trip. I disembarked at 8 am and set off in a coach to Hacienda El Viejo that is about an hour away. Here, we saw the traditional method in extracting sugar cane juice and the making of tortilla in the hacienda. Then we spent an hour on the river looking for birds and wildlife. It started to rain and we were lucky to spot green and dark iguanas, many herons (white, blue, green and tiger herons), white face monkeys, crocodiles, and a kingfisher. We heard callings of a tucan but it flew away. We returned to the hacienda for lunch before returning to the boat. Tonight at the Captain’s cocktail, we were introduced to the department heads of the boat and the expedition team members.

    Day 3 Punta Leona

    I had a busy day joining two half-day trips. In the morning, I took a boat ride on Tarcoles River which is about an hour’s drive from Punta Leona, a private resort. The weather was fine with clear blue sky. I had a wonderful boat ride seeing a dozen of crocodiles, numerous herons, white stork and Roseata spoonbill. I had to skip lunch as I jumped on another bus heading for a jungle and wagon trip in a private refuge. I had a bumpy ride and it was quite an experience.

    Day 4 Golfito

    When I woke up and looked out of the window, I found the boat by a pier in Golfito located in a calm bay (Golfo Duce) backed against steep green hills covered with pristine rainforest. It was a misty and atmospheric morning! We had for a change a dry landing this morning. I joined a nature walk in a private refuge. For the first half of the walk, we walked along a muddy flat path looking at different wild ginger flowers, Panama palm trees, strangle fig trees and tadpoles near a pond. The second half part of the walk to a waterfall with crossing of two small streams and climbing on rocks and muddy path was demanding. Luckily, some passengers lent me their hands and kept me from falling into the stream. But an elderly gentleman was not fortunate: he fell on a downhill muddy slope and then in the first stream. He carried on crossing the second stream before giving up. The staff and a few strong fellow passengers had to carry him back to the refuge office. I thought he might have hurt himself as he could not stand up and walk. He was carried back to the boat and I did not see him around the boat.

    The boat set sail in the afternoon for Isla del Cocos. I attended two lectures namely “Forest Stories” by Tristan Kusel and “Tropical Seabirds” by Peter Harrison, a wonderful speaker and an expert on seabirds.

    Day 5 Isla Del Coco

    We arrived at the Cocos Island around lunch time. The original plan was to have a mandatory briefing by the Park rangers before visitors are allowed to go ashore. Owing to unexpected problems with the public address system on the boat, the briefing could not proceed. As a result, we had zodiac cruising for 75 minutes. I was in the second zodiac group and had a wonderful time when the weather and light were both reasonably good. We saw plenty of Cocos booby on the islets.

    Day 6 Isla Del Coco & Day 7 Journey to Ecuador

    Day 8 Puerto Lopez

    Day 9 & 10 At Sea

    Categories: Expeditions, My American trips | Comments Off on Costa Rica to Chile 26/1–18/11/2024

    Shikoku Bekkaku 20 Sacred Sites 9 -14 October 2024

    Posted on October 17, 2024 by Sarah

    After having completed the 88-Temple Pilgrimage last November, I decided to join a pilgrimage to visit 20 sacred sites associated with Kukai, Kobo Daishi (774-835). This 20 sacred site pilgrimage route celebrated its 50 anniversary this year. We had a small group led by MY with 14 participants. covering over 1000km in four days in Shikoku. We began and finished the journey at Tokushima visiting one site in Kochi, four in Kagawa, six in Tokushima and nine in Ehime.

    October 9 Hong Kong – Osaka – Tokushima

    The group taking a 8am-flight from HK to Osaka, arrived at Osaka Kansai Airport after 1 pm. I waited for them at the arrival hall. By the time the group was ready to set off, it was 2:30 pm. We boarded a comfortable bus and drove all the way to a shop in Tokushima to buy noukyocho (stamp book), name slips, other pilgrim regalia (incense, candles etc). It got dark shortly after 5:30pm. We arrived at JR Clement Hotel next to Tokushima train station before 7pm. A long travel day!

    October 10: 4 Temples- Temple 1 – 4 in Tokushima

    We basically followed the same routine setting off at 8 am. When we arrived at each site, we followed the same procedures including washing/cleansing our hands and mind, lighting incense/candles, put name slips in a box, reciting Heart Sutra, chanting mantra for the principal image in the main hall. We then moved to the Daishi Hall and repeated the same procedure but without chanting the mantra of the principal image. While some of of the sacred sites are located in built-up area/village and close to each other, a few are located high in the mountain. On a few occasions, we had to drive about two hours to reach the site. One the first and second day, we only visited four temples.

    We visited Temple 1 -Taisan-ji with Senju-kanseon-bosatsu as the Principle Image. We had to walk a few flights of staircases. The temple ground is peaceful. It did not take long to arrive at Temple 2-Dogaku-ji which Principle Image is Yakuyoke-yakushi-nyorai. It is said that Kobo Daishi had played in this site when he was a child. Hence the name.

    In Temple 3- Jugen-ji, there is a cave at the top of the hill behind the main hall where Kobo Daishi had medicated. As a return trip would take an hour, we did not visit the cave. Pilgrims have to pass a body fitness test here: I passed the test as I was able to squeeze through the narrow space behind a marble stone plaque as shown in the photo below. The Principle Image of this temple is Juichimen- kanseon-bosatsu.

    Temple 4 – Sabadaishi-Honbo which Principle Image is Kobo Daishi is unique. In the Daishi Hall, there is a stone mackeral with a story. A horseman once used abusive language at and refused to give a salted mackerel to Daishi. Then when his horse reached Umabikizaka, it suddenly began to suffer. The horseman then realised the monk he had seen was a Great Master and went to apologize and offer the mackerel to cure the horse’s illness. Once Daishi gave the horse divine water, it immediately recovered. When Daishi blessed the salted mackerel on Hosho Island, it came back to lifeand swam away. The horseman then built a hermitage there making it a sacred place for salvation for people in the past and future.

    October 11: 4 Temples: Temple 5 in Kochi and 6-8 in Ehime

    Temple 5 Daizen-ji which Principle Image is Kobo Daishi, is the only site in Kochi. Over 1250 years ago, the sea inlet at Susaki was very wide and the current Daishi Hall site was a cape jutting out into the sea. At that time, people usually went over the mountains and could go around the edge of the two-stoned cape. Sea disasters were frequent and people who were unclean were said to sometimes encounter strange phenomena. When Daishi heard about this, he prayed on a large rock on the coast for the souls of those who had died in sea disasters, praying for safe travels on land and sea and built a temple which is the origin of the current Daishido. From the grounds in front of the main hall, one can see the Pacific Ocean below. Even today, Kobo Daishi prays for everyone’s eternal happiness on top of the two rocks.

    Daishi lived in various parts of Shikoku while training, received cultural blessings from the cities he visited, requested the creation of 88 spiritual halls in Shikoku. In the year of Daido, his personal wish came to fruition: Temple 6 Ryukoin was built in 1615 in commemoration by Hidemune Date, the first feudal lord upon his entry to Uwajima, to ensure the peace and security of the domain and its people. The Principle Image is Juichimen- kanseon-bosatsu.

    After lunch, we proceeded to Temple 7 Kinzan Shusseki-ji which Principle Image is Senju-kanseon-bosatsu. The temple was founded in 718. A hunter followed a deer up this mountain. When he was about to shoot it, the whole mountain shook and a brilliant light shone. The deer disappeared and the rock under its feet split into two and the statutes of the Thousand-Armed Kannon Bodhisattva ( Senju-kanseon-bosatsu) and Jizo Bodhisattva emerged from the ground emitting a golden light. The hunter gave up hunting and became a Buddhist. Daishi during his visit to this place praised the statue as “the most beautiful gold mine in the three countries” and sealed it in a stone chamber as a secret Buddha.

    It was almost 5 pm when we arrived at the location of a former earthen bridge over a stream where Daishi had spent a night and that one night felt like ten nights. This is the raison d’etre of Temple 8 Toyogahashi Eitoku-ji ( Principle Image – Miroku- bosatsu) that was badly damaged during a flood in 2018. The main hall has been totally rebuilt and the Daishi Hall next to the stream has been renovated.

    Today, I took a few photos of the countryside in Kochi, the Shimanto River and the coastline. I watched sunset from the coach. During a brief stop, we met an elderly Japanese man drinking sake and having sashimi by a beach. A simple but most wonderful way to enjoy life!

    October 12: 7 Temples- Temple 9-14 in Ehime and 16 in Kagawa

    Guided by Bodhisattva Manjusri, Daishi had stayed in Temple 9 Monjuin with Jizo-bosatsu and Monju-bosatsu and enlightened the people. Kono Emon Saburo who realized his sin after losing eight children, set out on a pilgrimage to repent and apologize to Daishi. This was the beginning of his pilgrimage and after eight years and 21 pilgrimages to the sacred sites of Shikoku, he finally met Daishi again. Later Daishi reincarnated Emon Saburo as the lord of Iyo Province and ruled well. In later years, the temple was moved to Emon Saburo’s former residence and became the Kono family’s temple.

    Temple 10 Nishiyama Koryu-ji covering an expansive ground on West Hill founded by monk Kuhachi in 642, is a gem with many scenic spots and nationally designated important tangible cultural property. It was visited by Daishi and highly revered by imperial families, military commanders and feudal lords, and local believers. The Principle Image is Juichimen- senju-sengen-kanseon-bosatsu. We had a beautiful walk to the main hall and the three-story pagoda. This was a highlight of the day!

    Temple 11 Ikiki Jizo (Living Wood Jizo) has an interesting legend. Daishi slept one night at Mt Shio and saw a brilliant light on the mountain. At dawn he saw the auspicious large camphor tree. A boy appeared and the Buddha spoke to him saying, “The boy’s incarnation will show me”. That night Daishi struck the camphor tree with his sacred sword, making three bows and carved a sacred statute of Enmei Jizo Daibosatsu which becomes the principal image of this temple. On September 26, 1954, the sacred camphor tree was blown down by strong winds but the Jizo statue did not fall: it still stands in the Main Hall today.

    After a short drive, we reached Temple 12 Enmei-ji which Principle Image is Enmei-jizo-bisatsu. Daishi found a certain Izari Pine tree at this temple taking pity on her and created an Awl Amulet. He gave one to Izari and due to subtle miracle, she immediately recovered. She recited the Awl and was ordained as a monk. The Awl from that time still exists as a temple treasure. It is a vow that if you pray sincerely for this awl Amulet morning and evening, you will be relieved of all kinds of illness. You will also be praying for safe childbirth.

    The spectacular and atmospheric Temple 13 Sennryu-ji perching on a cliff was founded by Kobo Daishi at the age of 42 when he climbed the mountain and enshrined Takizawa Daigongen and Kaiun Fudoson in Kongo Cave. He built a goma altar for health and disaster prevention, purify his body and mind in the “Kiyome-no-taki” waterfall every morning and evening, and made tow requests for “good luck protection” and “protection from insects and bountiful harvests”. He performed goma training for twenty-one days and then carved a statue of himself and enshrined it on the mountain. The principal image of the temple is Kobo Daishi and believers from all over the country visit the temple throughout the year.

    Temple 14 Tsubakido which Principle Image is Enmei-jizo-bisatsu, was first built in 807 as a hermitage by Kuniji Koji. A traveling monk (Kobo Daishi) visited the hermitage on 15 October 815 and learnt about a terrible fever that spread and caused suffering to the residents. He gathered the residents and stuck his walking stick in the soil, prayed and sealed the disease in the soil along with the stick before leaving. Later, a camellia sprouted and grew upside down from the stick. Nowadays, faithful believers come to touch Daishi’s left hand with his/her right hand and then touch the parts of his/her body with problem.

    Founded by Kobo Daishi during the Daido era, Temple 16 Hagiwara-ji is serene and elegant: it was the place of imperial consultation for Emperor Suzaku. Later it became a place of prayer for Lord Hosokawa. It has been the head temple of the Roppoken Shinkata school, the light of the law has been passed down and the Onza Goma ritual is famous. It is known as a famous spot for Hagi, with Hagi bush clover designated as a prefectural natural monument. There are also numerous temple treasures. The Principle Image of the temple is Karadasan-hibuse-jizo-bosatsu.

    October 13: Temple 15 & 20 in Tokushima, and 17-19 in Kagawa

    When I opened the curtain in the morning, I was thrilled to find clouds floating in the valley and at top of two mountain ranges. We sat off as usual at 8 am hoping to visit the last five temples today. First after a short drive, we reached the foothill of Temple 15 Hashikura-ji (Principle Image – Konpira-dai-gongen). We had a short ride on a cable car followed by a fairly long walk to the main temple. It is wonderful to find the Heart Sutra engraved into the long staircases lined with old trees. Very serene atmospheric!

    Another interesting feature of this temple is the installations of the principle deities of the 88 Temples on a flat ground after the temple ground. By walking counter-clockwise this year, one can accumulate three times the merit. So I walked counter clockwise twice! I could have spent the whole morning in this temple.

    Temple 17: Kanno-ji founded by Kobo Daishi, protects the Mannoike Pond with Yaskushi-nyorai as the Principle Image. In 1581,the temple was burnt down and became abandoned. In 1934, the Manno Daishi Associaiton was formed and rebuilt the temple marking the 1,100 anniversary of the death of Kobo Daishi. Here The Daishi Hall is open-air and unique: a Kobo Daishi copper statue stands on a small hilltop overlooking at the pond. Here we met an elderly pilgrim in shorts who chanted, sang Italian opera and rode a bicycle.

    MY, our guide explained Temple 18 Kaigan-ji with Sho-kanzeon-bosatsu as the Principal Image, was the birth place of Kobo Daishi and his parents. The Main Hall looks relatively new. The Daishi Hall considered the inner sanctuary, which is quite a distance from the Main Hall, is atmospheric and ancient. It is said that one can see the birth basin. But I missed it. I also climbed a small hill with a two-storey pagoda a next to Daishi Hall.

    Temple 19 Kozai-ji founded by the monk Gyoki in the Nara period was originally located at the foot of Mount Shoga and called Shoga-ji. Kobo Daishi rebuilt and moved it to the current location. The Principle Image is Enmei-jizo-bisatsu. The temple has a fairly complicated history rebuilt, relocated and renamed several times. It was selected as an imperial temple by Emperor Saga and during the reign of Emperor Suzaku, it was selected as a dangisho (a place to study for monks). It was rebuilt and named as Kozan-ji during the Kamakura period. It was relocated back to the current site during Manji era (1658-1661) and rebuilt in the Kanbun era (1661-1673). However most of the original seven buildings were lost in a fire and today, only the grand Main Hall, Daishi Hall and a couple of small structures remain. However, I can see its grandeur during its hey days. MY arranged our certificates here as the 86-year-old head of the temple writes beautifully.

    We then raced to Temple 20 Otaki-ji which Principle Image is Nishiteru-dai-gongen. Located near the peak of Mt Otaki (940m above sea level), the temple is accessible by taking a narrow and winding for over half an hour. I almost had an upset stomach. We arrived at the temple just before 5pm and we were thrilled to complete the pilgrimage within four days. MY gave us the certificate of completion and we took photos in front of the temple while watching sunset. It took us almost an hour to reach the hotel.

    October 14 Tokushima-Osaka-Hong Kong

    We had a relaxing travel day. We departed at 8:30am returning to the same area where we purchased our stuff on the first day. We placed order for a Buddhist beads bracelet using the 20 beads obtained from each temple. Then we had a sumptuous lunch in the same private club where we had our 88-temple graduation lunch last November. The setting, presentation and quality of the food were both gorgeous. We set off for Kansai Airport after lunch. While the group CX flight was at 6:45pm, my cheap HK Express flight would not leave till 8:50pm. I had to spend over five hours at the airport. By the time I got home, it was after 12:30 am on October 15. I felt exhausted but was glad to be home after almost two months.

    Remarks

    I am pleased to have completed the 88-temple pilgrimage that I began in 2012 as well as the pilgrimage to 20 sacred sites on the occasion of the 1,250 anniversary of Kobo Daishi. I particularly like Temples 1 (Taisan-ji), 2 (Dogaku-ji), 7 (Shusseki-ji), 10 (Koryu-ji), 13(Senryu-ji), 15 (Hashikura-ji) and 16 (Hagiwara-ji). It would be wonderful to see foliage in Temples 7, 10, 13, 15 and 16. I hope to revisit some of the 108 temples one day. (to continue)

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    Japan Nikko & Tokyo 2-8 October 2024

    Posted on October 8, 2024 by Sarah

    A Gap Week

    The raison d’etre of my visit to Japan is to join the Shikoku pilgrimage would take place from October 9 – 14. After Hokkaido, I flied to Tokyo, spending two nights in Nikko and three nights in Tokyo before spending a night at the Nikko Hotel at Osaka Kansai Airport to wait for the group from Hong Kong.

    October 2 Sapporo – Tokyo

    I toyed with the idea of purchasing a 7-day Japan Rail Pass for use after Hokkaido. As I find it increasingly difficult to travel with my luggage, I finally decided to fly when I found a cheap ticket on Spring Airlines. The plane took off around 11 am and I was in Narita an hour and a half later. I took an airport bus to Shinjuku and then a taxi to my hotel in Kabukicho. It was the first time I stayed in this entertainment district best known for adult-oriented nightlife. I am not interested in nightlife: a brief stay and people watching give me a feel about this district. The young people I have come across early in the morning all look pale and a bit weird. I suppose they might have stayed up the whole night drinking, smoking and having fun. It is an eye-opening experience. But I would unlikely return to stay in this area.

    October 3-4 Nikko

    Nikko is one of my favourite places in Japan. I was looking for foliage on my third visit. Unfortunately it was too early. On this occasion, I bought a 4-day Nikko All Area Pass (4780 yen) which covers a return ticket on local train on Tobu Railway between Asakusa and Nikko / Kinugawa Onsen, an extensive bus network in Nikko and a lake cruise. I had to pay an extra 1650 yen to take a limited express to Nikko. This was the first time I bought this pass. Though I would use it only for three days as I had to return to Tokyo on 5 October, I still considered it most value for money and would highly recommend it to visitors without car.

    Despite the unstable weather, I enjoyed doing whatever my mood took me and my hip allowed me to do. I treasured my time in Nikko with many memorable moments.

    First, I loved the long scenic ride to Lake Yunoko (with 45 stops) each day. Second, I visited the three most famous falls in Nikko and enjoyed walking 1-2 km through the wood or along the river to the Ryuzu and Yudaki Falls. For the Kegon Falls, I paid 600 yen to take a lift to a platform 100m below in order to have full view of the waterfall.

    Third, I had a most atmospheric Lake Chuzenji sightseeing cruise. When I got on the boat, it was so foggy that I could not even see the boat till it was right in front of me at the pier. Then with ten minutes later, the sun suddenly pierced through thick cloud resulting in most beautiful lights and rolling mist over the lake.

    Fourth, I took the train to Kinugawa Onsen and saw the Kinu River and the famous steam train in action.

    Fifth, I was stuck in the Lake Yunoko for an hour owing to the rain. So I could not walk round the lake to Yodaki Falls as planned. But I enjoyed sitting in the cafe watching the rain, trout jumping out of water and talking with a French couple from Avignon. Later despite the rain, I went to the Yodaki Falls, then follow the boardwalk to Kodaki Falls and finally following the staircase next to the Yodaki Falls back to Lake Yunoko where I took a bus.

    Finally, I was moved when an Austrian couple whom I ran into twice that day offered to give me a lift. As it started to drizzle and getting dark, I took their kind offer instead of standing in the rain to wait for a bus.

    October 5 – 7 Reunion

    On October 5, I had dinner with Miyo a friend I first met in Yellowknife Canada watching Northern Lights in 2014. She accompanied us hiking Mt Fuji in 2016. She is elegant and kind and we had a great time catching up while having most delicious sushi omakase.

    On October 6 and 7, I went to Yokohama to meet Alan, my brother from Australia and Vicki, my sister-in-law. They just got off the boat in Yokohama after a 13-day cruise. It was wonderful to be able to meet up and spend time together. We had dim sum lunch in Yokohama China Town and sashimi and tempura in the fish market.

    During my stay in Tokyo, I went to the National Art Centre to see “Keiichi Tanaami: Adventures of Memory”. Tanaami (1936-2024) is highly regarded as a pop-artist and modern border-crossing person. I don’t know him but am most impressed by his energy and 60+ years of creativity: as a prolific artist, his graphic designs, illustrations, paintings, collages, sculptures, animations, experimental videos, installations etc are iconic and distinctive.

    After lunch in Yokohama, I went to Harajuku strolling aimless for almost two hours. It was wonderful to see a young dog-walker with 19 dogs. It was nice to window-shopping. I have no fashion sense and it is great to watch the young people in trendy fashion walking by. I sat outside Laforet watching people and the streetscape. Then I went to Tokyu Plaza which has an expansive green garden on the sixth floor. A nice urban escape!

    I had never taken long distance bus in Japan. This time, I took the overnight bus leaving Shinjuku Express Bus station at 10:35pm. It was quite an experience. The Bus with 44 seats is neat, clean and tidy. There is a curtain between each seat (for privacy I suppose). Most the passengers were Japanese young ladies/girls probably under 30. I noticed that the men were assigned seats at the front. I do not fine the seat too comfortable (perhaps it is designed to meet Japanese preference and habits).

    October 8 Osaka Kansai Airport

    Today was a rest day as I had nothing particular I wished to do. I got off the bus at Namba Osaka shortly after 7 am. Then after having a breakfast in a nice coffee shop, I took the Nankai train to Kansai (970 yen) and waited till 2 am to check in Nikko Hotel at the airport. As the hotel Chinese restaurant offers a dim sum buffet, I might just as well enjoy a nice lunch before check-in. As a senior citizen over 65, I only had to pay 3600 yen for a buffet with a choice of 25 types of dim sum. The restaurant has elegant decor. Presentation of the dim sum was good though the dim sum in Hong Kong is more authentic and delicious. I spent the rest of the day in my comfortable room writing travel notes and read. A relaxing day

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    Japan Hokkaido September 21-October 1, 2024

    Posted on September 26, 2024 by Sarah

    Why Japan?

    I have joined a 6-day pilgrimage trip to Shikoku from 9 to 14 October. Hence, instead of returning to Hong Kong after the Northwest Passage, I decide to spend the gap time looking for foliage in Hokkaido.

    September 21 Sapporo

    I must be exhausted and managed to sleep on the 12-hour flight to Taipei. After a 3-hour transit in Taipei, I continued my journey to Sapporo which I visited in ?. I took the train to the city centre and stayed in Hotel Gracery opposite the station. I bought a 10-day Hokkaido train pass for 33,000 yen. Everything was settled and I went to bed after 8 pm.

    September 22 -23 Sounkyo

    I got up after 4 am after a good rest. So I set off before 8 am for Asahikawa where I took a local train to Kamikawa followed by a bus to Sounkyo (890 yen). The scenery of the 12.4-mile Sounkyo Gorge flanked by 100 meter high forested cliffs is impressive. I arrived at my destination around after 11:30 am. As I could not check in at Sounkyo Kankou Hotel till 3pm, I took a local bus departing at 12:50 pm with three stops at Ginga Waterfall, Obako and Taisetsu (450 yen). I met two ladies from Hong Kong on the bus. We went to the lake but there was nothing to see. We later discovered we should have got off at Obako for a close-up look at the gorge by the Ishikari River. On the way back, I got off at the Ginga Waterfall (350 yen). Here I got a good view of both the Ginga and Ryusei waterfalls. I walked 2km back to Sounkyo. The scenery is not impressive. After checking in, I spent time in the onsen which is good for my hip and back problem.

    I got up very early the next day and was ready to visit Mt Kuro (1984m). Visitors can take a cable car to the fifth station followed by chair lift to the seventh station for 3,300 yen return. The cable car begins to run at 6 am. I was on the 6:20am cable car and reached the seventh station after 7 am. I was lucky as the weather was good. I watched clouds rolling in the Sounkyo Gorge and the sea of clouds over the mountain range. I began my ascent after 7:15am. While an average hiker takes about an hour to hike 1.7 km with an ascent of 452m to the top of Mt Kuro. Given my hip problem, I walked slowly and struggled to climb over the stony path. I thought of giving up at one point. Anyway, I was thrilled to reach the top just before 9:30am. I loved the tranquility and warm sunshine and could spend the whole day there. But as the weather could change quickly, I had to pull myself up and began the descent which was slightly easier. But I had to be cautious with descent to the seventh station.

    I also followed a 360-m path to the Amaryo Falls viewing platform before taking the chair lift. While sitting on the chair lift, I realised I had left my walking poles before getting on the chair lift. The staff told me to get back to pick up my poles. I therefore had a free scenic ride! Before taking the 3:20 pm cable car, I had a quick lunch as I was hungry and thirsty. I was tempted to hike to see the Momiji Falls known for the foliage. But after walking for 20 minutes, I decided not to go. I was afraid I might have already done too much.

    September 24 Abashiri & Lake Notoro

    My second destination was the Lake Notoro to see “coral grass”. I took the 7:50am bus to return to the Kamikawa station and waited for almost two hours for the 10:24 train to Abashiri. Then I waited for over an hour for a bus to Lake Notoro (640 yen) which would depart after 1:30pm. By the time I reached the hotel Kagaryi by the grass field, I was able to check in. The traditional Japanese guesthouse is most comfortable. After leaving my bag in the room, I headed to the field which is opposite the guesthouse. I went to the onsen before having a sumptuous dinner at 6 pm. What a treat!

    September 25 Shiretoko National Park

    I set off after having a big breakfast at Kagaryi. The bus at 8:53 am took me to Abashiri train station. The train departed at 10:20 am and arrived at Shiretoro-Shari station around 11 am. I caught a connecting bus to Utoro Onsen at 11:15 am (1,650 yen). I originally booked Shiretoro Village which is 15 minutes’ walk from the bus station. On arrival, I found I could not walk with two small but heavy backpacks. Hence, I simply went to stay at the Bon’s Home with good reviews close to the bus station. The owner is very helpful and polite. I ended up paying 7,800 yen for accommodation, breakfast and dinner. On reflection, I thought I had made a good decision as I lost no time to start my exploration. Once I put down my backpack, I returned to the bus station to take a bus to the Natoinal Park (1,400 yen for a bus ticket).

    Shiretoko National Park a World Heritge Site covers most of the Shiretoko Peninsula with an area of 386 sq km at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaido. Most of the peninsula is only accessible on foot or by boat. It has an estimated population of 500 brown bears. It is also home of many birds such as Steller’s sea eagle and white-tailed eagle, and marine animals such as spotted seal, orca and sperm whale. It has a hot springs waterfall called Kamuiwakka Falls.

    I arrived at the entrance of the Five Lakes just before 1 pm. I had to pay 250 yen for taking the 3-km Five Lake trail and attend a mandatory briefing on safety measures to be taken to protect brown bears as well as hikers. I began the hike just before 1:30 pm. At Lake No 3, I met a nice couple from Hong Kong who kindly gave me a lift to the visitor centre instead of taking the scheduled bus. As a result, I had time to take a 2-km trail to see Furepe no Taki Falls near the Visitor Centre. I took the last bus at 4:45pm back to Utoro.

    In the evening, I joined a 2-hour night wildlife trip. I saw a bear, plenty of deer and a fox. I had a great day!

    September 25 Shiretoko National Park & Kushiro

    My original plan would be to take the 9:30am bus to get a train at Shari to Kushiro followed by another train to Nemuro. But when I passed by a shop offering a 3-hour boat ride at 9am to Cape Shiretoko for 9500 yen, I decided to take the cruise. The 3-hour cruise was cut short to two hours owing to strong winds and waves and I got a refund of 3000 yen. Anyway, I was pleased to see the 200-m high sea cliffs, numerous sea caves, spectacular rock formations, several waterfalls and got a glimpse of the plains, gorges and valleys, forests and plains, and mountain ranges. We also saw a bear and a school of tuna.

    As the cruise was over by 11am, I was able to walk up the Oronco Rock for a panoramic view of Utoro and the sea. I took the 12:30pm bus to Shari and spent three hours waiting at the train station for the train to Kushiro. For some unkown reasons, the train went very slowly at times and eventually arrived at Kushiro half an hour late. The last train to Nemuro had gone. So I had to spend a night at Kushiro. But all the hotels were fully booked. After walking to five hotels near the station, I gave up and eventually paid 31000 yen to stay at Crown Plaza by the cruise terminal! Someone told me that they had some events for youth and all hotels were full. Ridiculous!

    September 27 A Frustrating Travel Day Kushiro – Nemuro

    Today was a frustrating day. I planned to take the 11:15 am train to Nemuro. Around 11 am, the board announced the train was cancelled. I asked the station staff who told me to wait for the next one at 1:25 pm. I went to a bakery and had a coffee and cake. When I planned to go to the platform, the board indicated the train was cancelled. I was told to wait for the next one at after 4pm. I returned to the bakery and waited. Nothing I could do! The train departed on schedule but was delayed when a deer ran across the track. Later it stopped again. It was 7:20 when it arrived at Nemuro (half an hour late). It was raining and I walked almost half an hour before reaching the guesthouse. The owner is a young America who was able to tell me that they had an earth quake the day before and had heavy rain for two days. As a result, they had to check the tracks and repair as necessary. I could understand the reason for the delay. But I could not understand why the railway management / staff at the control gate could not put up a board/notice in simple English informing non-Japanese passengers what was going on.

    September 28 A Frustrating Travel Day Nemuro – Kushiro

    I want to travel to Nemuro at the eastern end of the train line in Hokkaido. From Nemuro, I can visit Cape Nosappu located at the easternmost point of Japan. It is the earliest place in Japan to see the sunrise on mainland Japan and home to the oldest lighthouse in Hokkaido built in 1872. It is also famous for being able to see the Northern Territories including Shikotan, Kunashiri, Etorofu and Habomai Islands. I have been planning to visit these islands which are now under Russian sovereignty and have been a point of conflict between Russia and Japan. Standing at Cape Nosappu, I can understand the Japanese frustration and sorrow for losing these territories to Russia after WWII. All politics!

    September 29 Kushiro – Sapporo – Otaru

    I took the express train from Kushiro to Sapporo (8:32 am-12:45pm). After checking in JR Inn next to the station after 3 pm, I was able to take a train to revisit Otaru. The sun was setting and most tourists had gone. Few shops except the eateries were open. I had a deluxe seafood bowl for 4800 yen with sea urchins and toro before taking the 6:30 train back to Sapporo.

    September 30 – Lake Toya & Noborebutsu

    Today, I took a 2-hour train to Lake Toya which is a volcanic caldera lake. It is part of “ToyaCaldera and Usu Volcano Global Geopark”. I had to take a 25-minute bus to Toyako Onsen. I enjoyed my peaceful promenade walk, taking a footbath in a hot spring before visiting the pleasant and peaceful. Mt Yoteisan was half hidden in the cloud. I visited the Toya-Usu UNESCO Global Geopark which has excellent illustrations. I took a short walk behind the museum where traces of disasters of the 2000 eruptions with damaged buildings and roads are visible. I took the 2:55 pm bus back to the train station and took a train to Noborebutsu at 3:30pm

    By the time I arrived at Noborebutsu, the bus to the onsen had left. Then three other Japanese heading to the onsen asked me to join a pool taxi. I gladly jumped into the taxi and arrived at the onsen before 4:30 pm.Instead of paying 350 yen for the bus, I only paid 670 yen for a shared taxi. Wonderful. I walked quickly to the Hell Valley as the sun was setting. The landscape is impressive. I spent almost an hour in peace as most tourists had gone. I took the 6:25pm bus to the station and managed to

    October 1 Biei & Furano

    Today was my last day to use my train pass in Hokkaido. I took the 8am train from Sapporo to Biei via Asahikawa and then a local bus to the Shirogane Blue Pond. The pond is fairly small with a large crowd. I stayed for more than an hour before taking 12:16pm bus to Shirogane Hot Spring to see the Shirahige Waterfall with a truss bridge. Both the Pond and the Waterfall are worth seeing.

    I took a bus back to the Biei train station and waited a while for the 2:19pm train to Furano which is famous for its lavender and flower fields. But the lavender season was over and it was difficult to move around without a car. At the station I discover that another local train would be leaving for Takikawa at 4:28pm and arriving at Sapporo around 6pm. This would be much faster than the route Furano – Asahikawa – Sapporo. Also I would see different areas. So I only had time to take a short walk near the station and had a drink in a nice new hostel called Tomar. the train ride was a nice surprise: the train with purple decor inside has a nostalgic feel! The sun was setting over the valley. It turned out to be a scenic train ride. Life is always full of nice surprises if one is flexible and adventurous!

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    Northwest Passage Canada – USA September 15 – 19, 2024

    Posted on September 15, 2024 by Sarah

    Day 15 September 10 Queen Maud Gulf – At Sea

    We sailed the whole day. The Queen Maud Gulf Bird Sanctuary located in the Gulf is Canada’s largest protected area. Unfortunately, no activity was allowed. I attended Alessandro’s interesting lecture on “plankton” in the morning and Julie’s promotional talk on “Le Commandant Charcot Destinations“. I am most interested in an inaugural route from Hobart to Cape Town in 2025. But it is outrageously expensive. I watched the debate between D Trump and K Harris in the evening. I find Trump’s anti-immigration remarks about Haitians eating pet dogs and cats shocking and ridiculous.

    Day 16 September 11 Edinburgh Island Nunavut

    We spent a full day in Edinburgh Island: the plan was to make two hiking trips in different parts of the island. I joined an intermediate group and hiked for an hour and a half. The landscape and tundra scenery were most impressive. We were lucky to spot and watch an Arctic fox before returning to the boat.

    The weather was superb. After lunch, I got ready to take a zodiac ride at 2 pm for another hike at the eastern end of the island. Unfortunately, two brown bears were spotted near a nearby beach. As a result, the landing was cancelled and we could only take an hour’s zodiac cruise to enjoy the impressive land formation and tundra colours. We spotted a couple of nests on the cliffs. While some passengers were upset, I took whatever came with ease and had a most enjoyable afternoon cruise.

    In the evening, I attended a concert “Around the World” performed by the five artists. Their round the world journey only covered US, Australia, Brazil, Jamaica, Spain and France. This can’t be a RTW trip today- it should include Asia and Africa!

    Day 17 September 12 Ulukhaktok, Victoria Island NWT

    Victoria Island is a large island in the Arctic Archipelago and Canada’s second largest island with an area of 217,291 sq km. It was a sunny and hot day by Arctic standard. We landed in Ulukhaktok (also known as Holman) with about 500 inhabitants in the afternoon and had over an hour to explore on our own. Some passengers even had a round of golf. I walked along the bay and had an interesting chat with the deputy mayor who is a hunter with another job with the local government. I am impressed by the high standard of community facilities and housing (as compared with other communities we had visited). The inhabitants care about the place which is kept impressively tidy and clean. At 4pm, we gathered at the community hall for an excellent cultural performance. Different groups performed drums and dance with passion and enthusiasm. Our expedition team and some guests joined in and had fun. The last zodiac was supposed to be at 5:30pm. But the locals did not want the party to end. As a keen supporter, I was almost the last one to leave the hall and took the last zodiac just before 6 pm.

    This is our only landing in Inuvialuit. I am most impressed by the enthusiasm and energy of the locals and the local store I visited was well-stocked including beautiful fabric and fur items. The coats lined with fur worn by a few locals are most beautiful. Before jumping into the last zodiac, I had char sashimi generously given to us by a 86-year-old lady on the beach.

    Day 18 September 13 Smoking Hills Northwest Territories

    Located on the east coast of Cape Bathurst at the junction of the Amundsen Gulf in the Northwest Territories , next to the Arctic Ocean, Smoking Hills contain strata of hydrocarbons (oil shales) that have been burning continuously for centuries. Considered one of the most fascinating, mysterious and unique natural phenomena on the planet, the cliffs were named by Sir John Franklin on his 1826 expeditions. Smoking Hills with countless smoke columns emanating from cliffs coloured in ochre and crimson are surreal. As I was on the last zodiac cruise that would set off after 10 am, I had time for the 30-minute stretch class. during the 90- minute cruise, we got close to the cliffs. It was cloudy and I thoroughly enjoyed a most atmospheric zodiac cruise. But the sea was choppy and I almost had seasickness.

    In the afternoon, I attended a lecture “Inuit life of the 1920s-1960s” given by Gwen (an Inuit) and Murielle. I have been to Greenland and Nunavat before. However, it is the first time I have heard so much from an Inuit about her own history, upbringing and culture. That evening just before midnight, the Captain told us through the public address system that northern lights had appeared. I put on warm clothes and spent an hour on deck. With the night mode of my Xiaomi, I could see faint green and blue (?) colours. Unfortunately, it soon became misty and I returned to bed.

    Day 19 September 14 Sailing in Beaufort Sea

    We sailed straight for five days till we got off the boat in Nome. I found time passing by as quickly as before. I attended three lectures – “Apnea” relating to free diving, “Mastering your camera: Tips and Tricks“; and “Invasive Species in the Arctic“. We also had a caviar tasting with music in he main lounge. In the evening, we were encouraged to take part in “Saturday Night Fever”. Unfortunately few guests turned up! Perhaps we are all too old for disco dancing. The highlight of the day came when the captain told us to watch northern lights on deck. The lights were more active and stronger tonight though the green and purple colours were only visible with the aid of the phone. I ended up staying up till almost 3 am watching the lights moving rapidly above my head and from the balcony of my room. Wonderful!

    Day 20 September 15 Beaufort Sea

    Life at sea continued. We had a lecture on “The Inuvialuit” one of the four Inuit regions in Canada, followed by another on “Greenland Shark” which can live for a few hundred of years! In the afternoon, the Chief Engineer and Staff Captain gave a surprisingly interesting talk about the “Construction and Design of Le Boreal and Things behind the Scene“. The highlight today was the Crew Talent Show with the participation of 12 teams. All staff had put in a lot of efforts: some danced, sang, performed magic show, played the piano etc. The show lasted for over two hours. I was glad that the housekeeping team won the contest!

    Day 21 September 16 Chukchi Sea

    Today, I was busy attending lectures and workshop. David, the expedition team leader, gave an interesting talk on “Poles“. I had a more comprehensive talk on “The Canadian Arctic Expeditions 1913-1918“. Then I took part in a workshop on “Apnea“, and attended a presentation on “Around the World by Bicycle” by Fanny and Gabriel, two expedition team members. I was in a good mood and even went to the Main Lounge after dinner to listen to piano melody by Greg Gigante, Safety Officer of Le Boreal.

    • No Lack of Champagne & Alcohol
    • Sampled Cocktail of the Day Everyday

    Day 22 September 17 Moon Festival at Chukchi Sea

    Today was the Moon Festival, an auspicious festival in Chinese calendar. The Captain gave us a big surprise: the boat was surrounded by extensive sea ice when we woke up. We had our last zodiac cruise among sea ice and a surprise champagne party on ice floe. An once-in-a-lifetime celebration of the Moon Festival. My friends and I were once again the last passengers to return to the boat. At 11:30 am our Chinese friends (22 in total) from the Mainland organised a party on the observation lounge to celebrate the festival. I joined and we sang, drank my second glass of champagne of the day and had a small piece of mooncake.

    In the afternoon, I attended lectures on “Sexy Lichens” and “The Iditarod Trail Dog Race” and workshop on “Adobe Lightroom Demonstration” and “Apnea“. We had a warm farewell cocktail and presentation of Le Boreal crew before attending the gala dinner.

    Day 23 September 18 Diomede Islands & King Island, Alaska

    Today was the last sailing day. I was thrilled when I saw a full moon (for the first time on this expedition) from my balcony around 7:30 am. It was most enchanting and warmed my heart. I stayed on deck taking photos and watching the boat sailing towards the Diomede Islands: the Big Diomede Island belongs to Russia while the Little Diomede Island is part of US territory. The weather was perfect: we spent most of the time on deck. Before lunch, I attended a lecture on “Salmon fishing in Alaska” and an “Apnea workshop”. In the afternoon, we had a lecture on “Cetaceans of the Arctic” before scenic navigation of the King Island. Before dinner, we gathered for the last time in the theatre watching a video of the expedition before dinner. It brought back many happy memories.

    In the evening, I went to the theatre for an experience sharing “23 days in Kayak in Greenland Ice” with Ben of the expedition team. Ben is soft spoken and quiet. But he gave passionate talk on his kayak days in Greenland before joining the boat. Wonderful!

    September 19 End of Expedition Nome – Seattle

    We had to get up very early as the US immigration officers came on board before 7 am. We collected our passport ready for disembarkation. The weather was poor rainy and grey when I stepped off the boat around 8:30am. Goodbye Le Boreal!

    We spent a few hours in Nome before flying to Seattle at 2 pm. Today Nome, home to the Inupiat natives and known for its Gold Rush 1898 to 1909, has a population of about 3,700 (2020 census). There is a kind of frontier town feel and I find it hard to imagine it once had a population of some 10,000. I first took a bus tour to see muskoxen outside the town before taking a museum tour. The display and illustrations are excellent. I learn the history of the gold rush and how gold was mined in Nome as well as the remarkable history of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race which began in 1925. As a diphtheria epidemic raged in Nome, the territory-wide blizzard conditions prevented the delivery of diphtheria antitoxin serum to Nome. A relay of dog sled teams successfully delivered the serum from Anchorage to Nome.

    The weather had improved. I enjoyed spending half an hour strolling along main street visiting the Salon (since 1900), the Visitor Centre, a shop selling souvenirs and another selling marijuana products. It is sad to see many houses especially along the shore destroyed by Typhoon Merbok on September 17, 2022, are still in need of repair.

    We had a 4-hour flight to Seattle. As my connecting flight to Taipei-Sapporo would be departing around 1 am, I said goodbye to Maria, Karen and Heidi and stayed at the airport. Fortunately I was able to check in shortly after 9 pm and relaxed in a lounge till the plane took off about 1 am on 20 September.

    Remarks (to add)

    Categories: Expeditions, My American trips | Comments Off on Northwest Passage Canada – USA September 15 – 19, 2024

    Northwest Passage Canada 3-9 September 2024

    Posted on September 8, 2024 by Sarah

    Northwest Passage

    The NW Passage refers to the sea lane between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic Ocean along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Arctic Archipelago of Canada often blocked by ice. The most well-known expedition in search of the passage was led by Sir John Franklin in 1845 that ended in disaster without any survivor. An ice-bound route was discovered in 1850 by Robert McClure during his search of Franklin’s missing party. Roald Amundsen became the first person to find a route making a complete passage in 1903-1906. The passage essentially comprises three sections: east of Baffin Island – Greenland; centre comprising Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and west – coast of the Bering Strait.

    Inuit Nunangat

    Inuit are the descendants of the Thule people who emerged from the Bering Strait and western Alaska around 1000CE. They are believed to have split from the related Aleut group about 4000 years ago and from northeastern Siberian migrants. They then spread eastern across the Arctic. In Canada, Inuit formed the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami in 1971 (from the former Inuit Tapirisat of Canada). Today, Inuit Nunangat is made up of four distinct regional homelands: Inuvialuit (Northwest Territories), Nunavut, Nunavik (Northern Quebec), and Nunatsiavut Northern Labrador) that became its own territory in 1999.

    Day 8 September 3 Pond Inlet, Nunavat

    As we would be sailing the whole morning, we attended two lectures in the morning: one on “Centralisation and development of Greenland” and the other by Nick on iphone photography (1).

    Pond Inlet is not strange to me as I was there on 11 and 13 August 2018 with a Canadian expedition. As it took a while to clear customs, we could not disembark till almost 3 pm. We had the same programme beginning with a cultural performance in the community hall with a dozen performers including a 70-year-old lady who looks fit and healthy. I remember the twin sisters! The performance including throat singing, Inuit games, dance, kicking, competition etc. last for over an hour. I remember some of the faces and took photos with my old friends! Afterwards, we had a quick stop at the museum. It started to drizzle and I was back on the boat around 6pm.

    Day 9 September 4 Lancaster Sound & Crocker Bay

    In 2018, I visited the Dundas Harbour and Croker Bay. This time, we had a morning cruise at Lancaster Sound enjoying our first Arctic icescape. The weather was perfect and we stayed on Deck 7 with panoramic views. We saw a bearded seal with a big wound on ice too. I also attended a lecture “When Nunavut was created“

    In the afternoon, we had zodiac cruise to see glaciers and icebergs in Croker Bay. We saw gorgeous icebergs in amazing shapes and all shades of blue. There were plenty of seals in the bay too. We celebrated the great day with a glass of champagne in the zodiac. In the evening, I watched a documentary movie “Ice and sky“.

    Day 10 September 5 Beechey Island & Devon Island Nunavut

    We had arctic weather this morning: cold, grey and miserable. We visited the most well-known historical site associated with Franklin’s lost expedition which set off from the UK in 1845 with a total of 129 officers and men on HKS Erebus and HMS Terror under the command of Sir John Franklin (1786- June 847). Their task was to traverse the last unnavigated sections of the NW Passage int he Canadian Arctic and to record magnetic data to further understanding on navigation in the region. They had three years’ provision on board and wintered on Beechey Island in 1845-46. They were icebound in Victoria Strait near King William Island and both vessels were abandoned in April 1848 by which point Franklin and two dozen men had died. The rest led by Francis Crozier (second-in-command) and James Fitzjames (Erebus’s captain) headed south setting out for the Canadian mainland and eventually perished. Their mysterious disappearance sparked off a spate of search for the lost men and research studies. In 2014, a research team of Park Canada located the wreck of Erebus in the eastern portion of Queen Maud Gulf. The wreck of Terror was located south of the King William Island in 2016.

    In the afternoon we visited another archeological site at Caswell Tower which features impressive and imposing geological feature. It was a grey bleak day with drizzle and fog. I walked a long way along the beach to see several Thule remnants with bowhead whale bones. Atmospheric!

    Day 11 September 6 Creswell Bay Somerset Island & Bellot Strait

    I signed up for a morning canyon walk on Fury Island which landscape has turquoise green water and sheer cliffs reminiscent of the Grand Canyon or the High Atlas in Morocco. But before 8am, we spotted four bears on the beach. Their presence changed our plan: we stayed onboard watching a big male bear and a mom with two cubs for almost an hour. No landing!

    The expedition team decided to arrange us to visit an archeological sites at Creswell Bay to visit a large Thule settlement with many units built with bowhead whales. The main one has as many as 15 bowhead whale bones. The polar desert landscape is surreal especially on a beautiful sunny day with blue sky and reflections. The water was crystal clear with a sort of jelly fish! I had a most wonderful and relaxing walk for an hour. The boat set sail for Bellot Strait around 3pm.

    I attended a lecture on “Did Franklin eat his shoes again?” that refreshed my memory of this disastrous expedition. Unfortunately by the time we arrived at the entrance of the strait, it was around 8 pm. We were told we would have a scenic sailing through the 17-km long strait which has various locations with history. It was getting dark and foggy. Apart from seeing Fort Ross at the entrance, we hardly saw much. Nothing one can do with the weather! At 10pm, I went to the main lobby to enjoy live music for half an hour. There were only two guests at the lobby after a group of officers left. I stayed on till the end to support the singer with a lovely sweet voice

    Day 12 September 7 No Landing at Pasley Bay & Crusing

    After stretching exercise and a good breakfast, I got ready for a medium walk on the Pasley Bay which is located on the east side of the Boothia Peninsula and laying on the east side of Larsen Sound near the entrance to James Ross Strait, north of King William Island. Henry Larson overwintered on the second successful transit of the Passage, going west to east and passing through Bellot Strait in 1940-42. The landscape is supposed to include a low gravel and bog foreshore populated with sedge and cotton grasses. We were on the zodiac around 9:30 am heading to the shore only to be told to turn back five minutes later: a bear was spotted nearby and all passengers had to be evacuated. Back to the boat! C’est la vie on an expedition.

    The weather and strong wind meant nothing could be arranged. I attended Nick’s iphone photography (2) on “How to organise your image” in the afternoon and Daniela’s talk “Polar bear: The Lord of the Ice“. At the Officers’ Dinner tonight, I was on a table with two young female French navigation officers and three other passengers. I learnt a lot about their work at the bridge and life of officers on board.

    Day 13 September 8 M’Clintock Channel

    The Captain decided to make a diversion north to the M’Clintock Channel to give us the last chance to see and experience sea ice. We were not disappointed: an hour-long zodiac cruising among the sea ice gave us an opportunity to understand the formation and beauty of sea ice that is different from ice broken from icebergs. It was atmospheric as it was foggy with a melancholic atmsophere.

    I watched a documentary “The Great Ice Bear” at 11 am and attended a lecture on Roald Amundsen in the afternoon. For the second time, I watched the show ”Singing in Paris” performed by the five artists of Le Boreal in the Main Lounge till 10 pm. A full day!

    Day 14 September 9 Gjoa Haven Nunavut

    Gjoa Haven, a town in King William Island named after Amundsen’s boat, where Amundsen spent two years living and learned the Inuit way of life for survival in harsh Arctic environment. Today it has a population over 1,000 with a majority of young people. We disembarked after 1:30pm and I spent three and a half hours ashore. There is a small museum on Inuit life and culture. I flipped through a book on the discovery of HKS Investigator that made two voyages (1848-1853) to the Arctic to search for Franklin’s ill-fated expedition. It was abandoned in 1853 after becoming trapped in the pack ice. In 2010, a research team led by Park Canada located the wreck of Investigator in Mercy Bay at the northern tip of Aulavik National Park on the northern end of Banks Island.

    At 4 pm we gathered in the community hall for an hour’s performance by local artists, two female throat singers and six dancers. David and his team members, and some passengers danced with the locals. I was glad to see many kids and local people coming to watch the show, had snacks (soup made with salmon and caribou and bread) and danced. I took many photos of the lovely kids.

    Tonight, I signed up for a dinner with a naturalist. It was like a blind date as I did not know who would be the host. I was indeed delighted to find Max as our host. He is a good story-teller telling us vividly about his close encounter (less than 100m) with a big bear in Pasley Bay. This is a once-in-a-life time experience. He was calm when he looked into the bear’s eye. He felt the bear was just as shocked to see him and had no intention to attack him. After gazing at each other for a brief moment, the bear stepped back but came forward shortly afterwards (he gathered there was a slope and the bear had to advance in order to walk away). At this point, he fired at the sky and the bear ran away. After a delightful dinner I watched a 2-hour movie “Roald Amundsen” in Norwegian with English subtitles. Another long active day!

    Categories: Expeditions, My American trips | Comments Off on Northwest Passage Canada 3-9 September 2024

    Northwest Passage: Greenland 28 August – 2 September 2024

    Posted on September 2, 2024 by Sarah

    The NW Passage is the sea lane between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic Ocean, along the northern coast of North America via waterways through the Arctic Archipelago of Canada. Le Boreal’s journey called “The Northwest Passage, in the wake of Roald Amundsen” suggests the route taken would follow those of Amundsen (1872-1928). Amundsen was the first explorer who succeeded in navigating the passage from 1903 to 1906 in Gjoa Havn, a small vessel (47 tonnes) with a crew of six men.

    Day 1 August 28 Paris – Kangerlussuaq – Le Boreal

    Our flight would depart Paris CDG Airport for Kangerlussuaq at 10am. We took ten minutes to walk to the airport for check-in. Things went smoothly and the flight departed on schedule. I love Greenland after travelling with Oceanwide from August 7 to September 2, 2015 from Disco Bay to Thule. After flying for five hours, we landed shortly after 1 pm (local time). We had a light lunch at the restaurant by Lake Ferguson before proceeding to the port where I had my first sight of Le Boreal.

    I was pleased to step into my room which would be my home for the next 22 days. I unpacked and attended mandatory briefing and safety drill. We had a short briefing before dinner where we met Captain Charbel Daher, David, the expedition leader and the team. I was totally exhausted by the time I went to bed.

    Day 2 August 29 Sisimiut

    Founded in 1756, Sisimiut is the second largest town in Greenland after Nuuk, the capital city. The colourful stilt houses dot the underlying landscape. I went ashore after 9:30am and spent the whole morning strolling around a number of historical buildings including an old blue church (Bethel Church 1775), the new Sisimiut Church perching on a hill top, a museum on the history of the Inuit people, the town itself and the World Heritage Site of Aasivissuit-Nipisat, Inuit Hunting Ground between Ice and Sea (covering an area of 4178 sq km). This is my first visit to this town and I am impressed by the high quality interactive interpretations and presentations of the museum and in the churches. All guests had a chance to sample local cuisine. We returned to the boat for lunch.

    At 1:30pm, I joined a group for a medium hike to see archeological sites of first settlers in the area. Given my hip problem, I found the rocky terrain challenging. At one point, I thought of turning back. Then I switched to a ‘relax’ group and walked with ease. Murielle, the archeologist, gave interesting explanations on site. The scenery and weather were gorgeous. I got back to the boat around 4pm. Before a Gala Dinner, we attended the Welcome Cocktail with Captain Charbel Daher and his officers.

    Day 3 August 30 Ilulissat

    Ilulissat, the third largest town in Greenland, seems to have grown since my last visit in 2015. The sea was rough with big waves. I was lucky to stay dry during the long zodiac ride to the pier located in the busy fishing port. I was surprised to find altogether four cruise ships in Ilulissat. We had a bus ride to the starting point of the 1.3km-long broad- walk to see the Ilulissat Icefjord, a World Heritage Site. It was cold and windy and I walked very slowly and took a while to reach the view point. Before taking the last bus at noon, I spent almost an hour in the museum. However I confess I did not have enough time to see all the exhibits. On the zodiac ride back to the boat, we were soaked in sea water as the zodiac was battling with strong wind and big waves.

    Day 4 August 31 Sermigdlip Kangerdlua & Akulleq

    We appreciated Captain Daher’s decision to take early departure from Ilulissat. The weather today was excellent. We had a wonderful zodiac cruising among icebergs in Sermigdlip Kangerdlua.

    After lunch, we set foot on Akulleq, a desert island in Uummannaq Bay. The moonscape is impressive and surreal with mineral of remarkable ochre yellow and orange as well as foliage colours of red, yellow, and orange. I had one walking pole and managed to hike almost to the top for amazing panoramic views of the bay marred with countless icebergs in most impressive forms. We also found an archeological site comprising a fox trap on this island. Murielle pointed out how the trap worked. Apparently there is one more trap on the island. I had a most wonderful day!

    Day 5 September 1 Kullorsuaq

    We sailed the whole morning and had a leisure time onboard. We reached Kullorsuaq before 3 pm. We were the last group to leave the boat at 3:50pm. Once we were ashore, we watched a demonstration by a traditional hunter (who is 66) on the use of the harpoon for hunting. I later met him and his 74-year-old brother and took many photos with them.

    I wandered around this small community that is still lives off fishing and seal or bear hunting. The houses look worn out and discolored: not as prosperous as compared with those we have visited. I saw many children with smiles. They look happy and healthy! I spoke with a teacher from Nuuk who would be leaving in two days for Nuuk. She and her children moved here a year ago when she took up a teaching post. Then one of her four children is sick and the medical service here is inadequate. The child accompanied by her father and siblings has to go back to Nuuk for treatment. She therefore decides to return to the capital and stay with her family. Life is harsh!

    I had problems with walking at first. Then I walked with ease with two walking poles. I was happy to finally reach the top for a panoramic view before heading back to the beach. Before catching the last zodiac back to the boat, I took plenty of photos with a local family and their relatives. Le Boreal sail to Savissivik which is over 300 NM away.

    Day 6 September 2 Savissivik

    We sat the clock back an hour. Unfortunately, my mobile phone did not change automatically. I went for breakfast after 7 am and thought I had plenty of time as I would not set off till 8:35 am. Alas, when I asked a staff for time, I discovered I only had ten minutes to get ready. I rushed off without finishing my breakfast! Our group had 45 minutes of zodiac cruising before landing on an archeological site with both Saqqaq and Thule remains. The area is known as iceberg graveyard. We had a nice cruise around medium-sized iceberg. I forgot my walking pole. Luckily, the the path was covered with fresh snow and was not too slippery or steep. I managed to see both sites. We were back on the boat before 11 am.

    Once we were all on board, we set sail to Canada. We had two lectures today- “The Frozen North: Exploring Glaciology and Greenland’s Arctic Landscape” by Lorena, and ‘Arctic Archeology” by Murielle. I enjoyed both talks.

    Categories: Expeditions, My Europe trips | Comments Off on Northwest Passage: Greenland 28 August – 2 September 2024

    Pre-Northwest Passage: UK & France 18-27 August 2024

    Posted on September 1, 2024 by Sarah

    Why the Northwest Passage?

    The historical Northwest Passage (the Passage) has never been on my bucket list. Then in March 2024 while travelling on the Silver Cloud, I discovered a good deal on Le Boreal Ponant that charges no single supplement on the Passage this summer. The expedition would begin in Paris on 28 August ending in Seattle on 19 September. I signed up and decided to spend four days in London to visit old friends and four days to explore Provence before arriving at Paris CDG Airport on August 27. Two friends, Maria and Karen whom I first met on a foliage trip in Xinjiang decided to join. Heidi, a friend of Maria also joined. We end up having four ladies from Hong Kong on the boat!

    Paris 18 August 2024

    I left Hong Kong just before midnight on 17 August and arrived before 8 am in Paris. I got a day pass for 18 euro. I first took a train to Gare du Nord. As I could not check in till 3 pm, I made full use of the pass by taking a bus tour and found Paris dead quiet on Sunday. After having a Lebanese brunch, I took a metro to National Museum of Asian Arts-Guimet at Pl d’Lena. I spent two hours looking at Greco-Buddhist art (Gandhara art) mostly from present day Pakistan and Afghanistan, Serindian (Xinjiang) and Chinese art, Indian art (Amaravati and Mathura style, the Gupta and Pala period etc), Southeast Asian art from Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand), Myanmar and Japan.

    The exhibitions are well illustrated (mostly in French with some English). with my hip problem, I can’t and should not walk too long. After standing for over two hours in the museum, I took the bus back to the hotel and was ready to sleep by 8pm.

    London 19-22 August 2024

    After a good sleep, I got up fresh and ready for taking Eurostar to London. It took me less than ten minutes to walk to Gare du Nord and I had a comfortable 2-hour ride to St Pancras station next to King’s Cross Train Station. I found a room in a basic hotel opposite the station. Nothing fancy and clean, bright and airy! I simply stayed in my room reading till I decided to look for a musical. I picked “Next to Normal” at Wyndham’s Theatre. I paid for 50 pounds for a good seat in the royal circle. It is an intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief. The wife and mother lost her boy developed depression and bipolar disorder. The singing and acting are powerful with a storyline that is sadly fairly common these days. I have not been to a musical for many years. I really enjoy the show. Unfortunately, with hearing problem probably set off by a flu after my trip to Australia, I found the thundering music almost beyond my tolerance. I can no longer take heavy and loud music in future.

    For the next three days, I met Steuart (my former boss in Brussels), Emily (a good friend from HK), Betty (whom I met in the UK), Carla (my roommate in India) and Robert (a former colleague) for lunch and dinner. As I get older, I treasure more and more my time with good friends. Steuart who lives in Oxford is 91 and I hope to visit him again on my next visit. I was moved to see Robert who had a fall the night before but insisted to take the train to London to meet up with me. He was walking with a stick, and I was relieved when he sent me an email saying he arrived home safely. We are all getting old and with my hip problem, I also do not know whether I would be fit for travel in a few years’ time. Before lunch with Robert on 22 August, I visited the British Museum to see the Buddhist art section. Impressive illustrations and collections. After lunch, I took the Eurostar back to Paris at 6pm and stayed in the same hotel near Gare du Nord for one night.

    Paris & Provence 22-27 August 2024

    With my hip problem, I could not carry heavy things and walk too much. I therefore decided to explore Provence and stay in Ibis Hotel next to the Avignon Centre train station. I also bought an Eurail Global Pass with flexible use for four days. The first journey was on Eurostar back from London to Paris on 22 August. Then I took TGV from Gare de Lyon to Avignon on 23 August. I like the French train service, and the journey took just over two hours. Then I had to take a 6-minute connecting train to Avignon Centre. The hotel is two minutes away. Excellent!

    As I could not check in till 3 pm, I decided to use the train pass to go places. The train that came into the station would be heading to Nimes. But I got off at the wrong station- Nimes de Gard which has nothing to see. But I am impressed by the modern design of the train station. I took the next train back to Avignon and checked in the hotel shortly after 3 pm. It was so hot that I did not venture out till 5:30 pm. I walked to the centre and had an early lunch. I bought a combined ticket for 13 euro (reduced price for senior citizens) for the Papal Palace and garden, and the Bridge of Avignon. I walked up the view point in the garden next to Notre-Dames-des-Doms. Fantastic view, peaceful and quiet. I sat and watched sunset. After sunset, I strolled aimlessly in the atmospheric old town with numerous outdoor restaurants.

    24 August– I joined a “Full Day Best of Provence” (USD173). The trip started at 8:30 am with a nice young French guide Rimi. We had four passengers and explored the Provencal landscape in the Luberon (with some 35 villages). In the morning we had two main stops at Roussillon famous for its ochre soil and landscape and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse known for its Karst spring – the largest in France. We also had a brief photo stop at Gordes. Unfortunately, the lavender season was over. I must revisit this region in end June or July to see lavender.

    In the afternoon, we spent over an hour in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, Les Baux-de-Provence and Pont du Gard, a World Heritage Site which is an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century CE. By the time we got back to Avignon, it was almost 7 pm. I went to enjoy a sumptuous dinner at Bidendum.

    • 275m long, 6.4m wide & 48.8m high

    25 August– I took the train to Marseille at 7:53 am and spent a great morning exploring on my own. I bought a hop-on tourist bus ticket for 22 euro with 14 stops. Given my hip problem, I only stopped at the Our Lady of the Guard Basilica on top of a hill and the Major Cathedral close to the port. I found Marseille vibrant and charming. The basilica offers the most commanding panoramic views of Marseille. I was unable to go inside due to an ongoing mass. The cathedral is impressive too. I was a bit tired and sat near the old port people watching.

    After 2 pm, I walked back to the station and took a train to Aix-en-Provence just before 3 pm. I have heard a lot about this charming village. I soaked in the atmosphere having a late lunch till 4 pm. I strolled aimlessly visiting a couple of old churches, squares and fountains. I bought a bus ticket with Flexibus which was a big mistake. The bus (6 euro) departed at 9pm and took just an hour to Avignon. Alas, it stopped outside the old town in the middle of nowhere! Luckily I had an uber app and spent 20 euro to get back to Avignon. A mini adventure!

    26 August– I joined another half day tour “Follow the Footstep of Van Gogh” (USD110). Our nice guide drove us to Arles, one of the oldest cities in France. It was a leading city of the western Roman Empire. I can see portions of the wall around the old town are Roman, a Roman arena (amphitheatre) and theatre, and an obelisk. We had a good walking tour of the main attractions before having over an hour to discover the charming town on our own. The Romanesque church of Saint-Trophime founded in the 7th century and other Roman monuments are inscribed on the World Heritage properties. Van Gogh moved to Arles from Paris in February 1888, had an artistic breakthrough with some 200 works painted during this short period. He worked with Paul Gauguin who joined him in October.

    The guide took us to see the location of the yellow house when he lived, where he painted his Starry Night Over the Rhone, and Cafe Terrace at Night, and the hospital where he was taken when he cut his ear on 23 December 1889. During this productive period, Van Gogh painted some 200 works. In May 1889, Van Gogh left Arles to be voluntarily committed to a psychiatric institution in Saint-Remy-de-Provence which we spent an hour before returning to Avignon.

    I got back to Avignon around 2:30pm and I planned to visit the use my combined ticket to visit the Papal Palace and the Bridge of Avignon- both World Heritage Properties. The palace and fortress built during the 14th century was the conclaves of six Popes (Benedict X11, Clement VI, Innocent VI, Urban V and Gregory XI and Benedict XIII 1334 – 1395). The complex is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe.

    All visitors are given a pad for a self-guided interactive tour. Being an IT idiot, I had difficulties in figuring out how to use it at first. The palace is vast and spread over six to eight storeys (I guess). Given my walking problem, I struggled to walk up and down the endless staircases. The medieval structures and interpretations made the tour fairly interesting. After spending over two hours in the Palace, I made my way to the Bridge which last admission would be 6pm. Unfortunately when I arrived before 5:30pm, I found the gate closed with for exceptional reason. Visit by an exceptionally important guest? I could have visited it on 23 August when I got there. Lesson to be learnt: live mindfully and do thing I want and can without delay! I finished my stay in Avignon with a nice meal at Le Vintage.

    On 27 August, I had a leisure travel day. I took the 6-minute train to Avignon TGV station and got on the 12:55 pm train to Paris CDG Airport. It was easy to take the light rail free shuttle train from Terminal 2 to Terminal 3 and walked to Ibis Hotel by Terminal 3. My friends and travel mates Maria and Karen had already arrived from Hong Kong that morning. We had an early dinner before going to bed. But I got up at 2 am in the morning in order to attend the funeral service of Michelle with zoom. I visited her in Melbourne in late July and she passed away peacefully on 8 August. Life is precarious.

    Categories: Expeditions, My Europe trips | Comments Off on Pre-Northwest Passage: UK & France 18-27 August 2024