Time for catch up... Kyoto is an amazing city and would be the one I would recommend visiting if you could choose only one. It has hundreds (literally) of temples and shrines, great culture, very funky and trendy neighbourhood spot, great shopping for those inclined! Rent a bike... Japan is super bike friendly - you would think with millions of people, crazy traffic, etc it would be difficult - but the drivers are so polite for pedestrians and bikers. And everybody just works around everybody else. No one ever rings a bell, they just wait for a space. A bike made getting around Kyoto so much easier - we covered most of the East side and the centre. We had taken a train to Kyoto and as mentioned the ticketing is confusing. The ticketing agent, conductor and food trolley people never left the car without turning to bow and say thank you - like the rituals and manners. Farms are very small in Japan, with every inch covered. In the areas where farms overlap with cities every spare inch is filled with rice paddies or green tea fields - picture a rice paddy next to your local McDs! The hills are so green, lots of flowing trees and bushes right now, waterfalls and valleys. Simple homes to elaborate ones. Once in Kyoto we went to the Nichiki food market, filled with hundreds of food stalls and shops - shops here are so beautifully displayed and the service is immediate and polite. The shops draw you in with the displays, colours, sampling and smells. Walked through the rowdy Taramachi and Shinkyogoku arcades with shopping, gaming and restaurants. We had dinner at a funky American style diner with Asian influence - was neat to see how they put it together. Lots of magazines to flip through. Japan enjoys making things look pleasing to the eye - magazines are beautiful to look at, many focus on lifestyle, culture and arts. Walked through Ponotochi (remember Memories of a Geisha) and Gion. There are still geiko (what geisha are called in Kyoto) and meiko (apprentices) here. Thanks to the internet the numbers are on the rise - there are even a few meiko writing blogs which are attracting young girls to join - love when modern world meets ancient times. We went to an internet cafe for a bit, we finally figured out they are typically in the comic book places - so you can rent time to read and watch anime and manga. There are small cubicle rooms all set up with headphones, gaming paraphernalia, etc. There are drinks every where as they are included in your fee. Some people must really camp out here.
Went to several temples and shrines - I will share more when I post my pictures. But it was a great day, some rain mid way through but most good weather. Lots of old sections of town, and often at shrines where we were the only people, others more crowded. We were stopped at one by a group of Japanese school kids so they could practice their English, they introduced themselves, welcomed us to Kyoto and told us something special about the city. The teacher took our pictures as well. They gave us gifts of papers they had prepared. Japan is very much a gift giving culture, and you can see it with all the shopping, and whenever you buy something it is wrapped. We ended the day at the Imperial Palace riding through the park - very well used, lots of people out playing tennis and baseball.
The next day we took a Regional commuter train to Osaka, many people commute the hour from Kyoto. Stayed in the Namba area. The people in Osaka are incredibly friendly and want to please you so much. We found out that is somebody gives you directions and they were wrong they will come after you - we had it happen a few times! One man jogged a couple of blocks to get to us when he realized he may have given us the wrong directions. Went through the Shinsaibashisuji shopping area, and up the old Hozenji-Yokocho alley where we had dinner in a tiny restaurant with barely enough room for 10 people to sit along a bench. The food in Japan has been excellent. Then walked through the Minami Samba and Horie neighbourhoods - think very funky, Queen street type area with lots of neat shops, and very well dressed young people hanging out. Found the best bookstore that sold books and every bit of kitsch you could think of - we could have spent hours poking around.
Have to run - will have to write more about Osaka and our trip back through Tokyo later...

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read
only a page - St Augustine

Takayama was a wonderful city to visit. We arrived at the bus station and walked down a few streets checking prices at hotels. We got a night at the Country Hotel for 7000 yen. We went and walked through the old Edo merchant streets - beautiful wood buildings where the merchants lived, now litle shops and many are still homes. This city was famous for carpenters, who buildt many of the palaces and large houses of the elite. We had dinner in a little restaurant where we sat on tatami mats - they were nice enough to bring Scott a backrest as he was finding sitting crosslegged hard. He tried 3 types of Saki made in the area - 5 year old (at room temp), young (chilled) and unfiltered (a milky white). Unfortunately with the rain we had to move on. Kanazawa was a city filled with museums and culture - there is a beautiful new Modern Art museum, a large glass building - but it was just setting up the next exhibit, so we couldn:t go in, but we were able to walk around and see some of the works being installed. There was also a great library of art and design books and magazines that we spent some time looking at. We stumbled on a street festival going on outside the museum, with dancing groups performing traditional and modern numbers. We also wandered through the streets where the samurai used to live - many are still large private homes. We had tea in a traditional tea house - very strong matcha tea with a cherry blossom cake. The following morining we had hoped to go to the gardens, which are among the top 3 in Japan - being stuborn we tried but it was so cold, windy and wet we couldnt stay long. We took the train to Kyoto - quiet the confusing system for buying tickets - if you come, buy a pass, otherwise there is a 2 layer system of ticketing that makes it very expensive to travel on the train. We booked an inexpensive hotel through the information centre at the huge, modern station - Court Hotel Shinto for 5200 yen. We walked around the area, and went into the Geisha neighbourhood at night, with all the red laterns and ryokan (traditional guesthouses) and restaurants. Interesting being in these streets, like being back in time - then you walk out into the modern, bright streets of the rest of Kyoto. Like this city, smaller, simpler then Tokyo. Off to explore!

Very heavy raining is chasing us out of the mountains to the coast to Kanazawa. Will hopefully be better there.

Konichiwa! So we never made it to Australia because the Vancouver flights were so full that we would never have a chance to get there. Unfortunate because the flights to Oz out of Vancouver were wide open. We looked at the board to see if we could hop a plane somewhere interesting but most required visas. We returned on the 20th to get on a plane at 1pm to fly to Tokyo. We arrived on 21st at 3:30pm 15 hours later (Japan is ahead 13 hours, so basically flip the day to night. We spent until the 24th in Tokyo and then took a bus to Takayama in the mountains.
Impressions and thoughts of Japan - amazing culture. No litter or grafitti anywhere. Spotless streets. They make everything look pretty, even overpasses, garbages, etc. Dont allow smoking while walking, but can smoke in restaurants and bars - so less about health and more about cleanliness. People all wear masks to keep away from germs. Super friendly, very helpful, willing to work at miming and picture drawing if that is what it takes to understand each other. Run everywhere to serve you faster. Despite waves of people on the street and in subways, nobody ever gets upset, no horns honking, drivers let people in, nobody jostles you. It is so orderly. Obsessed with anime, cartoons, gaming and technology - picture 5 and 7 storey buildings filled with stores selling these items. Despite the technology - almost impossible to find an internet cafe, all must have at home. Everybody has a cell phone, but you never hear them ring, almost everybody is texting and never talk on the phone. Not allowed to read newspapers on the subway because it takes up too much space. Rude to blow your nose, but OK to sniff continuously. Lots of thanks yous and bowing, rituals and politeness - money is never handed to people, it is put in a tray to carry out a transaction. Beautiful buildings and architecture. Bright lights everywhere. Huge relaxing parks filled with cherry blossoms (we are here right in season). Museums, galleries, temples, shrines, theatres - filled with culture and history. Trains and subways are exactly on schedule. Everybody takes their jobs very seriously and shows a lot pride regardless of what they do. The quietest place filled with millions of people! The one place with noise is the gaming and slot machine centres - which operate at an ear-splitting level - so contradictory to the rest of life here. Fascinating! If it wasnt so expensive I would tell everybody to jump on a plane and travel here.
We picked up 2-day passes for the metro, it was a great system for getting around - plenty of English signs to get around. We covered so many different neighbourhoods - will share them through photos when I return.
Was challenging to arrange a bus to Takayama - the train is definately the method of travel preferred here, unlike in Argentina where the bus ruled. But we caught a bus this morning at 9AM (we are still getting up at 3AM) and took a 5.5hour trip into the mountains to a village filled with ancient Edo buildings - a completely different pace here, it is like the world has slowed and alomost stopped. We will be here for another day and then plan to take a bus to the coast and then perhaps on to Kyoto before retruning to Tokyo. More when I get the chance...

Failed attempt #1... the flight to Vancouver was overbooked and there were about 60 people waiting on standby - some had been waiting through 4 flights! Home to figure out Plan B.
People have been asking - the best pina colada? The Barranchia bar in old San Juan was better then the Hilton (but I think a little restaurant Casa Dante was the best). The hotel was busy with many areas closed down for a film shoot with Johnny Depp, but no sightings.

Great holiday with Tamara, I'm really glad we had the chance to have a week to hang out and talk -
she's such a great lady!

Scott and I are working on our plans for our first trip - and we are off to Sydney Australia later on tonight!

Just enough time to do laundry and repack.

Link below is for a few pictures from Puerto Rico.
You can click on details if you want to read some of my ramblings, or use the slideshow function. Enjoy!

Puerto Rico photos

To unpathed waters, undreamed shores - William Shakespeare

Yesterday was a great day of adventures. We drove up to El Yunque (say it with me, in a great latin american deep voice "El j-yunque") and spent time on some trails and enjoying the peace and quiet. The only rain forest in the US. It is home of the "coqui" the small PR frog that has a lovely 2-note chirp; and the Puerto Rican green parrot - very rare only about 45 left in the wild. We then drove into Farjida to join a kayak tour into Laguna Grande to experience the bioluminescent microorganisms in the bay - when you distrub the water in any way it glows like a green fire, or comet tail, or glow sticks in the dark (we were kayaking in the dark). It was amazing! When you dip your hand in the water it sparkles, thanks to clusters of hundreds of the organisms. It is so difficult to describe, has to be experienced. Even more amazing when fish swim by under water, as they create patterns. Supposedly its incredible in a rainstorm. We were like kids playing in the water. The stars overhead were also amazing, as it was pitch black. Kayaking back in the pitch black through a mangrove was quite an experience as well, when you can barely see the boat in front of you. Highlight of the trip!
Today we took a ferry over to the other side of the bay in San Juan to visit the Bacardi factory - an interesting information centre with lots of information, and free samples - Tam enjoyed my extras! (Graeme, sorry can't carry any on board - we wanted to get you the Special Reserve, aged 12 years and only available in PR...too bad). Then we had lunch at a great little find of a restaurant in Old San Juan - finally an affordable and tasty place - St Germain Bistro & Cafe (Sol and Cruz). Got caught in a major rainstorm and were soaked. Back out now to go to the Hilton and try the pina colada so we can compare in the "war".

Going to have to figure out how to get some pictures on here during my travels vs always having to wait until home to load up.
Today was a great day - we rented a car from a local agency "Afro Car rental" across the street from our hotel. We drove off to Ponce in the south. Amazing change in geography, topography and weather as we travelled the 90 minutes - went through rain forest, mountains and arid hills, then back into an area that looked like a never-ending garden. The town is a great little town of very old colonial buildings - some falling down and some being built back up. I love the old and decrepit beauty of a place like this (this you will have to wait and see in pictures). Then we headed off to an old coffee plantation - we arrived in time for the last tour of the day which should have been in Spanish, but the guide did an amazing job of juggling both languages.
Had dinner at a popular local place and tried Mofongo - smashed plantain mixed with veggies, etc. Could have used some hot sauce or something to make it a bit more punchy.
So remind me to tell you about the guy watching "adult entertainment" in the internet cafe - full blast, no cares in the world...and it wasn't until 2 guys complained that the employees gave him a headset - have to love the hot-blooded latin americans :)
Teresa - wish I could be around but we are likely flying out on the plane you come in on - what a shame, would have been fun to hang on the beach. Try the pina colada at the Hilton and then compare to the Barranchia bar downtown - there is a famous "war" going on as to where it was invented and which one is best (we still have to try the Hilton's).

Happy Birthday to me!!!!!!!!!!! One day late, but I was thinking of myself (and all of you) when I was enjoying my day in Old San Juan yesterday :)

It was a gorgeous day, sunny, not a cloud in the sky, with beautiful breezes off the ocean. We wandered the streets lined with brightly-coloured, colonial-styled houses - reminded me a lot of New Orleans. We explored the El Morro - the fort out at the promentory, 6 levels high and covering several football fields - the spaniards were serious about protecting the island! If you stay off the cruiseline/touristy track there are some neat little shops. People are very friendly and helpful here (we get lost a lot :)

Today was spent checking out the Contemporary Art gallery, the market area and the Belles Artes gallery. Loved the name of the cafe we found for lunch - Bla Bla

We made it OK to San Juan - actually it was a great trip. We zoomed through security, and actually had assigned seats even before we went through. So the plane was pretty open. We even got upgraded to the front - what a treat to start off our holidays! The crew was great, very friendly. When we first pushed back there was a technical problem, but thankfully they were able to fix it quickly. Once at the airport it was super quick to get a taxi, they set you up with a car and tell you how much you will be paying. $18 including tip. There was a mix up in that they wrote down Miramar (the area we are staying in) and the driver thought we were going to hotel Miramar. After a little re-routing we ended up at Olympi Court Hotel. What a gem! All updated, big rooms, super clean, with kitchenette, 2 full beds - all for only $85 including all taxes (usually there is a 13% tax and $5 per person charge for electricity). The man at the front was super helpful. We have now walked over the bridge to the beach area - very Miami. Cars all lined up cruising. Art deco buildings. Kids jumping off bridges and walls into the water. Little beaches dotted along. Lots of new building mixed in with old ones being taken down - an area changing all the time.

Spent my first week off getting lots of errands done, including getting my travel shots and medications all up-to-date so am ready for anything now (except perhaps Japanese encephalitis but I just won't go near pigs in remote villages ;) Also needed a bit of time to let go of work - that is taking a little longer then I thought it would, hard to turn off after so many years. I realized I have been working non-stop (even during school/university) since I was 16 years old. (Except for a period due to a car accident, but that I'm not counting). Not counting all the various odds and ends, babysitting, etc I did prior - but being on a payroll for 25+ years... That thought finally made me let go - and start to enjoy every moment of this break.

My first trip is with my niece Tamara - we're going to run off together for a girls' week before she has to start hanging out with the oncology gang again. I offered her the world - "where do you want to go"... only to find out I couldn't take her there - ARGH! Didn't realize I couldn't take family on other airlines standby - Scott could take her, but I can't. Then there were so many places that I could get us into, but couldn't guarantee I could get us home... not such a bad thought being stranded in Chile or Hawaii, but we both have places to be. Wanting a place with culture and history, warm weather, new to both of us - this was getting challenging! Finally landed on Puerto Rico - throw in a rain forest and some beaches... and I think we have met our criteria! We leave Sunday at 10:30AM if all goes well - I'm just worried my karma has taken a turn for the worst - think happy thoughts, think happy thoughts...

So it is official...I'm off work. Odd, it hasn't quiet sunk in yet! My company offers a great benefit - after 10 years of service, employees can take an unpaid break from work, called a "coffee break" - fitting for a coffee company! Kohvipaus is coffee break in Estonian - like the idea of the pause...time will go by so quickly it will seem like a momentary pause.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you have imagined - Henry David Thoreau