Cloud ADVENTURES Irish (ending part 3) In the evening we arrived in the city of Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. This is a very small town that looks more like a big village. We were settled in a nice hotel, maybe not such a luxury, as before, but I think as a man, accustomed to hardships like I should appreciate the comfort of any level. Several people from our group decided to go into town to look for its nightlife. The evening began in a karaoke bar. I'm not accustomed to this kind of entertainment, and, in truth, I was glad that we thence, finally, gone. Play as drunken locals moo some Bhutanese songs mixed with western pop music was for me a very serious challenge. Then we went to a bar with live music. Better not to become. Never thought I'd live to see the day when I'm out of the bar wants to go home at 11 pm. But that's what I did. And in the night club I went. For one night was enough for me with a vengeance Bhutan nightlife. When I got to the hotel, I could not find my camera! It was especially insulting to lose it, since that day I managed to do a lot of great shots. I thought that would take him to a reception at the hotel, like, out there the last time I used it. I asked the administrator, but unfortunately they could not help. I had a terrible night. For the most part, I prayed, but eventually accepted the fact that the camera is likely someone pulled off the reception. Local dog in every way to help me stay awake and focus completely on his misfortune.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Temple on the water and the city on a volcano - part 1
JAPANESE ALIENS AND FOREIGN JAPANESE Liz Weston, England during her travels to the island of Yakushima, which is located south of Kyushu, I was driving through the archipelago to the south and along the way stopped in the cities of Hiroshima and Kagoshima. These two cities are very different from each other, but there are also a common feature - the explosions. Sunset in the Peace Park of Hiroshima, of course, is associated with a nuclear bomb that the United States dropped on the city at the end of World War II. Since then the town has proclaimed itself "The City of Peace", and as a witness to the devastating nuclear attack by actively fighting for a nuclear-free future. Most of the city in which the epicenter of the explosion, now reserved for the Memorial Peace Park, where monuments to the victims and those who currently works for the good of the world. I arrived in town late in the evening, because it left the city of Himeji ahead of time. At dusk I was walking through the park, and, frankly, it was already difficult to see anything. The city was almost completely recover from the effects of the tragedy: the banks of rivers and the city were covered with greenery, and this despite the fact that many had thought that after the bombing here nothing will grow for another year 70. Everything looks so peaceful, it's hard to imagine, like a bomb ... I just do not believe it. Eternal Flame of Hiroshima became the first city where I came to stay with one of my friends' CouchSurfing (a major tourist network, whose members provide free assistance to each other and lodging while traveling, approx.
"Grand Slam" Denali Park - Part 1
The wild beauty of ALASKA Janis and Larry Andersen, the U.S. coming to an end two weeks of our stay in Alaska. Ahead of us was another important event - a trip to Denali National Park, which is rightfully considered the pearl of Alaska. Mount Denali is sometimes called Mount McKinley. This mountain is the highest in North America. It is located in the heart of Alaska and a member of the Alaska Mountain Range. In the vicinity of this mountain top is a National Park and Preserve Denali. Thousands of tourists come here by car, train or small aircraft. We decided to get into Denali on the machine. From the town of Chugiak to Denali to go quite a long time. Was scheduled to leave early in the morning and spend the night in the town of Healy, who is close to the national park. The next morning we were supposed to go on a bus tour through the park, and then come back to Healy and spend the night there. We go back home, slightly changing the route. Filling portable fridge with all sorts of goodies on Sunday morning, we hit the road. Along the way we decided to drive into the city of Talkeetna, only slightly deviating from the planned route. Can you remember the TV series "Northern Exposure", which went from 1990 to 1995. There was told the story of one doctor comes from the continental states, "forced to go to work in remote Alaska in the fictional town of Cicely crazy. In fact, all shooting the series were held in the town of Roslyn, Wash., and in Alaska's crew was not even once.
Temple on the water and the city on a volcano - part 3
JAPANESE ALIENS AND FOREIGN Japanese (ending part 3) The city of Kagoshima, which is located on the southern island of Kyushu, the next item on my way after Hiroshima, is situated far away from tourist routes than any other city I to then visited. This fact is immediately evident. I noticed from my conversations with gaijin (as Japanese call foreigners, approx. Perevi.) Whom I met in Japan that I have stayed here longer than all of them. And I thought before coming here that five weeks in Japan - not such a long time. Most tourists come to the country on vacation for two or three weeks, and follow the usual route of Tokyo - Kyoto - Osaka - Hiroshima, possibly adding to the list of all Mount Fuji and the city of Nagoya. Japan - too expensive country to the tourists come here for the long term, such, what I have often met in India. Because of such "long-playing" tourist, I felt free enough during his travels, and in fact some of them come back for 16 months or more. Aside from the Kinki region (central region of Honshu with the center in Kyoto, approx. Perevi.) And the entire island of Honshu as a whole number of gaijin falls sharply, and with it, and the number of locals who speak English. But ... This is another reason why I went on this trip garden near the temple on the island of Miyajima, of course, the lack of tourists could be due to the fact that Kagoshima is built on the slope of a very active volcano, which scatters ashes on the town almost every week. Everyone knows that once the city going into the air, but since no one do anything about it can not all just live with it.
Temple on the water and the city on a volcano - part 2
JAPANESE ALIENS AND FOREIGN Japanese (continued, p.2) Adam was a great kauchserferom. Embodiment of all that I like and dislike the Americans. He was damn straight, arrogant, peremptory and unlikely to let me or his Japanese girlfriend Mayumi insert a word for the whole evening. However, he also cooks well and was cordial host. While I take a shower, friendly young man managed to make real spaghetti with meat sauce. Mayumi they were very funny, always made fun of each other. The evening went on, the beer that I have brought with them ended, and I began to serve as an interpreter of emotions between the two that was very funny. The British, as we discovered, are a kind of bridge between the cultures of moderate and loyal to the Japanese and straightforward, and terribly independent Americans. Thus, I was able to stay in the role of the therapist, because they both understood perfectly. Or, as we suggested - by the time we drank too much. Adam liked me more for the reason that with him we could discuss the topic of cultural differences and stereotypes about the Japanese, which, as everyone knows, is one of my favorites. She also became one of the main reasons that I decided to come to Japan. Before coming to Japan, I read the book, Will Ferguson (Canadian writer and traveler best known for his books about Canada and about the people of this country, approx. Perevi.) "Hokkaido Highway Blues". It tells the story of one Canadian in Japan (this deep and at the same time very funny book I highly recommend it to everybody) and I wanted to see what stereotypes Adam, who lived in the country for six years, believes true.